On Sunday 13 June 2010Nuneaton based Air Cadets joined more than 700 Cadets and Staff from 26 other Air Cadet Units within the Warwickshire and Birmingham Wing as they converged on Gamecock Barracks, Bramcote near Nuneaton for a day of impressive activity and competition.

The Warwickshire and Birmingham Wing annual Field Day and review, the largest event of the year for the Wing, attended by hundreds of cadets and staff from all over the region, is a day of inter squadron competition and an opportunity for cadets to take part in a variety of training activities. It's also unique in so much as it's the only day of the year when a Blue Ensign is once again hoisted over the parade square of the former wartime airbase, RAF Bramcote, now the home of 30 Signal Regiment.

The day's competitive events included the band competition, drill, first aid, public relations, marksmanship, aircraft recognition, modelling and sports such as football and netball.

In addition to the competitive events cadets had the opportunity to undergo radio communications training, and take their weapons handling tests.

The Training Day ended with a parade during which the weather suddenly changed and the rain began to pour down. However, despite the conditions the reviewing officer, Air Officer Commanding, No 22 (Training) Group, Air Vice-Marshal Mark C Green CBE BSc(Hons) FRAeS RAF, braved the elements to present awards to competition winners and adult staff. During his address to the Wing, Air Vice-Marshal Green congratulated the Warwickshire & Birmingham Wing for the high standards of training and turnout of those on parade. He also went on to highlight the fact that the Air Cadet Organisation is now larger than its parent service and that Air Cadets are excellent ambassadors for the Royal Air Force whenever they appear in uniform within their local communities. Air Vice-Marshal Green also commended the Adult Staff for all the time and effort that they put into the Air Cadet movement, supporting its young people and organising events such as the Wing Field Day.

The highlight of the presentations for the cadets and staff of 121 (Nuneaton) Squadron came as Air Vice-Marshal Green, presented them with Certificates and trophies for taking first place in the Public Relations, Photographic and Cadet Media Design competitions. The Squadrons drummers also came first in the percussion section of the Band Competition with the whole band taking 2nd place in the overall Band Competition. The Nuneaton Squadron’s academic achievements also received notable recognition having gained the third best results within the wing during the 2009~2010 examinations.

Following their success, the percussion section of the Squadron’s band together with Cadet Flt Sgt Sasha Dowdall & Flt Lt Paul Hincks of the units Media Communications team who submitted the winning photographs and Cdt Cpl Tom Green who submitted the winning cadet media design entry will be representing the Warwickshire and Birmingham wing at the Central & East Regional Field Day to be held at RAF Wittering on Sunday 5th September 2010.

Officer Commanding 121 (Nuneaton) Squadron Flt Lt Ian Crewe said, "We have done extremely well in the Media Communications arena again this year, with much of our success in promoting the Air Cadet movement being attributable to the outstanding coverage given to the Squadron’s activities by local community newspapers such as the Nuneaton News and the Weekly Tribune”.

He added, “The Nuneaton Squadron has held the Wing Band title for the previous seven years and it was a bit of a disappointment not to have retained the title this year coming second by the narrowest of margins. However the band did win the percussion section so we will still be able to compete at regional level again this year. I would like to congratulate all the cadets who took part today and the adult staff that helped to train them. Every cadet who took part should be justly proud of his or her performance and I hope we can repeat our success when we compete at regional level in September”