Gateway. June In June s issue

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3 Gateway June 2010 In June s issue Community Focus 40 Community Matters 40 Gateway School 41 Brize Norton Youth Theatre 42 Carterton Neighbourhood update 45 Dragon s Den Gateway Funclub 46 Oxford Brookes University 47 Show your support on Armed Forces Day 48 RAF Brize Noton Neighbourhood watch 49 Listening - it s not that easy! 52 Supporters take on legends in aid of Help for Heroes 53 Carterton Football Club Visit from Hamid Karzai Brize News 4 From the Station Commander 5 From the Editor 6 FSTA Interview 12 Award for Excellence 12 Stn Cdr gets up close and personal with new A Programme Future Brize Team Brize 20 CCLO Recruitment Student Visits and OASC Advice 21 Charity Auction 22 Defence Movements School Update 26 We asked You told us! 28 Drop Zone 32 The Stats don t lie! 33 Farewell to VC10 Retirees 36 Rugby Success 37 RAF Brize Norton Angling Club 38 Brize Golfers off to winning start 38 Swimathon Editorial Team Sqn Ldr Richard Smith Ext 6150 SqnLdr Dave Melmoth Flt Lt Rick Seager Becca Dunn Editorial Correspondence The Gateway Editor FHQ, RAF Brize Norton, Carterton, Oxfordshire OX18 3LX Brize BZN-Gateway-editor@mod.uk Distribution Sgt Hayley Crame Ext 6011 Cpl Phil Thorp No 2267 (Brize Norton) ATC Sqn Although advertisements are included in good faith, the Editor hereby declares that the publication of any advertisement in the Gateway in no way implies endorsements or responsibility, by the Gateway. The MOD or any Service Establishment - including RAF Brize Norton, for the advertiser or its advertised product or service. Furthermore, neither the Editor nor any Service authority will become involved in any dispute arising out of any advertisement appearing in the Gateway. The Gateway is not an official publication; unless specifically stated otherwise, all views expressed in the Gateway are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect official MOD or Service policy. No part of the Gateway may be reproduced in part or full without the written permission of the Editor or publisher. Photographs are Crown Copyright - all rights reserved - unless credited to an individual photographer. The Gateway is the magazine of RAF Brize Norton and is published monthly by kind permission of the Station Commander - Gp Capt Stamp. No responsibility for the quality of goods or services advertised in this magazine can be accepted by the publishers or printers. Advertisements are included in good faith. Published by Forces and Corporate Publishing Ltd, Hamblin House, Hamblin Court, High Street, Rushden, Northamptonshire NN10 OPQ. Tel: Fax: mail@forcespublishing.co.uk Managing director: Ron Pearson Sub editor: Kerry Wells Sales manager: Sally Haynes/Amanda Ringer Gateway - 3

4 Brize News FROM THE STATION COMMANDER Gp Capt Dom Stamp I put pen to paper for the first time as your Station Commander, conscious of the enormous honour and responsibility that I have been given. I feel an immense sense of pride, and humility, in assuming command of such an important, operationally focused and historically acclaimed Station. Most significantly, I recognise that the next few years will present RAF Brize Norton with some of the greatest challenges, and opportunities, that the Station has ever faced. Indeed, maintaining a vitally important and gruelling operational output whilst undergoing a significant transformation/building programme is unprecedented in recent RAF history. I have no doubt that achieving these challenging goals will require a great deal of hard work, innovation and tolerance from every part of the extensive RAF Brize Norton/ RAF Lyneham Team. Having already met many of you, and witnessed at first hand the professionalism, expertise and sense of humour that Station personnel consistently display, I have no doubt that we will deliver all of the demanding aims and objectives set by our chain of command. One thing is certain, the next 2 years will be an incredibly exciting, and rewarding, time for all of us at RAF Brize Norton. However, effective communication will be key to our success. I can assure you that I shall let you know through your chain of command, or at regular station briefings, what is going on as soon as I am able to do so. I have been most fortunate, over the last few months, to have been afforded the opportunity to work closely alongside Air Commodore Ager, undertaking one of the most comprehensive handovers that I have experienced during my Service career to date. This has given me a better understanding of the issues concerning you and your families, at a much earlier stage of my tour, whilst enabling me to get a good feel for the operational pressures affecting the Station. I thank Air Commodore Ager for providing such a handover and for all that he has done for RAF Brize Norton during his tenure. Gateway -

5 Brize News What has struck me most during my short time in command is the significant progress that Programme Future Brize has made. However, from what I have observed, the Future part of the title is now somewhat obsolete. Forward Support Wing re-location is in progress, the single living accommodation building works is nearing completion and the first elements of RAF Lyneham will arrive later this year; as such, the Future Brize lay-down is happening now. It was, therefore, most pleasing to witness how successful the C130 deployment proved to be in May This demonstrated, if there was ever any doubt, that the Tactical Air Transport (Tac AT) Force can operate effortlessly in concert with the Strategic AT and Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) Forces from a joint Main Operating Base. That said, we are all aware that there is still much more that needs to be done to complete Programme Future Brize. The amalgamation of RAF Brize Norton and RAF Lyneham is much more than simply the relocation of aircraft. The construction of living and working accommodation is important, but developing appropriate processes to support an integrated AT, AAR and Tac AT Force, as well as creating an Air Mobility/AAR culture, is vital to the success of the Programme. To this end, my vision is for the best elements of both RAF Brize Norton and RAF Lyneham to fuse cohesively together to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. I look forward to working with you all over the coming 2 years as we embrace the challenges that lie ahead. I hope you will lend me the support you have so outstandingly given my predecessors and that together we can take RAF Brize Norton forward through exciting, challenging, and no doubt occasionally difficult, times to deliver our mission. We must never forget why we are here and how much this fantastic Station is in the public eye; never lose sight of the fact that each and every one of us has a significant part to play in maintaining the amazing reputation that this Station has built up over the years. However, most of all we must ensure that we create an environment that allows us to enjoy our work to the full, in addition to seizing every available opportunity to participate in the fun activities that the RAF has to offer: Adventurous Training, sports and staff rides to name but a few. My wife Sheena, children Deanna and Euan, and of course myself are thrilled to be part of RAF Brize Norton and look forward to meeting many of you over the coming years. FROM THE EDITORS All Change! New Government, new Stn Cdr, new Gateway Editorial Team. I ll leave you to decide on the significance of each event and steer clear of political comment, lest my tenure be a very short one, but I would like to extend a warm welcome to Gp Capt Stamp as our new Stn Cdr. His first foreword has been eagerly anticipated and no doubt it will be keenly read. A huge thank you must go out to Fozzie for all his hard work in pulling together the magazine s content month after month and for his superb efforts to bring its layout bang up to date. He will be a hard act to follow, but follow on we must and so I would like to introduce a new Editorial Team of Sqn Ldr Dave Melmoth (OC FDS) and Flt Lt Rick Seager (SO3 A7 in the FHQ); we will be joining Becca Dunn who has been working hard alongside Fozzie in recent months. As many of you know, last month was Fozzie s last ever edition of the Gateway; sad as I am to see him go, (I won t miss having to bribe him with cake) I am delighted to be editing this month s magazine with a new editorial team. Along with the staffing shake-ups of the last few months, you may have noticed the Gateway undergoing a few changes as well. As more and more people are arriving at Brize, the Gateway is stepping up and covering more Station, operational and community events than ever: but we need your help! There are so many inspirational and interesting We will be working closely with the Lyneham Globe Editor to bring together the 2 magazines, starting with a name change competition that will run in the next editions of both magazines. Dave will be leading on this merger. As to this month s content: charity events have been high on the agenda and some serious money has been raised both on and off the Stn - fantastic. In addition, there are some great articles featuring local schools, not least some scary Dragons. And what are your views on the David Stone Medical Centre? Questions have been asked and the SMO has put pen to paper to address your views. There are loads of great events planned into diaries over the coming months. Let us know about them - keep writing! Rich stories out there and we can cover them all, we just need you to send them in! This summer is going to be jam-packed with Station activities and charity events; look out for next month s Gateway where we will be bringing you the latest on 216 Sqn s charity drive in Robin Reliant s from Tamworth to RAF Gibraltar. Remember every penny counts so dig deep and get involved!! As always, when sending in your articles, remember don t embed your photographs and keep pictures to under 4MB please! Keep them coming! Gateway - Becca 5

6 Brize News Gp Capt Dom Stamp joined the Royal Air Force in 1988 and was posted to the Hercules for the first of 4 tours, flying the C130K, in Operational service during this period included the first Gulf War, the Falkland Islands (in the Air Transport and Air Refuelling roles), the Balkans, Sierra Leone and the humanitarian relief effort in Rwanda. Qualified as a Tactical Air Transport Flight Instructor and the Station s VIP Instructor Pilot, he also held the mantle of Type Air Refuelling Instructor. In addition, Group Captain Stamp flew as a member of the Hercules formation display team and was also selected to demonstrate the tactical abilities of the aircraft as the Unit s display pilot. Following staff tours in the Personnel Management Agency and No 2 Group, he returned to the Hercules, flying the C130J, commanding No 30 Squadron from Throughout this tour, No 30 Squadron was heavily committed to operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He then completed a short staff tour within Air Manning, having responsibility for the career management of all wing commander aircrew and acting as Secretary for the Royal Air Force No 2 Promotion Selection Board. Group Captain Stamp is married to Sheena and has a daughter, Deanna, and a son, Euan. His interests include history, fitness training, playing music and spending time with his family. FSTA Interview John Walton John Walton is the Operations Training Manager for AirTanker Services and has been with the Company since it was created in 2008, although he has worked on the project since August We caught up with John to find out about their training plans. Can you tell us a bit about your career before you joined AirTanker? I joined the Royal Air Force in July 1971 as a flight systems technician. I was commissioned into the Engineering branch in 1981, as an Aerosystems Engineer, and enjoyed 23 more years in the RAF before leaving in August I found out about the FSTA programme when I was still in the RAF and I knew I wanted to be involved from an early stage. I went to work for EADS when I left the Forces and have worked on the programme ever since. Can you describe a bit more about your role? I am the interface between ATrS and our primary subcontractor for the Training Service (TTSL) in the development and delivery of the Training Service for the FSTA programme. What is your priority at the moment? Training development for all of the servicerelated roles including pilots, Mission Systems Operators, aircraft engineers, cabin crew, flight operations and support staff. It covers around 90 courses so it s a huge task really. What are the main challenges that lie ahead? There are two main ones that spring to mind. At the moment, one of the key challenges that we face is trying to develop so many different courses at the same time! It s also about making sure we get the integration right between military and civilian training practices. I have been learning as much as I can from other examples of joint training schools such as the one run by TTSL at Middle Wallop. How do you find working with the RAF as a civilian now? I found the transition relatively easy and the advantage I have now is that I know the military terminology and I understand what the main drivers are for the RAF. Even after five years out of the Service I find that when I talk about the RAF now, I still use the word we. What are you looking forward to the most? The first aircraft arriving at Brize Norton! When is the first set of training due to start? A group of RAF technicians will start their training in January We need to start this early because the training programme will last for about two years! How hard do you think it will be to bring in the new aircraft? It will be hard and undoubtedly unexpected things will happen but we have brought in new aircraft before. Getting used to working within a civilian regime will be a challenge but I m confident that any issues will be resolved. I know it will work because there is a real willingness on both sides to make it happen and I m really looking forward to working together more and more as we build up the service over the coming months and years. Who do you deal with most from the RAF? Sqn Ldr Dave Thompson (OC STANEVAL) from RAF Brize Norton and Flt Lt John Gorman from 2 Gp as well as Sqn Ldr Gordon Parry and Sqn Ldr Dave Oughton from the FSTA Team. What do you like doing in your spare time? I have to have a go at the Daily Telegraph s big crossword every day! I ve recently taken up golf - pitch and putt golf at the moment - and I m a Samaritans volunteer, which takes up a lot of my time. 6 Gateway -

7 Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2010 Set in 160 acres of beautiful landscaped parkland and gardens. GIRAFFES ARRIVING SOON WALK WITH LEMURS in the Madagascar enclosure. Open 7 Days A Week For Food Families Welcome All Food Home Cooked Seasonal Menus 70 Seat Dining Room Specials 2 for Mon - Sat and 5-6 Food Mon - Sat Lunch pm Sun Lunch 12-2, Evening 5-7 Unbeatable Prices and Value for Money Parties Welcome, Large Beer Gardens Ample Car Parking Come and sample our unique Kiwi Hospitality Excellent facilities, wheelchair friendly, free parking, dogs allowed on leads. SEASON TICKETS are excellent value. Reptile Awareness Days Bank Holidays and Sundays from 2nd May (weather permitting) 2pm-4pm For more information see or call Open daily from 10am situated on the A miles south of Burford The Bird In Hand Inn Hailey, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 9XP The Bird in Hand Inn is a classic Cotswolds country inn located in Whiteoak Green, Hailey, near Witney on the B4022. We are situated in the heart of the countryside yet only 6 miles from Brize Norton and only a couple of miles from all the major Cotswold attractions, not to mention Oxford. 16 Modern en-suite bedrooms from 80 per room Bed & Breakfast (depending on availability, we are often able to offer reduced rates to Servicemen and their families) Our excellent Restaurant and Michelin trained chefs can cater for every occasion at a very reasonable cost. Conference rooms from 4 to 40, Functions and Wedding Parties from 12 to 120. For Weddings, other events, enquiries or for information on any of the above, please contact Ann Shelton who will be delighted to assist. Tel: +44(0) welcome@birdinhandinn.co.uk Gateway - 7

8 Brize News FSTA Interview Keith Filbey is the Chairman of AirTanker Services and has been involved in the development of the FSTA programme since Prior to joining the aerospace industry, Keith had a full career as an RAF pilot flying the Victor K1A, Nimrod R, TriStar and VC10 aircraft. He knows the Station well after two postings here - the first as OC 216 Squadron (1983 to 1986) and the second as OC RAF Brize Norton (1990 to 1992). In addition, Keith was Brize Norton s AOC from 2000 to 2002, which included overseeing the introduction of the C17 into service. We find out how this experience is helping AirTanker during the development of the FSTA programme. What were the highlights of your time in the RAF? There were many, but I particularly enjoyed my two postings at RAF Brize Norton. I had the privilege of being the first TriStar Squadron Commander when No 216 Squadron reformed in the early 80s. My 8 AIR VICE-MARSHAL KEITH FILBEY CBE FRAeS second posting at RAF Brize Norton was as Station Commander. This was a very exciting and rewarding tour. I took over the Station at the start of the first Gulf War so it was a very busy time. For example, I recall that in early 1991, our freight through-put increased so much that we were handling a month s peace time freight every two days. We also had three formal Royal Visits in my first year on the Station. Of course, I am well aware that the Station has been working exceptionally hard ever since. What really impressed me during my time here was the enthusiasm from the many individuals working on the Station as well as the support from families and the wider community in Carterton. That s why I m genuinely pleased to be back. Can you describe a bit about your role within AirTanker? I was CEO of AirTanker until the Contract was signed in March 2008, when Dave Mitchard was appointed Managing Director, and I became Chairman. My principal role as Chairman is to Chair the Board of Shareholders. The Board is very diverse with Directors representing Cobham, EADS, Thales, Rolls- Royce and VT Group, all of whom have as their primary aim the provision of the best possible AT/AAR service at Brize Norton. This is only a part-time role and the rest of my time is spent working hard to maintain relationships within the wider RAF Community at Group, Command

9 and MOD levels and providing advice on a wide range of topics from civil-military integration, the challenges of running PFIs and the demands of the AAR and AT roles. This is the third time that I have been lucky enough to be directly involved in the introduction into service of a new aircraft type at Brize Norton and it is every bit as exciting and challenging as the first two. What benefits do you think this programme will bring to the RAF? Well, it s going to be the first time the AAR force has had a brand new tanker aircraft. In the past, we ve had to use secondhand aircraft that have been converted into the AAR role later in their lives. The A aircraft is already a well proven platform that is used by airlines all around the world; indeed, Airbus is still producing around 11 A s a month to meet the continuing strong demand from airlines. It will be significantly more reliable, more fuel efficient, and easier to maintain than the existing AT/AAR fleet, which will benefit Defence as a whole. AirTanker is going to embrace best practice from civil aviation whilst maintaining military ethos and operational experience. I see it as combining the best of both worlds and I think we have the right people and expertise to do it. Another big advantage of this programme is that it is a fixed-price contract, which means the RAF knows what it will be spending on the service over the full 24 year service. What do you think are the main challenges that lie ahead? We have quite a few. In particular, we need to make sure that we recruit the right people for the Sponsored Reservist roles. We also need to ensure that we take the best of both military and civil aviation worlds and we don t get swayed one way or the other. At the end of the day, we have a unique opportunity because we are starting with a blank sheet of paper. We must take advantage of that and make sure we have the foundation for a service, that fully meets the needs of the RAF, in place before the first aircraft arrives next year. Another big challenge will be making sure that we meet both the civil and the military regulations required to operate our service. We need to have the civil licences in place to run the airline that will operate on the Civilian Register and we will also have to ensure that the MOD is able to obtain a military release to service for the aircraft. Following the recommendations of the Haddon Cave Inquiry, this will not be easy and is not being underestimated. We are already working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority and we are keen to develop a similar relationship with the new Military Aviation Authority. And finally, there is a lot of work still to be done around mixed manning and the conditions of service associated with it. It s going to be fun sorting it all out! How important do you think it is to have former RAF personnel working within AirTanker? As you would expect me to say, I think it is very important! I believe that it s essential for us to have people who understand the military way of life. What else is going to influence the introduction of the aircraft? The Future Brize programme is likely to have a major impact on the introduction of the A aircraft. The move of the Hercules force coincides with the arrival of our first aircraft, which means we ll have more passengers and freight going through the Station. We re confident that Brize Norton will cope, but we re aware that there s still a lot of work to do. What do you like doing in your spare time? I take a keen interest in my family; my wife is a student at the University of Gloucestershire, while my son is a modern languages teacher and my daughter works in PR. I also enjoy sport, in particular skiing, rugby (I am an enthusiastic supporter of Gloucester RFC), golf (I play badly) and walking. Music is another passion of mine - especially choral music - plus I like socialising and cooking. Gateway - 9

10 Carterton Kebab House 9 The Tower Centre, Alvescot Road, Caterton Tel: Open 4pm - 12am 7 days a week Burgers, Doner Kebab, Shish Kebab, Kofte Kebab, Vegetarian Kebab, In-house Special, Fried Chicken, Scampi, Chips, Chicken Nuggets and lots more ALL OUR FOOD IS FRESH CARTERTON TOWN COUNCIL Town Hall, Alvescot Road, Carterton, OX18 3JL Public information, bus timetables, travel tokens, Thursday market, room hire, Welcome packs for new residents Tel jeustace@carterton-tc.gov.uk Fried Chicken - Pizza - Cafe Free Home Delivery (minimum order 8) within 3 miles radius Delivery Hours: 4pm pm OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Telephone orders welcome Spend 17 and get a FREE 9 pizza with 1 topping 20% Discount for military personnel Tower Centre, Alvescot Road, Carterton, Oxon OX18 3JG PHILSERVE Ltd. MOTOR ENGINEERING SERVICES Servicing Major Repairs Vehicle Diagnostics MOT Centre for Cars, Vans & Mini Buses Bodyshop 24 Hr Breakdown,Rescue & Recovery Celebrating 27 Years in Business QUALITY & PERSONAL SERVICE ISO 9001 Cert No: Special Discount For Forces Personnel Belle Terrace, Carterton Industrial Estate, Black Bourton Road, Carterton, Oxfordshire OX18 3ER Telephone sales@philserve.co.uk Website: SHRIVENHAM PARK GOLF CLUB Good golf doesn t have to be expensive golf Set in mature parkland on the edge of the expanding village of Shrivenham and on the borders of Oxfordshire and Wiltshire, we are just 10 minutes from junction 15 of the M4, 10 minutes from Swindon and 20 minutes from Oxford. 18 hole mature parkland golf course Excellent greens Visitors, societies, groups and novices welcome Loyalty scheme 7 days-a-week Regular special offers Whether you are an absolute beginner or a golfer of many years standing, you can count on good golf and a warm welcome at Shrivenham Park Pennyhooks Lane, Shrivenham, Swindon, Wiltshire. SN6 8EX 10 Gateway -

11 AND PAINTBALL d d Quad Biking Archery Paintballing Clay Shooting 4x4 Off Road Power Turns We have two sites: Aston Magna (Multi-activities) Bourton-on-the-Hill (Paintballing). Tel: Mob: info@cotswoldquads.com Gateway

12 Brize News The AT/AAR Force Headquarters (FHQ) A4 Logistics (Logs) Cell sits at the core of the Station FHQ and comprises F/L Sue Harris and Sgt Trevor Elder. Their core function is to provide X-DLOD Station Logistics Spt and act as the staffing hub and central POC for Logistics interaction with HQ 2 Gp, AIR Cmd and PJHQ. However, due to the limited manpower available in the FHQ, both individuals have shown a far wider range of skills and an ability to turn their attention to any task directed at them. Furthermore, their proactive nature means that they seek to help and do not wait to be asked when they see a task to be done. This was particularly apparent during and following the Tutor/Glider aircraft collision near Abingdon in Jun 09, when the A4 Logs Cell adopted a remarkably forward leaning approach to the previously thorny issue of the deployment and maintenance of the Station Incident Response kit. Whilst continuing with the sizeable workload associated with their core duties and extensive secondary duties, post the incident, the A4 Logs Cell requested authority to recover and catalogue the deployed Incident Response kit. Having carried out this task, F/L Harris staffed a concern that the kit was in poor condition, deficient in some areas and lacking suitable AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE March 2010 Left to right: Wg Cdr Steve Foster-Bazin, Mr John Dobson, Flt Lt S Harris, Gp Capt J Ager, Flt Lt R Seager and Sqn Ldr R Smith. Their application of common sense, their excellent knowledge base and pure perseverance in the face of waning interest in other parties ownership. Whilst many individuals would have shied away from the daunting task ahead, both F/L Harris and Sgt Elder enthusiastically volunteered to use their combined skills sets and any free time available, to develop a palletized, easily deployable and modular Station Incident Response Equipment (IRE) set. With no guidance required, they set about seeking SME inputs from all relevant areas to ensure that the IRE met the wider Station requirements to the fullest extent, catering for everything from the small needs of the individual to the larger needs of housing and supporting a multiple crash Stn Cdr gets up close and personal with the new A330 On 11 May, Gp Capt Jon Ager, Station Commander RAF Brize Norton and AO Air Transport and Air to Air Refuelling (Des), and Gp Capt Dom Stamp, Station Commander RAF Brize Norton (Des), visited Air Tanker s Getafe factory to see the RAF s replacement for its VC10 and TriStar aircraft. The A330 Future Strategic Tanker aircraft is undergoing conversion at Getafe, with the first three-point tanker set for its inaugural flight in September. The second, two-point tanker will fly at the end of the year. The first aircraft will conduct a comprehensive trials programme before it and the second aircraft arrive at Brize Norton in mid Air Tanker is providing 14 aircraft and associated support services under a PFI arrangement. Work is nearing completion on the hanger and office complex at Brize Norton, and work is advanced on the Training and Simulation facility. Group Captain Ager said that, the Programme was reaching an exciting stage, with first flight imminent. The capability delivered by the A330 is vital in ensuring continued operational success, not just in terms of Air to Air Refuelling, but also Air Transport. 12 Gateway -

13 site deployment. Over a period of several months, whilst simultaneously feeding into Programme Future Brize activities and supporting the deployment of Station ac and personnel, they developed and procured not only the modularized equipment required but the activation and replenishment processes and supporting paperwork. Their application of common sense, their excellent knowledge base and pure perseverance in the face of waning interest in other parties, has resulted in a legacy that is quite remarkable given it was carried out without any additional financial or manpower resources. If this work was not sufficient of merit, upon completion they turned their attention to the FHQ A3 aspiration to turn a disused room into the Station Incident Control Centre (ICC). Their drive for improvement set in once more and within months the room had been fully furnished and equipped and with all associated documents (down to the re-supply process for stationery) complete. Again this was carried out without cost. Had they not adopted the project, it would have remained aspirational and never reached fruition. The dedication they have shown these tasks and their wider FHQ role is notable, especially in light of the wider Station but negligible personal benefit associated with the work. Never once during their work have they sought reward or praise, instead taking satisfaction solely in the complete products. It is for these reasons that I feel they have carried duties beyond those required of them and wish them to be recognized with an Award for Excellence. AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IS SUPPORTED BY BAE SYSTEMS Pic: (LtoR): AVM Keith Filbey (CE Air Tanker); Richard Thompson (Senior VP Customer Services, Airbus Military), Antonio Caramazana (EADS Hd of Airbus Military Derivatives), Gp Capt Ager, Gp Capt Stamp, Mr Geoff Simpson (DE&S Resident Project Team) and Rodrigo Caminero (AM FSTA Programme Director) 13

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18 SWAN WINDOWS & CONSERVATORIES LTD. Unit 11, Swan Industrial Estate, Banbury, Oxon. OX16 5DH Tel: Banbury (01295) Fax: (01295) TOOLS, SAFETY BOOTS, OILS, GASES, FIXINGS & FASTENERS TEL/FAX (01993) (01993) DOWNS ROAD, WITNEY, OXON OX29 0RF 18 Gateway -

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20 Team Brize CCLO Recruitment Student Visits and OASC Advice The Community Careers Liaison Recruitment Officer (CCLO), Sqn Ldr Millard-Smith offers a range of visit opportunities to over 600 Colleges and other educational establishments in the South West, West Midlands and Central Wales. The CCLO is also responsible for Potential Officer Visits for external candidates in the process of OASC application, who wish to visit an RAF Station. In line with CINC Air s directive for targeted recruitment through each Stn Cdr, the CCLO is able to utilise stn resources to attract and recruit eligible prospective applicants, primarily focusing on pinchpoint trades. The visits expose the students to the day-to-day activities associated with a busy operational station, increasing their awareness of the role of Royal Air Force, whilst focusing on key recruitment areas. OASC Advice The CCLO, is also a qualified and practiced OASC boarding officer who can offer serving personnel, awaiting OASC, advice on the overall selection process and interview technique. Interested individuals who are within the application process should contact the CCLO on Ext 6792 or BZN-CCLO. Visits During the month of April, the Stn hosted a total of 72 students and 8 teachers on airman careers visits and 15 students on one potential officers visit. The visitors came from various locations: South Devon College, Worcester College and New College Swindon, this was in addition to individual nominations from AFCOs. All students who participated in the airman visits were undertaking study on a 2-year public service courses at the respective colleges, many of whom have expressed an interest in joining one of the Armed Services. In addition, 8 individual and bespoke potential officer visits were run sporadically throughout the month targeted at the pinchpoint branches - the majority of these students had already been recruited through the AFCO and were awaiting OASC selection. Four different visit programmes were undertaken throughout the month. The students were able to enjoy a comprehensive and interactive tour of the station through a selection of interesting and varied visit programmes to a number of squadrons and sections. The visits provide the opportunity for the students to gain an awareness of the different trades available and type of work undertaken by service personnel, with the hope of attracting potential recruits to the pinchpoint trades. As always 216, 101 and 99 Sqns all played a pivotal role in providing the students with a memorable experience of an aircraft tour complemented by a brief on the respective aircrew, engineering and steward careers. In addition to the aircraft roles, it was essential to expose the students to the ground trades and so each visit was further enhanced by visits to a cast of sections who s efforts contributed to each programs success, these included: PTS, Fire Section, RAFP Dog section and RAFP Ops, VC10 Trg Flt, Gymnasium, ATC, GRMS, SES, Movs, DMS, Medical Centre and the Armoury. 20 Gateway -

21 Charity Auction It was back in October 2009 that I decided to try to do something for our fallen comrades and fellow Servicemen, serving around the World. After lots of thought and consideration, I decided that I would look into supporting the Help for Heroes charity, providing funding for ongoing projects and support that was needed not only then, but also in the future. Help for Heroes was founded by Bryn and Emma Parry after a profoundly moving visit to Selly Oak Hospital back in the summer of Bryn and Emma met some extraordinarily brave young men and women who had been badly wounded and they wanted to do something to help. I decided that I would run an auction to gain as much publicity and support for the Charity that I could. I arranged an event date of the 6th April 2010 and set to work. After writing and sending out some 250 letters to various businesses and sporting organisations, I felt that I needed to widen the field of contributors I was trying to reach. After another 200 or so letters being dispatched to top celebrities and major sports clubs, I felt the project was on a roll. It was not until mid way through November that I started getting some responses. Throughout the rest of the year, I kept on top of the project and received many letters responding to those that I had previously sent out. Some of the replies explained sorry, but we are unable to help you on this occasion. Eventually, I started to get in a lot more items from various people and companies around the country. The one major item that I received was a signed book from Lawrence Dalaglio, The Year of the Rose from the winning 2003 Rugby World Cup Squad. Numerous other items came in and with help from Wonderland Memorabilia in Nottingham, I managed to have most of them framed and presented very professionally. Time was rolling on and with the help of Mr Ed Paice and Mrs Pat Siddle from the graphics department at the DMS I Sgt Williams presents a cheque to Mr Andrew Dent from Help for Heroes. Also present are Sqn Ldr Pratley, OC DMS and Flt Lt Hall, OC RAF Trg. managed to get posters and booklets printed off for the event. I have no doubt in saying that without their help and tireless efforts, I would not have been able to go ahead with the auction. A venue was needed and I managed to secure use of the Jaggers Bar in Carterton. Although I had to pay for the use of the club, it was off-base and offered the best location for attendance. Two live bands, Blurred and Blue Whiskey, offered their services for free and were willing to play on the night. Mr Scott Charlton, who is a well-known comedian and celebrity auctioneer, also agreed to come along and give his services up for the evening. With time pressing on and April fast approaching, things were starting to fall into place. Posters were well distributed and many flyers had been handed out, an advert was also run on Jack FM. April the 6th came very quickly and it was soon time to get ready for the evening. The bands both arrived swiftly and Scott Charlton turned up in good spirits, ready for the evening ahead. Attendance was not quite as I had hoped, but the evening was still a success. With the help of Scott and the positive attitude of the people in attendance, the evening went very well indeed. The live bands were exceptional and Scott Charlton was both witty and professional, although I do feel that Sqn Ldr Buxton (Old OC DMS) was not too impressed with being labelled Adrian Mole by Scott, but he took it with a pinch of salt. Everyone that was there said that they very much enjoyed their evening and passed on their thanks and congratulations. The following week or so was spent collecting monies and totalling up the funds. After all was accounted for and the venue fees paid, the final figure for the Charity came out at This was not as much as I had hoped for but was still a fantastic amount and an excellent result for Help for Heroes. On the 12th May 2010, Mr Andrew Dent from Help for Heroes came along to the Defence Movements School for the presentation of the cheque. My thanks and appreciation go to all that made the event a success and to all those that provided the help and support that I had throughout the 6 months or so prior to the auction. By Sgt Leigh Williams DMS Gateway

22 Team Brize Defence Movements School Update The courses continue at the DMS, but the arrival of Army Training Flight has brought with it something new; The Joint Services Movements Staff Course (JSMSC) is a UK-centric course, which is also open to officers of other NATO member countries. The course focuses on movements planning for Joint and Multi-national deployments with a bias towards activity on Op HERRICK. The course has been running for a number of years now and is the flagship of the DMS. Until Apr this year, the JSMSC was delivered at Deepcut, but with the move of the Army Training Flight (who manage the course) to Brize it is now firmly established within the Station. JSMSC No 100 ran from Apr 10 and was attended by logistics officers from Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK. The course was a resounding success and enjoyed by all, particularly on the International Reception Night, where food, drink and stories were shared. The UK students did a particularly good job of demonstrating the food (and beer) of England, Scotland, Wales and Cornwall. Certainly, the JSMSC is not all about socialising and the students were privileged to be briefed from many visiting lecturers and to spend time at essential logistics establishments, including the Sea Mounting Centre at Marchwood and the APOE at Brize. Thank you to those at Brize who helped contribute to the course during visits and through presentations. The next course will be delivered between 27 Sep to 8 Oct 10, any officers interested in attending should contact Capt Paul Watt on ext The JSMSC is a course based on excellence, but of course, excellence does not stop at the officers. On 21 Apr, SAC Richard Gear was awarded the Royal Air Force Carmen Trophy at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. The Worshipful Company of Carmen is a society who promote fellowship among those engaged in the wider transport industry, embracing many professional disciplines and walks of life. They fund acts of charity, particularly to individuals and organisations where a little means a lot; assist those in need, relieve suffering and enable education. The Company recognise and promote achievement and the advancement of knowledge in the transport profession, through awards, lectures and other outreach activities. They also honour and support the selfless dedication of the armed forces personnel, through links with the three services, which focus on logistics and by making awards to outstanding soldiers, sailors and airmen. In this case, SAC Gear had been an exceptional student through Basic Movements Training, where he achieved an average of 95% across 21 course exams. He then made an immediate impact on the Air Movements Squadron at RAF Brize Norton. Gear was initially employed within Cargo Imports, the section responsible for the Operational Reverse Supply Chain. SAC Gear has been commented on as being tough, determined and very quick to learn. Gear was privileged to meet the Chelsea Pensioners and also the CAS, ACM Dalton. When asked to comment, Gear said It is an experience that I am never going to forget. On 4 May, OMT 242 commenced training. OMT 242 will be here until 3 Sep but are already having a great time at Brize, especially given the opportunity to demonstrate their The Worshipful Co mess cannon at the Dambusters Carmen Crest Night! The final parts of the Army Training Flt move to Brize are now coming together. The installation of extra IT and AVTE (audiovisual training equipment) is near completion and our new classrooms will soon be ready to use. There are many advantages of the Army Training Flt now being here at Brize, but this article, written by Capt P Watt RLC - OC ATF, will give you some background of how the move came about: Under the auspices of the Defence Training Review (DTR), the DMS was established merging movement training assets from both the Army and RAF with an aspiration to produce a single school of excellence for the delivery of movements training. Whilst the Headquarters, support elements and RAF Training Flight were all based at Brize; Army movements training remained at Deepcut; delivered by the Army Training Flight (ATF). ATF has been part of DMS since Apr 05. The aspiration of the Defence College of Logistics and Personnel Administration (DCLPA) had always been to relocate ATF to BRIZE at the earliest opportunity to allow for the many SAC Gear meets CAS, ACM Dalton and Master of the Worshipful Company of Carmen, Brian Wandsworth. The new DMS syndicate rooms. 22 Gateway -

23 Team Brize mpany of benefits and efficiencies identified in DTR to be fully realised. ATF delivers a diversity of movements courses for the DMS, focusing on RLC Movement Control training. Training provided ranges from basic movements training delivered to Phase 2 soldiers to movement staff training for senior officers. Specialist training is also provided for the All Arms Army audience to ensure that Units are more able to move force elements on both exercises and operational deployments. Some of the courses provided are of a Joint Service nature with a few being open to soldiers and officers from other NATO member countries (as mentioned earlier). ATF runs 10 separate courses with a total of 27 instances. The training output for the current Training Year (TY) is estimated at 314 personnel. The Unit consists of Captain Paul Watt, WO1 (SSM) Paul Colwell, SSgt David (Smudge) Smith, SSgt Andy Vertigans, Sgt Liz Barker and Sgt Amy Grattan. In general terms, the pooling of the two capabilities into one site will enable the following benefits to be realised: Standardised training - Where there are commonalities between the two trade groups such as in passenger handling, manifesting and vehicle air-portability training. Pooling of training delivery resources. Enhanced capability awareness. -The possibility of cross-decking instructors on each others courses could add significant JSMSC 100 with Sqn Ldr Pratley, OC DMS and Capt Watt, OC Army Trg Flt. value ensuring that expertise in certain areas is delivered by the most appropriate specialist instructor. Access to good training resources - The ATF allocated classrooms contain modern Audio, Visual and Technical Equipment (AVTE) including SMART Boards. Four portacabin style Syndicate Rooms have been set up within the Practical Training Area (PTA) hanger each capable of housing up to six students. Forge better and closer working relationships. Proximity to external training locations - Brize is more centrally located for easier access to external training locations. Challenges This move represents the first time that RLC Phase 2 soldiers will be trained on an operational RAF Station. In this light, it can be seen as a test case and therefore is likely to attract attention and scrutiny from not just within DCLPA but the wider logistic community. With this in mind, the managing of the Phase 2 soldiers during their stay at Brize is the Main Effort. There is no doubting there exists differences in culture and ethos between the Army and RAF. Efforts are made to ensure that these differences are maintained. In all cases, the output from training will focus on imparting knowledge and skills towards the operational requirements of the RLC Movement Controller Career Employment Group. Summary The geographical separation of ATF from the remainder of DMS constrained the implementation of efficiencies and benefits in line with recommendations within DTR. Having now relocated ATF to Brize then some of these benefits are already coming to fruition whilst the remainder can begin to be worked towards. It is clear that these gains would be more likely to engage Generation Y in line with the DCLPA Training Transformation Vision. The end goal is to enhance the training experience for both Army and RAF students, ensuring that what emerges is a more knowledgeable Mover imbued with the requisite skills to perform to the best of their ability during operational activity. Changes to training outlined within this article should also ensure that although the product emerging from DMS will be either a green or light blue Mover, they will be more informed about each others capabilities and therefore this will reap benefits within the Joint operating environment. OMT 242 with Sgt Jones, FS Magill, Sqn Ldr Pratley, Flt Lt Hall, Sgt Murphy. Gateway - Article written by Fg Off James Eyles, OC Spt Flt, DMS 23

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26 Team Brize We asked You told us! Every year in February the David Stone Medical Centre (DSMC) undertakes a Patient Satisfaction Survey - many thanks to everyone who completed the form this year. The generic form used is mandated by Air Command and is designed for use in the NHS and allows us to benchmark. Unfortunately, the form is only focussed on doctor activity and doesn t include the many services provided by our nursing, physio, rehab and admin staffs. The findings have been widely discussed at the DSMC and we are keen to ensure that all of our patients realise how much we value your feedback. It is clear there are areas where we perform well and areas where there is room for improvement. Reassuringly, we scored above the benchmark for many areas and the comments in many cases were positive. However, there were some general themes identified, which are outlined below, together with the action we intend to take to rectify these. Opening hours This is understandably a recurrent theme - we appreciate that Brize has a large number of shift workers who may find it more difficult to book appointments at a time which suits them. Our major problem with addressing this at present is manning - which, again, we realise is a problem for many sections. At present we have only 3 out of 7 doctor posts filled (due to maternity leave and gapped posts). Therefore, we are heavily dependent on locum staff; last year responsible for almost 40% of doctor consultations. The oncall responsibility and remaining strategic and governance work of 7 doctors is therefore split amongst only 3. Evening clinics would also require the support of dispensary and admin staff, also currently short-staffed. Consequently, any change in working times to allow for evening clinics for shift workers is not feasible at present. By the beginning of 2011 we should hopefully be better manned - and with Future Brize on the horizon we will get a further 2 doctors. It remains our aim to provide some service for shift workers outside of normal working hours; unfortunately, at present, we are unable to move this any further forward. Ability to phone a doctor for advice This is another recurrent theme - but hopefully more patients are now aware that they can call a doctor for advice. However, we have had problems with message taking and the time taken to get back to you. We are also aware that once we call you back you may not be able to discuss your medical problems (eg in the tea bar, an open plan office etc). Therefore, we have updated the message form so that you should be told straight away if the doctor you require is in work that day. We have also allocated time on our clinics at the end of the morning for dealing with such calls. Please remember that although we can deal with some issues over the phone, the doctor may still need to see you to fully assess your condition. Waiting time once you have arrived for an appointment On average the patients who completed the form waited for between minutes for their appointment. Clearly we endeavour to see people as promptly as possible; however, there are some occasions where problems may present which cannot be dealt with in 10 minutes. We will always try to keep you informed of the wait - but it would help us greatly in keeping to time if all patients could consider the following: * If you have a particularly complex problem, or more than one problem, please book a double appointment when you book. * Please ensure you attend promptly - if you arrive 5 minutes late we only have 5 minutes left to deal with your problem without running late for the next patient. Patients who arrive 10 minutes late for their routine appointment have missed their appointment and, therefore, will not be seen at that time and will be asked to rebook. * Please allow for time to be seen in your appointment, and then time to deal with paperwork and to collect medication when considering how long you will be away from work. A number of patients requested a clock in the waiting rooms and these are now in place! Waiting time for medication Many patients commented 26 Gateway -

27 on the protracted time it can take to get your medication. Clearly, the dispensing of prescription medication is a process where any errors can have very serious consequences. Therefore, the dispensary staffs have protocols to follow to ensure the correct drug gets to the correct patient. When we may have numerous clinicians issuing prescriptions every minutes the dispensary staff are therefore very busy. We have taken steps to add a message to the flashing board in the waiting areas regarding the expected wait for prescriptions. We are also investigating having a second tannoy point installed in the building to enable dispensary staff to call patients for their medication more clearly. It would help us greatly if patients could wait patiently in the waiting room for their medication - every interruption to staff is another few minutes where they re unable to get on with dispensing medication. Alternatively, let the staff know that you will collect your medication later in the day (the dispensary is open from and daily - closed Wed pm for trg). Computer system All Medical Centres across all three services now use the same networked computer system (DMICP). Use of this system clearly requires electricity, internet connectivity and the servers (in Wales) to be working. Paper records are no longer maintained and, therefore, without access to DMICP most consultations cannot be safely undertaken. Our Business Continuity Plan for lack of access (whatever the reason) to DMICP involves stopping all routine work and seeing emergency patients only. Therefore, should this occur, you may arrive to find that your routine appointment is cancelled. It is clear there are areas where we perform well and areas where there is room for improvement. Reassuringly, we scored above the benchmark for many areas and the comments in many cases were positive. Gateway

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29 RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team Pre-season Training The RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team are about to begin a brand new season after months of preparation and intensive Team training camps. The RAF Falcons have a new line up this season welcoming a new Deputy Officer Commanding Flt Lt Michael Burch, Team Manager WO Andy Stalker, three new Team members Sgt Niel Flanagan, Sgt Mark Clayton and Cpl James Bruce as well as two new Survival Equipment Fitters Cpl s James Dempsey & Jon Lloyd. Despite the season not starting until the middle of May, preparations began almost six months ago when the Team members deployed on an Air Concentration Exercise (ACE) to Eloy, Arizona in the United States of America. Although not display training each member had a role to play in the military training being undertaken. The First Years were under a great deal of pressure due to the rigorous selection process required to successfully be part of the RAF Falcons. The Second Years worked towards gaining their Free Fall Observers Qualification (Q-FFO) as free fall camera men giving the instructors the ability to video de-brief the students on the exercise, while the Third Years worked hard to gain their Military Free Fall Instructor Qualification (Q MFFI). The qualifications and experience gained not only prove the Team are continuing to produce high quality instructors but also that they will start the 2010 season with one of the most qualified and experienced line ups the Display team has ever had. After the Christmas break the Team continued their hard work preparing for the pre season training detachment whilst conducting numerous school visits and public relation events around the country. continued overleaf...

30 February was soon upon the Falcons and the Team again deployed to Eloy to face the gruelling five weeks of Team training. The main aims of the training trip were to teach the new members of the Team the art of being able to pilot their parachute only feet above one another and land in an area only 75 x 75 yards and to ensure that the Team gel together as a unit. The Team conducted over one hundred and thirty training descents over the course of the detachment progressing from one on one tuition to building the famous eleven man non contact stack. With up to eight descents per day and video debriefing on their performance, not to mention having to pack their own parachutes, there was no rest for anyone. The detachment saw all Team members performing to the high standards expected of them, producing yet another fantastic display Team. No sooner had the Falcons unpacked their bags than they were in the air again over Weston on the Green practising their displays in UK weather conditions. These are very different from the blue skies and predictable conditions of California, USA. This training, coupled with over four hours of free fall simulation training at Bodyflight Wind Tunnel in Bedford meant the Team were in great shape and fully prepared to display for their official ratification in front of the Air Officer Commanding 2 Group. The day of Ratification arrived and as usual the British weather was a far stretch from the blue skies we all wished for. With Air Commodore Oborn present the Falcons were determined to produce a display. With low cloud & high winds the Dornier aircraft form Skydive Weston made its way over the Gateway sports pitches. From a height of 2,500ft the team exited the aircraft and quickly built the eleven man stack, all landing accurately before taking the salute and flypast. Now ratified and ready to display for the public, the RAF Falcons took the opportunity to further develop their skills before the busy summer display season began. The Team flew out to Lake Elsinore in California for a three week training camp, giving the first and second year Team members the chance to get some valuable experience and tuition on Advanced Free Fall techniques to prepare them to undertake their military freefall instructor training. It also saw the final two Third Years achieve this much coveted qualification. The RAF Falcons launched their new season at RAF Brize Norton to the delight of over 100 children from our local primary schools. The team posed for a variety of pictures with the children and their teachers. They also had the opportunity to look at a fire engine and a police car. A lot of fun was had by all!!! On the 15 May at Marshside, Kent the RAF Falcons jumped in and took part in a 24hr run. They were raising money for their two chosen charities this year, the RAF Benevolent Fund & Headway Oxford, a Brain Injury Trust. Cerys Truman - RAFBF Regional Fundraiser Wales & West said The RAFBF is delighted to be one of the chosen charities of the RAF Falcons this year. The RAF Benevolent Fund is the RAF s leading welfare charity. It provides practical, financial and emotional support to existing and ex RAF personnel, from birth through to old age. The Falcons are programmed to complete over 75 displays nationwide throughout the season, to see where you can catch up with them and for all the latest information on the Team visit the official web site at uk/falcons.

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32 Team Brize It s no secret that the Armed Forces commitment to operations has steadily increased over the past decade. As far as 216 Sqn is concerned, it too has seen a noticeable change in its tasking and type of role in support of Op TELIC and Op HERRICK. The statistics in this article bring into focus this change and serve to remind us how much of what we do is in support of operations. A large proportion of Tristar sorties in Gulf War I involved providing Air to Air Refuelling (AAR) in support of the sizeable air package that was indicative of that particular conflict. With the need for a greater ground presence in Op TELIC however, The Stats don t lie! the Tristar s Air Transport role was brought to the fore. With its LAIRCM (Large Aircraft Infrared Counter Measures) fit, troops could be inserted directly into theatre from RAF Brize Norton allowing a large and rapid movement of UK personnel. It is because of this the Tristar has predominantly been used for the passenger Air Bridge of Op HERRICK. As the graph below shows, there has been a steady increase in the amount of hours dedicated to operational flying which has, unfortunately, been to the detriment of training flights and supporting exercises. Not only has the proportion of flying dedicated to Op TELIC/ HERRICK increased but so have the amount of sorties and flying hours generated by the Sqn. The withdrawal of UK forces from Iraq and subsequent wind down of Op TELIC, has meant a shift in the Sqn s tasking. Many of the TELIC freighter trips have made way for HERRICKs, increasing the flow of passengers in and out of Afghanistan. As the tempo of Ops looks set to continue for now, 216 Sqn will no doubt continue to dedicate a higher proportion of trips in support of Op HERRICK, no doubt generating even more highly interesting stats...! Other exciting Sqn related stats: 67,000 passengers were moved in and out of theatre in , this is the same amount of children that are thought to skip school every day in the UK and the number of different flavours of the energy drink Gatorade. 216 Sqn flew a total of 1.5 million tons of freight to and from Iraq and Afghanistan in TEAM BRIZE 216 SQN The Japanese were also thought to have consumed 1.5 million tons of frozen food in 1991 and the Egyptians consumed the equivalent amount of locally caught fish British men and women were thought to have taken part in the Battle of Britain which is the same number of personnel 216 Sqn flew into and out of theatre in one month, last year. 88% of statistics are made up on the spot.. 32 Gateway -

33 Farewell to VC10 Retirees OPERATIONAL 101 SQN Hugh Thomas, the Rear Crew Leader of 101 Sqn, leaves the RAF in August this year after 38 years 4 months and 4 days service (roughly). He is pictured here after his last flight in a VC10. Hugh joined up on 4 April 1972 as an LAC Air Traffic Controller, and his first job was in Brize Ops. A posting to sunny Gan followed, and then back to Upavon, where he was promoted to Cpl and back into long trousers. Transferring to Airman Aircrew in 1979, Hugh graduated as an ALM on the 29 February So strictly speaking hasn t actually been aircrew all that long! He served as a crewman on the Wessex, achieving over 5000 hours on type with 72, 28 and 60 sqns. Tours on Hercules followed with 47, 24 and 70 sqns, and then on to the VC10, serving with both 10 and 101 sqn, he also served on JATE as a Trials Officer. Hugh has acquired a chestful of medals on his travels, the weight of which accounts for the slight list to port when fully booted and spurred! With over hours flown during his time in, 5 minutes of which is logged as Balloon from the days of ALM s having to do parachute training, Hugh can now look forward to a peaceful retirement. We all wish him and his family the very best. Monday 12 April marked Flt Lt Dion Hickin s last sortie in the RAF after a 37 year career. During that time he has served on East Midlands UAS, loan service in Jordan, the Multi Engine Training Squadron, 35, 44, 10 and of course 101 Sqn. He has amassed in excess of 10,000 hours on various aircraft which include the Bulldog, the Jetstream the Vulcan and of course the VC10. Dion has been based at RAF Brize Norton since 1989 and has amassed over 6000 flying hours on the VC10, many of them in the instructional role. He has also accumulated a staggering 4000 hours in the simulator. One of Dion s most widely recognized achievements was as a VIP pilot. It was due to his smooth handling skills, even temperament and ambassadorial skills, that he was regularly the pilot of choice for VIP flights. In this role, he flew many Royal and VIP passengers, including Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Dion has been an instructor on the VC10 for many years and many former and current VC10 pilots bare the witness marks of his sage advice. Right is the poem that was read out by OC 101 Sqn at Dion s farewell dinner. Flt Lt Hickin With 10,000 hours + you belong in the sky, With leather jacket and illegal hat on show, You certainly know how to make those Conways go! Stabilized approaches 84% you cry, Leave the throttles alone Co or I am having your pie, Highly Respected Instructor with plenty of flair, In your rusty white van you ain`t debonair, Your unique sense of humour, your high level of wit. You certainly know how to make Thursday s donuts fit, Never a cross word said to Sim Console Ops, You never did quite get the grip of logging onto BOCS, Computer illiterate, fitness test shy, You certainly made moustaches a fashionable high, Green fingered and happy pottering in the garden, Your penchant for wearing women s clothing needs more than a pardon With pipe, Guinness and a new career patrolling the Thames You ll certainly be missed by long standing friends, So goodbye Dion but not farewell You ll always be welcome at Brize with your unique smoky smell. Dion and his pipe will be sorely missed by 101 Sqn and in particular VC10 Training Flight. We wish him and his wife Judy all the very best in his retirement. Gateway

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36 Team Brize Rugby Success By Lee Goupillot On a fresh sunny morning Brize Norton Buccaneers departed the Station to travel to Newbury RUFC to participate in the annual Inter-Station 10 s competition. In contrast to the player availability problems encountered earlier in the season the Buccaneers had a squad of 26 to choose from; this enabled the club to field 2 sides. The brains trust of Rob Phair, Lee Goupillot, Mark Lushchan and Mario Lear split the players down into 2 squads; a squad thought capable of winning the tournament and a side comprising of players with less experience of playing 10 s, those with raw talent and in one particular case in the twilight years of his playing career. The Brize teams were drawn apart in the opening pool stages; however both played their opening games at the same time on the 2 allocated pitches. The results couldn t have been more different with Brize B keeping a talented Marham side down to scoring 4 tries whilst Brize A threw down a marker in their opening fixture with a 10 try demolition job. Brize B s next game was a different proposition against Halton/High Wycombe who had also lost their opening tie. Revenge was the order of the day after our loss against them in the RAF Cup ant the Brize B team duly delivered with a 26-5 victory cemented by some strong play by Dai Chuck Norris. The A side continued with winning ways with another comprehensive victory before a slight blip in their 3rd fixture saw them lose to Benson. Brize B s final pool game was against Lyneham, which ended in defeat but with no lack of endeavour on the B side s part. None the less the game finished safe in the knowledge that Brize B had made it through to the Semi s of the plate competition. Brize A put the disappointment of the defeat by Benson behind them and swept to victories in their final 2 games securing their Semi spot in the Cup competition. The B side were the first in Semi Final action in an equally matched game against Cott/Witt taking the lead within the first minute. However this could not be maintained and despite a valiant effort Cott/Witt won the tie by 4 tries to 2. Disappointed but not downhearted and rallied by Skipper Luschan they made their way across to watch the A side in action in the knowledge that a great day was had and they could hold their heads high for the effort they had put in. The A side were up against Lyneham in their Semi and again payback for the B side s defeat against them earlier in the day was the motivation. Lyneham were completely overwhelmed by a Brize side fizzing with confidence and had no answer to the barnstorming displays by Ben Frankie Blakemore, Anton Bainbridge and Gareth Walbyoff. The victory was assured in the first half; the second half was fine tuning for the final. Brize A were to face another team who had defeated the B side in a strong running Marham. It was a tight encounter early in the game with both sides prodding the defensive line. Brize finally made the breakthrough again on the back of fine work by Blakemore. Another 2 tries were scored in the first half giving Brize a lead of The second half saw Marham come at the Brize team with great gusto and were rewarded with a try of their own. Unfortunately for them that was to be their last score and indeed the last score of the Final. It finished 17-5 and the Buccaneers were crowned Champions. Captain Tom Dietrich thanked the entire squad for salvaging a season which had promised so much but had failed to deliver until now. This was echoed by the coach and the management team. Two players were also singled out for their overall contribution to their teams. Ben Blakemore was named man of the tournament for the A side and Chuck Norris was the man of the moment for the B Side. Overall it was the involvement of every member of the Brize squad that made the day so successful. All that was left was for the players to enjoy the rest of their day at Newbury in the style that only Rugby Players can pull off! 36

37 RAF Brize Norton ANGLING CLUB 02-Jun-10 Rolfs Lake 16-Jun-10 Grand Union Canal at Broughton 07-Jul-10 Alders Farm Lake 21-Jul-10 Boddingtons Reservoir 02-Aug-10 River Trent inter league 03-Aug-10 River Trent RAF Championships The fixture list is now out for the current year and it contains a variety of venues to suit all anglers of all abilities. The league now consists of an amalgamation of the South West Area League and the Chiltern League which has created the biggest league in the Royal Air Force. For those new to angling the members of the league will pass on advice and tactics to enable you to have a good days fishing and catch plenty of fish. If you have a look at the venue list below you may recognise some of these as the top venues in our region. This can be shown by the winning weight on Rolf s lake last year, won with over 250 lb of carp in five hours. To enable a competitive league you will notice that we fish rivers, canals and lakes so that everybody has an equal chance to catch and often win on all the differing venues that we fish. This allows for a variety of styles to be fished from running line on the rivers to the long pole on the canals and the method feeder on the reservoirs. If you are interested in joining the angling club contact Sgt Duncan Pritchard Ext 6657 List of venues 25-Aug-10 Tunnel Barn Farm lakes 15-Sep-10 Willow Park lakes 29-Sep-10 Thames - Radley Oxford 20-Oct-10 Thames - Medley Oxford 10-Nov-10 River Kennet 15-Dec-10 Grand Union Canal- Park Street Family Law Specialists INCLUDING DIVORCE & SEPARATION Financial Matters Children Matters Collaborative Law Over 25 Years Experience a High Street, WITNEY OX28 6JA Gateway

38 Team Brize Brize Golfers off to a Winning Start Brize Norton golfers entered two teams into the West of England Golf League Spring Championships held at Cottrell Park Cardiff on Wed 14th April 10. With prizes for best Scratch and Nett team with best 3 out of 4 scores to count, we put the lowest handicaps in one team and the higher in the second team to try and win the double. The competition was stroke play over 36 holes, 18 on the Button course followed by 18 on the tougher Mackintosh course. The Brize team 1 consisting of Si Taylor 101 Sqn (8hcp), Andy Banks (5), Steve Blackmore (8) and Tony Isherwood (7) all PTS, started favourites in the scratch competition. They did not cause any upsets by carding fine scores of 82, 81,82, 80 respectively to take a commanding lead after the morning round. Although the scores were a bit higher in the afternoon round the Brize team played solidly and secured the title extending their lead to 10 shots. Meanwhile the other Brize team of Gordon Rimmer (14 hcp) VCTMS, Steve Rimmer (13) 216 Sqn, George Whitelock (14) 101 Sqn and Neil Rudge (15) FSW had nett rounds of 68, 78, 75 and 75 respectively, to be only a couple of shots behind Lyneham 1 and St Athan 2. In the afternoon round, Steve Rimmer came in with an excellent one under par 71 to set the pace, not to be out done, twin brother Gordon also matched the 71 to put Brize into the driving seat, Neil Rudge not playing to his full potential, battled on to produce an 82 which was enough to enable Brize to complete the double and also win the Nett team prize by 10 shots. Individually team captain Gordon Rimmer took runner up place in the Nett competition with scores of 68 and 71, whilst vice-captain Si Taylor also took runner up slot in the Scratch competition with scores of 82 and 83. Lets hope we can keep going in both the league and Inter Station competitions. We are always on the lookout for serious and fun golfers, so if you are interested in joining the society or playing for the station please contact. Captain: WO G Rimmer VCTMS ext 7669 Vice Captain: Sgt Si Taylor 101 Sqn ext 6540 Secretary: Sgt Plum Plumridge Supply ext 5993 report by WO Gordon Rimmer OIC Nett winners: From left: Gordon Rimmer, Steve Rimmer, Neil Rudge, George Whitelock. Scratch winners: From left: Steve Blackmore, Si Taylor, Tony Isherwood, missing Andy Banks. A swimathon took place on Friday 9th April at the station swimming pool to raise money for Helen & Douglas House and the RAFBF. The event was organised by Sgt Claire Thomas and Cpl Lol Golden of 101 Squadron. Helen & Douglas house stands as 101 Squadron s primary charity. This charity provides hospice care for children and young adults. Children are provided with respite and end of life care at Helen House, and Douglas House cares for young adults between ages 16 to 35, supporting their medical and therapy needs. We also decided to raise money on behalf of the RAFBF through the efforts of the swimathon to add to the Founders Day running total. There was a delectable selection of cakes and chocolates, baked by Claire, her niece Abbie, and good friend, Sara Lockhart of L.A Lockhart Plant Hire to boost the total raised. Fiona Yates, Regional Administrator for the RAFBF was on hand at the event to provide people with information about its cause, as well as Martin Henshaw, Regional Director for RAFBF who took part in the swim himself, showing up at 0700 for a nice early start. Participants were able to raise money for the swimathon through sponsorship prior to the event, or simply turning up on the day, swim as many lengths as Swimathon they wanted, and donate money accordingly to both charities. Our initial aim was to swim the equivalent distance from RAF Brize Norton, to Helen and Douglas House in Oxford. Being some 20 miles, this would equate to 1280 lengths of the Station Swimming Pool. Phew! We started the swim at 0700hrs, and with the aid of 20 keen swimmers, we completed the distance we had set out to do by 1130! Encouraged by this excellent result, we decided to swim back from Helen and Douglas House to RAF Brize Norton. Supporters drifted in and out during the day, to participate in the swim, and buy cakes in aid of our cause. In the afternoon, a further 18 volunteer swimmers helped us complete our return journey. By 1600hrs, we had proudly achieved our aim and more, knocking up a grand total of 2782 lengths! The money donated is still being tallied, but is confirmed of being in excess of A large chunk of our sponsorship came from Sara Lockhart of L.A. Lockhart Plant Hire, who generously donated 1000 towards our sponsorship. A good day was had by all who took part! Our thanks go to all who participated, and made it an extremely worthwhile event. 38 Gateway -

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40 Community Focus Community Matters Welcome to Community Matters If you would like to have something included in the Gateway do contact me, Lin Kennedy, the Community Development Officer (CDO). Please phone numbers or or BZN-BSW- For advice and guidance or to assist with any housing welfare issues that you may be encountering contact WO Yvonne Conway the Station Community Support Officer (SCSO) on: or BZN-BSW- If you require information about anything, including being posted in or out, schools, local services or any aspect of living in the area, contact Mel at the HIVE on: or For personal and family support contact Emmanuel Walcott, SSAFA on: / ART IS COOL AT GATEWAY SCHOOL Children at Gateway School experience many different areas of the art curriculum; Painting, Drawing, Modelling, Weaving illustrating, masks and clay work are just some of the things we enjoy. We work alone, in pairs and in groups. art comes into all areas of the curriculum and we discuss famous pictures and how and why artists worked in the way they did. We go to famous galleries, invite artists into school and take part in competitions inside and outside school. We think we are very good at our art work! Our work is displayed around the school and celebrated by ourselves, visitors and friends. Art is a way of telling others about how we feel, what we thinking and what we see. THE SCHOOL LIBRARY At Gateway our school library is an open friendly place where children can enjoy a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction books. it is a place to work quietly with their friends. It has been refurbished in recent years and the choice of books is constantly under review. An up-to-date computer system means that the children are responsible for the borrowing and returning their books independently. We feel that it is important that the children have opportunities to help in the life of our school and so currently the role of the library monitor is being developed. Gateway Foundation Garden The children in Foundation had been asking for a garden for some time. In the Spring of 2009 the staff decided to make this wish come true. The Caretaker constructed the wooden surrounds and the staff and some parents took it in turns to dig over the grassed area, making one into a growing section and the other for the children to explore for themselves. During 2009 we had a fantastic crop of different varieties of tomatoes, strawberries and beans. The children really enjoyed seeing the progress of the crops, keeping them watered and of course the best bit being able to taste them. This year so far we have some onions, cabbages and sprouts growing in one end of our garden, whilst the other has been planted with daffodil bulbs. All the hard work in getting the garden prepared proved so rewarding for the children. They have had hours of fun and amazement at seeing the different things they have been able to grow, through their care and nurturing. GATEWAY SCHOOL Help for Heroes OUR FUNDRAISING In Mrs Robert s and Mrs Wilson s class we are learning about Going for Goals, so we decided we would do a class challenge. During class time we take it in turns to step everyday on a small step machine. We have decided that we would like to fundraise for Help for Heroes and step 26km( about half a marathon ) each for our chosen charity. We have been sent many leaflets, posters and information booklets. They will be displayed outside our classroom along with the artwork that we have been doing. YEAR 1/2 CHILDREN FAMOUS PEOPLE Year 1 and 2 children have been learning about famous people. One of the people is Joseph and his amazing coloured coat. The children have used ICT to design the pattern of their coat. They have used D.T skills to make and sew them. They have written their own instructions for others to follow.

41 YEAR 5/6 DRAMA WORKSHOP Currently there is a weekly drama workshop open to any year 5 and 6 children who want to take part. The children are developing their confidence, their speaking and listening skills as well as having fun. Brize Norton Youth Theatre RAF Brize Norton is proud to announce that it is developing a youth theatre and to show you their new logo, so that you will be able to recognise it. Watch this space for more information on its development. The C17 was chosen for the logo because as our youngest aircraft, it is agile and adaptable. The image of flares being dispensed reflect the excitement and energy that young people have and hopefully how they will perform. We are now registered with the National Association of Youth Theatre (NAYT) and fingers crossed we will attract a diverse age range. Predominantly I m looking for adults to assist now. They don t need to be of a theatrical nature, but be prepared to act as a youth leader and assist whoever the theatre teacher is. For contact details please Lin Kennedy at BZN-BSW- PMSCDO@mod.uk Gateway -

42 Community Focus Carterton Neighbourhood Update Anti-social Behaviour During May the team held a meeting at Carterton Community Centre in Shilton Park. This meeting was called following some reports of anti-social behaviour around Marigold Square and requests from residents who wanted to set up a neighbourhood watch scheme. Two hundred envelopes were delivered to residents who live in close vicinity to the area. The meeting was attended by the Neighbourhood Watch Administrator and the Anti- Social Behaviour Officer. Local residents attended and many ideas were brought up, including; setting up Neighbourhood Watch Schemes and a Residents Association. The instances of ASB on Shilton Park have begun to fall. A cause for concern is in the area of Haldanes car park, around the public toilets and under the flats which are above the shops at Hawkins House. The team will be holding a Have Your Say meeting with the local residents with a view to working together to solve the issues. Again, we ask that all individuals respect the residents at all times. Carterton town centre seems to be quiet at the moment, with very few calls to the police being made. The skate park did have one instance of loud music and many youths being present as well as cars being driven over the school field. The police attended and one car was seized by the police for driving over the field. There was also some damage caused to the gates. The problems with the criminal damage to the allotments in Kilkenny Lane in Carterton seem to have receded. The team continues to regularly visit the allotments during the day and evening. The team carried out Speed Indicator Device checks on Shilton Road in Carterton and at the far end of Brize Norton going towards Bampton. There were several instances of speeding and the information that is gathered is passed to our Roads Policing team. A date for your diary - the annual Community Safety Roadshow will be held in Carterton marketplace on Thursday 22 July from 9.30am until midday. There will be the mobile police station and various partners to hand out lots of goodies and crime reduction information, so it is well worth going along to see them. Extreme Wheels Festival 2010 Date: Saturday 14th August 2010 Venue: Carterton Skate Park, Upavon Way. Skateboard and BMX competitions, BBQ, Bungee run, Live bands... Entry is free! More details in the next edition! If you d like to get involved... please contact Sgt Ady Coomber - Ext.5582 Carterton Community College Last summer Carterton Community College achieved our highest ever GCSE results: 76% 5A*- C. These results ensured that we were the highest performing school in West Oxfordshire. We are justifiably proud of our College and our students. This is a College where individuals matter, a College where the opinions of the community are valued. We have high expectations, high standards and high aspirations for our students. We want our students to be happy, to enjoy their learning, be valued members of the community and achieve all they are capable of. Our GCSE results indicate that we are a high performing secondary school in which our students achieve significantly above County and National averages. We are well on our way to be an outstanding College. We have recently added sixth form courses to our curriculum which reflects our commitment to our students and is yet another exciting development for the College. Our aims are supported by our status as a Specialist School (Engineering), the Oxfordshire Healthy Schools Award and the Investors in People standard. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you require any further information. It would be a pleasure to speak to you. Niall McWilliams Headteacher Year 7 Year 13 Secondary School Headteacher: Niall McWilliams Upavon Way, Carterton Oxon OX18 1BU Tel: Fax: office.4041@cartertoncc.ocmail.ne 42 Gateway -

43 Euterpe Brass Quintet Music for all occasions Charles Gibbs Band Master Phone: Available for: Private Functions Weddings Corporate and Social Events Musical Genres: Baroque Classical Jazz Blues Modern Classics Gateway

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45 Dragon s Den 2010 Edith Moorhouse School Held at Carterton Community Centre to celebrate St George s Day, this special event provides an exciting opportunity for the children from all of our town s primary schools to actively learn some Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. It also gives our young people and their families a chance to get together at an event, to share in the fun and appreciate the enthusiasm and efforts everyone has put in to this project. The Dragon s Den is in its second year. Last year the children from all five primary schools were challenged to build a dragon on a specially designed and built base units provided by one of the project s sponsors, Isis Training Services Ltd. The dragon had to wave its tail, and snap its jaws and flap its wings! This year St George has taken over from the dragon! Using the same principles of mechanical movement, the St Georges rode their horses, moved their heads and arms and were able to move their swords and lances to slay the dragon. The panel of judges the Dragon s Den had a tough time deciding the winner. It was a warm and sunny afternoon on Thursday 22 April when judging took place. There were entries from three schools Gateway, Edith Moorhouse and St John the Evangelist. The winning school was St John the Evangelist Congratulations! St John s will receive 500 from Carterton Town Council which sponsored the event to be spent on equipment for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. The School also received The John Browne Award for Young Engineers and Innovators in Carterton. Both prizes were awarded by Mrs Margaret Browne at the St George s Day Celebration on the evening of Friday April 23 rd at Carterton Community Centre. The judges were so impressed by the efforts of Edith Moorhouse and Gateway School that they felt it was important to offer these schools a reward as well. This will be a cash prize donated by the Engineering Trust/Isis Training Services Ltd and an exciting visit to RAF Brize Norton arranged by Sqdn. Ldr. Jodie Peck. Many thanks to the main Sponsors Carterton Town Council and Isis Training, to our panel of judges Ady Coomber, Tony Green, Phil Gorse and Jodie Peck and to Mrs Margaret Browne for presenting the prizes on the night. Gateway School Gateway School Graham Speke Community Director Carterton Community College gspe9036@cartertoncc.ocnmail.net 45 Winners St John the Evangelist

46 Community Focus Gateway FUNCLUB Fun Club was set up for children with Special Educational Needs who find lunch time a difficult part of the school day. The club is set in a warm and friendly environment offering lots of specific activities encouraging children to develop their social skills which help them to form friendships with their peers. Fun club is bursting with laughter and enjoyment hence the name. OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY Oxford Brookes University use the Gateway School as one of there teaching placements for student teachers. As a school we have many teachers who are mentors and take the students under their wings to give them all the confidence and encouragement to become a qualified teacher. At Gateway Primary School we are very proud of our Nurturing Groups. We have four specially trained teaching assistants (otherwise known as BEA s) who work with groups of children to help them cope with social or emotional problems, such as anger issues, lack of self-esteem, or perhaps helping individuals who have friendship difficulties. In addition, with the high level of service families in school we often need to support children when one or other of their parents is deployed overseas. The nurture sessions happen ay different times through the week and groups vary in size from 1:1 sessions to small groups depending upon the needs of the children. Teaching staff are convinced that the sessions have greatly increased the confidence of these pupils and in turn his has resulted in improved learning. Parents report that the nurturing activities have helped their children feel happier and more secure at school. Many thanks to our BEA s for their terrific work. SPORT The Gateway school runs many after school clubs free of charge to the children. The school is very pro-active with the teachers giving their time to taking children to local sport competitions for football. swimming, hockey, netball and athletics to name but a few. We have strong links with local clubs to run their clubs for children at school with the minimum charge. GATEWAY PRIMARY LINKS UP WITH EUROPE Gateway Primary School has linked up with schools in Germany, France, Spain and Holland as part of an EU scheme to create partnerships across Europe. Teachers from the school will visit their partners and work on joint projects over a period of two years through the comenius programme, which is funded by the European commission and managed in the UK by the British Council. In December, Mrs Evans and Mrs Wilson visited the school in Germany and worked with the children in their classrooms. In January representatives from all schools met in Seville to discuss the project so far and plan the work for the next eighteen months. Two teachers from Holland worked with the Gateway children last October, teaching them some Dutch words and giving details of what life was like in their country. Gateway School continues to invest in the Forest School ethos Forest School is a programme that gives children the opportunity to have first-hand experiences of a woodland environment. The foundation stage children of Gateway School visit their local Forest School site every Friday, where they are encouraged to develop their skills through practical experience and child initiated exploration. Visiting the site throughout the year gives children an opportunity to watch changes that occur over the seasons, while building their confidence to explore and develop their ideas. Learning about the trees and the creatures that inhabit the site enable our children to have a greater understanding and appreciation of the nature around them. We have found that Forest School allows the children to have fun whilst increasing their understanding of the world. The importance of paddling in mud puddles, digging for worms, building dens and climbing trees should never be underestimated.

47 Show Your Support on Armed Forces Day Saturday 26 June 2010 Armed Forces Day is an annual opportunity for the nation to show your support for the men and women of the Armed Forces community, which includes serving personnel and their families, veterans and the Cadet Forces. It is happening on Saturday 26 June The day aims to raise awareness of and support for the Armed Forces community and highlight the outstanding contribution they make to this country. People across the UK will have the chance to celebrate the achievements of British servicemen and women past, present and future on the second annual Armed Forces Day on 26 June. Armed Forces personnel are engaged in Afghanistan and other operations in the service of the country, often in difficult and dangerous conditions. Your support for them and their families is really important to sustain that success. The Armed Forces Day national event will be held in Cardiff and will include a parade through the city centre, exciting displays and an opportunity for the public to go onboard the frigate HMS KENT. There are lots of easy ways to Show Your Support: There are hundreds of local and community events taking place across the UK. Events will be registered and advertised on org.uk and include street parties, parades and concerts. Fly a Flag for Armed Forces Day (online shop here). All Local Authorities in mainland UK will hoist the flag on Monday 21 June to demonstrate their support and you can do the same. Follow us on Facebook ( com/armedforcesday). Post photos and leave messages of support for the Forces and veterans on the website, and on our Flickr and YouTube pages. Armed Forces Day window stickers will be available to you for free through the website once you register your support online. Reservists and cadets are being encouraged to wear their uniform to work or school on Friday 25 June to highlight the role in the Armed Forces within our communities. Veterans will be encouraged to wear their veteran s badge with pride during the Armed Forces Day period. A range of household names have already signed up to support the day, including past and present forces sweethearts Dame Vera Lynn and Katherine Jenkins, stars such as Ray Winstone and Jason Statham, England rugby manager Martin Johnson and the England World Cup football team. Double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes and author and former SAS soldier Andy McNab are both famous veterans who are also supporting Armed Forces Day. Our Armed Forces make personal sacrifices to defend the UK and its interests and contribute to international peace and security. They are keen to play their part so Show Your Support. For further information about Armed Forces Day and to find out how you can support events taking place across the UK, visit org.uk. Minimisation Programme for Schools (IMPS) Following a visit to Witney Hospital as part of the Injury Minimisation Programme for Schools (IMPS) programme, children at Gateway School baked cakes to sell at break-time and raised 80 to support this scheme. The IMPS teaches children about personal safety and accident prevention. The year 6 children had the opportunity to take part in accident role-play dramas and learned about emergency resuscitation. 47

48 RAF BRIZE NORTON NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH At the time of writing this month s article, I can confirm 6 of the 15 Neighbourhood Watch areas are up and running, covering almost half of the 1000 SFA properties here at RAF Brize Norton. There is still a fair way to go and enthusiasm has unfortunately dried up a little as the rate of break-ins has decreased. I urge residents to remain vigilant and continue with the excellent work and actively encourage others to set a scheme up in their area. The goal is to have all RAF Brize Norton s SFA up and running by Christmas With thanks to Sgt Ady Coomber, who set up the website, www. rafbrizenortonnhw.com, recent statistics show the amount of daily hits are on the increase as residents become more aware of the information available to them contained within its pages. Visit www. rafbrizenortonnhw.com, where you can make comments on the published articles, subscribe to an newsletter that will inform you every time the site is updated with security information, find out who your area coordinator is, and register your interest in setting up your own scheme. The website also has useful links to the RAF Brize Norton Website, DE, HIC, MHS, TVP, Local Council, to name a few. We have recently published the quarterly resident s newsletter on the website. Where Ady has done a fantastic job setting up and administering the site, we are now looking for a permanent webmaster to take this duty on. If you are interested in fulfilling this role as a secondary duty, then please drop me an using the contact as link on the website or by sending me an direct at the address below. As more and more condemned properties are being boarded up ready for demolition, the more they become targets for the opportunist. DE is trying to limit their vulnerability by carrying out a soft demolition process, whereby all desirable contents are removed at the same time as they are boarded up, like boilers etc. If you do see anybody acting suspiciously, the advice is not to approach them directly, but call the Thames Valley Police on , taking a description, numbers involved and location. Alternatively you can contact the RAF Police. Having a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme in your area will be able to provide you with information on; ensuring your family remains safe, how you can prevent crime in the area from happening and how we can cut the number of burglaries even further. It does not take a great deal of effort to become involved with Neighbourhood Watch. It can be as simple as telling a neighbour or a committee member you are going away for a few days, so an extra eye can be kept on your property. The RAFP also run a home-watch scheme where they will provide a visual on your property, randomly, as part of their patrols. Best of all, the service is free! The Biggest benefit of being part of a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme is the financial one. Not only are you helping to protect your property, but everybody else s in your street. There are companies that will offer you home contents discounts for being in a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme. The committees have secured a deal to provide you additional security products at rock bottom prices from 3 each, which you are authorised by DE to install in your homes_. These range from door alarms and sensors to DNA Micro-dot security marking. Selecta-Mark DNA is security product that is highly recommended by the TVP and WODC Crime Reduction Unit. These kits consist of Synthetic DNA glue that can be put on valuable equipment like TVs, DVD, Laptop/PCs, etc. The benefits of Selcta-Mark DNA mean unauthorised parties are unable to analyse or copy the code due to its unique signature and key codes. It is simple and quick to apply, NO annual fees, contains a UV tracer and microdots which contain the owners unique details on. They are safe and nontoxic and personal information is held on the LPS1224 database, as recommended by the Association of Chief Police Officers. These kits retail directly from the manufacturer at 50 each, however, Bill Butcher, TVPs Strategic Crime Prevention and Reduction Specialist, can sell you the same kit for 16 inc p+p. Address to send cheques (made payable to WODC ) is: Bill Butcher, Crime Reduction, WODC Offices, Elmfield, Witney, OX28 1PB Further details of the product can be found at product_selectadna.html or by following the link on The door alarms and sensors are available to purchase directly from Flt Lt Paul Summers (Area 2 Coordinator), by either ing him (through Dii) or making a request through the website. As I mentioned at the beginning, 6 of the 15 areas have been set up already and are reaping the benefits of being part of a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme. For the mathematicians amongst us, that leaves 9 areas left! Each area will be run by a Coordinator, who will run their own committee ensuring all the residents in the area are kept up to date with the latest information. Once every quarter, all coordinators will meet up to see how their Scheme is progressing and to update each other on recent events. This information will be reflected in the website and in the quarterly newsletter. I am looking for willing volunteers to help run the programme in your area, whether you are serving or not all volunteers are welcome to join the committee. At present, of the 6 areas already established, 3 are run by civilians. This scheme is 100% backed by DE and the Station. Specifically, each area needs its own coordinator, who will independently run their own committee, helping to make your area a much safer place to live. If you do not fancy being the coordinator, but are still interested, then please let me know so I can register your interest as being a general committee member, by either ing me at the address below or by registering your interest through the website, com. The more responses, the better the scheme will run. All that I am asking from the Coordinators is a few hours a month to help produce the monthly article and manage their area, ensuring any information is published and distributed in a timely manner. I fully appreciate how valuable family time is and any meetings where possible will be arranged to suit everybody, thus causing minimum disturbance to home life. Sgt Scott Ginn Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator _DE have given authority for residents to install security measures that do not affect the structure/fabrication of the building or its associated electrics/ plumbing. This is in accordance with JSP 464 Tri-Service Accommodation Regulations (TSARs) Chapter 7 Section 1 Paragraph Gateway -

49 DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO S SWIMMING WITH SHARKS? They may not have fins or killer jaws, but loan sharks - or illegal moneylenders - are every bit as dangerous and predatory as their name suggests. More than 1,500 families are affected in the South every year. Victims are not only charged astronomical rates of interest, but very often face violence, intimidation or blackmail if they fall behind with their payments. Great news - a specialist Trading Standards team is helping to hunt down the illegal money lenders. What is a loan shark? A loan shark is someone who lends money without the licence required by the Consumer Credit Act These licences are issued by the Office of Fair Trading to individuals or companies whom they believe are fit and proper. Loan Sharks - Dispelling the Myths One of the things that has become apparent is that there are lots of myths around loan shark activities, that have no truth whatsoever. For example: MYTH - Unlicensed money lending is not illegal FACT - It is illegal for anyone to operate a money lending business if they do not have a license from the Office of Fair Trading MYTH - You have to pay back what the loan shark says you owe FACT - A loan made by an illegal money lender (without a license) is unenforceable without a validation order from the Office of Fair Trading. This means that you cannot legally be made to pay it back....main issue has been with my brother who has been like a scared rabbit for years - constantly on the lookout for the loan shark. He lost weight to the extent that the GP thought that he had an eating disorder. Since the arrest and subsequent bail conditions he is a different person MYTH - If you borrow from a loan shark, you commit an offence FACT - It is the loan shark who is behaving illegally. Reporting the loan shark s activity will not get you into trouble with the authorities. MYTH - Loan sharks provide a reasonable priced service FACT - The average cost of borrowing from a loan shark is three times the price of the highest cost of legal credit. The highest interest rate the team have come across so far was 117,000% APR. One victim was receiving benefits of 74 per week. The loan shark took 50 a week, leaving just 24 to live on. How can you help? 1. Talk to your friends and family about loan sharks - ask them if they know of any loan sharks operating in your area. 2. Tell us! The only way we can help is if we know about the problem. You don t have to give us your name or sign an official statement if you don t want to. If you or someone you know is a victim of a loan shark operating in your area, contact Trading Standards in strictest confidence: 24 hour confidential hotline From a debt of a few hundred pounds I paid back 7,000 and only had 5 per week to live on. I couldn t pay my bills, only just getting back on track now. I never went out and couldn t eat properly. I became ill suffering from chest problems and infections Or text loan shark + your message to Alternatively reportaloanshark@stoploansharks. gov.uk For more information visit JOHN WELCH & STAMMERS SOLICITORS 24 CHURCH GREEN, WITNEY OX28 4AT TEL: A FREE INITIAL INTERVIEW may be available for Divorce, Family, Children matters and Civil Partnership. We have many years experience of Forces Divorce and pension issues. Conveyancing including HIPS A 5% discount on this firm s fees (excluding disbursements) will be available on the sale or purchase of a property pursuant to the Government-funded Forces Scheme Wills - Trusts - Probate Litigation including Personal Injury and Employment PELLMANS Solicitors 1 Abbey Street, Eynsham, Oxford OX29 4TB Divorce, Finances, Children and Cohabitation Disputes Employment Law Property including Residential and Landlord and Tenant Wills, and Probate Powers of Attorney Business Law Tel: Fax: mail@pellmans.co.uk Home visits and evening appointments available Gateway

50 LISTENING it s not that easy! While watching TV the other evening I suddenly became aware of a noise interrupting my viewing. Understand that Top Gear was on and I was completely absorbed by it, so it was a surprise when I looked around and discovered my wife was continuing a conversation I thought we d ended some time ago. While she was sincerely talking through holiday plans for the summer, Clarkson and the team had come on the box and I had simply tuned out, in a way that only the male species can do, perhaps even answering at appropriate places, but certainly not remotely conscious of what was being said. Heaven knows what holiday I ve agreed to. I just hope it isn t too expensive! Try to think of a time when someone really listened to what you said. Perhaps you had a good idea at work or perhaps you needed some advice or help and the person didn t interrupt you. They didn t hurry you along by looking at their watch; they didn t change the subject back to them and what they did. They simply listened to you. They gave you their undivided attention and you felt good. You felt you had been valued, that you had contributed, or perhaps you were able to work through your concerns and worries. There is real therapy offered in listening to what someone has to say and it sounds simple and easy to do. But it s not, and we are very bad at it. This is especially true in a busy workplace like Brize. There are things to do, deadlines to meet, timelines that have little scope for change so to take time to listen to friends, colleagues, or even subordinates just isn t realistic. The job has to be done. But I wonder what we miss by not taking the time to listen. I challenge any flight commander, line manager, section leader, whoever, to give listening a try when dealing with those around you. You might just be surprised at how morale goes up, how productivity increases, how ideas begin to flow, and how much more your leadership is respected. It is often said that the RAF s biggest asset is its people, and I would suggest that one of the simplest and most effective ways to support and look after our people is to listen to them. Before Brize I was the RAF chaplain at the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre - better known as Amport House. There I helped to run the listening skills workshops and the bereavement and loss courses, and it always amazed me how much those who were on the course were personally changed by someone listening carefully to them. Indeed, not for a long time had some been truly listened to, and the benefit to them was obvious. This is not tree-hugging, nor is it some new age invention. It s simply common sense, and something which previous generations, not so cramped by our technological and frantic lifestyles, knew and understood. So the challenge is...to listen. To your wife (in my case), your partner, your children, your friends, to your colleagues and to your team. And if you need help with that, then I have the application forms for Amport House - x ring me! Padre David Edgar Senior Chaplain

51 A C Auto Salvage SCRAP CARS WANTED The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Any Age or Condition Free Collection of Scrap Cars Cars with MOT For Sale Tel: Mob: BRIZE SELF DRIVE CAR HIRE LATE MODEL VEHICLES SMALL HATCH SALOON & 7 SEATERS ALL AT COMPETITIVE RATES Tel: We also offer long/short term parking (off site) at unbeatable prices Located RAF Brize Norton and Carterton Gateway

52 Supporters take on Legends in aid of Help For Heroes Rugby fans gathered at a local club ground in Gloucester to watch members of a popular rugby supporters forum Shedweb take on a side of former Gloucester rugby legends, affectionately known as the Cherrypickers, all in aid for Help For Heroes. The match is held annually for charity and Help For Heroes was chosen due to a combination of current and exservice personnel residing on the forum. The Shedweb Lions was led by captain Justin Di Tomaso, who had served with 1 Sqn RAF Regiment in Afghanistan during the winter of During his time there he was joined by fellow Shedwebber Cpl Rob Phair of 101 Sqn. Tommo and Rob the Rigger both regularly contributed to the forum during their time away and sometimes would also be lucky enough to catch a match on BFBS! The match ended to the Cherrypickers, but the result wasn t important, the main effort was to raise money for the charity with figure of around 2000 collected by the end of the day. The Shedweb Lions kit was designed and supplied by England and British Lion Phil Vickery s Raging Bull sportswear company who donated a percentage of the cost of the shirt to Help for Heroes.

53 Carterton Football Club News Letter Mini Soccer These sessions are on every Sunday (not including school holidays). They can be joined at any week. It is run alongside Oxford United Development Centre (for 5-11 yr olds). Mini Soccer is for 3-13 yrs The Kilkenny Lane ground. Contact Dave Brown on mobile or , all details on the main Web site. Wanted Adults (male & female) to assist in the U 16 disco - contact Cliff Grove & Rob King to offer your services and get further details. Some parents show a concern about these events, so come along and monitor for an evening and see for your self how well they are run and how good the behaviour of the kids can be. Become more of an active member of your team than just a supporter or parent/ team supporter, if you could spare just a little of your time to assist the team manager with just one of the many duties involved with running a successful team, this does not have to be with support on the pitch. All offers would be gratefully accepted from collecting subs, raising money for the tour fund, organising and running a social event to just putting up goals, etc., make the team a social family affair for all to enjoy. The managers and coaches have lots to do and offers of help are always welcome. It does make their work load just that little bit lighter. Each and every one of us has a talent that could be put to good use that would not take up too much of your time and would be another way of thanking those that do far more than we realise to get a team onto a pitch to play football. ARMED FORCES HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME (PILOT) Since 2008, many serving personnel have been eligible for the Government s range of HomeBuy schemes, providing assistance to rent or buy a home. The Ministry of Defence has also been working closely with the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to develop a pilot scheme in England specifically designed to meet the unique needs of serving personnel. This scheme, the Armed Forces Home Ownership Scheme (Pilot) has now been launched, and the MOD will be providing funding for the next three years, expecting to help at least 250 Service personnel to buy their first home. The scheme will be run by Swaythling Housing Society, part of the Radian Group, who have many years experience in administering schemes such as this, and have worked closely with the Ministry Of Defence and the Joint Services Housing Advice Office. Lindsay Todd, Chief Executive of Radian said, We are delighted to be working with the Ministry of Defence to deliver this exciting new scheme. We have a strong track record in providing affordable homes, and a great deal of experience in successfully delivering Low Cost Home Ownership schemes to keyworkers, including Armed Forces personnel and others, across the south and south west. We are looking forward to working with the Ministry of Defence to help even more members of the forces across England to buy their first home. To be eligible for the scheme, applicants will need between 4 and 6 years service, and be unable to buy a suitable home on the open market.. If approved, the applicants may be offered a General news Monahan Way pitches will not be available for ANY form of use from 11th/12th April to allow for the annual maintenance to take place. Please respect this request and keep off the main areas of playing ground. The cricket season will begin soon & they need a fighting chance to use their allotted spot. A South African touring team played at Kilkenny Lane against the U 15 s & U 16 s on The A.T.P closes end of April so there is training up until then, contact the relevant age group manager for details of what their team will being doing over the none match playing periods. Many of the teams will be taking part in the six a side season around the country, go to the main web site for the reports on how they fair. loan of up to 75,000 to top up what they can afford on their own, allowing them to buy a home on the open market like any other buyer. For example if an applicant can obtain a deposit and mortgage to cover 80,000 of a house s value they could be eligible for further equity assistance of up to 75,000, allowing them to buy a home worth up to 155,000 There is normally no fee to pay on the government s funding whilst the applicant remains in the regular Armed Forces. The Government s share of the house is repaid when it is sold. A particular feature of this scheme is its flexibility, recognising that circumstances can and often do change. There is the possibility to sublet the home, pay off part or the whole government share, or indeed move house in the event of a posting elsewhere. Funding is limited and applications will be processed in tranches on a first come, first served principle. Full details of the scheme including how to apply can be found at or by calling Swaythling on The pilot scheme is intended to test a specific approach towards encouraging home ownership in the Armed Forces. The HCA and MOD will be closely monitoring and evaluating the scheme throughout the pilot period including looking at factors such as take up rates, feedback as to whether the scheme meets the requirements of Service personnel and value for money. In addition the MOD will continue to look at a variety of approaches to meeting Service personnel accommodation needs and aspirations in the future. Personnel will also continue to be able to apply for other government schemes, and full details of these can be found at 53

54 Steve Claridge Motor Salvage NO. 1 FOR PARTS AND SPARES Vehicle Dismantlers All types of crashed cars bought & sold Parts off the shelf All makes & models Panels, engines, gearboxes, bumpers, trims etc Visit our new warehouse now or ring for instant information on availability Tel: or South Industrial Estate, Clare Terrace, Carterton, Oxon PHILSERVE Ltd. MOTOR ENGINEERING SERVICES Servicing Major Repairs Vehicle Diagnostics MOT Centre for Cars, Vans & Mini Buses Bodyshop 24 Hr Breakdown,Rescue & Recovery Celebrating 27 Years in Business QUALITY & PERSONAL SERVICE ISO 9001 Cert No: Special Discount For Forces Personnel Belle Terrace, Carterton Industrial Estate, Black Bourton Road, Carterton, Oxfordshire OX18 3ER Telephone sales@philserve.co.uk Website: 54 Gateway -

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