Trent Wing is one of the largest in the RAF Air Cadet Organisation, spanning 5 counties across the East Midlands and the Humber. It was therefore, no surprise that it was a tight squeeze for the award winners and guests at their recent presentation evening, held at RAF Digby, the RAF’s oldest station.
Trent Wing’s cadets and staff are certainly high achievers in everything that they do and it is only right that their various achievements are recognised formally. In surrounds of one the original RAF Officers Mess, cadets and staff were presented with their awards, recognising their, dedication and effort in obtaining formal qualifications, appointments and dedicated service. 
Digby is no stranger to achievers, adorning the wall of the room is a copy of the poem ‘High Flight’ universally adopted as the ‘Pilots Poem’. It was written during World War 2 by John Gillespie McGhee Jnr, an American pilot serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force at RAF Digby in 1941. Sadly McGhee was killed in a mid-air collision just North of the station and is buried in the nearby village of Scopwick, but his poem achieved great praise and adoption by aviators across the world, being recounted by President Regan following the Challenger Disaster in 1986.
The cadets of Trent Wing, like McGhee, have an interest in Aviation, but also in developing themselves as responsible citizens. This goal is partly achieved through the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme, with over a third of the 1450 strong cadet force in Trent Wing being enrolled on the scheme.
303 Cadets Recieve their Silver DoE Award.JPG
The presentation evening aim was to recognise those who have successfully obtained the Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, with the presentations being made by Group Captain Nigel Gorman, Commandant of Central and East Region.
After the Cadet Presentations had been made, it was the turn of the Staff to take the stage with 2 promotions to Warrant Officer for WO (ATC) Roger Durham and WO (ATC) Graham Slater. Presentations of 5 Cadet Forces Medals were also made to current Squadron Commanders, who have achieved 12 years continuous uniformed service within the RAF’s Air Cadet Organisation. 7 members of staff who have made an added contribution to the Air Cadets over a period of time were also recognised with the Commandants Certificate of Meritorious Service.
-Sqn-Ldr JJohn Fallon recieveing his retirement gift from Gp Capt Gorman and Wing Commader Wright.
The final presentation of the evening was made to Squadron Leader John Fallon (Retd) who after retiring from uniformed service finally as a Wing Staff Officer, left in September 2012, only to return as a Civilian Instructor. John had earlier received his second clasp for his Cadet Forces Medal, signifying 24 years in uniform, his final presentation was of a framed print on behalf of the Wing for all his enduring efforts, latterly as the Wing Duke of Edinburgh’s Officer.
‘Its great to be here and to present these awards, particularly here in the beautiful surrounds of the Officers Mess here at Digby. I would like to thank all the cadets, parents and of course the volunteer staff, without whom there would be no Air Cadets’ Said Gp Capt Gorman. Sqn Ldr Mel Walker, Wing Duke of Edinburgh Awards office, who organised the evening said ‘I’m delighted to be able to see so many cadets being awarded their Silver Award tonight, I am also thrilled that so many have already begun to work towards their Gold too’.
Award Winners were:
Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Cadet Warrant Office Natasha Berg 141 (Boston) Squadron
Cadet Flight Sergeant Thomas Palmer 141 (Boston) Squadron
Cadet Luke Manning 141 (Boston) Squadron
Cadet Corporal Daniel Balicki 2160 (Sleaford) Squadron
Cadet Corporal Philip Baliciki 2160 (Sleaford) Squadron
Cadet Corporal Lauryn Eady 2160 (Sleaford) Squadron
Cadet Sergeant Jack Fovargue 2160 (Sleaford) Squadron
Cadet Sergeant Olivia West 2222 (Brigg) Squadron
Cadet Corporal Nathan Herrera 2222 (Brigg) Squadron
Cadet Robyn Slater 2222 (Brigg) Squadron
Cadet Harry Cook 2222 (Brigg) Squadron
Cadet Matthew Bell 2222 (Brigg) Squadron
Cadet Flight Sergeant Georgia Mason 303 (Worksop) Squadron
Cadet Corporal Harriet Esberger 303 (Worksop) Squadron
Cadet Corporal Connor Blades 303 (Worksop) Squadron
Cadet Kayleigh Turton 303 (Worksop) Squadron
Cadet Connor McEwan 303 (Worksop) Squadron
Cadet Pawel Kowalski 303 (Worksop) Squadron
Cadet Thomas Ashmore 303 (Worksop) Squadron
Cadet Flight Sergeant Erin Bennett 331 (Chesterfield) Squadron
Cadet Corporal James Cooper 331 (Chesterfield) Squadron
Sergeant (ATC) Robyn Stanney 203 (Gainsborough) Squadron
Civilian Instructor Stephanie Nock 1237 (North Hykeham) Squadron
Cadet Forces Medal Presentations
Flight Lieutenant Austen Colledge RAFVR(T) OC 620 (Derwent Valley) Sqn
Flight Lieutenant Terance Shird RAFVR(T) OC 195 (Grimsby) Sqn
Flight Lieutenant James Todd RAFVR(T) OC 119 (Scunthorpe) Sqn
Flight Lieutenant Carl Johnson RAFVR(T) OC 1228 (Louth) Sqn
Flight Lieutenant Julie Sawyer RAFVR(T) OC 2000 (Eckington) Sqn
Cadet Forces Medal 2nd Clasp Presentation
Squadron Leader John Fallon RAFVR(T) (Retd) Former Wing Staff Officer
Warrant Officer (ATC) Appointments
Warrant Officer Roger Durham 203 (Gainsborough) Squadron
Warrant Officer Graham Slater 2222 (Brigg) Squadron
Commandants Certificate of Meritorious Service
Squadron Leader Gill Wills RAFVR(T) Wing Staff Officer
Warrant Officer (ATC) Nick Waltz SWO 1208 Warsop Sqn
Civilian Instructor Stuart Hyde 1073 (Skegness) Sqn
Civilian Instructor Margaret Leadbeater 303 (Worksop) Sqn