Cadets Spend the Weekend at Amport House

Posted by admin on Sunday 18 July 2010 under 2010 | Be the First to Comment

Amport House Chaplaincy Centre

Amport house is the Chaplaincy Centre for the combined military forces, Navy, Army and RAF. A group of 28 cadets from around the UK recently attended an invaluable weekend Personal Awareness Course created to increase their knowledge, both of themselves and their impact on those around them.

While we (myself, FS Bowthorpe, Sgt Coleman and Cdt Graham) were there, we took part in a series of activities such as Ice Breaker designed to show the importance of body language and other communicative techniques; the Air Raid Shelter debate in which each member of the group had to defend the character he or she was given to avoid being thrown of the ‘shelter’ after a ‘nuclear holocaust’; and the Team Towers where the importance of teamwork was highlighted.

In between the activities there was plenty of time to enjoy croquet, pitch and put, take a wander around the Grade One listed gardens and explore the local village of Andover by mountain bike. We couldn’t resist the opportunity to play a game of hide and seek but didn’t anticipate it taking three hours to find everyone. As well as those there was the opportunity to watch a multitude of Blu-Ray films and play Wii and X-Box 360 on the brand new 46” plasma TVs in the games room and bar.
The minimum age for the course is 16 so the weekend had a relaxed air with everyone being on first name
basis, even the staff, and we were trusted with a full run of the house. While being held at the Chaplaincy Centre might lead you to believe the course has a lot to do with God and religion, this was not the case. Nobody was expected to attend on the Sunday and apart from a quick Grace at dinner time (where the food was excellent) it was surprisingly easy to forget where you were.

The activities we took part in combined with the excellent standards of food, accommodation and staff members made it impossible for anyone to have anything but a amazing weekend.

Submitted by Cadet Corporal B. Goodchild

RAF Regiment Memorial Parade

Posted by admin on Sunday 11 July 2010 under 2010 | Be the First to Comment

Start of the Parade

On 11 July 2010 188 (Ipswich) Squadron joined cadets and staff from 432 (Woodbridge), 356 (Felixstowe) and 469 (Lowestoft) Squadrons to take part in in the RAF Regiment Memorial Parade in Felixstowe in the same year the RAF Regiment Association celebrates 40 years since its formation and also the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

The Memorial Parade began with a church service attended by the cadet and staff and local dignitaries included the mayor of Felixstowe and servicing members of the RAF and RAF Regiment before march through the town and seafront.  The Parade was led by 469 (Lowestoft) Squadron’s band closely followed by the various standards and cadets and staff from those Squadrons attending.  Also on the Parade was ex-serviceman of the RAF Regiment and current servicing members from RAF Honington.

After the Parade and march past of the Town Hall the cadets were dismissed and bused back to Felixstowe Squadron’s HQ to partake in a BBQ for all their hard work, whilst the OC’s of those Squadrons attending and their guests attend a meal held at the towns leisure centre just off the seafront.

The day finished with a short display by 6 aircraft over Felixstowe Peir.  The aircraft included a BAe Hawk and a Yak 52 doing various aerobatics and dogfighting manoeuvres to the hundreds of members of the public and cadets that had gathered along the seafront in what was a gorgeous, but very hot day.

You can see more photos from the day in the websites gallery and on the East Anglian Daily Times website.

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