Page 21 - GM Wing 2020 Yearbook

The Lockdown, A Staff Perspective

After a bright start to the year with the Wing completing many activities we all stopped and it was immediately
clear that there had to be significant change in the methods of training to continue to deliver a rich and varied
experience to the cadets, Technology has significantly helped and it has highlighted the advantages and, in
some cases disadvantages of remote training. We have all had to adapt quickly and it is great credit to both all
staff and cadets within GM Wing that the changes were taken up quickly and new methods of training adopted.
Whilst some key elements of the Air Cadet Experience have been missing this year meaning less work in certain
areas the changes have meant increases in others. Hopefully, during 2021 we can return to a level of normality
which will see the best of our new methods continue to be used and the more traditional methods of training
taken up again along with all of the activities we have sorely missed.

Sqn Ldr Alan Taylor RAFAC , Wing Staff Officer Greater Manchester Wing
Lockdown and COVID-19 have showed me the resilience of the Air Cadets, not just from the standpoint of the
organisation but the people who make the Air Cadets what it is. It would have been easy to stop all activities and
leave it at that, yet that is not the Air Cadet way. Our parade nights became virtual, a commitment to deliver as
much training as we could in a new and engaging way became the focus. Yes COVID-19 has been a major
roadblock but one we have worked together to overcome and continue to strive for excellence.

Personally, without lockdown or being able to work from home I would no longer be apart of Greater
Manchester Wing. Having started with a new job in London in September I would have transferred to another
Squadron. It seems a strange thing to admit but I am thankful for lockdown as it has meant I have been able to
stay longer with my Squadron and the Wing.

Acting Pilot Officer Craig Lee, 1938 (Salford City & Eccles) Squadron.

As an SNCO during lockdown, things have worked a lot differently. No more seeing people face to face, no
catching up with staff on what they did over the weekend or what activities the cadets had got up to over the
weekend camps and training. Also, as a member of Adventure Training staff, all those weekends out walking,
map reading and camping, the summer evenings running water sports activities canoeing and kayaking all
finished and we were relegated to online only meetings. At first the online meetings took some getting used to,
even though the cadets were used to it for school, as adults we used teams for other online business things and
had to adapt our usual methods of teaching and try to engage cadets. The uniform has now been locked away in
a cupboard for almost 9 months - as most I hope it still fits! But look forward to going back to face-to-face
activity once things settle down.

Adult Sgt Wes Lomax , 1832 (North Manchester ) Squadron
Aircraft Recognition, Aviation Studies, Band and music practice, Blue and Bronze Badge Space, Blue Badge
Comms, Classification progress, Duke of Edinburgh Award, First Aid training, fun quizzes, guest speakers, IDEA
awards, NCO-led activities, presentations, promotions, Remembrance commemoration, RAF history, SMEAC
training and leadership exercises, team-building exercises, Wing Training Weekends…
This long list of activities would be typical of any squadron’s annual training programme, but there are some
notable absences – no camps, no drill, no fieldcraft or shooting, no AT or DofE, no parades, no sport.
2020 has been an unprecedented year for the RAF Air Cadets. Even though there were some things we couldn’t
do, there were many that we did do. When the Lockdown began, 80 (Bolton) and 1832 (North Manchester)
squadrons decided to parade virtually together, combining our staff, NCO and cadets, coming together and be-
ing Air Cadets in different ways.

Civilian Instructor Walt Johnson, Training Officer, 80 (Bolton) Squadron