Capability was the theme at Royal Air Force Wittering yesterday (May 1st) as Mayors, Councillors and guests from Stamford, Bourne and Market Deeping visited the historic Station.
Image by: Cpl Paul Robertshaw
Around forty guests from the nearby town councils and public bodies came to RAF Wittering to meet the expeditionary engineering and logistics squadrons of the A4 Force and the Station’s flying squadrons. To sustain strong bonds with the community, Royal Air Force Stations frequently invite officials from local government.
Group Captain Tony Keeling is the Station Commander at RAF Wittering, he said: “This Station is a major presence in the area. Our people live in Stamford, Bourne and Market Deeping; they spend their salaries in the shops and educate their children in locally, so we have to understand one another.”
First up was a visit to the headquarters of No 3 Mobile Catering Squadron, where the A4 Force units had set up a series of displays. Here the guests were shown how RAF Wittering’s specialist capabilities fit into the Royal Air Force and support air operations around the world. A few chose to get to grips with one of the robots used by 5131 Bomb Disposal Squadron, including the Mayor of Stamford himself.
Image by: Cpl Paul Robertshaw
Councillor Tony Story is the Mayor of Stamford and a former RAF Photographer. He said: “It’s all very well knowing that a Royal Air Force Station is there, but you have to meet the people and see what they do if you want to understand it properly. It’s been wonderful today and a real insight.”
After lunch Group Captain Keeling presented Cllr Story and Mrs Story with a certificate and plate, commissioned to mark the enduring relationship between Stamford and RAF Wittering. Cllr Story is well known at the Station and was once a photographer here at the rank of Sergeant.
Image by: Cpl Paul Robertshaw
Today Grob Tutor aircraft, in which tomorrow’s RAF pilots receive their first flying training, are a familiar sight in the south-Lincolnshire skies. After lunch the visitors were taken to the Campbell Building, where Royal Air Force Wittering’s flying squadrons are headquartered and were given briefings by Wing Commander Nick Maxey and Flying Officer Andy White.
Image by: Cpl Paul Robertshaw
Councillor Mrs Pauline Redshaw is the Mayor of Market Deeping. She was impressed and felt the schools in Deeping could benefit too and said: “It’s been very good and we’ve learnt quite a lot, I had no idea you did so much. It’s made me wish that RAF Wittering would come to visit the schools in Deeping.”
2018 is going to be busy year for RAF Wittering. It is the hundredth anniversary of the Royal Air Force and, in addition to its core duties, the Station will parade through Stamford and Leicester in the coming weeks and support RAF100 events here and around the country.
Group Captain Tony Keeling concluded: “Today’s been a real success. Reaching out to our neighbours with an opportunity to see what we do is the basis for meaningful two-way communication. We have a solid relationship with our nearby towns and hopefully we’ve brought what we do to life for them.”
