Nothing differently at all. I think it’s a combo of not recruiting during covid and parents wanting to send their children outside after 2 years of being stuck in.
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We’re doing first come, first served at the moment. We try and give priority to people who missed out on our last intake but managing it is quite hard. We also have people on the list who aren’t old enough yet, because they heard there was a wait so wanted to get their names down early!
This.
Plus parents want to have kid free time.
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I don’t have the staff, building capacity, uniform or resources. We considered running 2 intakes, increasing our intake size, running alternate nights for them but all had pitfalls.
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Beware the risk of burn out.
Unit i know well had a similar situation.
Sqn cdr managed to convince WHQ to let them open a DF.
Now 9 or so month later. The OC has gone NEP due burn out.
Looking like the the DF will be shutting and the main unit is on the table for resus.
Very hard to get a sqn to 50 / 60 and hold it there, whilst providing meaningful training and opportunities to all.
Very hard
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Indeed, there seems to be a sweet spot of around 30 and then possibly another for larger units at 70 odd, we have a few of those locally which have big staff teams, suitable premises and often generous external sponsors too. Getting to there from the 50 cadet mark is really, really hard.
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Have found a long list wanting to join.
Our recruit flight, did eclipse the main sqn at one point.
Next intake day for us is January also.
I took on around 40 recruits when a unit I took over was regularly parading 12. Was an interesting few months but made me honestly believe that 1 major intake per year was the way forward.
MMH: Finally having time to put the tree up and the lights in
You mean you didn’t put it up in October, like everyone else? 
The biggest problem is no one in the higher organisation gives a stuff about volunteer staff and how this or low numbers affects them. Lots of cadets and you need to try and provide enough to keep them interested and more coming and if you have low numbers the almost constant "you need to get the numbers up’ which requires the same effort. All of this in the face of the accommodation the majority of us have is not really suited to more than 30-40 and not having enough staff to make it work,
I have to admit in these “look how many cadets we’ve got” stories, where is the effects it has on personal and family life of all volunteers? This for me is more interesting than the numbers. But does anyone managing the organisation from Sqn Cdr up in this modern idyll of wellbeing really care about volunteer’s lives? I tell staff including the young and unattached to concentrate on family and having other interests.
This is the approach we take in my CCF unit - one intake every year, into a recruits flight. Once through First Class they are assigned into other mixed flights. It works very well.
MMH - that there are still some decent people out there 
Crazy Jr ‘misplaced’ driving licence a little over a week ago and its turned up in the post this morning. Whoever did this has taken the time and expense of postage to get it back to him and it has put a smile on my otherwise grinch like face today.
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Thought is was the history of RAFAC from 2021 to 2031.
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Nice to think you still believe its coming back…
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Finding a brand new pair of Aku High Liability boots in the local charity shop
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Went swimming in the sea today. Lasted 20mins. Feeling VERY alive.
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Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
