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Itturi shows its support for Cadets' Duke of Westminster Award winners

Leading military and protective clothing and footwear manufacturer, Iturri, is supporting the Duke of Westminster Awards. The company provided all the boots and wet weather clothing for young members of the Ministry Defence sponsored Cadet Forces who were successful in winning a place on a prestigious expedition to South Africa.

The award scheme is open to all members of the Sea Cadet Corps, Army Cadet Force, Air Training Corps and Combined Cadet Force who participate in recognised vocational qualifications through their respective organisations.

Organised by educational charity CVQO, The Duke of Westminster Award is an annual competition to recognise its most outstanding learners. The fifteen finalists for the award were selected from 300 nominations, from over 20,000 eligible CVQO learners nationwide.

Peter Cairns, Iturri's international defence sales manager said: "These are young people who possess a wide range of skills and abilities and have overcome personal challenges, as well as demonstrating a consistently high level of commitment to their communities and their peers.  We support the objectives of CVQO and the Duke of Westminster and we were delighted to donate the boots and lightweight wet weather clothing for the expedition.

Each candidate completed BTEC qualifications with CVQO that reflect the skills they have developed as members of UK youth organisations.

The finalists departed in July for a three week expedition to South Africa where they undertook an environmental awareness course in Kwa Zulu Natal and a cultural project working with and teaching orphaned children. In addition they visited Rorkes Drift, Isandlwana and took part in a challenging walking safari.

Admiral Lord West, CVQO President, said, "50,000 people's lives have changed for ever as result of the educational opportunities this charity has made available them. At the time of engaging with CVQO 20,000 of those young people had no GCSEs and many had little prospect of a secure future in the workplace. CVQO helped change that bleak outlook and the vast majority have since gone on to higher and further education and into work.

"The right footwear and clothing is paramount to a safe and successful expedition and I am grateful to Iturri for donating the high quality outdoor clothing and equipment to the successful cadets."

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For further information contact Peter Cairns at Iturri on +44 (0) 7768 843102 or Martin Newman at Martin Newman Public Relations on +44 (0) 7717 717981