Duke Of Edinburgh's Award Success

BY FLT LT ERICA VEY
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The last few months have seen a number of cadets achieve their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at 1066 (Hitchin) Sqn. Sgt Kenji Kemp, 17 has achieved his gold award and will soon travel to St James’ Palace to receive his certificate. Sgt Kemp has achieved all three levels of the award and is the first cadet to achieve a gold award since the current Commanding Officer achieved her award in 2001.

Sgt Kemp said ‘completion of my gold award is a fantastic feeling and a great sense of achievement. The award was good at incorporating the skills and interests I already had and I also made many new friends on my ‘open’ gold expeditions.’

Pictured are some of the cadets who have achieved their bronze awards. They are all now well on their way to completing their silver awards. The Squadron is off to Wales next month to complete a silver and gold practice expedition. By the summer the squadron should see completion of another gold award and seven silver awards.

Flt Lt Vey explains that ‘all the cadets at the squadron are enrolled on the award and the squadron hopes that 2007 will see an improvement on the success rate seen in 2006’

Up the ladder... Promotion!

Congratulations to Cpl Emilie Pearson for her promotion to Cadet Corporal.

1066 Sqn Expedition Success

BY FLT LT ERICA VEY RAFVR(T)
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Cadets from 1066 (Hitchin) Sqn are a step closer to completing their Duke of Edinburgh's Awards after returning from a week in North Wales. The trip enabled cadets to complete either a silver or gold practice expedition. Sunny weather was experienced for the duration of the week and the cadets that completed their silver expedition also had the opportunity to try out the high ropes course at Ropeworks.

The gold group climbed Cadair Idris on day one of their expedition. Flt Sgt Christopher Moore, 17 said, "the expedition allowed me to develop the skills I gained at bronze and silver in a new environment".

Silver group member Cpl Samuel James, 16 explains, "the expedition proved to be the most challenging but most rewarding activity I have done in the Corps". Commanding Officer Flt Lt Vey said the expeditions in Wales proved to be a great success. The cadets worked extremely hard doing both the expedition and the training days beforehand.

The trip would not have been possible without the work from the four staff members that attended, particularly CI Dave Dewbery, a qualified Mountain Leader, who carried out the majority of the planning. The cadets will return to Wales in the summer to complete their qualifying expedition and their awards.