Honouring a Life of Service: Celebrating Lt. Pete Wesley 80th Birthday

Last night, I had the privilege of attending the 80th birthday celebration of a man who helped shape the course of my life — Lt. Pete Westley. A name that still brings up a rush of gratitude, warmth, and a sense of home every time I hear it.

I wasn’t there alone. I was surrounded by two of my oldest, dearest friends:

Bonnie, who I met at Cadets when we were just 15, and

Sarah, who has been part of my journey all the way back to junior school.

We stood there together — three grown women, still bonded by the very place that helped raise us — and we told Pete exactly what he needed to hear:

that the Army Cadets didn’t just give us structure… they gave us family.

The Cadets Changed My Life

When I look back at my time in the Army Cadets, it wasn’t just marching, discipline, or learning new skills. It was where I felt truly safe. It was a refuge during some of the toughest moments of my childhood.

For many of us, the detachment became more than a youth group — it became a foundation. A place to stand when life felt shaky. A place where adults genuinely believed in you. A place where belonging didn’t have to be earned — it was simply offered.

Lt. Pete Westley was at the heart of that.

His leadership wasn’t loud.

It wasn’t forceful.

It was steady, constant, and full of quiet compassion.

In his presence, you felt seen. And that matters more than most people ever realise.

A Night of Memories and Gratitude

As we celebrated him turning 80, we found ourselves slipping easily back into those memories — the camaraderie, the laughter, the way Cadets gently nudged us into becoming who we were meant to be.

We told Pete stories he’d probably forgotten, and he reminded us of moments we didn’t realise had impacted him too. That’s the beauty of these full-circle moments — realising that the threads of your life are so deeply woven with others that you can’t imagine who you’d be without them.

And as we talked, I felt that familiar sense of gratitude rise in my chest. The Cadets didn’t just give me confidence — they gave me grounding. They gave me community. They gave me adults who guided without judgement. And they gave me lifelong friends who still walk beside me today.

A Quiet Thank You

So this blog post is simply this:

A thank you.

To Lt. Pete Westley — for shaping the lives of so many young people.

For giving us structure when we needed it most.

For showing up, week after week, year after year.

For creating a space where we felt safe, supported, and encouraged to grow.

And to Bonnie and Sarah — thank you for being part of my life’s story for all these years. For the shared mischief, memories, and the threads that tie our hearts so neatly back to those Cadet nights.

Some People Change Your Path. Others Build It With You.

Last night wasn’t just a birthday celebration.

It was a reminder that the people who guide us in our youth leave marks that last a lifetime.

Cadets gave me a family.

And Pete Westley was at the centre of it.

Happy 80th Birthday, Pete — and thank you, from my heart, for everything.

— TJ Higgs