Page 29 - Cadet Review Spring 2020

AIR CADETS SUPPORT
FOR CHILDREN IN NEED
AND OTHER CHARITIES
A fun time was had by all at 868 (Mirfield) Squadron for Children in Need night in November. A series of activities, well removed from the normal routine, led to £153 being raised for the charity.
Activities during the evening included:
• Banana eating race
• Dunk the biscuit in the tea
• How many marshmallows can you get in your
mouth in 15 seconds • Leg waxing
• ‘Pudsey’ and chocolate themed raffle
The evening culminated in a “sponge the NCOs” session, cadet NCO’s dressed down to t-shirts and shorts for the privilege of having wet sponges thrown at them by cadets, who gladly parted with more money for the opportunity! The NCOs got very wet, but were soon brought back inside to dry off, change and have a hot drink.
Children in Need was just one of the charitable events support by the Squadron during the Autumn period, starting in September with practical help for the Kirkwood Hospice Trail Run, where cadets and staff were out marshalling the route and coordinating car parking for the participants.
Later in the month, cadets and staff were involved in collections for the Royal Air Force Association Wings Appeal around Mirfield, operating out of a base set up in the local Co-Op supermarket. Efforts on the day manage to raise £549 for the appeal.
At the end of September, the Squadron also held a coffee ‘morning’ during their regular evening meeting as a fund-raising activity for MacMillan Cancer Support. A wide variety of cakes were provided by staff, members of the Squadron Committee and the cadets themselves, all invitingly laid out and priced up. Cadets and others took little persuasion to part with money in order to consume the cakes on display, and in all £187 pounds was raised in donations for the charity.
Finally, just before the Children in Need Night, was Remembrance Day, and in the lead up to it cadets
...we do try to make the occasions fun
were out around Mirfield once again collecting, this time for the Poppy Appeal in support of the Mirfield Branch of the Royal British Legion. They managed to raise £766 in their assigned collecting tins.
The Squadron Commander, Flight Lieutenant Peter Doubell said “The Autumn time is always a busy and active period for us but it is one where we are willing and able to support some very worthy causes, and we do try to make the occasions fun.
We have certainly been effective this year having managed to raise over £1650 for the various charities over this period.”
CADET REVIEW SPRING 2020 29