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WING AIR CADETS SOAR TO GOLD
A prestigious ceremony at Buckingham Palace saw cadets from the Wing receive their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE); the highest level of achievement within the award programme.
The DofE award is a highly regarded scheme which focuses on the personal development of young people aged 14-24. It fosters self-reliance, perseverance, and a sense of achievement through participation in four core areas: volunteering, physical skills, developing a talent, and undertaking an expedition.
The Gold Award requires a significant time commitment, with participants dedicating their free time over a 12 to 18 month period. This includes participating in a four day long expedition with navigation, teamwork, and camp-craft playing crucial roles.
The presentation ceremony, held in the beautiful gardens of Buckingham Palace, is a cherished tradition for Gold Award recipients. It provides a unique opportunity for these young people to be recognised for their dedication and achievements alongside other high achievers from different organisations across the UK.
Flying Officer Joe Arcari spoke about the garden party “On Friday, 10th of May 2024 six members of 366 (King Ecgbert) Squadron joined other members of the Wing to enjoy our Gold Award Celebration Day at Buckingham Palace. It was a really good day with perfect sunshine where I met up with friends from my expedition Sergeants Lewis Taylor and Josh Masters, Sofia Tredinnick with Flight Sergeant Dan Davis, Flight Lieutenant Steve Dunn and Wing Commander Barton also enjoying the celebrations.
It was good fun listening to guest speakers, I particularly enjoyed listening to the legendary rugby player Alun Wyn Jones! We then met up with Sergeants Hisham Hussain and Ruby Barrett who had taken part in a canoe expedition in Scotland as part of their award.
It was a good day with good weather and company – thank you to everyone who has helped us achieve this award!
When not seeing guest speakers, we drank
very nice tea and ate cupcakes while sharing our tales from our expeditions and listening to the RAF Band playing. The day was brought to a close with speeches from the Duke of Edinburgh which made us realise how special our awards are and gave me a sense of pride in what we had achieved. It was a good day with good weather and company – thank you to everyone who has helped us achieve this award!”
Wing Commander Kat Barton explained that.
“The Gold Award is a testament to the incredible commitment and dedication displayed by these cadets and staff; it was a real privilege to share
this special day with them all in London. The DofE award challenges them to step outside their comfort zone, develop new skills, and contribute to their local communities. To see them recognised for their efforts on such a prestigious location is truly amazing - well done all! I would like to thank all of the DofE leaders and adult volunteers who are involved in delivering the award."
From left to right: Flt Lt Steve Dunn, Fg Off Joe Arcari, Sgt Josh Masters, Sgt Lewis Taylor, Cdt Sgt Ruby Barrett, Cadet Flight Sergeant Sofia Tredinnick, Sgt Hisham Hussain
Flight Sergeant Dan Davis
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