Newbury Air Cadets Celebrate 70th Anniversary

The Squadron’s headquarters at St Michaels Road hosted an Open Day for parents of cadets and invited guests including Newbury’s Mayor, Councillor Dr Ian Grose.  There was a formal parade and presentation of the years trophies and an opportunity to show off the Marshall Trophy which was awarded to the Squadron last December. This trophy is an annual award to the most successful Squadron in the Wing.

Other notable winners included:

  • Cdt Alex Hamm – Sports Trophy for sporting achievement
  • Cdt Alex Farringdon – Pheonix Trophy for consistent sporting effort
  • Sgt Daniel Ockwell – Paley Cup for consistent commitment to weekend activities
  • Cpl Ashley Nunn – Buttmarkers shield for buttmarking
  • Sgt Oliver Omar – South London Rifle Club Shield for small bore shooting
  • Cdt Jamie Bartlett – Jack Goodey shield for full bore shooting
  • Cdt Patrick Pearce – Audrey Cartwright Cup for public speaking
  • Cdt Alex Farringdon – John Cartwright Award for the upkeep of squadron moral
  • FS Hozan Amin – The Training Cup for consistently making an effort to further training
  • Cdt Kamila Sinoplu – Doreen Gates Cup for the best female cadet
  • Sgt Oliver Omar – Shepheard Cup for the cadet of the year

Following this a buffet lunch was served and guests were then able look at displays of the activities and opportunities which are open to cadets.  This included displays of fieldcraft, adventure training, first aid, cooking, flying and gliding, camps, battlefield visits, sports and the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. The Squadron’s archives were on display and many visitors also took the opportunity to have a go on the Squadron’s flight simulator.

Squadron Commanding Officer, Alex Pye commented, “ 2010 was a very successful year for the the Squadron culminating with the winning of the Marshall Trophy.  The cadets have taken part in many memorable events including walking Wainwright’s Coast to Coast path in August – 192 miles in 8 days and raising nearly £2000 for the RAF Benevolent Fund; attending the Inter Service Cadet Rifle Meeting with a team of marksmen competing against all cadet forces and having a cadet come in the top 150 of shooters across all three services; sending a cadet on the international air cadet exchange to the USA and one cadet on the Cadet 150 trip to Lesotho to represent the cadet forces and the United Kingdom providing aid work to the country all show the ambition and success of this squadron.”

The Squadron is currently planning a major reunion to take place in the summer for ex-cadets and staff members, as a further celebration of the 70thAnniversary Year of the Cadets in June 2011. As part of the 70th Anniversary

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