1368 traditionally starts blue badge training in Feb period (once Sqn is up and running from Christmas break). A big part of this has been layering in band practice pads and real instruments to stretch oldies further. Wed was a test to see how we could manage in classrooms. Adult Sgt B from 1289 visited to give older band members new skills & challenges, incl. new songs (another session on The Great Escape).  Also thanks to (now appointed) Adult Sgt F who ran a session on military selection process/OASC, e.g., planning exercises and debating. Newbies did some readiness on NATO phonetic alphabet ahead of blue radio badge course on Monday.

Well done to all the cadets (and staff) from 1368 sqn that supported the annual Lion's Charity Food Parcels duty on Sunday in Chase Meadow. Usual feedback from Lion's about how much they value the hard work cadets put in. We bring a degree of military precision to the sorting process, apparently. Did seem to run like clockwork. Great to have first timers also, getting into one of 1368's traditional annual events.

Monday saw 6 teams completing in a creative challenge of building festive Gingerbread trains. 0925 intake integrating well with main cohort adding icing to the cake. Some great creative thought, e.g., why build a train when you can build an F1 car? Winning team's melted snowman was a stand-out this year, which had a larger than normal snow dump. Well done. Well done also for the clean-up team.

Wednesday saw 31 cadets and 5 staff from 1368 Sqn at Planet Ice in Cov once again. Good mix of old and new. We coincidentally chose the same night as 29F again enabling a bit of inter-Sqn catch-up. Just about got the obligatory 1368 Sqn group photo on the ice, as we go into our cavalcade of festive nights leading up to Christmas. Doing the parade also helped in lieu of us still awaiting for building maintenance work (presumably by VIVO Defence subcontractor) to be started. Over 8 weeks and still waiting.

Great evening session  at Redpoint in Birmingham on Tuesday. Nice to see a mix of newbies and spread across ages. Real enthusiasm for a challenge. Nice venue, with strong climbing enthusiast vibe. Turned out fastest route back involves putting the wrong postcode into the sat nav so you avoid the M42. Many thanks to Sgt M from 1289 for providing their minibus though (couldn't do it without their help).

Building still closed (8 weeks now) as we await work by MOD contractors. Squadron is still running but utilising alternative venues. Monday saw cadets do the Human Shapes game 1st half, as NCOs and Review Cadets did rehearsals for upcoming NCO Air-Cadet themed Panto.  Last year it was Cinderella based on going to AEF Cosford. This year is an air cadet themed Aladdin, apparently, although the script is being kept secret. No doubt this will include a Air Cadet magic carpet. Oh, no it doesn't. Oh, yes it does (more realistically, it may contain one, if anybody can find an appropriate prop, apparently).  It appears the annual 1368 Panto is becoming "a thing". The count down is on.