This summer RAF Coningsby has been host to a number of cadets from across Central & East Region at the first ‘blue’ summer camps since March 2020.
Norfolk & Suffolk Wing cadets and staff arrived at the station on the 7th August, for a week filled with activities to give cadets a taster of what it is like to live and work on an RAF station. Along with fellow Air Cadet members from Herts & Bucks, and South & East Midlands Wings their week was packed with a mixture of trips out and physical activities.
This included, braving Jacobs Ladder on the high ropes course, visits to Newark Air Museum, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and RAF Scampton – home to the Red Arrows. This was certainly a camp for aircraft enthusiasts as cadets were also able to get a close up view of a couple of different Spitfires as well as a Lancaster and a Dakota. It was also hard to miss the Typhoons both from 12 and 29 Squadrons, who were night flying throughout the week.
Back on station the cadets were able to pass their Weapons Handling Test and take part in a live firing exercise on the 25m range, with some cadets able to qualify as a marksman. A number also received their Blue Leadership and Blue Space badges.
Flying Officer Sharon Denson, OC 1379 (Leiston) Sqn was one of a team of staff members accompanying the cadets, and added “It has been wonderful to see the cadets getting out and about again on Camps now that the covid restrictions have lifted. I just want to say a huge thank you to the Air Cadet Liaison Team from Coningsby who supported us throughout the week, and made us feel very welcome.”
Sgt James Shaw also from Leiston squadron said “It was a really great week. Noisy with all the Typhoons flying over our tents throughout the night, but that made it even more unique.”
Sgt Chris Hammond from 301 (Bury St Edmunds) Sqn added “It was a fantastic camp! It was great to forget about Covid for a bit and have some normality again. The sections on the camp were really welcoming and we all had some amazing experiences. We all got on so well together too which is what really made the camp.”
