It is often the complaint of teenagers these days that there is "nowt to do" in the evenings. Perhaps more should follow the lead of Egremont student, Matthew Gerrie, and join the Air Cadets – where action, adventure and even flying time can be the reward for a little bit of dedication.
Over the 60 years or more that the Air Cadets have been established in West Cumbria scores of teenagers, both male and female, have benefited from spending time in the cadet force. Matthew is one of a dedicated number who attend the 1030 Whitehaven Squadron of the Air Cadets every Tuesday and Friday at their Whitehaven base, behind Jackson’s Timber Yard on Catherine Street.
Matthew combines that training with his work at Wyndham School, where he is in the sixth form. He initially joined because he was interested in flying, and wanted to learn more about the air force, but the cadets gave him the opportunity to do lots of other things. He is currently working towards his silver Duke of Edinburgh award, having already done the bronze, and in April he is going to a camp in Germany to learn even more about aviation. Though he has decided not to join the air force, he is hoping to have a career as an airline pilot, having already started training for his private pilot’s licence at Carlisle airport. "I think people can get a lot from the Air Cadets," he told us. "I certainly have, and even if people aren’t that interested in joining the RAF, it is all just experience for later life."
Flight Lt. Stuart Dunnett is the officer in charge of the air cadets. He first came to Cumbria nine years ago, but has been involved with the cadets for most of his adult life.
"I’d like to think that we give the cadets an opportunity to do something that that is not normally open to them, even those ones who are only with us for a few months. We obviously have more of an impact on those who are with us longer, and there really are some fantastic opportunities for those who want to take them. But at the very least what we offer is a place for people to come and occupy themselves two nights a week, throughout the year. We would ideally have 30 youngsters in our squadron, aged between 13 and 20, but at the moment we are a few short."
Stuart added: "We offer them a range of activities, from sports such as football, rugby and hockey to other things like adventure training and canoeing. We have regular visits to RAF bases, particularly RAF Leaming, and there is the chance for them to get air time in a two seater plane, and to do solo gliding."
Anyone interested in joining the Air Cadets can just turn up, on Tuesdays or Fridays, at 7.30pm.
Inset photo shows Matthew (left) and two other cadets on a gliding course at Preston, where they gained their wings.