Photo Caption
Justin Smith with Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq

Blue Peter celebrates it's 50th Birthday helped by the Marham and Honington First Response Teams

Blue Peter is celebrating it's 50th Aniversary on BBC TV, and to celebrate they wanted to gather a selection of special people together in a large area and spell out the word 'BLUE' Take a picture from the air and use it in future shows and as a feature and opening titles.

Well RAF Honington was the location (Due to its largely in-active runway) and the bodies to help spell the word 'BLUE' were made up of none other than Norfolk's & Suffolk's Premier Voluntary Emergency Service, The RAF First Responders. (It may also have been down to the fact that we wear a very nice shade of 'BLUE' Uniform). Other organisations were recruited to help and bolster numbers, local primary schools and youth groups also getting in on the excitment.

Konnie Huq was the attending presenter and she spent the day flitting around doing rehearsals and getting rather cold on the Airfield. We did have to use the Rapid Response Car due to a call of nature, infact we ended up ferrying most of the production team including Konnie to my workplace to use the toilets but that's another story?

With everyone in place and the Helicopter on standby (Well hovering some 100 ft above) the last thing to do was for the two Rapid Response Cars and joining a Fire Engine, drive at speed towards the masses of people already in place, with Blue Lights & Sirens a blazing. Stopping as close as we could to Konnie who would then take us to the final spots to spell out the word 'BLUE'.

All in all it was a fun day albeit cold & windy (But the rain did hold off and the sun shone through) Konnie enjoyed the hospitality and asked loads of questions about what we do and our role.

It may have taken some of us years to get on the show, with Competition entries a plenty & Bring and Buy sales, and you may have to look closely to spot us on the final cut but I am sure everyone will agree it was worth it. So set your Sky+ Box's to record 'Blue Peter' (I got mine on series link so as i dont miss it lol) and watch out for the Boys & Girls who give up there time not only to help save lives in and around Norfolk & Suffolk, but also stand in the middle of an airfield being part of one of the most famous of childrens TV Shows ever.

A massive thanks goes to the Responders from both RAF Honington and RAF Marham for attending and making this venture work.

Stay safe & Enjoy X X

(Oh the Words 'Peter' were ploughed in a field down south somewhere and the Ship was painted onto one of the White Cliffs of Dover)

Justin Smith





Photos Supplied

Blue Peter Shoe Appeal

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