Air Cadets from 861 (Wideopen), 733 (Newcastle Airport) and 1114 (Gosforth) Squadrons have taken part in their bi-annual visit to Royal Air Force Boulmer in Northumberland for a multi-activity camp. The cadets aged between 13-19 attended the RAF station as part of their leadership development training and took part in a busy camp. Many of the cadets had just joined the Air Cadets and this was a fantastic opportunity for them wear their uniforms and meet the regular RAF personnel for the first time!
The cadets spent the weekend on the base with serving personnel engaging in leadership exercises, target shooting, an Air Battlespace Management exercise, drill and ceremonial training and visits to 202 Squadron to see the Sea King helicopter and the Command Reporting Centre bunker.
The cadets learnt about how to maintain their uniform and keep their rooms tidy in line with the Warrant Officers standards. Cadet Carl Soulsby, 13 of Darras Hall said “We were issued with our uniforms on Thursday and on Friday we had to get them ready to wear for the first time! The older cadets taught me how to iron my shirt and trousers and how to polish my shoes – it was hard but really good fun! I loved wearing my uniform on an RAF station for the first time!”.
The cadets learned about how RAF Boulmer defends the skies of the UK by visiting the Command Reporting Centre where the bunker staff explained how air defence works in practice. Cadets then had the chance to visit 202 Squadron who operate the Sea King Search and Rescue helicopter.
Squadron Commanding Officer, Flight Lieutenant James Elliott, was thrilled with the weekend “The cadet accommodation at RAF Boulmer is absolutely superb and my thanks goes to the station for its support of this camp. Cadets who have just joined the Air Cadets in the past couple of months had the opportunity to work with older cadets, serving RAF personnel and visit the Royal Air Force up close and personal – it was quite a learning curve for them. This is what the Air Cadets is all about – learning new things and working in teams! I am certain the weekend has benefitted them greatly.”
New members of adult staff were also reacquainted with the RAF again. Civilian Instructor, Mr Andrew Watson, has recently re-joined the organisation as an adult and this was his first weekend away with the cadets as an adult instructor. He said “It was brilliant to attend this camp and work with the cadets again on an RAF station. I used to be an Air Cadet and I really miss giving our young people the chance to experience everything that the RAF has to offer”.
