County Durham Air Cadet Leader Retires After 52 Years

County Durham Air Cadet Leader Retires After 52 Years A Cadet Officer from Murton in County Durham is retiring after notching up more than 52 years continuous service with the Air Training Corps. Flt Lt David Button joined 1338 (Seaham) Squadron Air Cadets back in 1964 at the age of 14 years old, and progressed on to be a Civilian Instructor, Adult Warrant Officer, and finally a Commissioned Officer in 1987. He paraded at 1338 (Seaham) Squadron for the most part of his cadet career until he took over 1932 (Blackhall) squadron in May 1999. Upon taking over the squadron, Flt Lt Button was greeted with as few as six cadets on his first night, and spent many years nurturing...

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Air Cadets Remember the ‘Few’ at Battle of Britain Parade

Two hundred air cadets and veterans from across the North East paraded against the magnificent backdrop of Durham Cathedral to remember the bravery, sacrifice, and ultimate triumph of the men Winston Churchill dubbed ‘The Few.’ It is 76 years since the Battle of Britain raged in the skies above England as the RAF fought to gain air supremacy against Hitler’s Luftwaffe and bring to an end the Fuhrer’s invasion plans. And yesterday the veterans and Air Training Corps cadets from across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, and County Durham, formed up on Palace Green before marching into the cathedral for a special service of commemoration. Spectators turned out in their droves to show their support and remember the 544 British and overseas air...

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Cadets March Through City to Mark 75th Anniversary

Almost 700 Air Cadets and Staff from Durham/Northumberland Wing and across North Region took part in a celebratory parade on Saturday 23rd July to mark 75 years of the Air Training Corps. The Cadets and their officers and senior NCOs marched through the City of Durham and held a service of thanksgiving at Durham Cathedral. They were joined by dignitaries including the Lord-Lieutenant of County Durham, Mrs Sue Snowdon, a number of local Mayors, and members of the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association. Mrs Snowdon gave an address during the Service, praising the work of the organisation in delivering challenging opportunities to the young people of the region. The occasion also saw a new North Region banner being dedicated. The...

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Join as Staff

Volunteering with the Air Cadets is a great way to spend your free time and make friends along the way! It's also a great opportunity to give something back to your local community.      Click HERE to register your interest!    Joining our team will give you a chance to put your skills to use, no matter how diverse. All kinds of people make up our volunteer staff, coming from a range of backgrounds and interests.  Maybe you have a knowledge of the Armed Forces (although this is by no means essential); maybe you have a background in outdoor activities or sports; maybe you have some aviation knowledge; or maybe you are just keen to develop and train young...

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Join as a Cadet

To the join the Air Cadets as a cadet and enjoy the exciting range of activities that young people near you are experiencing you need to be aged between 12 (and in Year 8 at school) and 17 years old. If you would like to locate your nearest squadron you can contact Durham Northumberland headquarters on 0191 213 1919 or use our Squadrons page by clicking here. If you live outside this area visit the Squadron Locator section of the Air Cadet Website. Whichever squadron you choose to join you are guaranteed a friendly welcome; it is recommended that you take a parent to the squadron with you when you go and enquire. All cadets are required to follow a Cadet Code of Conduct which outlines...

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35 SQUADRONS AND OVER 1600 CADETS AND STAFF Are you up for fun, adventure, incredible experiences and making new friends? Are you looking for something to give you the edge in life? Then welcome to the Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC). Better known as the ‘Air Cadets’, we’re a UK-wide cadet force with more than 40,000 members aged between 12 and 20 years. Durham/Northumberland Wing covers County Durham, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland  and includes 35 Squadrons from the Scottish Border to County Durham, and from the Pennines across to the North-east coast. We’re sponsored by the Royal Air Force and can give you hands-on experience of activities and courses that will challenge and develop your skills to help...

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