The Squadron held is annual presentation evening on 27 March to celebrate the achievements of the cadets over the past year. This was the first presentation evening for 4 years and was held at the Squadron’s headquarters and was attended by the cadets families and friends.
One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of awards to the Squadron’s top-performing cadets. Cdt Cpl Buzzard was awarded the Academic Achievement trophy for his outstanding performance in his studies, having attended an number of challenging courses throughout the year, including his silver cyber award.
Cdt Cpl Barker was awarded the Adventure Training Trophy, recognising the hard work he has undertaken in preparation for undertaking an expedition to Canada this summer.
Sgt Kelso was recognized as the Best Bandsman and Best NCO, showing outstanding leadership skills and musical talent. Meanwhile, Cdt Davies was presented with the prestigious CAP Medal of Excellence, which recognizes cadets who have demonstrated excellence in all areas of the Air Cadet program.
Cdt Bingham was named the best newcomer, having made a remarkable start to her cadet career, and Cdt Belshah was honoured as the Best Cadet overall, having displayed exceptional standards and effort this year.
The awards ceremony was followed by a reception, where guests were treated to refreshments and had the opportunity to congratulate the winners and mingle with other members of the squadron.
Flight Lieutenant Cheston, the Officer Commanding, expressed her pride and admiration for the cadets’ achievements, saying, “The awards presented tonight are a testament to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of our cadets. They have shown that they are not only capable of excelling in their Air Cadet training, but they have also developed valuable life skills and have become outstanding members of their communities.”
The presentation evening was a memorable occasion for all those involved, highlighting the tremendous achievements of the Redditch 216 Squadron Air Cadets and demonstrating the value of the Air Cadet program in developing young people’s skills and abilities.
