Welcome to Thames Valley Wing

What did you do last weekend

We hope you enjoy looking through all of the activities on offer to aviation and aerospace inspired young people throughout Oxfordshire and Berkshire.

We are sure that you will be interested in joining our team whether it is as a cadet or as an adult volunteer.

Please feel free to browse the site and contact us if you require any further information.

Canoeing and Climbing Taster for Thames Valley Wing

On a very soggy Sunday in April, cadets and staff from across Thames Valley Wing took to the water and the wall at Adventure Dolphin in Pangbourne.

Despite the torrential rain, several cadets and staff made the trip to Adventure Dolphin in Pangbourne for a day of taster sessions in canoeing and climbing. Organised by FS Chris Harding (ATC), the cadets spent half the day learning some basic skills in a canoe on the river Thames, and the other half on the indoor climbing wall at the centre testing their climbing skills. Continue reading

Opposites Attract in a Classic 5-a-Side Battle

Cadets from Chipping Norton, based in North Oxfordshire, and cadets from Earley in Berkshire have proved themselves best of the bunch in a thrilling 5-a-side tournament held at RAF Benson.

28 teams from across the Thames Valley started the day with a series of league competitions for the male and female trophies before being narrowed down to the top 12 teams for the nail biting play off stage. Continue reading

Hold the Front Cover – Pirbright News!

A new and exciting new course is about to offered to cadets who are interested in the media or want an innovative addition for DofE skills!  The week long media camp will happen during the established Pirbright Camp in August with the selected cadets forming a news team to cover the camp and creative new media.

Wing Media Communications Officer, Sqn Ldr Mark Trevena takes up the story “we are looking for cadets to take part in a workshop covering creative writing, photography + newsletters for certain and maybe some sort of video and web element as well. Continue reading

“Deadly Assassin” Stopped by FTX Cadets!

Protecting a General from a deadly assassin was the task in hand for cadets at the recent Fieldcraft Training Exercise, or FTX for short, held at Bramley Training Area.

Almost 100 cadets and staff from right across Thames Valley Wing threw themselves into a busy weekend of fieldcraft and leadership training in readiness for a realistic scenario which saw them having to solve a complex whodunit puzzle by using their newly found skills. Continue reading

Olympic Torch Duties for Mo

Didcot based Civilian Instructor Mo Merchant will be fulfilling a life long dream this summer when she carries the Olympic Torch through Oxfordshire.

Mo was nominated for this top honour by Flying Officer Jane Wicks, Adjutant at Didcot Air Cadet’s as a way of rewarding her for her years of dedication to the Air Training Corps. Continue reading

Summer Camp – Hong Kong Style!

When Thames Valley Veteran, Flight Lieutenant Mike Kidley returned from a Hong Kong based International Air Cadet Exchange back in 2009  he never thought he would be able to return to meet Far East colleagues again.  Well, this all changed when he received an invite from one of these friends to return to see a Summer Camp – Hong Kong Style!

Mike takes up the story ” It all started in 2009 when I was selected to go to Hong Kong as an Escort Officer with three cadets on an IACE visit. When the visit was over, I returned to UK  not knowing when or if I would ever go back and visit the many friends I made during the camp.  Continue reading

Merlin Magic for Reading

Reading Air Cadets have taken to the skies in a Merlin Helicopter from RAF Benson which was organised by ex-Reading cadet, Flt Lt Nathaniel Roberts, who is now a pilot at the Oxfordshire base.

The cadets were busy on a field craft training weekend at Bramley Training Area with Burghfield Air Cadets  when their staff told them the news that they were take to the air. Continue reading