desperate to fly who couldn't understand why the ATC no longer offer it
Not strictly accurate is it? Of the three types of flying available to air cadets (ie dedicated powered flying, gliding and opportunity flights in Service aircraft), one of the above is temporarily suspended (albeit for a lengthy period). Yes the AEFs aren't all running at full capacity yet following the Tutor groundings, but I understand that the picture on this front is generally improving; and while there aren't as many opportunities to fly in Service aircraft as there used to be, you could have said that every successive year since the 1940s!
It could actually be a lot worse. Maybe it's going to get worse...but right now plenty of cadets are getting airborne one way or another. For example, last summer every Sqn in West Mercian Wing ATC had at least one cadet flown in a Squirrel during the Wing Training Weekend, and about the same time all 40-odd cadets taking part in a No 2 Welsh Wing exercise at Nesscliffe were flown into the exercise area in Griffins. A drop in the ocean? Maybe, but better than nothing at all.