Help The ATC To Raise Funds
Please register with Easyfundraising and help the ATC to raise funds. This is a FREE service where you can shop with your favourite online stores and at no extra cost raise funds for the ATC. You still shop directly with each retailer as you would normally, but simply by using the links from www.easyfundraising.org.uk site first, each purchase you make will generate a cash back donation to the ATC. Register and find out more here http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/aircadets.
RAFairman - What's it Really Like on the Front Line in Afghanistan?
Read RAFairman’s fascinating blog to find out..
Poppy Appeal Collecting
Once again the Squadron were proud to help with the Poppy Appeal in Ruddington. Click the image to view the photos. In the Morning Mr John Rayner MBE President of the Ruddington Branch went around the cadets who were on duty at the time and gave them a big thank you for their support for the RBL Poppy Appeal 2011 and said they were a credit to their Squadron.
Poppy Launch
On Saturday 29th October three cadets from 2425 Sqn, Flt/Sgt Mullis, Cadet Alvey and Cadet Hollingworth supported the Ruddington Branch of The Royal British Legion’s Autumn Fair and Poppy Appeal Launch. The cadet duties included meeting and greeting at the door, serving tea and coffee and helping with the stalls and after the event they were very helpful with clearing away. A big thank you came from the branch President Mr John Rayner MBE and Chairman Mr Ken Hicks for all their hard work.
2425 Sqn Cadet experience of the Scottish Sailing Expedition 8th – 14 August 2011
This August, Cdt Cpl Robert Abel, aged 18, was amongst 12 cadets from around the British Isles got the fabulous opportunity to be part of a six-day expedition around the Scottish coast and to Northern Ireland with the Ocean Youth Trust Scotland on their 72” yacht, Alba Venturer. Cadet Corporal Abel reports.
Throughout the week we experienced large variations in weather conditions, from no wind to force 6 winds. This meant we were continually changing the sails in rough seas, leading to a steady improvement in how our teams worked together and our knowledge of sailing. Most of the cadets that went on the expedition had minimal – if any, sailing experience; yet by the end of the week, due to working well as a team and helping each other, we all gained the RYA Competent Crew Certificate and sailed the vessel by ourselves for two full days, including the entering and leaving of ports, independent of staff assistance. Throughout the week we were given several drills such as “man overboard” to train us in the event of emergencies as well as being taught how to man a dinghy, learn naval navigation, rope tying and also how control the vessel.
Despite the week being both mentally and physically strenuous, we all thoroughly enjoyed it due to the camaraderie of everyone on board and also viewing some of Scotland’s greatest scenery. My particular favourite was that some of the group were able to see a pod of dolphins swimming along side us, with a backdrop of a rainbow in moonlight when on a night shift.
In all we travelled 270 nautical miles and visited the ports of Tarbert, Greenock, Holy Loch and Bangor (Northern Ireland) throughout the week and, despite half of the group suffering from seasickness, everyone remained fully involved in the working of the vessel and at no point took a back seat.
Myself and everyone else on the expedition and would recommend it without hesitation to any cadet who is willing to push themselves and work closely in a team. Finally, I would like to thank all the Ocean Youth Trust Scotland staff involved for all their guidance on the vessel as well as Mrs. Adelle and Sqn. Ldr. Mike Blakey Glossop from HQ Air Cadets for their help in the organising and leading of the expedition.
Read Air Cadet Magazine Online
Go to the main Air Training Corps website and click the Air Cadet Magazine read it image at the bottom right.
Air Cadet Courses ILM Accredited
We are in the first Wing to have Cadet NCO training courses accredited by the Institute of Leadership & Management. The South & East Midlands Wing is now accredited as an Approved Centre – the only ATC Wing to have achieved this accreditation / Approved Centre status. This means that those cadets who attend and successfully pass both the Initial and Advanced NCO courses within South & East Midlands Wing can now receive the ILM Level 2 Award in Team Leading, which is a nationally recognised qualification. Wing is continuing to work with ILM on other initiatives that should result in further nationally recognised qualifications being made available to cadets within South & East Midland Wing.