Flt Lt Paul Beardwood RAFVR(T)

A former Commanding Officer of 1846 Southall Squadron, was appointed to command in 1992 when the squadron was parading in its original Spooner Huts at the back of Southall T.A centre with 3 cadets attending on each parade night.

Over the 12 – 14 years during his command the Squadron Headquarters was rebuilt and re-sighted within the compound. With determination and many school recruiting drives in the surrounding areas, the squadron cadet attendance quickly exceeded 30 to 40 cadets each parade night something the three former Commanding Officers had not achieved over the previous five years.

The squadron achieve status by attending every Middlesex Wing cadet event, so the cadets got to know the staff that managed Middlesex Wing and the staff got to know the cadets of 1846 Southall Squadron, participation by all the cadets was the name of the game and that’s what made 1846 Squadron the pride of Southall.

Major sponsorship was solicited by constant negotiation with large companies to provide resources for cadets from a range of backgrounds.

The companies stretched from British Airways, Braitrim Plc, SGI Ltd, The Princes Trust, Aegis Group Plc, McVities, Capital Communications, Geyford’s Mercedes, J.R Tiles, Harvey Smith Entertainments and of course THE PRESIDENTS CLUB.

Who between them raised £ 27,000.00 over 4 years to purchase the squadron’s first and brand new seventeen seat minibus. The 1846 squadron minibus is still operating providing an excellent service to the squadron and the Wing as a whole.

Having spent 35 years with Middlesex Wing, starting at 398 Staines and Egham Squadron as a cadet in 1969 and then moving on to 862 Sunbury Squadron as a Cadet Warrant Officer. Flt Lt Paul Beardwood was appointed Adult Warrant Officer and then commissioned at the age of 23, he became the youngest Flight Lieutenant in Middlesex Wing, just eighteen months later, being appointed to Wing Staff as Wing Adventure Training Officer, Succeeding Flt Lt Mike Judd.

Paul Spent twelve plus years managing Adventure Training and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for the Wing, Army camps such as, Vauxhall Camp Monmouth, Cwm Gwdi and Crickhowell in Wales, Leek camp in Buxton, Penhale in Devon and Browndown Camp outside Gosport. After his long tour of duty with adventure training, he was then appointed Commanding officer of 1846 Southall squadron. The culmination of his hard work resulted in receiving The Commandant’s Certificate of Outstanding Service.

Flt Lt Paul Beardwood has now moved to Thames Valley Wing to command, 2211 Bracknell Squadron ATC. This is an active squadron participating in all Wing activities with forward thinking, technological expertise and a dedicated staff. You can find 2211 Bracknell Squadron ATC on the site of the old RAF staff college; it was from this unit that BROWNDOWN 2007 concept was born. Flt Lt Beardwood, is now working on joint Inter Wing co operation bringing the values and the facilities of the Air Training Corps across multiple squadrons of London & South East Region and South West Region

The mission

TO SHARE - TO COMMUNICATE - TO GROW

Generating greater communication and bringing a crossover of resources and manpower to benefit, “The Air Cadet” on the ground.

An ongoing example of this was the joining of forces with Middlesex Wing, Dorset and Wilts Wing to run a special adventure training camp at Browndown , Pirbright and Chickrell where over 200 cadets can attend from the different wings. It is reassuring that this momentum has now spread to Yorkshire Wing. Hopefully, their attendance will increase the continuity value in over all training within the Corps and will add value to theses camps.

2012 Olympic year will see the organisation spreading its wings to incorporate two separate camps, unlike 2011, where each camp competed for location and activity, it has been decided to run a corps training camp offering: First class training, Junior and Senior NCO courses, shooting courses and WHT training, band training as well as Heartstart, First Aid, Radio and Drill.

In conjunction there will also be a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition for Bronze and Silver level candidates.

This would kick start and initiate the momentum to achieve the status of “The Perfect Ten Cadet”, giving “the cadet” vision and aspiration.

Invitations will go to Middlesex, Dorset & Wilts, Kent and Yorkshire wings to join this spectacular event Pirbright Olympia will run from Saturday 11^th – Saturday 18^th August for the training camp and from Saturday 18^th - Tuesday 28^th August 2012 for the main activity camp.

Across the Wing and Region this project is set to underline the Corps values and promote total cross fertilisation of ideas. It also delivers value for money training and completes the individual cadets’ expectation of a combined annual and greens camp, in one programme.