Brentwoodian 2019

105 activities together promoting teamwork and leadership as well as building that camaraderie which comes from having a common interest. A trip to London for the Battle of Britain Memorial walk took us past landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St Clement Danes Church and the Battle of Britain Memorial to name but a few. During the Trinity Term we said goodbye to our Senior NCOs; the Section would undoubtedly not operate as efficiently as it does without their commitment. I am grateful for all the support the cadets and staff have received from: CWO George O’Neill, Flight Sergeants Georgina Matthews and Tara Jones and Sergeants Tessa Birchley, Sophie Bright, Callum Brooks, Ross Chambers, Flo Duty, Guillaume Goodey, Adam Hogarth and James Morbin who have all had an individual and collective impact on the Section. It only remains for me to thank my team of ever reliable officers: Karen Crane, Jenny McLeod and Keith Gray. The Section would not be as successful were it not for their continued hard work and support. We welcomed back Miss Cutbill into the Section, and look forward to her being back in uniform. We have also been blessed with the support of the teaching staff who have been steadfast supporters throughout the year and for that I am very grateful. We look forward to the ensuing year with excitement and to celebrating further successes. By Mr Singh On Saturday 13th July at 2pm, 14 Brentwood School RAF Cadets arrived at RAF Valley in Anglesey, Wales, after a shattering six-hour coach journey. Despite this we were ready, and prepared for anything the next week could throw at us, along with our new companions from Lancaster and Loughborough and the amazing staff! Over the next week we took part in a variation of intriguing, exciting and exhilarating activities planned by both our staff and activity leaders in Wales. A highlight was definitely the sea-level traversing at Holyhead Breakwater Coastal Park, which was our final activity of the camp. We spent the day climbing over and under cliff faces which were treacherously close to the raging sea or dangerously high above it, and it was such a great experience for so many cadets because, not only did we learn about the nature of the cliffs and the park in general from the brilliant guides, but we also learnt how to push ourselves out of our comfort zones and work as a team to overcome our fears and struggles. Another key moment of camp at Valley was the time we spent dedicated to weapons training. We spent one session with Major Murphy and Squadron Leader Singh doing dry weapons training on an outdoor range with the competition rifles, which was especially valuable for the younger cadets who had little experience with shooting. During the whole day we spent firing it was great to see so much improvement and self- discipline among the cadets, as every single one of us passed our weapons training tests. Alongside this, the activities planned by Miss Cutbill were great for improving the cadets’ leadership, teamwork and communication skills, and ran incredibly smoothly despite the sound of Hawks jets roaring above us. Some of the other activities we participated in were much more about the RAF Valley itself and the role of the RAF personnel there. The trips to ATC and fire departments were especially fun as we were able to experience first-hand the role of the fire department if an aircraft were to crash, which was portrayed by the firemen showing the sheer amount of water that could be used if needs be, and involved getting all of us soaking wet! The visit to the Mountain Rescue Station was equally fun and intriguing as we were able to understand the demands of the job by looking at all of the equipment needed to rescue successfully. The best part, perhaps, was the visit to IV and XXV Squadrons in which the pilots of the Hawks were trained and where the planes themselves were kept. We were able to look into the cockpits (and catch sight of a couple of Red Arrows!) and really get an insight into the pilots, as well as a basic understanding of how they operate. Finally, the evening activities were incredibly entertaining and were enjoyable for the cadets and staff, such as visiting the “Jetflix” cinema, the AirPlay centre and playing cricket on the beach, not to mention a competitive quiz. The final evening was great too, as awards were given to our top cadets, one of which was given to Daniel Brammer as the “most improved” cadet and meant that Juno flight came out on top of the inter-flight competition. Overall it was an amazing week and we made so many friends and experienced so many new things that RAF Valley was truly unforgettable. The week would not have been possible without the efforts of Flying Officer Gray, Miss Cutbill and Squadron Leader Singh (who was in charge of the camp), in addition to the hard work of Brentwood’s SNCOs, Flight Sergeant Matthews and CWO O’Neill, to whom we wish the best of luck pursuing his career as a pilot in the Royal Navy. By Flight Sergeant Jodie Bradley Summer Camp