BY FLT LT ERICA VEY
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A group of twelve cadets from 1066 (Hitchin) squadron and three staff members have just returned from a busy few days in North Wales. The purpose of the trip, organised by CI Dave Dewbery (ML) was for the cadets to complete their silver practice or qualifying Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition. All of the cadets completed their bronze award last year with the help of Flt Lt Erica Vey and CI Dave Dewbery.

The group departed 1066 squadron on Tuesday 26 August in the squadron minibus with trailer. After a long journey, base camp was set up near Barmouth. The following day the expedition started with three groups leaving base camp early that morning.

With one cadet dropping out on the first day, the three groups then had to re-form into two larger groups. The next three days saw cadets covering over thirty miles on foot and camping out at two different camp sites. The three staff members on the expedition spent time monitoring the groups and checking them at their campsite in the evening.

The group returned home very tired on Saturday 30 August. Cpl Henry Wisdom (16) who completed his practice expedition said ‘by far the best expedition I have ever done! It was wet and foggy and a challenging route but I had a fantastic time.’

Cadet Oliver Martin (15) who was completing a second practice expedition said ‘the Wales expedition was a great opportunity to test my map reading skills and enabled me to work as part of a team.’
All of the cadets have expressed an interest in completing their gold awards with the squadron. Some are old enough to start the gold level now but others will have to wait until next year. They will complete their gold expeditions with the seven cadets who are already silver award holders at the squadron.

Cpl Matthew Woodward (15) who has just completed his silver award as a result of passing the expedition explains ‘it is great how the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is both exciting and challenging.’

BY CDT DAISY BUCK
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Cadets from 1066 (Hitchin) and 248 (Letchworth) squadrons have recently undertaken and passed a two day bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition. After months of planning and training it was finally time for the cadets to set off on their expedition. The cadets were assessed by staff members from both squadrons. Five groups of cadets spent two days walking around the North Herts area. The weather was good and for many cadets this was their practice expedition and their first experience of undertaking their own expedition. Those on a qualifier found that their navigation and camp-craft skills had improved greatly since their practice expedition last year. The cadets camped overnight at the Henlow Boyd Scout campsite, a site that has been used for many years by 1066 (Hitchin) squadron.

Cdt Daisy Buck (14) of 1066 Sqn said ‘overall this was a great achievement for me. As a team we all learned to work well and how to overcome difficult situations. We all helped each other out which made the expedition very enjoyable. This was a fantastic experience! I can’t wait to participate in the Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s award!’ The cadets are looking forward to completing their qualifying expedition in the summer. Those that are old enough will move onto their silver awards and may complete their silver practice expedition in North Wales this August.

BY FLT LT ERICA VEY
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Friday 18th April 2008 was a busy night for 1066 (Hitchin) Squadron. It was its annual awards evening which provides the cadets, staff, committee members, family and friends the opportunity to look back on achievements over the past year by the squadron and individual cadets. 2007 saw 1066 being crowned as best squadron in Herts & Bucks Wing, winners of the Wing aviation day competition and April 2008 saw the squadron representing the Wing as the Lee’s trophy inspection nomination.

The reviewing Officer for the awards evening was the Squadron’s President Air Vice-Marshal Alan Merriman. Wing Commander David Henson was also in attendance. Upon AVM Merriman’s arrival at the squadron he inspected all of the cadets on parade escorted by Flt Sgt Lewis Stockwell (17) and Sqn Ldr Paul Mimpress, WSO for the squadron who was also presenting the evening. This was on behalf of 1066 Sqn Commanding Officer Flt Lt Erica Vey who is recovering from her third lot of surgery this week following her injury at annual camp. The inspection was followed by a march past and band display led by Drum Major Flt Sgt Lewis Stockwell (17).

A review of the past year presented by Sqn Ldr Mimpress followed and also a short talk by Martin Vey, Treasurer of the Civilian Committee and Flt Sgt Stockwell spoke about the band. Refreshments were then provided by the Civilian Committee and this gave parents and family the opportunity to look at the static displays produced by the cadets.

Wing Commander Henson then presented a host of certificates including eight wing blues, seven examination certificates, three bronze and two silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards, one Air Cadet Pilot Scheme certificate to Sgt Emilie Pearson (17) and seven bronze National Navigation Awards. Sgt Samuel James (17) was awarded a Diana Award for his hard work and effort at the squadron above and beyond that expected of a cadet.

Annual awards were presented by AVM Merriman. The Warrant Officer’s Award for highest uniform inspection scores for the year went to Cdt Oliver Martin (15), The High Flyer Award for examination results was awarded to Sgt Michael Page (17) who achieved the equivalent of six GCSE A*-C grade with the squadron during the last year. Cdt Charlotte Hunt (14) was presented with the Freddy Petch Endeavour Shield. The Erica Vey Award for the cadet(s) that helps others to further achieve went to Sgt Samuel James (17).

The Marksmanship Award was presented to Cpl Matthew Woodward (15) for the highest shooting scores over the past year. The Cadet of the Year award based on monthly scores went to Cdt Emiko Kemp (14). The highest points for sporting event attendance, medals and wing blues for the title of Sports Cadet of the Year was awarded to Cpl Mariko Kemp (16). Best NCO of the year was presented to Sgt Benjamen Reed (16). Flt Sgt Lewis Stockwell (17) was awarded the Merriman Cup for Commitment. Commanding Officer’s Commendations were awarded to Flt Sgt Lewis Stockwell (17), Cdt Meredith Orman-Brown (16) and Cdt Daisy Buck (14).

When Cdt Tom Young died in 2000 his parents donated a trophy in his memory. The trophy is awarded annually to the most improved cadet of the year. This year it was presented to Cdt Henry Wisdom (15).

Flt Lt Tony Farrell RAFVR(T) Retd, Chairman of the Civilian Committee sadly died in April 2007 after a short illness. His family have kindly presented an annual award in Tony’s memory. The award is the Tony Farrell Musician of the Year award. Tony originally set up the band in the 1980s and assisted Flt Lt Erica Vey to re-form it again in 2005 when she took command of the squadron. The first presentation of the special award went to Cdt Gary Pestell (15) who in the past year has worked extremely hard during practices, parades and competitions. He plays bugle in the 1066 band and trombone in the Wing band.

BY FLT LT ERICA VEY
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Four cadets from 1066 (Hitchin) have been presented with their Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards by Air Commodore Gordon Moulds, Commandant Air Cadets. The cadets and their guests were invited to attend the Wing awards ceremony held at Halton House Officers’ Mess on 29th March 2008 after they completed their awards in November 2007. The ceremony also provided the cadets and their guests an opportunity to look around Halton House Officers’ Mess.

Sgt Michael Page (17), Sgt Benjamen Reed (16), Cpl Douglas Johnson (16) and Cdt Dumal Welikala (16) all completed their awards with the squadron following the achievement of their bronze awards the previous year. All are well underway with their gold awards and have expeditions and residential projects planned for this summer.

Sgt Reed said ‘I worked hard for my Silver award and enjoyed the challenges faced during its completion. To have it presented by Commandant Air Cadets made it very special. I enjoyed the ceremony itself and talking with the Commandant.’

The cadets used a variety of topics towards their awards such as fundraising, uniformed youth service, cricket and aeronautics. A number of new subjects are being introduced for their gold awards including marksmanship, driving and badminton. They all hope to use attendance at an annual camp this summer towards their gold residential project and Cpl Johnson has decided to use his Germany camp in August as his project. Cpl Mariko Kemp (15) and Cpl Simon Moore (15) have also achieved their silver awards but were unable to attend the ceremony. They will receive their certificates at the squadron’s annual awards evening in April.

Hard work by cadets from 1066 (Hitchin) Squadron is paying off with many recently completing their Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards. In the last few months nine cadets have achieved their bronze awards, six cadets have completed silver and one has achieved gold.

Service sections have included uniformed youth service and fundraising. Skills studied have included music, marching band, driving, singing and marksmanship. Cadets have enjoyed improving their standards in sports such as dance, karate and physical achievement. Cadets doing silver and gold awards have worked really hard to complete expeditions in North Wales and the Breacon Beacons, where as those completing bronze have been a little closer to home, undertaking expeditions in East and West Hertfordshire.

Cadets who have achieved bronze awards are Cpl Matthew Woodward and Cdts Gary Pestell, Meredith Orman-Brown, Katherine Swift, Oliver Martin, Peter Bradford, Holly Somerville, Adam Philpot, Michael Barnes. Silver awards have been awarded to Sgts Benjamen Reed and Michael Page, Cpls Mariko Kemp, Douglas Johnson, Simon Moore and Cdt Dumal Welikala. The gold award has been achieved by CWO Christopher Moore who will visit one of the Palaces’ later in the year to collect his certificate.

Cpl Douglas Johnson (15) said ‘completing my silver award was a most rewarding and challenging experience and I am pleased to have been able to achieve it. It has definitely been great fun.’

After being awarded his bronze award Cdt Oliver Martin (15) said ‘I have realised that completing my Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a great achievement and I was very pleased when presented with my award.’

All the cadets who have completed their bronze and silver awards have already started work towards their next award. They will travel to Wales in May to complete their silver and gold practice expeditions.

BY CDT DUMAL WELIKALA
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On Monday 13th August, five cadets from 1066 (Hitchin) Squadron travelled to North Wales to complete their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award silver qualifying expedition.

Cdt Welikala explains: On the first day of the expedition we managed to get lost twice during the day and the heavy rain didn’t help either! Once back on track, we continued and eventually got to our first campsite.

The second day was slightly better and we set off eagerly to get to the next campsite. This was the hardest part of the journey as Cdt Cpl Michael Page had estimated it to be around 20km, over hills and rivers. With this mammoth task in mind we continued the walk and got to the second campsite in an impressive time. The third and final day of the expedition started well as we had covered over 5km in less than three and a half hours! With only one more hill to climb until the end we paced up the hill to the finishing line. Finally we had all completed this challenging expedition and our silver awards. Once back at base camp we were welcomed by CI David Dewbery who had planned the expedition and was one of the assessors. Later that evening we were treated to dinner in Barmouth.

Cpl Benjamin Reed explains “This has been probably the toughest challenge during this year for me, but I have enjoyed every minute of it”. Our thanks also go to CI Al Cox who assisted with the expedition. We are all now ready to tackle our gold awards.

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.

BY FLT LT ERICA VEY RAFVR(T)
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