2431 Keighley Squadron

🏆BADGES!! 🏆

✈️🎯 Congratulations to our cadets who have recently been awarded their Blue wings and Blue Shooting badges!

These badges reflect their hard work, dedication, and commitment to developing new skills you can only get with the Air Cadets! We are incredibly proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing what they accomplish next.

👏 Well done everyone!

Last Monday, cadets from 2431 Keighley Air Cadets had the fantastic opportunity to visit the Police Museum in Bradford. 🚓

The visit gave our cadets an insight into the history of policing in West Yorkshire, including historic artefacts, old police vehicles, uniforms, and fascinating stories from the past. It was both educational and enjoyable, and the cadets represented the squadron brilliantly throughout the evening.

A huge thank you to the staff and volunteers at the museum for making us feel so welcome and for sharing their knowledge with us.

Team2431

Just in case you missed it …..

📣Calling all Parents, Carers, and Friends of 2431 (Keighley) Squadron📣

Our Squadron relies on its Civilian Committee (CivCom), and with only two current members, we now urgently need more volunteers to keep the Committee running effectively. The Committee cannot continue in its current format - put simply there must be a Committee or there will be no Squadron.

What is the CivCon?
They are a volunteer group of parents and community members who acts as the Trustee body for the Squadron. They manage non-public funds, handle fundraising, and support Squadron activities.

The CivCom’s key responsibilities are:

💰To fund raise so that the Committee can then help fund trips, camps, and equipment.

🏦 To act as Trustees and assist the Treasurer to oversee the Squadron's bank accounts, grants, and assets.

✏️ To support the Officer Commanding the Squadron to ensure the best interests of the cadets are met.

Who can join?

✅Anyone who is the parent or carer for a child at the Squadron - no previous experience or specific skills are required.
✅ Former Cadets/Staff who want to give something back to the organisation without committing to attended parade nights.
✅ Interested community members who are willing to support the Squadrons goals and give a few hours a week.

Why we need you now?
We currently have only a Chair/Secretary and a Treasurer. We need at least three committee members to cover essential roles, plus additional volunteers to help with fundraising and other tasks. Your support will make a real difference to the opportunities we can offer our young people.

Time commitment
The time commitment is minimal. We meet in person only few times per year (during Squadron parade nights), with the rest of the communication handled through WhatsApp and email.

If you’d like to help or want to know more, please get in touch via email at : [email protected]
[email protected]

📣Calling all Parents, Carers, and Friends of 2431 (Keighley) Squadron📣

Our Squadron relies on its Civilian Committee (CivCom), and with only two current members, we now urgently need more volunteers to keep the Committee running effectively. The Committee cannot continue in its current format - put simply there must be a Committee or there will be no Squadron.

What is the CivCon?
They are a volunteer group of parents and community members who acts as the Trustee body for the Squadron. They manage non-public funds, handle fundraising, and support Squadron activities.

The CivCom’s key responsibilities are:

💰To fund raise so that the Committee can then help fund trips, camps, and equipment.

🏦 To act as Trustees and assist the Treasurer to oversee the Squadron's bank accounts, grants, and assets.

✏️ To support the Officer Commanding the Squadron to ensure the best interests of the cadets are met.

Who can join?

✅Anyone who is the parent or carer for a child at the Squadron - no previous experience or specific skills are required.
✅ Former Cadets/Staff who want to give something back to the organisation without committing to attended parade nights.
✅ Interested community members who are willing to support the Squadrons goals and give a few hours a week.

Why we need you now?
We currently have only a Chair/Secretary and a Treasurer. We need at least three committee members to cover essential roles, plus additional volunteers to help with fundraising and other tasks. Your support will make a real difference to the opportunities we can offer our young people.

Time commitment
The time commitment is minimal. We meet in person only few times per year (during Squadron parade nights), with the rest of the communication handled through WhatsApp and email.

If you’d like to help or want to know more, please get in touch via email at : [email protected]
[email protected]

The RAFA V50 Challenge is back for 2026! 💪

Last year, our cadets gave their time and energy to support this amazing cause—and we’re proud to be doing it all again this year!

In just ONE day, our cadets will take on the challenge of rowing, running, cycling, or skiing a total of 50 miles! 🚴‍♂️🏃‍♀️🚣‍♂️

They’re doing it all in support of the incredible Royal Air Forces Association, a charity that provides vital support to serving RAF personnel, veterans, and their families.

We’d be so grateful for any donation you can give to support our cadets and this fantastic cause. Every contribution makes a difference ❤️

👉 https://www.justgiving.com/page/keighley-squadron-5?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

Tonight, 2431 Keighley RAFAC cadets had the fantastic opportunity to visit their local fire station 🚒

During the visit, cadets learned more about the vital work firefighters do to keep our communities safe, got a closer look at the equipment, and gained valuable insight into fire safety and emergency response.

They also somehow managed to have a load of fun along the way — who knew learning could be this enjoyable? 😄

A big thank you to the crew for taking the time to share their knowledge and experiences — it was an engaging and inspiring visit for everyone involved!

On Sunday, cadets from across the wing came together in Ripon to celebrate the 85th Anniversary of the RAFAC ✈️

With over 600 cadets in attendance, it was an incredible day filled with pride, teamwork, and unforgettable moments.

A huge thank you to all staff and cadets who made the day so special — your effort and dedication truly made it one to remember 👏

2431 (Keighley) Squadron Annual Dinner 2026

Recently we held our Squadron Annual Dinner, bringing together cadets, staff, committee members and honoured guests to celebrate another fantastic year for 2431 Squadron. It was a great evening recognising the hard work, commitment and achievements of our cadets over the past 12 months.

During the evening, the Officer Commanding Flt Gilert reflected on what has been a very busy year for the squadron. Cadets have taken part in a wide range of activities including fieldcraft training, leadership courses, flying and aviation studies, sports, community events and camps across the UK. From supporting local events such as the Brontë Village Gathering and Armed Forces Day, to attending camps at RAF stations including Leeming, Spadeadam and Lossiemouth, our cadets have represented the squadron with pride.

The evening also recognised individual achievements through our annual awards:

🏆 Best Sporting Achievement – The RAFA V50 Team: CWO Booth, F/Sgt Cusdin, Sgt Dunn, Cpl Colman, Cpl Rawnsley, Cadet Forsyth and Cadet Hargreaves
🏆 Best Drill & Discipline – Cpl Colman
🏆 Best Endeavour – Cadet Wyre
🏆 Best NCO – Cpl Rawnsley
🏆 Best Cadet – Cadet Wilkins

We also recognised the invaluable support of our volunteers. Mrs Kay Fern received a Certificate of Service for six years on the Civilian Committee, and Mollie Wadsworth was presented with a Certificate of Appointment as a Civilian Instructor after previously serving seven years as a cadet with the squadron.

Promotions are always a highlight of the evening and reflect the dedication and leadership shown by our cadets. Congratulations to:

⭐ Promoted to Corporal – Cadet Tretton, Cadet Turner and Cadet Hargreaves
⭐ Promoted to Flight Sergeant – Sgt Dunn and Sgt Harrison

We were also proud to recognise recent staff promotions:
⭐ Sgt Gilert following success at the Wing Promotion Board
⭐ Acting Pilot Officer Brook following success at the Regional Promotion Board

A huge thank you goes to everyone who made the evening possible, including our guests, staff team, Civilian Committee and CI Booth for organising the event.

Most importantly, thank you to our cadets. Your enthusiasm, effort and commitment are what make 2431 Squadron such a fantastic organisation to be part of. We look forward to another exciting year ahead.