Page 33 - Cadet Review Spring 2025

Cadets with HM Lord-Lieutenant Ed Anderson and the Squadron Commander
MIRFIELD AIR CADETS
END 2024 WITH A
PRESENTATION EVENING
It has become a tradition for 868 (Mirfield) Squadron
to hold two major presentation events each year,
reflecting the successes and achievements of the
preceding six months. Shortly before Christmas,
cadets, parents and friends, staff and committee and
invited guests gathered in great numbers at Christ
the King Church on Stocks Bank Road in Battyeford,
for their Christmas Presentation Evening, bringing
the year to a close in good style.
The principal guest for the evening was Ed
Anderson CBE, HM Lord-Lieutenant of West
Yorkshire; also present were the Squadron President
Major Stan Hardy, a Deputy Lieutenant of West
Yorkshire and Colonel David Fuller Vice Chairman
of the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for
Yorkshire and the Humber.
An opening display was presented by the
Squadron band, providing a stirring introduction to
the proceedings, including a seasonal trumpet piece
by Sgt Lily Dillon, before the Squadron Commander,
Flight Lieutenant Peter Doubell, welcomed
everybody to the proceedings and made a short
opening address focusing on how very successful
the Squadron had been throughout the year and
highlighting wide-ranging variety of activities and
achievements the cadets had enjoyed during the
year, all of which were illustrated in a slide-show
running on screens in front of the congregation.
Following this introduction, the Squadron
Chaplain, Rev Ian Jones, conducted the formal
enrolment of 17 new cadets, with each of them
receiving an Enrolment Certificate.
The Lord-Lieutenant then presented certificates,
and in all there were 176 certificates to be presented
to cadets and adult staff, covering all levels, Blue,
First Class, Leading Senior and Master Cadet of the
Corps’ classification programme and Leadership at
various levels.
There were additional presentations of special
note: four BTEC Level 2 Diplomas in Teamwork and
Public Services for Lucas Mitchell, Sophie Pease,
Muhammad Saad and Joshua Sowerby and, it was
also noted, the successful completion of the Royal
Air Force Air Cadets Extended Project Qualification
(equivalent to half an A-Level) for Muhammad Saad.
Trophy presentations provided a good evening
for CWO Aiden Booth. Firstly, he was awarded the
Elite Trophy, awarded on an occasional basis for
long-term and exceptional service to the Squadron:
“As our SNCO he has demonstrated a great drive to
ensure the best possible achievement for all cadets,
individually and collectively, in all aspects of cadet
life. He has become a recognised instructor and
He is well
liked and
respected
widely by
both staff
and cadets
and has
established
himself as an
invaluable
support for
the Squadron
Commander
assessor for Aviation, Space, Leadership, and Radio
Communications, and even spent his 18th birthday
on a course to qualify as an Archery Instructor to
ensure we could continue delivery of that activity. He
is well liked and respected widely by both staff and
cadets and has established himself as an invaluable
support for the Squadron Commander.”
The trophy was presented to CWO Booth by CI Sue
Doubell, whose late father had donated the trophy.
But not only did CWO Booth gain this recognition;
he was also the recipient of the Gillian Lockwood
Trophy, which is awarded to the person voted for
each year by cadets as the most deserving person in
the Squadron.
Other significant trophies were presented to Cadet
Blake Hepworth – Best Recruit in the second half
of the year, Corporal Muhammad Saad – Academic
Achievement and to Tornado Flight – Inter-flight
Competition.
Col Fuller had brought with him a giant cheque
from the Yorkshire and Humber RFCA which he
presented to the Squadron in recognition of the third
placed entry in the recent Photographic Competition.
The entry had been from CWO Katie Ashford, who
had also gained third place in the previous year’s
competition. The cheque was received on the
Squadron’s behalf by the two cadets who featured in
the winning picture: Nicholas Burns and Finlay Haig.
The formal proceedings concluded with some
promotions: Joe Holmes and Muhammad Saad
were promoted to Sergeant and Lucas Mitchell was
appointed Corporal.
CADET REVIEW SPRING 2025 33