Frome Air Cadet completes the Nijmegen Marches

Frome Air Cadet Daisy Edwards recently completed the International Four Days Marches, held in Nijmegen in the Netherlands. 

The event consists of walking 100 miles in four days, and over 40,000 people participate each year, including 5,000 military. It has been taking place since 1909, and has been based at Nijmegen since 1916. The march has happened every year since, except in 2006 when it was cancelled due to extreme heat.

It was started by the Dutch Physical Education Bureau based on an idea to organise a four-day march to the Field Army Sports Days in Breda, and those who complete the whole four days receive a royally approved medal.

This year, over 800 British military personnel took part in the march and Daisy was one of the 500 cadets present. The 17-year-old Flight Sergeant attended Nijmegen with two teams from the Devon and Somerset Wing of the Air Training Corps.

Daisy said, “Doing the Nijmegen marches has been the most mentally and physically challenging activities I have ever done, but by far the best and I will certainly be taking part again next year. One of the most uplifting parts of the event was the local children handing out food and spraying us with water pistols, it really boosted your spirits when you felt like you couldn’t go on.”