For a large party of air cadets, staff and committee members of 2160 (Sleaford) Squadron the answer would be experiencing some of the “Venture Adventure” the Air Training Corps (ATC) has to offer.
The squadron party travelled to Champion House located in Edale Derbyshire for a long weekend of outdoor and indoor activities. Cadet Flight Sergeant Matt Brand wrote an account of the camp as follows.
Over the Easter weekend cadets and staff from 2160 (Sleaford) squadron travelled up to Champion house in Derbyshire for a weekend of adventurous training activities. On the journey up to Champion House there were a couple of hours spent with the Edale Mountain Rescue Team, taking part in activities hosted by the team members. This included a tour of their vehicle bay, looking at the immense amount of equipment they take to their incidents in the mountains on a regular basis (in 2015 they responded to around 140 incidents of varying severity). Cadets also saw and took part in a simulated crag rescue using an indoor climbing wall.
Upon reaching the hostel, the cadets were split into one of four groups; each group included a range of ages and experience, this meant that younger members of the groups were better able to learn new skills from the older cadets as well as letting people become friends with those they may not have spoken to previously.
On the Saturday and Sunday, the cadets undertook a number of adventurous activities and tasks; one of the days was spent hillwalking with the help of some of the adult civilian instructors as well as Warrant Officer (ATC) Fowler of Brimmington squadron who came along to share his knowledge of the area.
The weather was to play its part, however, and meant that the squadron’s new rock climbing equipment would not be put to full use on a rock face, instead it would be used at the hostel’s own indoor climbing walls. The cadets spent half a day using the various walls and ended it with speed climbs to compete for the fastest times 
– congratulations to Cadet Sergeant George Jones who won! Cadets took part in the cooking and preparing of the Saturday and Sunday tea meals; this included the potato pealing and the making of stuffing for the roast dinner turkey or beef (the most popular meals of the weekend).
One of the more unusual parts of the weekend was the night lining; cadets took it in turns leading their group around a course whilst blindfolded and attached to a rope. Traversing different obstacles they practiced their communication and teamwork skills to complete the course..
All in all, everyone (including the staff!) had a highly enjoyable weekend involving activities that they may not normally take part in. 2160 will be returning to Edale in two years’ time and the demand for places will be even greater due to an ever-growing squadron! Thank you to the cadets and staff for a great weekend!
Cadet Flight Sergeant Matt Brand