Due to amber weather alerts issues for tomorrow making travelling unsafe, the ATC Sunday event planned for Sunday 9 Feb will not go ahead.
Author Archives: Fg Off Kightly RAFAC
Annual Awards presented and Annual Review
1220 (March) Squadron Air Training Corps recently held its annual Presentation Evening. The event consisted of the presentation of annual awards, and a review of the year by the Squadron Commander, Fg Off T Kightly.
The awards were presented by former Officer Commanding Bedfordshire and Cambridge Wing, Squadron Leader P Bower RAFAC, and Neale-Wade Academy Assistant Principal, Mr Theo Boyce.
During the review of the year, the audience heard some statistics around the achievements of the Squadron in 2019. Particularly of interest were the Duke of Edinburgh Award Statistics:
Nine cadets completed the pre-DofE award in 2019 and have been presented with a blue badge to wear on their brassard. They are Corporal Gatty, and cadets Gowler, Freeland, Mayes, Furness, Sousa, Bradshaw, Palmby and Anders.
Seven cadets completed their Bronze DofE awards in 2019. They are Corporal Gatty and cadets Lamb, Brownlie, Murray, Eves, Martin and Manze.
Three cadets were presented their Silver award. They were corporals Lynch-Cotter, Allcock and Baxter.
Sergeant Liam Hill completed his Gold Award. He is currently awaiting his invitation to attend Buckingham Palace to be formally presented his award.
The annual awards as presented, are below
| Gold DofE Pin Badge | Sergeant Liam Hill |
| Darts Competition | Cadet Joshua Mayes |
| Table Tennis Competition | Sergeant Liam Hill |
| Sqn Cdrs Attendance Cup | Cadet Theo Freeland |
| Jason Wing Shield for the Highest Examination Results | Sergeant Liam Hill |
| Keane Shield for Best New Recruit | Cadet Faith Anders |
| Best Overall Shot | Flight Sergeant Jordan Mayes |
| Inter-flight Drill Competition | B Flight |
| Most Improved Shot | Corporal Isabel Stimson |
| George Cross Memorial Trophy for Citizenship and Work in the Community | Sergeant Liam Hill |
| The Readshaw Cup awarded the Sport Cadet of the Year | Sergeant Liam Hill |
| The Mayors Diamond Jubilee Trophy for Adventure Training | Corporal Felicity Allcock |
| The David Turner Memorial Trophy for Music | Sergeant Liam Hill |
| Inter-flight Competition | B Flight |
| Caldwell Lodge Trophy for the Most Improved Cadet | Corporal Isabel Stimson |
| The Junior Challenge Cup | Cadet George Martin |
| Bower Challenge Trophy for Best Cadet of the Year | Flight Sergeant Lauren Thompson |
Jordan goes for Gold
Cadet Flight Sergeant Jordan Mayes has recently completed his Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s award, culminating in a presentation ceremony at St James’ Palace in London.
Jordan said “I’m very proud to have been able to achieve this award on my 17th birthday, and I loved every second of it”
To complete his award, Jordan completed a Volunteering section, where he coached and mentor other cadets, a Physical Recreation section, where he cycled in and around March, and a Skill section, where he completed his Master Cadet studies in aviation.
Jordan also completed a four-day expedition in the Lake District and a 7-day residential fieldcraft camp in Shropshire.
Jordan said “My time at the palace was amazing. Being allowed into the Throne Room at St James Palace and having my award presented by Strictly Come Dancing star Craig Revel Horwood, as well as meeting Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex was a really memorable event!
MARCH CADETS COMPLETE SILVER EXPEDITION
Recently seven cadets from 1220 (March) Squadron Air Cadets completed the expedition section of their Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Their three-day expedition began near Castleton in the North York Moors, and took them through Westerdale and Farndale Moors.
Cadet Chris Howsam (15), said “The expedition was really worthwhile and I am pleased to have completed the expedition section.”
After camping in the valley, their second day took them past the disused mines in the area. They then took a route along the top of the moor where they camped in Rosedale.
The final day of their expedition took them across Wheeldale moor and finished in Goathland, the village where the ITV television series Heartbeat is set.
Pictured is the team at the end of the expedition. From left: Cadet Rebecca Stimson, Cadet Corporal Sophie Reeve, Cadet Corporal Liam Hill, Cadet Jason Sharman, Cadet Chris Howsam, Cadet Corporal Lauren Lynch-Cotter, Cadet Corporal Lauren Thompson
MARCH AIR CADETS COMPLETE EXPEDITION IN WOBURN
Seven air cadets from 1220 (March) Squadron recently took part in expedition in Bedfordshire. For three of the cadets who took part, this counts towards the expedition section of their award; the other four took this opportunity to improve their skills in preparation for their assessed expedition next year.
1220 cadets at the end of their expedition
The route started at Great Brickhill in Bedfordshire and took them towards Woburn. They walked through the Woburn Abbey deer park and camped at Milton Bryan. On the second day they walked along part of the Greensand Ridge walk to finish near Flitwick.
The cadets found the Milton Bryan campsite particularly interesting because a building on the site was used as a radio station, which was used to broadcast false information and misleading propaganda into Nazi Germany during World War Two.
All seven cadets carried everything they would need for the two days, including their tents, cookers, food and spare clothes. They cooked and ate their own food, which consisted of breakfast, and a sausage, pasta and sauce concoction for evening meal.
Cadet Ross Tunley said “I thoroughly enjoyed my expedition and have achieved something I didn’t think I’d be able to do. Even though it was hard at times I found that the effort paid off at the end.”