RIDE FOR RAFA - Marham Matters Online

Community
Support Sqn
Community
Support Sqn
National Family Week
30 th May to 5 th June 2011
National Family Week is the
biggest annual celebration
of family life in the UK that
took place in the summer
half-term holiday.
Family Picnic 30 th May
The Family picnic took place on
Bank Holiday Monday 30 th May
to kick off the National Family
Week events at RAF Marham.
Cpl Scott Murray from the
Primary Care Rehabilitation
Facility was instrumental in
arranging the traditional games
including the ever popular egg
and spoon races. Not to be
followed by a very successful
launch with the Stn Cdr. It is not
just the Tornados that hit their
target - ask Gp Capt Rochelle.
Horse Riding 2 nd June
The Magpie Centre Riding
School provided a well attended
horse riding event behind
the Sandringham Centre.
Paintballing 2 nd June
Twenty Children aged
between 12 and 19 years
enjoyed a fantastic day out.
Wiggles & Jiggles
3 rd June
Swaffham Area Sure Start
provided an activity day for
0 to 5yr olds. 30 under 5yr
olds attended a session run
by Jo Tagg who is a lead play
worker from Sure Start.
22 families attended (inc
two dads). The purpose
was to introduce music and
Discounts
Hero’s Welcome
supports the
forces throughout
the UK; discounts
are on a variety of services
from Restaurants, hotels
to Car servicing, for more
offers go to the link. www.
heroeswelcome.co.uk/westnorfolk/supporters.html.
Links to
Airspace
Forums
Oak Avenue
Play Area Opening
July sees the long
awaited opening of the
Oak Avenue play area.
This ‘natural play’
development of an
existing hard-surface
play area is phase
one of a proposed dual-phase
refurbishment of the Oak Avenue
play park. Its improvement
continues the Royal Air Force
Benevolent Fund’s commitment
to the Service and RAF Marham in
particular which has seen over a ¼
of a million pounds of investment
in its community play areas
alone over the last five years.
Following national guidelines,
Oak Avenue play park is developing
into a recreational area that will
allow children of all ages the
mix of structured equipment
encouraging ‘risk within play’,
a green ‘parkland’ area and free
play opportunities. The children
their singing and performances and
children from the Marham Infants
School and Childcare Centre
have made an ‘impression’ in the
park during an event last month,
marking the stepping stones
meandering between the mounds
supporting the slide, rope bridge
and rope climb. Additional planting
will be completed later in the year
with cherry trees and the ditches
and moats seeded with blue
wildflower giving the impression
of moving water in season as
the blooms sway in the wind.
Handover and opening of the
site is scheduled for Monday
11 th July heralding a new and
fresh approach to play in our
neighbourhood. This and other
initiatives in our dynamic and
close-knit community help
to underpin this Station’s
commitment to its personnel
and families positive view of
RAF Marham and Norfolk as
Volunteers’
Fair 1 st June
This year RAF Marham
and the community were
offered the opportunity to
get involved with one of
the many projects around
Station, the Service
families accommodation
and the community.
To help create and
maintain the Society
we enjoy, volunteering
is the key as well as
being extremely rewarding
- just speak to those who do it
year after year. The Community
Development Officer, Rita
to register yourself initially
as a volunteer pop into the
Community Support Hub or
contact them on Ext: 6136.
On 1st June we gave all our
groups and local agencies the
opportunity to show case not
only what they do, but how
others could get involved.
We also presented the plans
for the Sandringham Centre
refurbishment. Scout Leader,
Mickey Tucker-Lowe stated
“the Volunteers Fair was a
resounding success with seven
new potential Scout leaders with
one fully warranted leader”.
Even the Station Commander
got involved letting the First
Responders demonstrate their
skills using him as a casualty.
BFBS Radio reporter, Sharon
Robson recorded messages
and dedications which were
broadcast on the Access All
Areas programme on Sunday
5 th June. If you missed it you
can hear the whole thing online
on www.bfbs.com/listenagain
BFBS TV also filmed
Father’s Day messages
What
support
should
you expect
during
deployment
When your loved one
deploys on operations,
it can be an unsettling
experience, no matter if it
is your first experience or
if you have been through it
several times over. There
are a wealth of agencies
at RAF Marham and Air
Force wide to support you
and your family through
this time, not to mention
a number of entitlements
that can make things
that little bit easier.
Nominated Point
of Contact
When your partner
completes the preparations
to deploy, they are asked
whether they wish to
deterred by the rain everyone
moved indoors for more fun
movement and rhyme promoting
language development to
II(AC) Sqn
have already identified some of
the circular stone seating areas as
a whole as an area of choice
and one in which they are
Broomfield, is the organizer for
volunteering but if you wish
that were broadcast on
ten overseas channels.
nominate a point of contact
(POC). If nominated, the POC
including a hilarious round of
avoid speech delay.
https://airspace.raf.
‘stages’ where they can practice
happy to contribute and live.
will maintain communication
musical chairs for the adults.
Literacy Day 31 st May
Family Party Bull
& Bowl 3 rd June
mod.uk/forums/threads.
cfmforumid=7722AE91-5056-
A330-4CFF931972D627C5
Anthony Nolan Clinic
with you and your family
and ensure that you have
someone that you can raise
The Family Literacy Day
included book swaps; craft
opportunities; several story
telling sessions and a well
received book at bedtime where
even the Librarian, Sam West,
turned up in her pyjamas.
Uniform Groups Open
Evening 1 st June
There was an open Evening
for the Uniform Groups at the
Family Entertainment Evening in
the Bull and Bowl including free
bowling; face painter; magician
and balloon modelling.
Disco/ karaoke
4 th June
A disco was arranged for 5
to 12 year olds by the Girls
Group within the Youth Centre.
The organizers were Aidan
McGuirk; Lucy Chaplin; Rebecca
31 Sqn Goldstar
https://airspace.raf.
mod.uk/forums/threads.
4C6BC61C7FFE5ABE
IX (B) Sqn
https://airspace.raf.
mod.uk/forums/threads.
cfmforumid=1EA00BD3-
5056-A330-
cfmforumid=312AE528-5056-
Sgt Paul Vernon from TIW
joined the Anthony Nolan
Trust Voluntary Bone
Marrow register at the
last RAF Marham clinic,
and was called upon to
donate his peripheral
stem cells to a seriously
ill patient. Sgt Vernon
said “I was honoured to
be chosen to donate”.
any concerns or issues with
whilst your partner is away.
They will ensure that the
Station provides assistance
where necessary and direct
you to appropriate welfare
agencies if needed.
You can decide how much
communication with your
POC you will have, but it can
sometimes be a comfort to
know that someone is only
Youth Activity Centre (behind
Grant; Cameron Arther; Emily
A330-4CBE38A8F12B76E3
a phone call away. If no
the Bull and Bowl) including
Cubs (aged 7 to 10½); Scouts
(aged 10½ to 14 yrs) and
Explorer Scouts (aged 14 to 18
Driver; Beth Redman; Jacob
Madden. They were raising
funds for the Fashion Show
which will take place on 16 th
TIW
https://airspace.raf.
mod.uk/forums/threads.
The next clinic is on 6 th
July at the Chaplaincy
Centre and if you
would like to find
POC has been nominated,
there are a number of ways
to alert us to the fact you
need some help: you can
years). However, the uniform
July (I think- please ask Erica).
cfmforumid=77EC8C17-5056-
out more you can ring Janet
and craft stalls. All donations
contact your partner’s
groups really got into the spirit
of things by camping out the
night before whilst learning
Family Service
5 th June
A330-4C64BDB90B404D8D
RAF Marham
Short on Ext: 6292 or attend
the clinic where you can talk to
a representative from the Trust
will go to the Trust. All are
welcome even if you just want
to pop in for a cup of tea.
line manager, the Station
Community Support Officer,
the HIVE or just come into
survival techniques. The
Family Service - St Margaret’s
https://airspace.raf.
or you can join the register and
Come along and talk to
Personnel Services Flight
following day, 1 st June, there
Church followed by a bring
mod.uk/forums/threads.
help save a life. There will be
Charlotte our representative,
located in the Station HQ.
was frantic activity to lash
and share lunch in the Oasis
cfmforumid=7188442D-5056-
refreshments including home
there is no greater gift anyone
together a trebuchet which was
Lounge, Chaplaincy Centre.
A330-4CC08DB5A886A82B
made cake on sale, raffle tickets
can give.
Continued
16 MARHAM MATTERS ISSUE 6
Visit: www.marhammattersonline.co.uk
Visit: www.marhammattersonline.co.uk
ISSUE 6 MARHAM MATTERS 17