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20
November 2009
Top
Guns teach young guns to reach for star
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An
aerobatic display team from Northamptonshire hosted an open day at Sywell
Aerodrome as part of Global
Enterprise
Week, which aims to inspire school children to achieve their full
potential.
Schoolchildren at the controls of a Robin R22CE (photo
by Steven Prouse) |
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The Blades, who consist of four of the
country's most respected formation aerobatic pilots, organised a series of
activities yesterday, including a briefing on the aircraft, motivational
speeches and the chance to dress up Top Gun-style in all the equipment the team
wears to fly.
There was also an opportunity for the children, who were from
Moulton School,
Overstone Primary School
and Raeburn
School, to sit down and talk to the pilots to find out how they made their dreams come
true.
Helen Nelson, enterprise co-ordinator at Moulton School, said: "The pupils and staff had an amazing time. All day pupils were
coming up to me and saying what a great day they had had."
It is the second year in a row that The Blades have been involved in the Global
Enterprise Week and Myles Garland, Blade 1 and ex- Red Arrows member, said the
team was delighted to be participating in the event again.
He said: "We are just ordinary people who have worked hard to achieve our
goals. By spending some time with us I hope the children will leave with the
belief that with hard work and dedication anything is possible."
The Blades all served as front-line fast jet and Red Arrow pilots in the Royal
Air Force, and they have displayed at some prestigious events including birthday
celebrations for the Queen at Balmoral, the Beckhams' pre-World Cup party and
the British Grand Prix.
The aerobatic team also invited the children to visit the
Brooklands
Flying
School
and sit in the Sloane helicopters that are kept at Sywell Aerodrome.
Audio interview on BBC
Radio Northampton
Capt. Stewart Luck
explains to Joe Pignatiello what the benefits for youngsters are, and why he gives up his spare time to help young people in this way.
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