For Parents

The Air Cadets offer a wonderful opportunity for your child to grow and learn lots of new skills. You will find that they suddenly acquire abilities you never thought they would: they appear somehow fitter, smarter, can fly a plane, handle a rifle, and even work an iron!

Much of what they do in cadets gives them a helping hand in other aspects of their life — their discipline, teamwork and communication skills will all be helped by spending time on the Squadron, and they will develop a sense of confidence in their abilities. Employers and schools alike look favourably on cadets as a way of expanding a child's horizons.

And yet, there are still reservations you may have as a parent. Will my child be safe? Will they be shouted at? How much will all this cost me? We appreciate that there are plenty of questions that parents may raise that do not occur to their cadet children! We would like to take this opportunity to address some of them — if you have any others, then please let us know. We will be happy to discuss any problems — and will of course respect confidentiality if you wish.

FAQ

Sounds great, but how much will all this cost me?
Will my son/daughter be expected to buy lots of things?
Some of this sounds dangerous! Will my son/daughter be safe?
My son/daughter has asthma/epilepsy/learning difficulties/a medical condition. Will this affect what they can do?
Can I get involved too?

Sounds great, but how much will all this cost me?
Not as much as you fear, we promise! Our affiliation with the Royal Air Force helps here, and we heavily subsidise all of our activities. We ask for subscriptions of just £5/month to contribute to the Squadron’s running and activity programme. Our other activities vary in cost. Flying and gliding is generally without charge to cadets, although if they take up advance courses, a small contribution to travel to/from the airfield may be asked for. Shooting is generally free of charge, except the travel costs to the range in Putney. Please see the Officer Commanding if you have difficulties in payment — we can discuss options with you in confidence.

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Will my son/daughter be expected to buy lots of things?
Not really. We issue the ‘blue’ uniform for all cadets free of charge, although we do expect cadets to buy their own shoes. We may offer these at a discounted rate in the future, but at present most Army/Navy stores have suitable supplies. Cadets may purchase combat clothing, which they use for training of an adventurous nature, generally in the field. We have a small supply that we either issue or obtain for cadets at a discounted rate. However, we would advise against purchase of combat kit until your son/daughter has been with the squadron for some time. Other equipment (e.g. tents and rucksacks etc.) for adventure training can be issued from the Squadron. We do not charge for this, although equipment which is damaged/not returned will be billed to the cadet.

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Some of this sounds dangerous! Will my son/daughter be safe?
The cadets’ welfare and safety is of the highest priority to all the staff. All of the Squadron staff undergo extensive security and background checks, and there are always First-Aid qualified staff on hand. For adventure training and other activities (e.g. shooting), the supervising staff are well-qualified and experienced, with training to ensure cadet safety. If you have concerns, you are welcome to direct them to the Officer Commanding, who can reassure you. Additionally, we ask that all cadets are escorted where possible to and from the Squadron, particularly in the winter months, and after activities. We regret that we cannot be held responsible for cadets’ travel arrangements to and from the Squadron.

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My son/daughter has asthma/epilepsy/learning difficulties/a medical condition. Will this affect what they can do?
There is no blanket policy concerning this. The initial consent form asks for medical details on recruits, and we ask that you make us aware of any condition which may affect your son/daughter at cadets. We will accommodate them where possible, but regrettably there may be occasions where your child’s participation will be limited for their own safety. Again, please contact the Squadron if you have any questions.

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Can I get involved too?
We are always delighted to welcome more help on the Squadron. There are two ways you can get involved. The first is via the Squadron’s “Civilian Committee”. The committee consists of a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer and other members including parents. They meet on average once every two months to discuss fund raising activities and to monitor the welfare of the squadron. Alternatively, you can take a more hands-on approach by becoming a Civilian Instructor and joining the Squadron staff. We will require you to complete a security check and criminal records check before entering a probationary period on the Squadron. No previous experience in the Services or cadets is required — just enthusiasm and a willingness to work hard on behalf of our cadets! For more information look at the recruitment page or contact the Commanding Officer.

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