South Wales Fire and Rescue Service proudly hosts the first National Fire Cadet Games in Wales

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) proudly hosted the 2025 National Fire Cadet Games this weekend — marking the first time the prestigious event has been held in Wales. 

In partnership with Cardiff Metropolitan University, the three-day event brought together 31 cadet teams from across the UK for a celebration of skill, teamwork, and community spirit. The young cadets, aged between 13 and 18, competed in a series of high-energy challenges designed to test their firefighting knowledge, physical ability, and communication under pressure. 

From water rescues and trauma response to home fire safety and a cutting-edge VR search and rescue simulation, the Games showcased the wide-ranging skills these future fire and rescue professionals are developing. A team activity, prevention initiative, and technical challenge rounded out the action-packed weekend. 

“These Games are about more than competition,” said Chief Fire Officer Fin Monahan, who opened the event on Friday. “They’re a celebration of the dedication, leadership, and passion these young people bring to their communities. Every cadet here represents the future of our service — and that future looks incredibly bright.” 

Fire Cadets volunteer their time to learn life-saving techniques, including firefighting, first aid, and community safety. They serve as ambassadors for their local services and play an active role in making their communities safer. 

The National Fire Cadet Games not only highlighted the impressive capabilities of the cadets but also fostered new friendships and a shared sense of purpose among the next generation of fire and rescue leaders. 

17-year-old Cumbrian Cadet Olivia Paice shared her experience: 

“I’ve been a fire cadet for about five years now and I love it. We’ve all had a great weekend – we’ve met so many amazing people. I’ve really enjoyed the different challenges, but particularly the trauma segment. It’s very realistic, and you must adapt to the quickly changing scenario.” 

The weekend was also attended by Councillor Kate Thomas, Mayor of Newport, who remarked: 

“It’s tremendously inspiring to see so much interest in the fire service from so many young people. It’s also been an incredible feat of organisation and co-ordination that is extremely impressive.” 

The overall winners of the 2025 National Cadet Games have been announced as Bedfordshire Team 2. SWFRS Abergavenny cadets who achieved a well-deserved second place.  

Amy Jenkins, National Fire Cadet Games Co-ordinator expresses the importance of these games:  

“The success of the National Games reflects the teams’ commitment to delivering this important event, alongside the fire cadets from across the UK whose presence and passion made this weekend’s Fire Cadets National Games a great success.” 

Commissioner Lady Wilcox for SWFRS commented:  

“I’m proud that South Wales Fire and Rescue Service had the honour of hosting this year’s National Fire Cadet Games. It was a fantastic opportunity for our cadets to demonstrate the knowledge, teamwork, and confidence they have gained through their local Fire Cadet programmes.” 

SWFRS would like to thank our partners at Cardiff Metropolitan University for hosting the games on their campus. We look forward to seeing how our young people continue to grow, lead, and inspire in the years to come. 

Results 

View all images from the event here.