I’m really tempted to go and watch it at the cinema. Again.
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When I used to be involved in Air Scouting we would charge the scouts enough for activities to cover the costs of the adults attending. For example, kids tickets are free for RIAT, but we’d charge enough for the coach to cover the cost of the coach and the tickets of the adults attending.
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It depends on how the adverse publicity is spread around…
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Otherwise, CinC Home Command may take a very dim view. Being away for four days looking after someone else’s children and no cost recompense may not be viable.
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Unfortunately that’s the modern way in a cash strapped organisation … they rely on the fact that somebody will eventually say ‘oh all right then, I’ll do it’ …and then the precedent is set.
…next time will be the same at best…or they try and shave something else off to find out the limit of peoples willingness to do something for no reward / reimbursement, and so the vicious circle begins!
I see ‘pay to do the hobby’ has fully arrived then.
On a similar dental theme, it’s family dental check up time! So, knowing they’d be a wait, we called up in early march and booked ourselves an appointment for today.
This morning we had a call asking us to postpone our appointment because they are “oversubscribed for today”.
Next available appointments… July if we want all 4 of us seen together at the same time. June if they just want 1 parent and 1 child together - but on two separate visits. Or May if we want 4 separate trips where we’ll all be seen separately…
We’ve managed to get 2 separate back to back appointments in May… But still 6 weeks away. And 3 months after we initially tried to get an appointment!!
I end up just booking my next appointment after the appointment at the time
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I’ve tried that before. Last time I did it the dentist I was booked in with had left the practice and “we tried to contact all his patients to rearrange - did you not get the message or email?” - no, clearly not, otherwise I would’ve responded and not shown up today for an appointment I booked 12 months ago!!!
What all this basically boils down to is that the NHS (dental) is broken!
I can’t believe that people who can’t get an NHS dentist still pay the same taxes as someone who can: and there isn’t more of a fuss about it.
I’m still struggling with this:
No where seems to be accepting NHS patients, and the 1 that is won’t see me for months. Think I may need to go private on this, as it’s really annoying given how sharp it is.
this is not a unique situation.
my other hobbies outside of the RAFAC all come with a cost to me
walking - boots and rucksack have been purchased, plus driving to my desired locations, and my packed lunch
canoeing - the boat, paddles, BA, roof rack straps etc, then the drive to the water and lunch, membership fee
flying - aircraft cost/hire cost, travel to the airfield, landing fees, permit renewal, insurance, 1 hour with the instructor fees, tea/coffee and cake or lunch at the landing airfield/airport
(i am not saying paying more than the Cadets is right, nor that Staff paying to attend events is new, simply paying to take part in a hobby is not a unique situation to the RAFAC)
many hobbies people take up come with a cost
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Is there a local dental hospital? Pain in the proverbial having to get there stupidly early and wait around but did this when I was massacred by an NHS dentist years ago.
Let the students do the work and professor double checks everything and if your really lucky (interesting) they will pay you to go for the students training exams at this time of year 
Not sure. I don’t think I’d be a ‘priority’, as, although it is a right PITA as it’s sharp, it’s not agonising. I wouldn’t want to take a spot from someone who is in dire pain, and needs work done ASAP.
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Sure thats true …but since leaving the cadets, none of my hobbies have required me to be in charge of minors / young adults and if I don’t like any of my hobbies on a given day …I can just pack up and go home and try again tomorrow!
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My main hobby (full-bore shooting) certainly comes at a cost; however, I choose my level of equipment & when / where I participate.
For RAFAC activities, I don’t have any say in the costs / timeframe - the timeframe is understandable based on events / activities - although, again, I can choose to participate or not.
RAFAC is a much higher level activity with unique responsibilities / associated requirements to meet the necessary standards, qualifications, duty of care protocols, etc.
So, no VA / allowances to babysit youths on a trip for several days? Forget it.
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Think yourself lucky your NHS dentist hasn’t just decided to go private out from underneath you as mine did - with no communication.
Sadly, I’ve already been there too! We only found out he was no longer NHS when I was already in the chair and we were discussing the treatment plan for root canal work. I queried why we weren’t discussing banded charges and he announced he’s not NHS anymore so it’ll be whatever he quotes!!
Thankfully, he did waive his consultation costs on that occasion as we’d been with him for years - and appreciated that we hadn’t actually been told about the change. We did then manage to get registered with another practice.
And in the inbetweeny bit, 10tacPhantom (an ex-ACCer!) offered the services of his wonderful wife who’d fix any issues at NHS rates for me! 
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Unfortunately I still disagree. As you point out most CFAV attendance at training is unremunerated I take to be parade nights where training time has always been voluntary. However the sentance after speciafically notes training days which I take to be full days delivering training. If the government, single serivce HQs etc could have got out of paying it by using JSP814 then they would have done years ago.
This is how the RAFAC will go - so really we are now just expecting the cadets to pay for staff, just like for school trips etc. Sad really as it will only disadvantage those least able to pay