The RAF Shawbury Gliding Club (RSGC) recently marked a major milestone with the celebration of its 100th student supported through their Mechanics Endowment Fund (MEF) bursary.
Funded by the RAF Central Fund, the club’s bursary programme helps trainees to get into the air for a practical, hands-on gliding experience and provides an excellent introduction to the sport.
Students not only gain flight training but also vital knowledge of aircraft mechanics and safety procedures, skills that they can take with them throughout their careers in the RAF. Each student is given the opportunity to start their flying journey with seven 2,000 ft aerotows, an aerobatic experience flight, and an hour’s instruction in one of the club’s motor gliders.
The 100th student, AR Rebecca Hall, a training avionics technician and future aspiring Fast- Jet pilot, eagerly took to the skies in an ASK21 (R35) with RSGC basic instructor AR Bradley Lefley-Kemp, a former MEF bursary recipient himself.
Described as a natural in the making, Hall thoroughly enjoyed her flights and was keen to get involved with all aspects of ground handling, even launching gliders herself by the end of the day.
The RAF Central Fund is incredibly proud to support the MEF programme, and reaching the milestone of welcoming the 100th student is a testament to its extraordinary success. The initiative provides a unique and enriching introduction to gliding, offering RAF personnel at RAF Cosford and RAF Shawbury a valuable opportunity for personal development, confidence-building and adventure – all core elements of the RAF’s ethos.
The fact that this initiative now has a waiting list speaks volumes about both the demand and the quality of the experience delivered. Programmes like the MEF gliding bursary align perfectly with the mission of the RAFCF to enhance the physical and mental wellbeing of serving RAF personnel through sport and physical activity.
The success of the programme is down to the hardworking members of the club, and the Fund is proud to support many more future aviators taking to the skies through sport.
If you have a project which encourages participation in sport for phase 1 or 2 trainees, please get in touch at grants@rafcf.org.uk to find out more about our MEF funding.
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