The weekend of the 28th-30th of June saw Air Cadets from across the Oxfordshire area come together to take part in Exercise Tri-Hard, the Oxfordshire Cadet Challenge. Working with cadets from the Sea, Army and Combined Cadet Force, they took part in a range of exciting and challenging activities.  The aim of the weekend was to work together in teams to win the Challenge.

Throughout the weekend the cadets took part in water-based activities like kayaking and power boating with the Sea Cadet Corps, the Army Cadet Force provided first aid scenarios to test the cadets and the Air Training Corps challenged the groups to find a downed pilot by completing a number of different leadership exercises. Continue reading →

In a surprise result, the cadets of 2211 (Bracknell) Squadron have won the Thames Valley Wing Activity Day held at Edward Brooks Barrack from a strong field of 287 cadets from right across the Thames Valley.

Bracknell secured the win by a strong performance across all the categories – Foot Drill, Banner Drill, Aviation Art, Aeromodelling, Photography, Media Skills, Aircraft Recognition, Flights of Fancy and Map Making. Runners up were 1996 (Earley) Squadron followed by 211 (Newbury) Squadron and 381 (Reading) Squadron. The overall drill winners were favourites 1116 (Wodley) Squadron who now go forward to the Regional Activity Day. Continue reading →

The annual Inter Squadron Swimming Competition was held recently at Temple Cowley Pool and saw 21 Squadrons from across Oxfordshire and Berkshire in fierce battle for the awards on offer.

The competition itself was spread across four classes (Junior Boys, Senior Boys, Junior Girls and Senior Girls) and comprised both individual and team events in all four main disciplines, namely Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly and Freestyle. In addition there were further categories including the individual medley, one cadet completing all four strokes in one race, the medley relay (4 cadets 4 strokes) and the freestyle relay (4 cadets any stroke). Continue reading →

76 uniformed members of staff from Thames Valley Wing have been awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.

The members of staff were presented with the medal by Air Commodore Paul Lyall OBE of the Joint Services Defence College during a high profile parade at Dalton Barracks; in front of family, friends and guests. Continue reading →

The success of the Thames Valley Wing sports teams continued recently with a fantastic haul of trophies at the recent inter-Wing athletics competition.

Held against the backdrop of the forthcoming Olympics, and with an Olympic torch in attendance, carried by the Regional Sports Officer, Squadron Leader Costin, the competition saw cadets from across the South West Region pitted against one another to win the various pieces of silverware on offer and also to gain a place on the team to compete against the other Regions in the Corps later this year at RAF Cosford. Continue reading →

Britwell Air Cadets were in the silverware after winning the lions share of the medals and trophies at the Thames Valley Wing Athletics Championships held at Abingdon’s Tilsey Park.

Over 200 cadets and 50 staff took part in glorious sunshine; battling it out to be crowned champions. 11 events were on offer across 5 age categories headed up by Flight Sergeant Barry Tweddle, the Wing Sports Officer. Continue reading →

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 →

A team of cadets drawn from across the Thames Valley area triumphed in the pool and came away with the silverware following the recent inter-Wing swimming competition which was held at HMS Temeraire in Portsmouth.

The competition was tough as the team was pitted against others drawn from across the South West of the UK including from as far afield as Plymouth, Cornwall and the Isle of Wight but the Thames Valley contingent proved themselves to be very much up to the mark. Continue reading →

In a nail biting finish the cadets of 381 (Reading) Squadron proved they were the best by winning the recent Wing Activities Day held at Edward Brooks Barracks near Abingdon.

Against the back drop of a deep blue sky and bright sunshine, 21 teams from across the Wing started the day in contention with a testing set of competitions ahead of them. This included Field Craft, Public Speaking, Adventure Training, First Aid, Aircraft Recognition, Foot Drill, Media Skills, Aviation Art, Photography, Website construction and Aero modelling. Continue reading →

Cadets from 1460 (Banbury) and 150 (City of Oxford) Squadrons have just returned from a Junior Cadet training weekend with a difference. Instead of just teaching them the theory, their staff had organised for them to have a real practical experience of what it means to be an Air Cadet!

During the weekend the cadets learnt all about Initial expedition training, Navigation, History of the RAF and flight and radio communications basing themselves at Rhydd Covert Scout Camp site next to the West Midlands Safari Park. Continue reading →