Air Cadets vs Self funding!
As a 16 year old living in south London neither I nor my parents could afford for me to follow my dream of gliding. Fortunately I was in the ATC Squadron of my Grammar school, and that allowed me to get my A & B at Hawkinge followed up by Advanced Gliding and Flying Scholarship (full PPL in those days). I went on many summer camps and a number of courses which were held at RAF Halton. I also won a reciprocal visit to Portugal as a guest of the Portuguese Air Force. All of this at the cost of a shilling per day for food!! Oh how things have changed!!
However the cadets of today have had the flying/gliding rug well and truly pulled from under their feet. I feel sure that there are some highly enthusiatic cadets out there who deserve to be awarded a gliding scholarship some time in the next two years without waiting for the Minister's promises to be fulfilled. The clubs are waiting for these enthusiastic youngsters and could (with the right funding from the ACO) fulfill their dreams too.
I feel sure that a debate in the right place could bring this funding sooner rather than later.
Get that petition signed👍👍