Page 29 - Cadet Review Autumn 2022

CEY Wing ATC
CENTRAL AND EAST YORKSHIRE WING HEAD UP REGIONAL GOLD DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD PRACTICE EXPEDITIONS
At the beginning of July twelve prospective Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) candidates met up in Newton on Rawcliffe, north of Pickering, for the start of a 3 day and 2 night strenuous Gold practice expedition over the North Yorkshire Moors.
Under the direction of the Wing DofE Officer, Flight Lieutenant Charlotte Bridges, and the Regional
DofE Officer, Squadron Leader Ian Johnson, the candidates, four young adult members and eight senior cadets spent a day in preparation, including planning their qualifying expedition held in August
in the Lake District, before setting off from Newton on Rawcliffe and trekking over the moors via Howl Moor, Goathland, Fylingdales Moor (passing RAF Fylingdales) and past the Hole of Horcum on their return. One group travelled in this direction and the other the opposite way round and in theory should have passed each other around lunchtime on Day 2. However, navigational challenges meant that this did not quite happen in the planned way and was a very good learning point for the teams to build on before their qualifying expedition. The groups were intended to be one adult and one cadet team; however, numbers dictated that one group had adult and cadet members, which worked well.
The candidates from across Yorkshire, with a few further afield to the west of the Pennines, all enjoyed the experience and learned a great deal
about themselves and their teams which stood them in good stead for their next expedition, which was held on a more challenging landscape. The weather, which was variable to understate things, also allowed them to assess their waterproof equipment and decide what they needed to improve on, or change, before August.
The practice was successful with all candidates who completed the expedition ready and raring to go the following month.
Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Practice Expedition
At the beginning of September cadets from
1324 (Hawker Blackburn) and 119 (Scunthorpe) Squadrons made the trip to Stape, on the edge of the North York Moors to participate in a Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award practice expedition.
The cadets enjoyed a full weekend of walking, camping at the Outstation, the North York Moors Railway Activity Centre and refining their skills in campcraft, navigation and team work. In total they walked some 30 km and one night camping, in preparation for their qualifying expedition, which is expected to take place at the end of October.
They all enjoyed the weekend and left ready to prepare themselves and their kit for the next expedition.
The centre at Stape is an excellent facility
with accommodation, dining area, kitchen and ablutions and is well worth looking at as a venue for any outdoor activities. It is conveniently located close to the edge of the North York Moors and with easy road access.
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