Farewell to RAF Cottesmore
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cott witt Summer 2011 \\ The official magazine for RAF Wittering and RAF Cottesmore FareweLL TO RAF COTTESMORE 5131 (Bomb Disposal) Sqn fulfils commitment by providing both IED destroy and IED neutralise teams in Afghanistan Features : In Brief | Exercise Green Light | Air Power Europe Only £5.99 PIZZA PASTA BUFFET &MON to FRI | 12 to 15 Our lunch time buffet is one of the most popular in Peterborough We vary the pizzas & pasta every day, testing the creativity & skills of our chefs & while the focus is mostly on traditional cuisine the chefs always apply their talents to create wonderful & wholesome food. At the buffet we offer an excellent choice of freshly made pizza’s, pasta & salad. Don’t forget to ask for the loyalty card. cott witt Summer 2011 View The official magazine for RAF Wittering and RAF Cottesmore Editors Foreword \\ Assistant Editor Emma Stacey Group Captain Rich Knighton I don’t know Well, this is the last Foreword that I will write for the about you but I’m Cott Witt View. I have been posted at short notice really hoping that to the Ministry of Defence in London. Although the posting comes with promotion, I will be very sad to the plethora of leave RAF Wittering and RAF Cottesmore behind. sunny days we’ve 07 In Brief 13 Gate Guard Role For Christine 22 Exercise Green Light been experiencing was asked recently what the best job was The future is, I am afraid, still a little uncertain. that I had had; I said it was this one. It We expect to hear the results of the politicians’ since early April, I has been a pleasure to work with such deliberations about the future of RAF Wittering are a precursor a professional, capable and fun bunch of and RAF Cottesmore around the middle of July. Contents people. RAF Wittering has been a wonderful I am still hopeful that RAF Cottesmore will have to a great home to me over the past 17 months and the a future as an MOD unit, and that RAF Wittering 04 Foreword summer. people here, and in the local community, have will continue to be an active airfield and home been enormously supportive. It was also a to all those units already here. I will keep my 06 In Brief his is partly because it’s amazing great privilege to take over command of RAF fingers crossed! how much of a difference a Cottesmore on 1 April 2011. I have been hugely My successor arrives in June. I wish him and 09 Padres Corner T daily dose of sunshine can impressed by the positive attitude, continued all of you the very best of luck! Thank you. make - everybody seems to feel a professionalism and sheer hard work of those 10 Ex First Step lot more positive - but also because involved in the support and drawdown task. we’re long overdue and I need to do Inevitably I have been reflecting over 13 Gate Guard Role For Christine something about my pasty legs! the past few days about my time here. It is Many people took full advantage remarkable just how much has been thrown 15 Air Power Europe of the double Bank Holiday and the at us since I started in December 2009, on the Station seemed eerily quiet for a day the Secretary of State announced that 18 RAF Cottesmore Closure Parade while, but despite this the features in RAF Cottesmore would close and elements of this issue will give a glimpse of just Joint Force Harrier would move to RAF Wittering. Exercise Green Light how much has really been going on Throughout all the twists and turns of the past 22 behind the scenes. year and a half, the people at RAF Wittering Health & Wellbeing There is plenty to get your teeth into in and RAF Cottesmore have supported me and 24 this summer edition and remember to my predecessor at RAF Cottesmore superbly. A Taste Of Things To Come.... check out our new magazine website We have played a key part in operations in 26 at www.witteringviewonline.co.uk Afghanistan and around the rest of the world. Storm Clouds Gather So fingers crossed that we continue Over the past few weeks the support from the 29 to enjoy the good weather for a little A4 Force to operations in Libya has been truly Armourers Support Op Ellamy while longer but don’t forget to outstanding. Without the hard work of many 29 keep those articles coming in personnel from RAF Wittering and across the for the Autumn issue. A4 Force, the UK could not have conducted 32 Fuels Flight No1 EL Sqn the operations. Despite all of these pressures 34 Hot Seat you have also managed to keep your sense of 18 RAF Cottesmore Closure Parade humour during some trying times! cott witt EDITOR DISTRIBUTION DESIGNED BY Submissions Flt Lt Kerry Shardlow, Tesco Extra Serpentine Green, Morrisons Sherrie Bacarese Summer 2011 \\ The official magazine for RAF Wittering and RAF Cottesmore OC PSF Ext 7478 Stamford, Waitrose Stamford, Families Spar Shop ADVERTISING Please direct all submissions for CottWitt View Magazine to ASSISTANT EDITOR Wittering, Wittering Post Office & Local Doctors Lance Publishing Ltd, 1st Floor, Tailby House, FAREWELL TO RAF COTTESMORE Emma Stacey and Dental Surgeries Bath Road, Kettering, Northants, NN16 8NL The Editor TEAM PUBLISHED BY Tel: Kayleigh on 01536 526666 Cpl Mel Reynolds Lance Publishing Ltd, 1st Floor, Tailby House, [email protected] Flt Lt Kerry Shardlow SAC Sarah Hanson Bath Road, Kettering, Northants, NN16 8NL PRINTING [email protected] EDITORIAL DEADLINES Tel: 01536 512624, Lance Print Ltd, Tel: 01332 221440 Deadlines for editorial entries, Fax: 01536 515481 Please try to ensure that images are in .jpeg format and as large as possible. Text should be Apr 25th, Jul 31st and Nov 1st. www.lancepublishing.co.uk Features : In Brief | Exercise Green Light | Air Power Europe supplied in Microsoft Word .doc format or plain text if possible. E.mail: [email protected] In Brief Bomb Disposal Operators’ Long Marathon Walk For Bliss success Up to 15 members of No ard, but rewarding” is how 5131 (Bomb Disposal) Squadron Leader Claire Squadron from RAF “H O’Grady, OC PMS RAF Wittering took part in a Wittering, has described her first London charity walk around the Marathon experience. 20 miles of Rutland Water Claire and her husband Pablo, who is in support of the national based at RAF Leuchars, decided to take on charity BLISS which the challenge to raise money for the Forces provides aid for premature Children’s Trust. And after months of training, babies and their families. the hard work paid off as they completed the race in just over five hours, raising more he team, organised by Cpl Paul than £1,500 for charity. (Twitch) Twitchell, set off from the Last Cuppa For The Claire said: “Running the London Whitwell car park. Each walker carried T Marathon was a fantastic experience a 10kg Bergen and at a predetermined and while it was one of the hardest things interval was required to don the ‘old style’ Salvation Army we have done, it was definitely the most bomb suit (45 kg) for at least one mile of he Salvation Army Red Shield Defence The Service was held to mark the end of rewarding. We completed it together in a the total walk. The aim was to raise at least Services celebrated its departure the management provided by Red Shield time of 5hrs 8mins and although we missed £2,000 for the charity. from the Wittering Hub Coffee Shop Defence Services run by the Salvation Army. our time target by eight minutes we are Donations to the charity can be T with a Valedictory Service and one last Sidney and Georgina will move onto Thrift Shop Donations putting it down to the heat on the day!” made on line through: http://www. cup of coffee with Service Personnel. The pastures new, but will never forget the Through the generosity of all their friends justgiving.com/the-longest-walk. For service was held on the 28 Mar 11 and led friends they have made at Wittering. They The RAF Wittering Thrift Shop ladies have been and family, Claire and Pablo have to date more information about BLISS visit by Majors Sidney and Georgina Pinches thank everyone for all their support during raised £1,638 for the Forces Children’s Trust, www.bliss.org.uk. at it again! They have raised nearly £2,000 in who have managed the coffee shop and their time at Wittering. support of worthwhile local deserving causes smashing their £1,000 target. The Forces provided pastoral care for nearly two years. Children’s Trust helps the children of parents The Hub was filled with many regulars and charities through the sale of second-hand who have been killed or severely wounded plus the Salvation Army Band and clothes, toys and bric-a-brac. during Service in the Military. friends and well wishers. The singing was Claire added: “We would like to thank all hearty, the speeches were kind, and the he shop located at 10-12 St Georges purchase of several new toys. The Wittering those who have donated and showed us coffee and cake served afterwards were Rd, Wittering, sells a variety of quality Youth Drop-In centre collected a cheque messages of support. In our madness we welcomed by all for the last time. T second-hand items on behalf of for £300 to enable it to purchase a new have entered the ballot for next year, and if The Hub is being taken over by ISS, the members of the community.