mainpoint · 2017. 1. 12. · mainpoint autun 20 3 your first stop for vehicle care in watford and...

Mainpoint Autumn 2016 1

Mainpoint

S T A T I O N S N I P P E T S | C O M M U N I T Y A N D C H A R I T Y | S P O R T S

The Official Magazine of RAF Halton Autumn 2016

StationCommanderDeparts

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Mainpoint Autumn 20164

One team, training people for Defence

Wg Cdr N J Stacey MA BA MCIPD RAF

Publishing TeamPublished

Lance Publishing Limited, 1st Floor, Tailby House, Bath Road, Kettering,

Northants, NN16 8NLTel: 01536 512624

Email: [email protected]: www.lancepublishing.co.uk

AdvertisingTammie Ridler

Tel: 01536 526667Email: [email protected]

DesignedLance Publishing Ltd

Tel: 01536 521126Email: dharmesh@lancepublishing.

co.uk

PrintedLance Print Ltd, 29/30 Stapledon

Road, Orton Southgate, Peterborough, PE2 6TD

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Email: [email protected]: www.lanceprint.co.uk

Foreword

Editor Sgt Dee Anning

Supply & Movements Training WingTel: 01296 656393

Email: [email protected]

Deputy Editors Cpl Lucy Smart

Regional Medical CentreTel: 01296 656023

Email: [email protected]

Cpl Glen WalcuchSupply & Movements Training Wing

Tel:01296 656606Email: [email protected]

DistributionCourtesy of the Central Registry

and Fire Section

Photography SupportKate Rutherford, Chris Yarrow

& Luka Waycott.Tel: 01296 656117

Editorial Team

Disclaimer:This publication is copyright Lance Publishing Limited and may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without prior written permission of Lance Publishing Limited. While every care has been taken during the preparation of this magazine, Lance Publishing Limited cannot be held responsible for accuracy of the information herein or for any consequence arising from it. Views Expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Royal Air Force or the Ministry of Defence. All images © Crown Copyright unless otherwise stated.

Station Commander’s Foreword


Mainpoint

S T A T I O N S N I P P E T S | C O M M U N I T Y A N D C H A R I T Y | S P O R T S

The Official Magazine of RAF Halton Autumn 2016

StationCommanderDeparts

Welcome to the Autumn edition of Mainpoint.

It is my privilege and pleasure to have the opportunity to introduce the autumn edition of

Mainpoint magazine to you all. This edition allows us to highlight the achievements and activities of the whole RAF Halton community, so I hope that the stories will resonate with everyone and be recognised

by many. The pace of activity on Station continues unabated throughout the autumn; Battle of Britain events , civic and defence engagement, and onwards towards Remembrance Day, our personnel will be busy representing the RAF. Our core tasks remain our primary focus, with ever increasing numbers of recruits arriving to complete their Phase 1 training, as well as an ever present flow of RAF and Defence staff attending their Phase 2 , Phase 3 and Specialist training courses.

I know the autumn season will pass quickly (Cake Sale season is in full swing and Christmas Party plans are already being made…). This magazine offers a sample of many Station projects, but I know this is the tip of the iceberg! Don’t be shy, our Editorial team are always keen to showcase your events and campaigns, so keep the material coming!

I hope you enjoy your Station magazine (with or without cake…).


STATION SNIPPETS

6 Station Commander Departs and Graduating Parade 574 Pearson

8 Halton House Jazz on the Patio

9 Chaplains Corner

12 Serco - Focus on Supply and Logistics

12 Serco - In the Spotlight

Autumn 2016Contents

COMMUNITY & CHARITY

13 Charity Headshave

16 The Royal British Legion

17 SATTs Trainees - Out and About in the Community

17 The Military Wives Choir

18 Trinity Community Centre Annual Summer Party

19 RAF Gliding and Soaring Association

19 RAF Halton Reaps the Benefits of Gainshare

24 ‘Join In’ with Airplay and Poppy Breaks

25 Halton Pipes and Drums Perform at Sandringham

28 RAFA Introduction

29 RAFA Scheme Rewards Members

29 RAFA Christmas Party

30 All things community

SPORTS

31 Invictus Games 2016


Station snippets

RAF Halton’s Station Commander, Group Captain Adrian Burns, said

farewell this week as his time at the helm came to an end.

Gp Capt Burns took the time to answer a few questions about his two years here.

Have there been challenging times?

Gp Capt Burns replied: “Oh goodness yes! However, to be fair that is what the RAF has trained me to thrive in and which RAF Halton, as gateway to the RAF, educates the next generation to be able to do. Sometimes it is sheer volume of work, but mainly it is because with 2000 people on Station there is always something happening that is causing someone some excitement. As Commander I have always felt it is my responsibility to resolve such issues as best I can.”

What have been the highlights for you personally?

“I have met so many brilliant people during this tour and been privileged to meet everyone in local society; from the Duchess of Cornwall through to the most brilliant of charity volunteers in the community, that it is hard to say. My highlights vary but I am proud that immediately after the Paris Bombings I was able to attend the local Mosque as Stn Cdr so that we could show solidarity with our neighbours against such extremism. Most of my highlights have been when I have seen the brilliance

Station CommanderDeparts

in people or humanity and the value of my role and that of the RAF.

That was one such time.”

What, if any, advice would you pass to the new Stn Cdr?

“Set your vision early and then lead with your heart and your head. Have faith in your people and ensure you get out of your office and mix with as many of them as often as possible – your tour will be over before you realise it and well before you want it to end.”

Where are you going next and to what position?

“I am off to the Royal College of Defence Studies. This is an amazing multi-national course intended to ensure that those of us who will be working at the strategic level are comfortable in a cross-government and international environment. The College was established in 1927, originally as the Imperial Defence College, in accordance with Winston Churchill’s vision of promoting greater understanding between senior military officers, diplomats, civil servants and officials.”

Can you sum up your time here? “Humbling, brilliant and a blast!”

Gp Capt Burns hosted a ‘barbeque in the WOs’ and Sgts’ Mess’ on his departure where he was presented with his Pennant. The photo shows him accepting it from Station Warrant Officer, WO Jake Alpert, with Station personnel looking on.

and Graduating Parade 574 Pearson


Station snippets


Jazz on the patio

Station snippets

H alton House Officers’ Mess members were given a real musical

treat recently when the House hosted the music of the RAF ‘Shades of Blue’, a swing band, for a night of fantastic music and singing at the ‘Jazz on the Lawn’ event which forms part of their entertainment calendar.

The band, ‘Shades of Blue’, is made up of musicians from the Band of the RAF Regiment.

The evening featured Georgina Jackson who is a professional musician and vocalist who appears regularly at Ronnie Scott’s in London and treated the audience with her smooth vocals and wonderful trumpet playing on tracks like ‘Wonderful World’.

The event was a ‘bring your own picnic’ affair in warm sunshine.

Andy Smailes, who organised the evening, said: “It was an honour for Halton House Officers’ Mess to play host to the ‘Shades of Blue’.

All who attended were treated to a night of classic Jazz and Swing music featuring wonderful vocal performances from Georgina Jackson who wowed the crowd with her smooth vocals and cool trumpet solo’s, and Andrew David singing classics from Sinatra and Bublé.

We are extremely grateful that the ‘Shades’ found time in their busy schedule to make the journey from RAF Northolt to take part in what was a fantastic night of music which will live long in the memory of all who attended.”

House Halton


Station snippets

O ne of Halton’s most memorable features is the Tornado GR1 which stands

guardian over the Henderson parade square. Despite passing it several times a day on my arrival last year, I would probably have struggled to remember its markings and squadron affiliation. Now, on my return from deployment to Op SHADER, I know that it’s from RAF Marham’s 31 Squadron, ‘The Goldstars’, and can even recount their motto - ‘First into Indian Skies’. This information did not come to me through Internet searches or reading the RAF News but through working with the Squadron on operations. The roar of the jet engines and the smell of the AVTUR became part of daily life.

Chaplains CornerWalking the flight line day and night, watching aircraft take off and return, and seeing the Squadron at work has given me a much greater appreciation of what that gold star stands for. I’ve seen for myself the dedication, commitment, and hard work of the people who make the Squadron what it is. I suspect that it may be some time before I have the experience of working with a flying squadron on operations again, but my time with 31 (and 1, 5, 8, 10, 12, 30, and 47 Squadrons too!) will not be forgotten.

The Bible certainly recognises that our personal experiences can transform how we view

things. Writing in Psalm 34, King David urges us to ‘taste and see that the Lord is good’. Knowledge of God is not simply an intellectual affair, limited to concepts or theories in our minds. For David, God’s love can be experienced personally as we entrust our lives to Him and come to know the grace and peace that he offers us in Jesus Christ. Even in our darkest days, ‘the Lord is near to the broken-hearted’. As the King reminds us, those who seek the Lord ‘lack no good thing’. As we approach another season, may we know for ourselves the goodness of God in our own experience.

The Revd Dr (Sqn Ldr) D RICHARDSON

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Station snippets

S erco provide a range of services across RAF Halton. One of the sections is

Supply and Logistics. With the constant flow of recruits passing through during their phase one training, they play a key role during their time here.

Clothing stores is one aspect of Supply. Incidentally, it is the largest of its kind in the RAF. Peter Goodwin had served twenty eight years in the Royal Air Force, the last ten of which being on this unit [RAF Halton]. Two were spent at RTS and the remaining ten in Supply Training.

Upon the end of a career in the Air Force Peter transitioned into civilian life and continued his work with the Supply section for Serco.

Speaking to Peter on day to day life in Clothing Stores: ‘Every day is different and it depends on what the ongoing issues are. It depends if we have a ‘kitting in’ because every other Thursday we have up to one hundred and twenty recruits in getting their initial kit. Most Mondays we’ve

got either an intake in the morning or an intake in the afternoon. Tuesdays after the initial kitting they’ll get fitted for their number ones. It can be quite busy out there.’

Clothing Stores’ work, however, is not limited to the recruits. They also look after the permanent staff, including the Army and the Navy. When deployed out of area their overseas kitting will be provided for them. Furthermore, with a vast amount of tailoring required, RAF Halton is the only base with a permanent Tailor stationed on it.

Of course it is not simply clothing stores that play an important role. SPFS, headed by Shirley Hardy, supply us with stationary. Eddie Browne and Darren Morris work in R&D which specialises in the receiving and delivery of parcels in and around the camp, and Denise Hilson and her team in SCAS manage inventories and account for ordering stock for the station. Supply remains a vital component within Serco playing an important role in the smooth running of Halton.

Matthew Gardener, Reprographics

Focus On Supply and Logistics

In the Spotlight – Richie Barrow

B arrack Store team member Richie Barrow has spent years with Serco and enjoys the variety of his role.

“Things (at Halton) are a bit more relaxed. This is a customer focused role but we’re afforded a lot of flexibility to solve any problems that might pop up. With this job we’re not always in the warehouse and we make regular runs out to collect and deliver equipment and furniture for quarters or offices around station.”

Moving to camp can be a stressful time for personnel so it’s part of Richie’s job to help everything go smoothly. “It might seem like a small thing but we deliver beds and mattresses and maybe more than most people these servicemen and women need a good night’s sleep. A good bed can be the difference between being able to do your job well or not.”

When asked why he’s decided to stay with Serco for so long Richie replied, “Serco have been good to me. I’ve been put through forklift and health & safety courses, and they’ve recently agreed to put me through an NVQ. I meet a lot of people and the best part of the job is definitely helping them.”

Chris Yarrow, Photographic Section

Bringing service to life


Community and Charity

CHARITY HEADSHAVE P aul Davies, bar staff

member from Halton House at RAF Halton, has

had his head, moustache and beard shaved in aid of Cancer Research by Tring mobile hairdresser, Laura Pepperell. Paul’s target was £250 but he is well on the way to raising £300.

The charity is close to his heart and his motivation personal as his wife is a cancer survivor and he lost both grandparents and his father to the disease.

Paul searched for a mobile hairdresser on the Tring Facebook page and Laura, who goes by the professional name of Holistic Hair Therapy offered to help. She started by taking his hair down to a number

one, and after calls from the audience to do a mohican, carried on shaving him bald and removing all facial hair, at this stage Paul also declined a full body wax!!

After the shave off, Paul said: “I feel a bit cold!! I did this three years ago for the same reason, the family link is all the motivation I need to raise money to combat this. I am considering taking part in Movember which is for mens charities.

Note to Editor: Movember is the men’s charity event that takes place every November. Participants spend the month growing a moustache to raise funds for mens cancer and other mens charities.

In the Spotlight – Marie Morello

S upply Administrator Marie Morello (check sp) has been at Halton for 8 years and as well as looking after the laundry admin she is responsible for the 48 ceremonial swords held

by the Station; more than any other station.

“I look after the swords for the officers’ weddings and I love it. These swords are different from parade ceremonial swords in that these are only used for weddings, making wedding season very busy.”

When asked about the main challenges of her role, Maria explains that getting the swords back in time is the hardest part.

“If we loan a sword out and it comes back late it could affect another officer’s wedding. The slightest bit of water on a blade can ruin it, so we have to keep them in pristine condition. Recently three of the swords were for a wedding in Siciliy with a further six more weddings the same weekend.

Thanks to Marie and other suppliers in the section Serco are helping to keep the traditions of the Royal Air Force alive.

Chris Yarrow, Photographic Section

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The Servicemen Awaiting Trade Training (SATTs) from RAF Halton have assisted Princes Risborough

school this week. They recently finished their 10 week basic training course at Recruit Training Squadron and whilst awaiting their Phase 2 professional training for an array of trades within the Royal Air Force they aided the school preparing the grounds ready for the new school year.

The trainees split up into smaller groups to work as efficiently as possible and achieved more than was anticipated. At the end the two days they had tackled a very overgrown garden, chicken coup area, cut back numerous hedges and undergrowth. The surrounding fence was given a fresh coat of paint and an outdoor stage area was sanded down and repainted. Overall the school now has a fresh clean look and the team made a huge improvement.

A statement from the SATTs said: “The basic training we completed proved beneficial with team work and assistance to others. Local engagement in the community has given us all a sense of achievement and projected the SATTs as ambassadors for the Royal Air Force. School governors, teaching staff and care-takers were very grateful for the hard work we carried out, which allows the site staff to focus on other tasks required around the school grounds.” Cpl Mountfield-Palmer, who supervised the group, said: “This group of SATTS have worked very hard to achieve so much over just two days. They learned to work together in a challenging environment and as a result members of the wider community have benefitted. I am positive that the strive for excellence will carry them throughout their Royal Air Force careers.”

Community and CharitySATTS

TRAINEES OUT AND ABOUT IN THE COMMUNITY

The Military Wives Choir

Halton (MWC) combined forces with the Band of the RAF Regiment and

Gateway School’s Chamber Choir, at St Mary’s Church, Wendover to perform in a charity concert ‘Let The Chiltern’s Sing’. The concert was organised by the Rotary Club of Wendover with all proceeds in aid of SSAFA and Wheel Power. The theme of the concert centred on World War I with the RAF Regiment Band setting the scene ably conducted by Flt Lt Chris L’Anson. The children from

Gateway raised their voices singing ‘Tipperary’, ‘Hallelujah’ and a war time medley. They were then joined by the ladies of MWC Halton to sing a collection of Vera Lyn music.

MWC Halton, directed by Rebecca Izard and accompanied, by Penny Wilkes, then took up the, baton with an emotive rendition of ‘Danny Boy’. That was followed by a set that concluded with a moving performance of the chart topping ‘Wherever You Are’, during which they were accompanied by the Band of the RAF Regiment.

Donna, MWC lead, said: “The second half of the concert saw the RAF Regiment Band in

full swing performing a number of pieces including ‘Pacific’ and a stunning arrangement of The Sunset Ceremony and Last Post. The evening culminated in the band, both choirs and the audience coming together to sing ‘Land of Hope and Glory’, ‘Jerusalem’ and ‘Rule Britannia’ with Union Flags in hand. All in all the whole evening was a complete success, raising money for deserving charities and bringing people together through music in a beautiful church with amazing acoustics. “MWC Halton are always looking for new members to join their friendly choir, so if you are female, have a military connection, enjoy singing, or even just fancy giving it a try please do not hesitate to get in touch via [email protected], there are no auditions and no need to read music.”

Sue Thornton, one of the organisers of ‘Let The Chiltern’s Sing’, explained about the roots of the concert, saying: “In 2012 an idea was born about having a local concert in our local church which is the heart of our community, by and for local people. In years 2013 and 2104 we changed the format slightly to hold an afternoon Winter Wonderland concert, featuring the MWC, local youth bands, young solo artists, and the amazing Children’s Choir from the local Gateway School.

Over the last three years, support from RAF Halton and the Wendover Parish Council has been invaluable.”



W elfare staff from the Trinity Community Centre and Station

personnel at RAF Halton have held their annual Children’s Summer Party, with families treated to a bouncy castle and pony rides courtesy of Harriet Ditchburn who brought the ponies from the stables at the base. Food was a buffet and due to the weather the guests were able to sit out on blankets and enjoy the sunshine.

Over 70 of Halton’s families joined in the fun at a charge of just £1 a head. Hosting the event were the welfare staff, FS Sue Hartley who is the Station Community Support Officer, Flt Lt Paul Woodhouse from Personnel

Management Flight, Wilma Kingsbury, Station Youth Worker, Hive lady, Julie Loader-Smith and Sue’s assistant, Jan Holdsworth.

Two of the wives of Station personnel, Danielle Mountfield-Palmer and Ashton Leigh Leonard, brought their karaoke machine providing Disney songs for the children to sing along to and arts and craft activities were provided by Rainbows and Rattles Toddler Group and Children’s Stay and Play.

Flt Lt Woodhouse said: “We had a lovely afternoon with all of the families; the bouncy castle was well used and the children were thrilled with the pony rides. A massive thank you must go to

TRINITY COMMUNITY

CENTRE ANNUAL SUMMER PARTY

everyone involved for all their hard work and help organising the day, and for giving up their time to ensure that this community event was such a wonderful success.”

Jan Holdsworth said: “I am delighted that yet again the community supported this event and everyone had such a great time. Thanks go to all the TCC Staff, Emma Daly and Cpl Kim Green for their help preparing the buffet and also to The RAF Saddle Club, Rainbows and Rattles and Stay and Play who made it all possible. Without these people giving up their time and providing constant support to the community, events like this would never happen.”


RAF HALTON REAPSTHE BENEFITS OF GAINSHARE


amount of Gainshare that is directly reinvested back into the Station is great, it’s my team at RAF Halton that do the hard work and they deserve the recognition for generating this amount of Gainshare on site.”

Gainshare is a percentage of the profits made by ESS which are fed directly back to the Station. This amount is extremely good news and increased use of the facilities shows that personnel are utilising the facilities, and under ‘Gainshare’ the Station receives 50% of the profit.

This ‘Gainshare’ is non-public money meaning it can be spent at the discretion of the Station Commander. A proportion of it will, this year, be used to fund enhancements to the Recruit Training Squadron Graduation Parade and some to fund taster flights for the Air Training Corps.

A s The Gainshare presentation took place recently where Jeanette

McNaughton, Business Director for Eurest Support Services, ESS, presented RAF Halton’s Station Commander with a cheque for £166,456.80 for Gainshare generated by ESS in Year 6 of the contract.

Jeanette said: “I am absolutely delighted to be handing over a cheque for £166,456.80 to Group Captain Adrian Burns in payment of Gainshare for the period 1st April 2015 – 31st March 2016. The amount is testament to the partnering principles shared between the Station and our team. We look forward to another successful year at RAF Halton driving our shared vision with the Station for Catering, Retail and Leisure.”

Nick Coyne – ESS General Manager (RAF Halton & High Wycombe), said: “To be in a position to generate this

RAFGSATake To The Skies On Soaring and Task Week

F or the fourth consecutive year, a Soaring and Task Week was held by the RAF

Gliding and Soaring Association (RAFGSA) Chilterns Gliding Centre at RAF Halton‘s Airfield.

This year the event was particularly well supported by members of the Centre and visiting pilots from other RAF Gliding and Soaring Association clubs. A total of ten pilots took part in cross country flying whilst other pilots remained local to the airfield to achieve various Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) Badge claims.

A full Task, Meteorological and Airspace briefing was given on a daily basis by Ken Sparkes, the RAFGSA Competition Director, and a total of 4112.19 kilometres were flown over a nine-day period with challenging cross country flights being recorded every day.

Officer Commanding Operations, Squadron Leader Gary Coleman, said: “During a week of exceptionally hot weather, the longest flight was recorded

by Mick Webb who completed a task of 301.9 kilometres at an actual speed of 97.8 kilometres per hour. Cpl Ben Gronow, a staff member of the Force Development Centre at Halton, achieved a five-hour flight and a height gain of 4112 feet to claim his FAI Silver Duration and Height Gain badges. Other notable achievements included a three-hour soaring flight by sixteen-year-old Air Cadet Josh Rees whilst Flt Lt Becca Langton also completed cross country tasks for the first time in preparation for her participation in the forthcoming Inter-Services Gliding Competition”.

“Finally, there were also many conversions by pilots on to different types of gliders during the week whilst other tasks on the ground were undertaken by Centre members who helped to make this a safe and enjoyable event.”

If you or your family would be interested in experiencing a flight in a glider or learning to fly one, please come down to the airfield and give it a try. Weather permitting, the Chilterns Gliding Centre operates every weekend throughout the year and the costs are remarkably low. If you would like any further information, please call Bryan Harvey on 07951 537046.

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Airplay is RAF Halton’s Youth Club service sponsored by the RAF Benevolent Fund

and Poppy Breaks is sponsored by the British Legion, to learn more feel free to Google search.

You may be unaware of the many benefits a ‘Youth Service’ can have on your children. So this article seeks to give you food for thought by exploring the Airplay Youth club and Poppy Breaks advantages.

Keeping FitOne of the most obvious benefits young people will acquire from their youth service is a good amount of healthy exercise due to the style of games that are frequently played or events organised such as this year’s trip to Rush trampolining centre or this year’s Airplay Summer activities and Poppy Breaks, the photos speak for themselves. One of our photos shows a young person on a Poppy Break learning to ride a bike….it may have taken a few hours of

perseverance and yes he did it! A lot of high fives and praise from his peers when they got back from mountan biking made it all worthwhile. In a society where young people are often not given the opportunity to participate in sport, the opportunity to let off steam and to get regular exercise is undoubtedly a real and important benefit.

TeamworkAnother of the benefits young people can acquire is the ability to work in a team. Team games or events allow each young person to work as part of the team in some capacity. Again, this is an important skill to learn, as it stands young people in good stead for future life, whether in education, sport or an office-based situation. One of the best benefits of games is their ability to challenge young people to learn new skills. We have already discussed how teamwork might be improved by play, but there are many other advantages

to be gained, too. Games can help to encourage children to develop their creativity and ingenuity. For example, some games call for intelligent use of limited resources to achieve a common goal. Young people may have to use mathematical or engineering logic to find the answer to the puzzle. Similarly, for word games, their vocabularies will increase due to having to unravel answers or create clues for their team-mates. Even standard youth club games such as pool or snooker can aid a young person’s hand-eye coordination, which is important if they are still growing. Ball games in general can assist with learning how to judge angles and parabolas, while wide games can help to create a healthy disrespect for orthodox strategy! A related benefit is the responsibility young people can be given in the youth club, it teaches them the skill of leadership; again, this can be put to use in any number of contexts later in life.

Specific SkillsRAF Halton’s Airplay Youth club offers activities based on specific skills, such as arts and crafts and everyone does like to cook…we have had our own Bake Off! The organised trips out, where the resourcefulness and attitude of young people are tested in a number of ways. This may include having to budget, learn how to behave in public, understand the highway code of the countryside, read maps and gather essential materials such as firewood. The individual skills involved in some of these activities, such as knot-tying, map-reading and problem-solving are undoubtedly benefits; you never know where life may lead you, and to have the ability to take stock of a situation and gather the resources that you need to survive is perhaps more important than many people would expect!

‘Join in’with Airplay and Poppy Breaks



A Sense of IdentityIn addition to the ‘concrete’ benefits of Airplay Youth club and Poppy Breaks, young people will also benefit from the general atmosphere. Airplay Youth clubs and Poppy Breaks are designed to help young people who perhaps struggle to feel part of a wider community, or have been disadvantaged by an adverse family situation or a lack of opportunities. These young people can feel isolated and unhappy and may find it difficult to make new friends (thinking what’s the point). Airplay Youth clubs can be great places for a young person to get back on their feet, with renewed confidence and a real sense of well-being. Not only this, but they may well also find that they are able to make new friends and to become part of a new social group.

If they are genuinely struggling socially, or feeling under threat then it may even be that the Airplay Youth club and Poppy

Breaks becomes the place where they feel most comfortable and able to talk about what is happening to them. There are undeniable benefits of the Airplay Youth club and Poppy Breaks if a young person is provided with people they can trust and we all help each other!

Therefore the benefits of RAF Halton’s Airplay Youth club and Poppy Breaks can bring are very varied, ranging from the fun to the serious, so do, ‘Join In’.

Poppy Breaks is an annual event for those that fit a certain criteria but Airplay Youth club is for all Service young people and friends ages 8+ and meets every week except for a few days on staff holidays so please call 01296 656355 for further information. If you would like to work with Service Young People we are currently recruiting not only for Airplay Youth activities 8+ but also Ben Play a new service working with 5-8 year olds.

Wilma Kingsbury

RAF Halton Pipes and Drums performed in front of royalty at Sandringham Flower

Show. Thousands of people packed into Sandringham Estate to catch a glimpse of The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall as they took their traditional tour of the event. The Royals arrived to the music of the Pipes and Drums as they performed in the main arena. This was the first time military Pipes and Drums had been invited to perform at this prestigious show.

Pipe Major Lenny Browne said: “The band has been working hard this season and was spread thin with members performing with the RAF Pipes and Drums at the Basel Tattoo in Switzerland. We pulled in some support from our muscian colleagues from RAF Waddington’s Pipe and Drum band and the performances throughout the day in the main arena were commented on as being outstanding.”

HALTON PIPES AND DRUMS PERFORM AT SANDRINGHAM

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Tel: 01296 393932 Fax: 01296 [email protected]

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Aylesbury MoT Centre8a Bessemer Crescent

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Bucks HP19 8TFTel:01296 710927

Fax: 01296 392290For all your MoT’s, Servicing and repairs, friendly efficient service,now including Air Conditioning.

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• Catering• Mobile bar hire• Wedding & event planning

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Hugely innovative, we are result driven and focused on making every event, whatever the size, a success.

Our passionate team pay attention to the smallest detail, creating memorable events for every client.

Through personal consultation we will build a picture of your needs, whether it’s catering for an exquisite wedding, supplying

a pop up bar for a party at home or managing your venue.

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FREE HOME DELIVERY On orders over £20 (Within 3 miles radius)

Choose: 1 Poppadom, 1 Starter, 1 Main Dish, 1 Side Dish, 1 Rice or Naan followed by Coffee

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Group Bookings available, please call and ask for our ‘Party Deal’

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RAFA Introduction

Cpl J Barnett, PRO, Aylesbury & Halton Branch 01296 656781

Looking for a Party Venue, Section beer call?

Look no further. Your RAFA club has all the facilities you need.

Y our Local Branch is less than 1 mile from the camp gate and is open EVERY Thursday and Saturday evenings from 19:30 and the First Wednesday of every month. You can hire the club on any day you wish.

Please phone 01296 656781 for more information.

For more information, and the benefits you could receive as a member, all for just £20.50 per annum which gives you access to 422 active branches worldwide, with over 61,000 active members, That’s twice the amount of current serving members of the RAF today , see our website:

rafa.org.uk - The RAF AssociationPatron: Her Majesty The QueenRegistered Charity 226686 (England &Wales) SC037673 (Scotland)

Call Today:

(01733) 390564

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Think PrintLance Print is an established printers based in Peterborough. At Lance we combine skill, experience & knowledge to provide a complete professional service. We aim to fill our clients with confidence in the knowledge that any work undertaken by us, will be completed to the highest possible standard.


New RAF Association scheme rewards membersT he Royal Air Forces

Association has launched a new scheme to give

members discounts on a wide range of products and services.*

David Prowse, Director of Membership and Operations at the Association, said: “Many of our members join us for the friendship that comes from being part of a branch. Many join to support our welfare work. Our new RAFA Rewards scheme allows members to get something back, whatever their reason for joining.”

Discounts available include up to 15 per cent off in high street stores, up to ten per cent off Apple products, five per cent off holidays from big names like Thomson, Cosmos and Thomas Cook. Film buffs

can save up to 40 per cent at Showcase, Cineworld or Empire cinemas. With golf membership, new cars or joining the gym, there’s something for everyone.

Members can also reduce their insurance costs, with savings of up to ten per cent on car insurance, 20 per cent on travel insurance and 25 per cent on home insurance – plus discounts on private medical insurance.

To find out how much you could save with your RAFA Rewards, try our savings calculator at rafa.org.uk/members/rewards

RAFA Rewards is only open to RAF Association members. Find out how to join at rafa.org.uk/join

*Terms and conditions apply to all benefits, see website for more details. Offers are subject to change without notice. Insurance subject to underwriting. RAFA Rewards is managed on behalf of the RAF Association by Parliament Hill Ltd of 3rd Floor, 127 Cheapside, London, EC2V 6BT who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for non-investment insurance mediation only under registration number 308448. Details can be checked on the Financial Services register by visiting the FCA’s web site at https://www.fca.org.uk/

© shutterstock / studiow

orkstock




F irstly, to everyone who has recently been posted in a very big welcome

to RAF Halton from all of us in the Community Support Team. Let me introduce our fab team, Mrs Julie Smith who is the HIVE Information Officer (HIO), FS Sue Hartley who is the Station Community Support Officer (SCSO), Mr Paul Moore who is our SSAFA worker, Mrs Wilma Kingsbury who is the Community Development Officer (CDO) and obviously myself, Mrs Jan Holdsworth, Station Community Support Clerk (SCSC), apparently better known as the TCC Twinkle Fairy! And finally not forgetting our wonderful Josie Snook who runs Costa Coffee Pod in the Trinity Community Centre. As a team we all have designated roles and responsibilities, but we are all here to help you settle in and find your feet. We are also here to

support and help you if you need any information or guidance, help with schooling queries or any housing issues, welfare concerns, want to hire a contact house or book the Trinity Community Centre for your party... just to name a few things we do... We are a very friendly bunch; it doesn’t matter who you contact we will signpost you to the relevant person to help you with your specific enquiry. We are always drinking coffee so please don’t hesitate to come in and have a chat and say hi – it’s a good excuse for us to stop working for a little while. We are constantly working on new projects to improve our facilities and there is always something going on or in the throws of being planned. So don’t miss out and keep an eye for advertisements on the FB pages and on this page for our up and coming events.

All things communityIntroduction to the Team

Contact Houses and Halton Lodge CaravanWe also have four Contact/Welfare Houses, however, we only have three on line at any given point at present due to a big refurbishment project which is on-going. If you would like more details on booking one of our houses, whether it be for a welfare reason, a contact visit with your children or just a social, please do not hesitate to contact Jan Holdsworth, SCSC and Contact House Manager on ext. 6396.

Raf Halton is also very lucky to own its very own top of the range 8 berth caravan in Chichester, this is available to hire for a week at a time at a very discounted price between the months of March and October. If you would like further details please do not hesitate to contact Julie on ext. 6057.


In May 2016 I was fortunate to be selected as part of the medical team for the 2016 Invictus Games in Orlando, Florida. The

Invictus Games, established in 2014, is a sporting tournament for injured service men and women. Veterans and service personnel from 15 different countries compete in 10 events, such as athletics, swimming and basketball. The event plays an important part in the physical and psychological rehabilitation for injured service men and women. I was overwhelmed by how much some athletes were able to gain from the experience. One comment in particular from an exceptional female athlete, who won 9 medals at the games, stays with me. ‘Following my injury I didn’t think I would ever be good at anything ever again’. The realisation that despite the adversity and life changing injuries they have faced, that they are still able to compete on an international stage to an elite level and achieve success is overwhelmingly powerful. It allows a platform to build self-esteem, confidence, a desire to be competitive, with a motivational goal to strive towards. It nurtures friendships and a support network that will continue to benefit their long term recovery for many years to come.

The UK medical team consisted of an MO -Sqn Ldr Hornby, a PHC nurse -Major Hunter, and 3 physios – myself, Maj Penhallow and Stephanie Smith. We were supporting a team of 308 athletes with various physical injuries or mental health conditions. Physical injuries varied greatly and included triple, double and single amputees, spinal cord injuries, head injuries, spinal fractures, complex orthopaedic trauma and Multiple Sclerosis, amongst others. The physiotherapy team was well utilised with twice daily injury clinics and pitch side support to all events. But the long days were more than worth it. The UK team excelled winning a staggering 128 medals, this included 49 gold, 45 silver and 34 bronze. This featured some incredible performances from athletes such as Mickey Yule and Luke Sinnett who are names to watch out for in future Paralympics. I was able to witness some amazing physical achievements from the best seats in the house (the team bench) and become part of an exceptional team responsible for supporting the athletes, being able to help them to perform at their best and achieve their dreams. I even got a hug from Prince Harry and a gold medal dedicated to me! The deployment was an experience of a lifetime and one I will not easily forget.

Flt Lt NicholsOC PCRF RAF HALTON

For our wounded warriorsINVICTUS GAMES 2016

Sports

OTEC provide top class, professional services for cyclists of all levels, Mechanical support, Bike Fitting, Sales, Repairs, Training, Coaching, Event Support and Corporate Services.

I work with individuals, professional cycle teams, world class athletes, local businesses and both National and international organisations such as the MOD, NHS and GE healthcare.

I offer a mobile service and also a new shop based at Halton UK (tennis centre) – fantastic parking and a great place to get a coffee or a bite to eat if you are waiting for a repair.

I sell new and also quality second hand bikes, many of these come direct from teams and are unique and often have some history – they also represent great value for money!

I run Mountain Bike Instructor Training courses for those aspiring instructors, personal skills coaching for individuals or groups look-ing to develop their personal skills and can also offer complimen-tary training such as navigation and first aid.

I have been involved with the cycle trade since finishing school and completing an engineering apprenticeship, which originally started in the motor industry and ended at a local cycle shop. I learned the trade as an apprentice mechanic and progressed to workshop supervisor and finally became the manager. At the time I had ambitions to pursue a professional cycling career. However, a serious cycling accident, which resulted in a significant stint in Stoke Mandeville hospital and 18 month recovery, put a dramatic end to those hopes.

During that period I enrolled in a degree course studying Sports Science and Education. Upon completion of my degree, I earned my coaching and teaching qualifications and subsequently worked as a coach and teacher for almost 20 years.

I returned to the cycling trade full time in 2013 with ATG Training, where I was a trainer, assessor and internal verifier for the Level 2 and 3 engineering apprentice programme and specifically for the CYTEC qualification, which is the only cycle-specific qualification advocated by the Association of Cycle Traders in the UK and internationally. In this role I worked all over the UK and was per-sonally responsible for looking after the market leaders in cycle retail, manufacture and distribution, e.g. Madison/Shimano, Fishers/SRAM, Rutland Cycling, Pedal on and Cycles UK.

I was a speaker at the Cyclex (National annual trade show) in 2013 and was a representative for the National Association of Cycle Traders at ICE bike (Madison/ Shimano trade show) for 3 years. I have a professional support network and access to techni-cal information and training which will ensure I stay at the cutting edge of the industry. Otec Bikes Shop opened in October 2015 and is the culmination of a life spent in and around cycling – we really do: Everything Bikes, Only Better! I look forward to welcoming you to the shop or meeting you on one of our rides, The shop is a meeting point for local rides both on and off road!

You could be in the Algarve, relaxing in the sun...

Situated on the top floor of a three storey block the apartment has its own residents’ swimming pool. It has the advantage of being away from the bustle of the town centre but within walking distance (10 mintures to the marina and another 5 to the town centre).

It has a twin bedroom, open plan kitchen and lounge. The kitchen has a 4-ring hob, oven, microwave, toaster and washing machine. There is a family sized bathroom. The lounge has a sofa (which converts into two more single beds) and a table to seat four. A TV, DVD and CD player are also available. Both the lounge and Bedroom have

Patio doors which open onto the balcony offering views over the swimming pool and across Lagos. There is ample car parking space in front of the building.

www.algarveestatemanagement.co.uk

PRICE:Nov to Mar £190Apr & Oct £255May & Sept £290June £330July & Aug £410

To book accommodation please contact Judith Hall on 01536 711884 Apartments can also be booked very competitively at [email protected]

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mainpoint · 2017. 1. 12. · mainpoint autun 20 3 your first stop for vehicle care in watford and...

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