INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
What is air cadets? It’s a fair question, but ask anyone who has taken part as a cadet, adult volunteer or parent and you’ll know how special the organisation is. It offers young people from all walks of life a chance to get active, learn new skills and make new friends in an inspirational and safe environment.
It doesn’t interfere with their school responsibilities and cadets take an invaluable set of experiences and strong personal ethics with them when they leave that they can put to good use at university or in the career of their choosing. It’s true that some cadets do take up a career within the Services, but there is no liability for them to join up after leaving the organisation. Their personal development as confident and spirited young people is our main aim.
Under the guidance of our fully qualified volunteer staff we’ll offer your son or daughter many activities to take part in and every opportunity to build their strengths and improve their confidence. We hope that they stay with us for several years and thoroughly enjoy their membership – our volunteer staff are always on hand to assist parents with any questions or concerns.
Your responsibilities
We ask parents for as little as possible. We provide most of the kit and encourage cadets to be self-sufficient and keep their uniform in good order themselves. Don’t be upset if they ask you not to iron their shirt as there is a certain way of doing it and they are encouraged to handle it themselves! However, you are responsible for their uniform, which is valued at around £200 and is issued on loan – it should only be used for air cadet activities and must be returned at the end of their time with us.
Footwear is not included, so shoes or boots will need to be provided. Beyond this, your responsibility is mainly for getting your son or daughter to the squadron promptly for meetings and supporting them as they progress. However, any further involvement is always gratefully received.
Funding
All organisations need funding. We are luckier than most as the RAF provide the money for uniforms, premises, flying and several other activities. Each cadet provides a small subscription monthly, which goes towards funding the many activities that they undertake. National and international camps and expeditions may lead to extra costs – but we will always keep these to a minimum. We want the organisation to be available to everyone and staff are happy to discuss cost-related issues with parents at any time.
The squadron must provide the rest of the required funding, primarily through the fundraising efforts of the Civilian Committee that each has. We’re always looking for parents who are keen to get involved with their squadron’s Committee or would like to become a volunteer!
Your child’s safety
Every parent’s primary concern is for the safety and well-being of their son or daughter. Rest assured we take this equally seriously. Many of our activities (often outdoor) rely on our cadets being in a safe, secure and enjoyable environment in which they can sometimes be challenged physically. Our long history is a testament to our expertise and care in this area so that we can provide the thrills of adventurous training under the guidance of experienced, trustworthy staff. The staff at our squadron are always available to speak to and will put your mind at rest regarding any concerns you may have.
Frequently asked questions
As a parent you’re bound to have lots of questions about the Air Cadet Organisation and what your child will be doing when they become a member. This site should give you a comprehensive overview of the activities they undertake and the expectations that we have of them. Below are some of the most common questions we get, but if there is something we haven’t covered do get in touch with our Squadron – we will be pleased to help you with any enquiries.
Civilian Committees
As well as the obvious military element, there is also an civilian structure that effectively acts as the backbone of the organisation. Civilian Committees determine the running of the RAFAC from squadron level through to representation on the Air Defence Council. Each squadron has one, comprised of parents and friends, its role being to assist the squadron’s Commanding Officer, raise funds and ensure the squadron maintains direction.
As you can imagine, fundraising is a very important aspect as it supports many of our activities. Most camps and other adventurous pursuits are financed through this fundraising and it’s these efforts which help keep the cost of air cadet membership incredibly low.
Many parents and friends get a great deal of enjoyment and fun out of assisting ‘their’ squadrons as members of the Civilian Committee. Committees meet to their own timetable, usually once-a-month, under the direction of a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. Our squadron Civilian Committees would be very pleased to accept offers of extra help – even if you can’t commit to regular or long term assistance.
