Long Eaton Air Cadets joined with others from South and East Midlands Wing to help out at the recent Ashes Test match at the famous Trent Bridge cricket ground, Nottingham.
On the Thursday Cadet Jack Upton and Cadet Corporal Catherine McHale attended the Ashes Cricket match. The day was very busy for the Long Eaton Air Cadets for the first two hours and a half they were on Trent Bridge itself welcoming the members of public and wishing them a happy day.
Following this the two Cadets and the rest of their team were put on rest, so they resulted to watching the cricket match itself. Watching the cricket was good as they sat down the first few wickets were completed.
Next they were on security which meant guarding the conference room and squash courts where all the other cadets items were, which was long as not much could be done. In addition, their jobs were running the photo booth and going on walk about around the area to check that the public was well and not injured.
On Friday Corporal McHale attended, with other cadets from South and East Midlands Wing, the second day of the cricket. During the first two and a half hours Corporal McHale had the honours of meeting some of the England Cricket players. Unfortunately she was unable to take photos with them.
After meeting the players her team went to meet and greet the public on the gate, to hand them all leaflets. The majority of the public was happy as they were English and the rest were sad as they were Australian.
The rest of the day was similar to the previous day, with as much excitement as before the end result of the day 3 wickets left for England to win.
On Saturday the very last day of the match Corporal McHale had similar jobs however a much shorter day.
Greeting the crowd in the morning and handing out more leaflets and was very lucky to have her picture taken alongside one of her fellow team mates with two of the Red Arrow Pilots.
As she made her way to the conference room to do security, the first wicket of the morning up roar sounded not long after the second as she walked back to the squash courts she and the rest of her team as they made their way to the gates to watch a bit of the match the very last wicket was made. This then meant that her team had to make their way to the gates to wish the members of public a happy rest of the day handing out inflatable drinks holders and were able to watch the Red Arrows fly past.
Corporal McHale says “I have enjoyed these 3 days very much, I am always happy to help out at events such as these as and when I am free and able to. I am aware that when I go to events like this I am able to meet more cadets from all over the wing and really do enjoy doing so. I hope to attend the next cricket match that we are able to volunteer at again next year.”
Written by Cadet Corporal C McHale
2195 (Long Eaton) Squadron Media team