Is anyone else completely unable to get hold of new uniform?
Trying to rebuild a sqn that has lost almost all cadets post pandemic. It’s going well so far with two big new intakes.
Raised uniform paperwork to our parent station, nothing heard. Called stores directly to be told there is zero chance of getting any new uniforms.
Raised to wing level, told to ask other local sqns for a loan. Obviously they can’t and won’t as they are in the same boat!
We only have “little and large” sizes of kit left in our stores and I can’t justify asking parents to buy their own blues, greens and shoes at probably 200 quid all in!
Bit of a vent but anyone else having the same issues? Our current solution is to issue sqn polos but not a good look off sqn, especially with remembrance coming up.
If you can say without giving away location, which is your parent station?
We’ve had some minor issues with ours (Shawbury), but it’s mostly timing rather than not being available.
This is precisely the way it is going at the moment. And to be fair, I have always thought it was a major plus of the RAFAC providing any uniform and swapping it out as the cadets grow.
My nephew had several hundred quids worth of kit purchased for scouts or whatever club it was he joined, its par the course now. He also gave it up after several weeks, but that’s another story!
As a club offering the activities we offer, we are incredibly cheap and self reliant. Any other organisation would be requiring parents to put their hands in their pocket, drive to activities etc etc a lot more than we do.
I know that whilst uniform should be issued you shouldn’t have to ask parents to buy kit, but I don’t see that remaining the case for many more years.
I can’t see us moving to a private purchase model for Blue uniform as it stands, there is no proper supply chain / retail supply for it.
Whether this is related to the proposed new RAF uniforms or just general supply issues, who knows.
I don’t think the people making the decision will understand or care about this small fact!
Interestingly the storeman at Northolt did mention “the new RAF uniforms” as a reason why they weren’t getting any new stock… after all the ridicule in the press I didn’t think they were going ahead with it
It’s not just the press. I’ve seen it recently on a promotion course at Halton.
It was absolutely slated by everyone there. But the chief is adamant it’s coming in. So our opinion doesn’t matter.
2s are staying however for “executive” dress.
What on earth is ‘executive dress’ when it’s at home?
I can’t see the budget justification for an additional rig, unless it’s just a permitted mode of dress whilst existing stock lasts or current issue remains serviceable
They will need to, if we (or parents) can’t buy it cadets can’t wear it. Unless we just say ‘buy something vaguely close and if that means a pale blue shirt and blue chinos from Tesco crack on’
They won’t, they’ll make a decision at some stage to not issue uniform to RAFAC and that will become our problem.
I wonder if somewhere that decision has been made already?
SWOs, senior officers… That sorta thing.
I think it’s a localised issue as we put a huge order in three weeks ago to kit out a load of newbies, collected a car full last week and remainder is ready to collect this afternoon.
No major issues out of Odiham…shirts are a national issue
Delivery 3-4 months from point of order is standard in my manor at present, and then orders are usually received with missing items. It’s getting embarrassing!
MB
Recently we placed an order for 24 cadets.
Recieved 50%
Been told at least another 2 months until remainder arrives.
HQAC
Just make uniform self purchase and provide an at cost air cadet shop.
Relying on the RAF is just embarassing now.
Wittering didn’t have good availability post COVID and we struggled to get our intakes into uniform. However, we have done two orders this year that have been fulfilled within 2 weeks and only a couple of the very large/small items have been difficult to get. We have a good relationship with some local Sqn’s and we regularly do swaps with them. We have just put one in this week… 