hope you’ve all enjoyed your special day!
share your experiences and photos here!
[quote=“djrice” post=3952]hope you’ve all enjoyed your special day!
share your experiences and photos here![/quote]
Wing cross-country. A thin layer of snow on the ground which did thaw when the sun peeked out but the temperature never got above 3ºC.
ATC Sunday isn’t recognised up here. I don’t even think anybody realised; I certainly didn’t until I saw this thread.
[quote=“djrice” post=3952]hope you’ve all enjoyed your special day!
share your experiences and photos here![/quote]
Nothing done here either! Shame really, I remember when I was a cadet we always had a big parade and it really was a ‘special day’ to celebrate the ATC.
Just out of interest, has anyone had any ‘directives’ from their Wing or Region on what they should/should not do? Any Wing Parades etc taken place?
We combine ATC Sunday with our Squadron Open Day, Parents Day, Parade, Annual awards ceremony and CivCom AGM - meaning it hits everything at once! It used to always include a Church Service but this was dropped a few years back in favour of a brief drumhead service at the end - much to the relief of many due to it generating additional admin as well as an additional hour onto the event, and split site logistics (and the whole “God” thing being debated in that other thread!)!
For us, the additional of having all the parents there, and combining it with the AGM, means that it raises the profile of the CivCom and generates 4-5 new members every 12 months! Admittedly, not all stay, but it does help alot!
We used to do a combined “sector” parade many moons ago (back before sectors were even dreamed of!). But this fell by the wayside - which is great for us, as we seem to have got the format just right now!
ATC Sunday?? I was watching the Azzuri beat the Crapauds 
What BF’s lot do seems to use it as a focus, which can’t be a bad thing.
It seems a shame that the 1st Sunday in February ie ATC Sunday, has lost its resonance around the country. But with everything else that goes on I’m not unduly surprised, that it’s seen as just another Sunday to use for whatever. We’ve even had things arranged that clash with BoB Parade and Remembrance/Armistice in September.
We have a church service sorted by the padre, with the sqn takng then home for lunch and medals, bit early for tea.
[quote=“Batfink” post=3957]We combine ATC Sunday with our Squadron Open Day, Parents Day, Parade, Annual awards ceremony and CivCom AGM - meaning it hits everything at once! It used to always include a Church Service but this was dropped a few years back in favour of a brief drumhead service at the end - much to the relief of many due to it generating additional admin as well as an additional hour onto the event, and split site logistics (and the whole “God” thing being debated in that other thread!)!
For us, the additional of having all the parents there, and combining it with the AGM, means that it raises the profile of the CivCom and generates 4-5 new members every 12 months! Admittedly, not all stay, but it does help alot!
We used to do a combined “sector” parade many moons ago (back before sectors were even dreamed of!). But this fell by the wayside - which is great for us, as we seem to have got the format just right now![/quote]
Sounds like a fantastic idea, I may just “borrow” that one for next year!
Warning for those considering this plan; February is cold! Make sure you have ample food and warm drinks to pacify the oldies! Also ensure you’ve got space for an indoor contingency!
Thank you very much Michael flippin Fish! :whistle: 
Thank you very much Michael flippin Fish! :whistle: [/quote]
Pffft…February cold? Your parents and other assorted hangers on clearly need to man up. :lol:
Seriously though,I like the ‘Batfink Plan’. Not that I’m in a position to change the way things get done in my neck of the woods.
This was our first annual photo from our ATC Sunday yesterday. No uniform pickings please 
Glove fail 
We always go to the local church for a service on ATC Sunday every year - Sqn tradition and all that. We are certainly in a minority and I don’t know many units that do the same in the Wing.
OMG - Batfink DOES have a uniform after all! 
Must… resist… urge… to… commment… must… resist!
Comment all you like, I’m not going to care
We showed ourselves off to the local dignitaries, parents and others. We weren’t perfect, but then pfft, who cares (not me :p)
Well at least we did something around here - http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/local/video-photos-air-cadets-event-in-peterborough-1-4751147
8 squadrons of North Sector, Beds & Cambs Wing; over 200 cadets and 18 staff on parade.