If you were awarded a grant or £1000… What would you spend it on and why?
Has to be to benefit the squadron
Bang it into savings because im boring.
Might treat myself to some McChicken Nuggets though
I should have clarified that it is a grant that you have to spend on squadron activities or equipment the etc
Depends what the squadron is lacking.
When I was an OC I was in an extremely deprived area so Cadets couldn’t afford AT kit on top of everything else so I had a supply of tents, rucksacks, boots, waterpoofs etc with one grant.
Another one went on IT equipment to help on unit, especially with things now being so digital some chromebooks may be useful.
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Normally grants are given for a specific pre-agreed purpose, so if you’ve actually been given the grant already, make sure it’s spent on what was in the original grant request!
But I completely agree with @bob1 above. Some decent DofE kit and IT infrastructure seem to take up the majority of grant funding from what I’ve seen.
We’ve got our wish list split into three that we provide updated ones every Civ Com Meetings
Needed to run, would make it better, and dream list
But like above its normally the other way around. They apply for grants for specific things.
We’ve won a Tesco Grant for £1000 which has all gone on AT equipment (focused on DofE)
We’ve just had a £750 grant which is being spent on laptops
End of last year a £500 grant for STEM equipment
A couple years ago we got granted a £2000 one for setting up our Air Rifle range (clean up, buying the rifles, targets, pump etc etc)
We are just putting together a national lottery grant for a SOV.
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So we already have about 15 laptops, arrival range because we are on a TA base (not that we can get the weapons back from where they were stored during lockdown!!).
We have AT equipment but don’t really do any adventurous training as we are quite inner city and the paperwork has become a bit too arduous for the people that do that bit
We can apply for a grant, but we don’t know what to ask for… And I don’t think you can get a flight sim for that price!
What’s STEM stuff did you get?
The other things to look at then would be how best to augment on-unit training. Do you need more compasses for teaching basic nav and leading nav? Maybe some more radios for teaching comms? Maybe look at buying some model engines for teaching some of the senior/MAC stuff? Do you need any training first aid stuff? Cas sim kit? Any interest in starting a band?
Have a cadet NCO meeting, and ask them! If they do a lot of the delivery, they’ll know best where some money needs to be spent. Plus you can get some NCOs to put together a rough business plan which is good experience from them, and gives good ‘buy in’ to what ever ends up getting purchased.
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We spent about 750 on radio equipment last year.
On the topic of the Flight Sim, the grant doesn’t have to cover the whole cost, so if the squadron is able to meet some cost then that’s an option.
Alternatively look at XBox sims.
Actually you can, and most grant making bodies like it if you match fund or chip in a bit of your own funds.
Happy to share details on PM if you prefer
Snap Circuit, Micro Bitz, Geko Runs, Science Museum Kits and Solar Panel Robots
So see our STEM kit would be mainly rubber bands and polystyrene
Now you can’t go wrong with that - good “classic” stem still very much has a place. We’ve got a stem box which is straws, bottle lids, elastic bands, packing peanuts, cardboard etc etc
So here is what our list was looking like last year (havent got mine immediately to hand):
Basic – Required to get the minimum level
· Maintenance Kit
o Deodorant
o Sanitary Products
o Iron
o Ironing Board
o Hairspray
o Tights
o Sewing kit
o Polish / cloth / brushes
o Container to put it in (Draws on wheels work!)
· Simple Sports Kit
o Footballs
o Pump
o Sports cones (replacement)
o Tennis balls
· 2 Laptops
· Basic STEM Kit
o Water Bottle Rocket Kits
o Mini DIY Robot kits
o Beginner Circuit Kits
o Construction Kits
· DPM Jackets and Belts
· Airfix Models + accessories
· Sanitary Bins
· Basic Fieldcraft Kit
o Cam Cream
o 1 cooker for Demo
o 1 Bivi Kit for Demo
· 5 White Belts and Gloves
· Compasses
Improve – Helps to improve the experience for the Cadets
· Replacement / additional Radios
· For each classroom: 1 laptop, 1 clicker, 1 projector/screen
· Advanced Sports Kit
o Uni Hockey
o School Sports Kit Pack – includes a variety of different equipment
· Replacement Flight Sim Kit (ones currently used are on loan)
· Intermediate STEM Kits
· Subsidised events
o Offer buy 2 AT Sessions get one free
o Offer £5 off the Christmas Meal
o Assistance with Camp Costs
· Trophy Cabinet
· Advanced Fieldcraft Kit
o 1 Bivi Kit between 2
o Cooker between 2
o Mess Tins
o Torches
o Mugs
· 12 White Belts / Gloves
Dream – Items as a staff team we would like but is for big grants, and advanced activities
• 1 tablet (basic) per cadet
• VR System and associated Equipment
• Advanced STEM Equipment
o Go Kart Kits
o Advanced Radio Controlled Equipment
o Complex Circuit Boards
• Issued MTP Kit for all Cadets
• Duke of Edinburgh / Initial Expedition kit (That can be loaned to cadets, saving parents spending lots for 1 event)
o Rucksack
o Sleeping Bag (plus liner)
o Map Case
o Compass
o Torch
o High Vis Rucksack Cover
o Emergency Whistle
o Blister Plasters
• 9 Seater Squadron Owned Vehicle plus associated costs
• Squadrons Drums (3 to allow for basic core of drums for parades)
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So happy to see sanitary bins on that list. Such an important thing for our female cadets to encourage them to attend throughout the month. I have a supply of sanitary items also available in their toilets. Wish we qualified for proper disposal.
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Bizarrely we don’t qualify for disposal even though there is a disposal contract for other users of the building!
Products we had, but not a proper sanitary bin (it had a lid so better than the gents)
however if you have the cadets empty bins at the end of the night as we do, make sure it’s either Female cadets or if it has to males, SNCOs.
we had an issue with Some immature refuse to empty it because it was “disgusting”
It’s a bin, with a bag, it’s not like we were asking them to grab it with bare hands
edit: @mods can you expand the swear filter to plurals 
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5 added including that one.
For the record, just because there is a filter, doesn’t mean you should be relying on it and choosing to trigger it.
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wilco…
The issue isn’t the filter, it’s you deliberately trying to breach the AUP.