Thank you to the staff and small
band of cadets who built the human fruit machine and to those
who took part in the procession. We gained 3rd Prize
in our class and collected an enormous amount of money ~ most
of which seemed to be aimed directly at us on the float.
We received a donation from Seend Fete Committee for organising their car parking. Thanks go to the 3 cadets and 5 staff members who undertook this task.
We are delighted that Rob Swanson has progressed from Cadet Warrant Officer to Adult Warrant Officer. Barney Wiles has also become an Adult Warrant Officer having been a Civilian Instructor for some while.
We are very pleased that Julie Pocklington has joined us as a potential Civilian Instructor. She will provide much needed female supervision as well as joining the teaching staff.
Civilian Committee
The Annual General Meeting of the squadron committee
was held on 23 September. It would have been nice to see more
parents there to support the squadron. The constitution of the
Air Training Corps requires that each squadron shall have a committee
and without it the squadron cannot exist.
Summer Camps are now over. The one at Honington with
the RAF Regiment went extremely well As commandant of that camp,
I want to thank all of the staff for their whole-hearted participation
which enabled us to have such a good time.
There were good reports back from the camp in Cornwall
at RAF St Mawgam.
Warrant Officer Tarrant attended camp at RAF Henlow
to organise shooting.
We have now started the Nitex season and hope to
run an exercise each month. Cadets should bear in mind that the
fieldcraft training sessions we run are to improve their skills
so that we can organise more testing exercises.
Warrant Officer Hale plus some cadets will be attending
the weekend in the Peak District which is being organised by Marlborough
Squadron (8 - 10 October)
The bid has been made to HQ Salisbury Plain Training
Area for New Zealand Farm Camp and land for our Easter Camp.
Cadet Daniel Young was promoted to Acting Corporal in time for Summer Camp at St Mawgam.
The other NCO candidates have not been forgotten and their assessments are continuing. Look out for further announcements!
Sunday 3 Wing Training Day
Thursday 7 Recruiting Evening
Saturday 23 Flying
Sunday 31 Wing Field Training
Wing Training Day
We have entered the following
events:
Drill Leadership Test Aircraft
Recognition ATC Quiz 5-a-side Soccer
Show PRIDE in yourselves and
the squadron and put on the very best effort you can.
Recruiting Evening
Squadron strength is low at
the moment and we need to increase numbers of active cadets. The
recruiting evening is a prime way of doing this. However, we need
to get potential joiners through the door so that they can be
told what the ATC is about and what it has to offer.
We are seeking publicity through
the local newspapers and by getting posters displayed in as many
shop windows as possible. You can each do your part. You are
the best recruiters we have. Tell your friends about
it. Get them to come along on Thursday 7 October. Display a poster
in your front window. If each of you brings along just one joiner,
we are set for a really good year.
Don't forget your flight members
who haven't turned up for a while. Get them to turn up.
Remember, the greater our numbers,
the better the programme we can put on for you.
Field Training Day
Our squadron is running this
event for the Wing. There will probably be about 30 teams (120
cadets) attending. It is competitive and tough. It would be good
if we did well on our own territory.
Apart from those who wish to
be in our team (or teams) we need help on the day to make the
event run smoothly and beforehand to set up the individual activities.
Please show PRIDE in our squadron
by taking part or by assisting the organisation.
Flying
Places will be offered first
to those who made the fruitless trip to Boscombe Down on 19 September.
I have heard it said that a
reason for non-attendance is that the programme is uninteresting.
As staff we have a problem:
it is much more difficult to programme for a few cadets of varying
experience than to set things up for larger groups. When small
numbers turn up for an evening where we have scheduled multiple
activities we have no option but to concentrate on just one or
two of those activities or even to do something entirely different
suitable to the numbers and skills mix present.
There are times in the year
when we have to concentrate on topics which perhaps do not seem
the greatest fun. For example, at this time we have the formalities
of Drill to practice so that we put on a good show at Wing Training
Day and on Remembrance Sunday.
Examinations come round three
times a year. It is a fact that we are in the Air Training
Corps but bear in mind that these examinations qualify you for
activities and that you can gain a BTEC award by going through
the various classification levels.
Training is important in all
walks of life. In all jobs you have to keep learning new things
and refresh known skills. Without training you will not improve
your knowledge or skills. Within the ATC, there is little point
in avoiding training and turning up only for the "sexy"
things. You are not a lot of use on a Nitex if you can't use a
map and compass or don't have man management skills if you are
supposed to be the leader.
The area in which there is wide
scope of things to do comes under the heading "Projects".
We try to offer you a wide range and do ask you as a group what
it is that you want to do. Our last posted list included:
| Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme | Newsletter Production | Plastic Aeromodelling |
| Model Prototyping | Round the Pole Flying | Diorama |
| Engine Maintenance | Rifle Drill Display Team | Band |
| Flight Simulation | Radio Communications | Squadron Library |
| Squadron History/Scrapbook | NCO Training | Aircraft Recognition |
| Fieldcraft | Conservation Tasks |
Yes, we do want to offer more.
Shooting is an example. For reasons beyond our control we have
not had use of the range onsite for over a year. We have offered
Sunday shoots for inexperienced cadets but the take up was very
poor. We are now trying to fit in Shooting on normal parade evenings
at another location. Good news is that a range will be included
with our new accommodation. Of course, experienced shooters are
well catered for with monthly Wing organised sessions on Army
ranges.
We have noticed that activities
scheduled at weekends are poorly supported by cadets. In our community
role this has led to embarrassment by being unable to meet commitments
or rescuing the situation by having largely staff only participation.
We are plagued by the "drop
out" phenomenon where lots of names go up for events but
are then scratched out as time passes ~ usually after we have
committed on the basis of the initial interest.
I hope that this school year we will be able to offer a wide range of activities that cadets actually want to do. In particular, we need to establish just what weekend activities we should attempt. We will ask for opinions and will do our best to meet aspirations. But remember if you put nothing in, you will get nothing out
Obviously we will continue the
core activities which are common to all ATC squadrons.