Weekend Success for Sandy Cadets

Air cadets from 22 (Sandy) Squadron are celebrating their best result in the squadron’s history after competing at the annual Wing Field weekend competition, winning three awards for the squadron.

The competition held on the weekend of 12th and 13th June at RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire, saw a number of selected cadet represent their squadron, competing against 28 other squadrons from across Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

The weekend saw the Field team, led by Cadet Flight Sergeant Akeel Shaikh (18), being test in a number of activities during the two days, being scored on their teamwork, leadership and communication skills.

The Saturday also saw the squadron’s drill team, led by Cadet Sergeant Kim Coates (16), competed in the wing drill competition, gaining the best result in the squadron’s history.

The weekend also saw the squadron compete in the photographic, media, aircraft recognition, first aid and aero modelling competitions, with Cadet Sam Neighbour (15) winning the Class 4 Open Diorama, for his model of a First World War trench scene, which he made himself from scratch.

The Sunday morning saw the cadets joined over 500 cadets on a formal parade, with five Sandy cadets being a part of the ceremonial escort squadron to the wing banner. This was a rare honour for the five cadets, as it has been seven years since a Sandy cadet was last the escort squadron.

During the parade a number of awards were given out, with Cadet Sergeant Robert Hubbard (18) being awarded the Parker Britannia Trophy for noteworthy achievement of a genuine aviation nature within the year. Robert was nominated by the squadron to receive the award, after he successfully gained his Private Pilot’s Licence in February, and also on recently gaining his silver gliding wings on his first attempt.

The squadron was also awarded the Media Communications Trophy for winning the media communications competition, in which this year the staff and cadets had to enter two separate designs for promotional materials for the Air Cadet Organisation. The designs will now go onto represent Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Wing at the regional competition later in the year.

Squadron commanding officer, Flight lieutenant Mark Robinson commented “It is such an honour for the cadets to be selected to represent their squadron in the drill or field teams. They should be immensely proud of how they have performed and for the trophies won for the squadron this weekend”.