crossbow capability - marham matters online€¦ · visit: issue 4, 2011 £f ree inside: op ellamy...

Visit: www.marhammattersonline.co.uk

ISSUE 4, 2011 £Free

InSIdE: op ellamy update • Xiii sqn Final Flight • recognition For employers oF norFolk reserVists • plus much more…

t h e o F F i c i a l m a g a Z i n e o F r a F m a r h a m

eXercise GREEN

FLAG

record Breaking

Hot AiR BALLooN

challengeride FoR RAFA

crossBowCAPABiLitY

at raF marham

the RoYAL BRitisH LEGioN RidERs BRANCH ride to raF marham

contents issuE 4, 2011

issue 4 MARHAM MATTERS �

The Surgery, Marham • Manor Farm Medical Centre, Swaffham • Plowright Medical Centre, Swaffham • The Surgery, Swaffham • Howdale Surgery, Downham Market • Hollies Veterinary Clinic, Downham Market • The Crossings Veterinary Clinic, Downham Market • The Grove Veterinary Surgery, Swaffham • Priory Centre, Downham Market • Lynn News, King’s Lynn • St Martin’s at Shouldham VA Primary School • Marham Infant School • Marham Junior School • Downham Market High School • Hamonds High School, Swaffham • Town Halls in Downham Market, Kings Lynn and Swaffham • BAE, Warton • Armed Forces Careers Office in Norwich, Cambridge and Peterborough • Royal Air Force Association in Downham Market • Downham Market Air Cadets • All other RAF bases

stoCkists

editorAlison Smith

Ext: 7332

Email: MRM-BSWAMCO@

marham.raf.mod.uk

suB-editorClare Smith / Sarah Leggett

Ext: 6739 / 7004

Email: MRM-BSWMCOA1@

marham.raf.mod.uk

MRM-BSWMCOA2@

marham.raf.mod.uk

MRM-BSWMCOgroup@

marham.raf.mod.uk

raF marham weB pagewww.raf.mod.uk/rafmarham/

puBlishedLance Publishing Ltd

1st Floor Tailby House

Bath Road, Kettering, NN16 8NL

Tel: (01536) 512624

Fax: (01536) 515481

Email: [email protected]

Visit: www.lancepublishing.co.uk

designedChris Keller


adVertising salesJayne Bailey

Lance Publishing Ltd

Tel: (01536) 526677


printedLance Print Ltd

Tel: (01332) 221440

LancepublishingPart of the Lance Publishing Group

LanceprintPart of the Lance Publishing Group

EditoRiAL tEAm

The views expressed by the contributors to the Marham Matters are not necessarily those of the Editor, MoD, RAF or the publishers and do not reflect Station policy. All precautions are taken to ensure accuracy. Advertisements are accepted on the understanding that they conform to the British Code of Advertising Practice. This magazine is published by kind permission of the Station Commander.

dEAdLiNE dAtE tuesday 10th may 2011, please submit all entries for issue 5 by no later than the date stated.

iNsidE

4 Exercise GREEN FLAG

5 Force Development Sqn Courses for May

7 Record Breaking Hot Air Balloon Challenge

8 Air Cadets Put Marham on the Map

8 The Rainbow Centre at RAF Marham

10 Op ELLAMY Update

10The Royal British Legion Riders Branch Ride to RAF Marham

11 XIII Sqn Final Flight

14 Community Support Sqn

16 RAF Marham Cinema

17 Smoke Alarms

18 Ride for RAFA

19 Storybook Wings

19 RAF Marham Bulls Rugby Football Club

21 CROSSBOW Capability at RAF Marham

22Recognition for Employers of Norfolk Reservists

23 Crime Reduction: Advice from the RAF Police Flight

24RAF Marham Combines Two National Weeks to Benefit Our Community

Front coVer photo BySAC Ellie Insley

21

4

From the EditoRs


Welcome to this month’s issue of Marham Matters.

With spring in

the air, the

days getting

longer and the

temperature getting warmer, we

can all start looking forward to

the summer months and many

of the summer activities that are

on offer. We’ll help to keep you

updated with events, so don’t

forget to keep a close eye on

future editions.

In this month’s edition we

give you an update on ‘Op

ELLAMY’, we hear how RAF

Marham’s Flt Lt Fopp took part

in a record breaking Hot Air

Balloon Challenge and give you

an exciting update on Friends and

Families Day 2011. We also share

a fun day that the Rainbow Centre

recently held for the children

and parents who attend there,

and the day that 130 members of

the Royal British Legion Riders

Branch rode to RAF Marham

to present a cheque for the

staggering amount of £150,000

for the Poppy Appeal!

We hope that you enjoy

reading this month’s edition

and please keep all of your

great stories and details of

events coming in, to continue

to make the magazine varied

and interesting. We always

look forward to receiving your

articles and really appreciate your

comments and ideas.

Don’t forget Marham

Matters is now online at www.

marhammattersonline.co.uk.

7

Force deVelopment squAdRoNCourses for May 2011

To book a place please

Email Louise Blake. Please

visit our website for our full

range of courses. FDS can

be found on the Marhamnet

home page under “Misc”.

Jnco & airmens leadership course two day course4th & 5th may• Introduce delegates to the

principles of leadership

and team work

• Raise awareness of

the importance of

understanding what

motivates individuals

and teams

• Explore and increase

understanding of effective

communication

nlp intro 26th may

• Establish rapport

• Build /maintain

self-confidence

• Influence and persuade

• Enhance communication

skills

inFluencing Beyond authority 4th may

• Understand the concept of

negotiating and influencing

and be able to negotiate

a win win situation.

• Identify behaviours, their

effects and the situations

in which they are most

relevant and powerful.

PART OF THE ILM SCHEME

sJar writing 5th may

• Identify key skills

needed to conduct an

effective appraisal

• Use narrative tool kit to write

SJARs effectively

PART OF THE ILM SCHEME

the mind oF the BelieVer 5th may

This presentation attempts

to gain an understanding

of people and cultures that

hold a very different world

view to that predominant in

secular western countries.

This presentation may be

useful to anybody about to

deploy to the Middle East

and also for anybody who

is interested to discover

more about the religious

outlook of the three great

monotheistic faiths.

0930-1200 ST ANDREWS CHURCH

assertiVeness 10th may

• Understand behavioural

patterns

• Handle challenging

situations

• Differentiate between

assertiveness and anger

on the JoB training instructional techniques (oJtit) 12th may

By the end of this course

you will be able to:

• Analyse a skill appropriate

to your trade or branch

• Carry out a structured

training session

wo & snco leadership course 24th & 25th may

To refresh delegates’

understanding of the

principles of leadership,

management and team

working, by exploring

what comprises a high

performing team and

their role in sustaining

such a team.

4 MARHAM MATTERS issue 4

eXercise green Flag

Visit: www.marhammattersonline.co.ukissue 4 MARHAM MATTERS 5


Fds courses For may 2011

Ten days ago I was a

student on a training

course; now here I

am as part of a front

line fast jet squadron, on a

heavy weapons Detachment.

The familiarity of the GR4

Operational Conversion Unit at

RAF Lossiemouth seems very

far away. The apprehension

I feel seems balanced by the

excitement at the potential

of what lies ahead. More

experienced squadron members

are asking questions about things

I hadn’t even considered, and the

look of concentration on their

faces is doing nothing to ease

my concern! It is clear that this

is no longer the training world

- everyone is treated as an equal

and is expected to pull their

weight. As the Junior Weapons

Systems Officer, and most junior

member of the Squadron, it

becomes evident that I won’t

have long to get up to speed in

order to contribute sufficiently to

the running of the Detachment.

A lot of weekend reading lies

ahead before the flying begins...

Day two of the exercise and

it’s my turn: I was programmed

Sitting in the main briefing room for the initial exercise briefings it all begins to sink in – I am participating in Exercise GREEN FLAG; a pre-deployment training exercise prior to 31 Squadron deploying to Afghanistan in support of Operation HERRICK.

as part of a pair to drop live

Paveway IV weapons in the

nearby range. This is my second

trip on 31 Squadron and I am

dropping live weapons! I soon

begin to realise that things happen

extremely quickly on the front

line and you need to keep up.

The programmed crews consist

of two fairly experienced pilots

with two relatively inexperienced

WSOs, the other WSO being

someone that I went through the

initial stages of training with! The

planning stage is unexpectedly

simple due to the proximity of the

imperative that we know the bomb

is in the correct condition before

we take it flying. Once airborne

I am thankful to be number 2

within the formation as it allows

me slightly more capacity to

concentrate on what I need to do

without needing to control the

formation en-route to the weapons

range. Once established in the

range, I watch as our formation

leader carries out the first attack

just as we briefed. I watch on my

Litening III targeting pod as the

bomb impacts the target – now

the pressure is on me to do the

same! We run through the work

cycle pedantically, exactly how we

briefed, keeping the chat between

us to a minimum. I tell the pilot

I am happy with my targeting

processes and I am happy for him

to release the weapon. There is a

very distinct ‘clunk’ as the bomb

leaves the jet and we tell our

controller that we have released

the weapon. I watch the picture

of the target provided by my

targeting pod and monitor the

‘Time to Impact’ indication.

As the numbers count -down I

begin to hope that, as the timer

reaches zero, something will

happen on the screen. Then, 1

second earlier than indicated,

the armoured vehicle that was

once there is replaced by a cloud

of dust and destruction. As we

carry out the post-target checks

we receive a call of, ‘Good Bomb

Good Bomb’, from the ground

controller. There is certainly

a sense of elation within the

jet as, after many months of

intensive training, I have made

my first drop of a live weapon.

Back on the ground I now

completely understand why we

have travelled all of the way to

Las Vegas for Exercise GREEN

FLAG. The terrain and vast

area make it a perfect place for

this type of weapons training.

My confidence in the weapon

and my ability to employ it

has grown immeasurably. The

training benefit of this one sortie

alone has given me more than

a simulated weapons sortie

ever could. I look ahead at the

remainder of the exercise with

more confidence and a new

motivation with the experience

of my first live bomb behind me.

weapons range, the restrictions

placed on us whilst carrying live

weapons, and the nature of Close

Air Support. However, during the

brief I find myself concentrating

harder than I have in a long time.

There is a lot to take in and I am

determined to be absolutely

certain about the required

processes at every stage of the

weaponeering. During the eight

month GR4 conversion course

at Lossiemouth I had operated

using simulated weapons dozens

of times, but actually having a

live Paveway IV attached to the

bottom of the jet significantly

changed the way I thought about

the sortie! That being said, leaving

the brief I was happy I knew what

was required of me in the air.

The Paveway IV is an extremely

advanced and effective bomb

and I was about to get the chance

to see what it could do! My pilot

and I meticulously go through the

flight reference cards to check

the condition of the bomb. It is

eXercise

GREEN FLAG

Fifty one hot air

balloons from across

the UK and Europe

flew across the English

Channel from Lydden Hill

Race Circuit in Kent, creating

a fantastic visual spectacle

including a 61 foot tall, smoke

breathing dragon shaped

balloon together with the RAF

Halton Balloon.

The Halton Balloon ably

piloted by Flight Lieutenant

Chris Fopp from RAF Marham,

together with Wing Commander

(Retired) Tony Attwood and

Flight Sergeant Gareth Bufton

of ACS RAF Halton, were in

the basket taking off at 7.00am

on the 7th April 2011 for the 1

hour 40 minute flight. Having

successfully cleared the

Channel the next objective

was for all balloons to attempt

record Breaking Hot AiR BALLooN challengeThe RAF Halton Hot Air Balloon was amongst a record-breaking group of balloons that took flight across the English Channel on the 7th April 2011.

to land as close to or on Calais

Airfield. After an epic journey

the RAF Halton balloon made a

perfect approach to the airfield

and finally came to rest adjacent

to the Air Traffic Control building.

The Halton team were welcomed

to French soil by the airfields

Manager and Firecrew who were

somewhat bemused to have just

five of the 50 balloons land within

the airfield. Supporting the Halton

Balloon in the retrieve vehicle

were Brian Deans and Andy Laws

(Associate Members) who having

seen the RAF liveried Lindstrand

balloon drift serenely away over

the Kent countryside headed for

Dover to catch the ferry to Calais.

The weather conditions

were perfect, there was not

a cloud in the sky and all the

crews assembled at Lydden Hill

pre dawn to start preparations

were filled with a real sense

of excitement. Tony Attwood

(Pilot RAF Halton Balloon)

commented that “To be part of

this record attempt will live with

me for a very long time”. Tony

an accomplished balloonist and

founder member of the RAF

Halton Balloon Club has taken part

in numerous events ranging from

flying across London to flying

at height in the Austrian Alps.

Steve Richards event organiser

described the take off ‘it went

from peaceful still spring early

morning daybreak to a cacophony

of noise, action and colour’, as the

balloons lifted off into the skies

above the Kent countryside.

After the successful crossing

balloonists were popping

champagne corks at the prospect

of setting a new record. Later

WriTTEn By: FS Gareth Bufton on at the event presentation,

Mr Richards confirmed the

record had been verified

by the ‘Guinness World

Records’ organisation as a

new record for the number of

balloons crossing the channel

– previous record 35 balloons

– new record 50 balloons.

All members of the Halton

team were feeling suitably

proud to be one of potentially

300 people that have flown the

channel in the oldest form of

aviation and being part of the

new record.

6 MARHAM MATTERS issue 4Visit: www.marhammattersonline.co.uk

hot air Balloon challenge

issue 4 MARHAM MATTERS �Visit: www.marhammattersonline.co.uk

Here at The Winch we are a family run bar and restaurant that believe in good value and high quality, where there will always be a warm, friendly welcome to regular and new customers

alike as well as accompanied children of all ages. Come along and experience the uniqueness The Winch has to offer and allow your taste buds to be tantalized by our delicious and equally exciting menus both in the restaurant and in the bar. The service in our restaurant is discreet yet highly attentive with a warm welcome given to all guests, all dishes are prepared using only locally sourced ingredients and although The Winch has traditionally been a Carvery restaurant and this tradition continues, we do recognise that you may want something a little different so our exciting, varied menu is designed to offer something for everyone. While food is at the heart of all we do here at The Winch, let’s not forget the bar, unwind, relax and enjoy our extensive range of fine wines, spirits, traditional real ales, draught lagers, and fresh coffee. If you are looking for the ideal location to celebrate a special occasion, our restaurant is available for private hire.

Welcome To THE WINCH01553 782952 70 Main Rd, West Winch, Kings Lynn, PE33 0LY

StartersChef’s Homemade Soup ..................................£3.50

Crayfish Cocktail, Cucumber & Chive Creme Fraiche .....................................£3.95

Chicken Liver Pate, Red onion marmalade & melba toast ..................................................£4.25

Goats Cheese and roasted pepper salad .............£4.50

Mozzarella & Tomato Salad with basil pesto .........£4.75

Main Courses Steak & Ale Pudding ........................................£9.45in suet casing with rich gravy and fresh seasonal vegetables

Norfolk Lamb Cutlets ......................................£10.45served with potatoes and fresh seasonal vegetables

Fish in Beer Batter ............................................£8.95chips and mushy peas

Grilled Rib Eye Steak ......................................£12.95field mushrooms, tomato and chunky chips

100% Beef Burger ..........................................£8.95in sesame bun, served with chunky chips

Ribs in our Smoky barbecue sauce ..................£10.45served with jacket potato and fresh green saladClassic Lasagne ...............................................£8.95

Sweet Pepper and Goats Cheese Tart .................£9.95served with jacket potato and fresh green salad

Carvery (Under 5’s eat free with one full paying adult main course)

Choice of Roasted Meats with fresh local vegetables ......................................................£8.95Childrens Carvery with fresh local vegetables .......£4.95

Childrens Menu Homemade Chicken Wraps ...............................£3.50with fresh green salad

Mini Cheese & Tomato Pizzas ............................£3.25

Homemade 6oz Beefburger ..............................£3.75with fresh salad and chips

Desserts A selection of desserts, all at £3.95

Light Bar MealsHome Cooked Honey Roast Ham, Egg & Chips ..£7.95

Jacket Potato (Beans & Cheese or Tuna Mayonnaise)...............£6.95with fresh green side salad

Traditional Stilton, Cheddar or Ham Ploughmans ..£8.95

BLT in a fresh roll .............................................£6.95

Minute Steak Sandwich ....................................£7.95

Chicken Fajitas .................................................£7.95

10% discount to all RAF personnel

on production of ID card

� MARHAM MATTERS issue 4Visit: www.marhammattersonline.co.uk

issue 4 MARHAM MATTERS �Visit: www.marhammattersonline.co.uk

air cadets put marham on the map

They recently took part

in a weekend course

at Marham to prepare

them for their ‘First

Class Cadet’ assessment

and Duke of Edinburgh’s

Award expeditions.

Saturday was spent at the

Youth Activities Centre (YAC)

on the theory of navigation,

during which they learned how

to read Ordnance Survey maps

and use a compass to navigate.

They also had to draw a scale

map of the YAC compound.

On the next day, they

donned their walking boots

and rucksacks for a 15km

navigation exercise across

Marham Fen, along the

Nar Valley Way, through

Shouldham Warren,

Shouldham village and back

across the fields to Marham.

Cadets from 864 (Marham) DF Air Training Corps are now fully trained in map reading and navigation.

Cadet Aaron Bannell

(13) said: “It was tiring but

worth it. I now feel a lot more

confident reading maps”

Commanding Officer

Flight Lieutenant Tony Hall

said: “They all did very well

and were only ‘temporarily

uncertain of their position’

on one occasion but soon

got back on the right track.”

Marham Air Cadets are

now recruiting boys

and girls between the

ages of 13 and 16 from

around the Marham

area. If you wish to

give it a try, please

contact TOny HALL on

07900 518153 or send

an Email to: oc.864df@

aircadets.org.

PiCTurEd: Compass: Cadets get to grips with using a compass

at the Youth activities Centre.

air cadets Put mARHAm oN tHE mAP

The children and their

parents were able

to participate in a

Treasure Hunt, Messy

Play Activities, Gardening

and much more. The highlight

of the event was the session

of Bollywood and Bangra

dancing, hosted by Mrs

Harjinder Tina Vallance, where

the children, and parents,

were given the chance to use

their physical skills through

music and movement.

The Rainbow Centre at RAF Marham recently held an events day where the parents were invited in to share some ‘fun’ with their children.

the RAiNBow CENtRE at raF marham

Rainbow’s Centre Manager,

Dee Gent said “Today was

about promoting the 6 areas

of the Early Years Foundation

Stage (EFYS) through a varied

range of vibrant, exciting

and stimulating activities.

We hope to maximise the

opportunities for parents

to have an insight into how

their children spend their

time at the Rainbow Centre

and develop further our

relationships with them.”

Teddy Bears’ Picnic

Wednesday 8th June 20113.30pm - 5.30pm

All welcome - no chargeSimply call 01603 810390

If you’d like to join us

Our thinking independent school has the warm, friendly atmospherethat ensures pupils reach their full potential

Hethersett Old Hall School, Hethersett,Norwich NR9 3DW

www.hohs.co.uk [email protected] 01603 810390

We invite all goodboys and girls up to age 7 (bigbrothers, sistersand grown-ups arewelcome too!)

...to bring their furry friendto a Teddy Bears’ Picnic.Enjoy fun and games in our woods, grounds andplayground. Bring a picnicand enjoy a fun summer’safternoon.

Come and meet

your Swaffham

Sure Start TeamWe offer exciting activities and information in and around Swaffham including Marham.

For further details please contact us on 01760 721101, email [email protected] or visit our website www.swaffham.childrencentre.org

LITTLE OAKS PRE-SCHOOL AND HOLIDAY CLUB

01366 502150 www.little-oaks-preschool.ik.org

A warm, friendly welcome is waiting for you!

Sessional childcare : Monday to FridayPre-School Manager: Debbie Sammons, 47 Wretton Road, Stoke Ferry,

01366 502150Email: [email protected]

School Term Time: children aged 2 to 5

Holiday clubs for2 - 8 year olds

15 hrs a week funded places for children ages 3 & 4

Places available for Special Educational Needs

Tasty hot meals provided

Three trained staff: NVQ2, NVQ3, BA(Hons)EYPS awarded

OFSTED Inspected

Open 50 weeks a year

Mums and Tots group: Tuesday 1.30-3.00pm

Parent quote: “…it has a great reputation and being able to take our son to a local, well respected

pre-school is fantastic.”

The Royal British Legion

Riders Branch is a

National Branch of the

Royal British Legion

and has nearly 4,000 members

worldwide. This year the Riders

Branch has raised a staggering

amount of just over £150,000

for the Poppy Appeal through

On Saturday 2nd April approximately 130 members of The Royal British Legion Riders Branch rode to RAF Marham to present a cheque to Wing Commander Jim Mulholland, Officer Commanding 31 Sqn.

various sponsored events. The

bikers travelled from all across

the country, meeting up at the

Hollywood Diner in Swaffham

before riding together to RAF

Marham to make the cheque

presentation. Wing Commander

Mulholland joined the bikers for

the final stage as a passenger on

the back of a Honda Goldwing

before accepting the cheque on

behalf of the Royal British Legion.

The money raised will

really help with the work that

the Royal British Legion does

providing welfare to all Armed

Forces – serving, ex-service

and their dependants.

the royal British legion riders

Branch RidE to RAF mARHAm

Static aircraft displays

will also include the

Griffin, Puma and the

RAFB Hot Air Balloon

which will offer static rides!

An evening of

entertainment will follow

starting with the children’s

entertainment from 4.30pm

– 6.30pm, then live band and

further evening entertainment

from 7.30pm – 11.00pm.

Tickets will be available from

As an update to this event, this year’s flying display promises to be an exciting one with air displays performed by the Red Arrows, BBMF (Spitfires and a Dakota), Hawk, Typhoon, Tucano, Stearmans, Focke Wolf 190 and the Tornado GR4 Airfield Attack with Pyrotechnics.

Supporting

Operations

including the 1,000

Bomber Raids in

1942 and the liberation of

Kuwait in 1991, XIII Squadron

celebrates a momentous

and historic service history

with a final flight in May

2011. XIII Squadron Tornado

GR4s will be seen in the

skies over Marham at

1313hrs on 6th May 2011.

Xiii sqn FiNAL FLiGHt

raF marham FRiENds & FAmiLiEs dAY11tH AuGust 2011(THIS IS A PRIvATE EvENT – NOT OPEN TO THE PUbLIC)

The GR4 aircraft is flying

sorties focusing on

Libyan military command

and control facilities and

air defence infrastructure as well

as armed reconnaissance sorties

aiding the objectives of protecting

the civilian population from attacks

by Colonel Gaddafi’s forces.

Currently, 12 of Marham’s

Tornado GR4s are forward

deployed to Italian Air Force Base

Gioia Del Colle. The presence of

the Tornados, together with the

Typhoon fighters, means that the

UK can strike both air and ground

targets as required, ensuring that

we protect civilians in Libya.

The RAF’s commander of

air operations over Libya, Air

Vice-Marshal Greg Bagwell, has

oP ELLAmY updateTornado GR4 aircraft from RAF Marham are currently playing a crucial role in Coalition operations in support of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1973.

reported that, thanks to the efforts

of personnel deployed from

Marham, the Libyan Air Force ‘no

longer exists as a fighting force’.

“We are now applying sustained,

unrelenting pressure on the

Libyan Armed Forces. Their

air force no longer exists as a

fighting force, and its integrated

air defence system and

command and control networks

are severely degraded to the

point that we can operate over

[Libyan] airspace with impunity.

As we continue to enforce

the no-fly zone, we are watching

over the innocent people of

Libya and ensuring that we

protect them from attack.”

Marham based XIII, IX(B) and

II(AC) Squadrons have played

a leading role in the unfolding

conflict, carrying out precision

strikes making use of the GR4’s

state of the art Litening targeting

pods and a variety of low

collateral guided munitions.

Wg Cdr Howie Edwards,

Commanding Officer of XIII

Squadron, told of how air and

ground crews knew they were

racing against time to prevent a

massacre in Libya: “There’s no

doubt genocide was about to

happen in Banghazi. We knew

we needed to get there before

(Gaddafi’s) troops did.”

RAF Marham Station

Commander, Group Captain

Pete ‘Rocky’ Rochelle, praised

the efforts of his personnel and

spoke of the continuing relevance

of the Tornado GR4: “Whilst our

main effort remains Operation

HERRICK, supporting troops on

the ground in Afghanistan, our air

men and women have time and

again demonstrated just how truly

agile, adaptable and capable they

are, responding to and focusing

on the task of Operation ELLAMY.

This once again proves the

relevance and broad range of

contingent capabilities of the

Tornado GR4, having flown

missions of historic distance from

Norfolk: 3000 mile round trips

in support of UNSCR 1973.”

Prime Minister David Cameron

has passed on ‘heartfelt thanks

from the British public’ to RAF

personnel engaged in Libya during

a surprise visit to the Italian air base

at Gioia del Colle last week.

“The whole country should be

proud of what they have done,”

he said. “They have responded

incredibly quickly. They have

flown many sorties. They have

been extremely successful in

holding back Gaddafi’s forces.


op ellamy update


Xiii sqn Final Flight

issue 4 MARHAM MATTERS 11Visit: www.marhammattersonline.co.uk

Don’t forget you can keep

up with all of the latest

information regarding this

event on the RAF Marham

website located at: www.raf.

mod.uk/rafmarham/events.

May 2011 and can be obtained

from the Wing Registries, The

Community Support Hub and

from Passes and Permits.

Sqn Ldr Darren Henry

oC Css

01760 337261 Ext: 7235

Rita Broomfield

Community Development

officer

01760 337261 Ext: 7884

or 07899 908372

Stevie Lewis

HIVE Information officer

01760 446121 or

01760 337261 Ext: 7425

Jane Murdoch

Community support

admin assistant

01760 446136 or

on base 95951 6136

Email: adminspt@

btconnect.com

Flt Sgt Terry Norman

station Community

support officer

01760 446052,

on base 95951 6052

Email: scsorafmarham@

btconnect.com

Erica Reynolds

Youth Worker

01760 446378 Ext: 6378

or 07931 997797

Safer Neighbourhood Team

Watlington

08545 456 4567

MODern Housing

Solutions (MHS)

Help Desk

0800 707 6000 Option 4

HIC (Housing Information Point)

Help Desk

0800 169 6322 Option 1,

Option 2 (Thetford)

Marham Lodges Bookings

Call into the Community

Support Hub or Contact

01760 446136

SSAFA

Tom smith

01760 44 6051 Ext: 6051 or

Ronna Garrod

01760 44 6900 Ext: 6900

community

suPPoRt squAdRoNcontacts:

This month there is a

whole host of things

to get involved with.

So make sure you pull

out your ‘What’s On’ insert for

more information and details on

how to get involved with these

great activities. Don’t forget

that we are always on the look

out for volunteers so if you see

something that you would like

to support directly or can help

with any of our events please

contact riTA the Community

Development Officer on Ext: 7884.

RAF MARhAM CoMMunity Supp

oRt

Sq

uA

dRo

n t

el: (0

1760)

446 136 Gptn ext: 6136

what’s

oN!spring 2011

Full details and a complete listing of events, please contact the Community Support Hub, RAF Marham Website and MarhamNet.

may 2011SundAy 1ST MAy

Great East Anglia run (GEAR) 12k

Road Race & 1.2 Mile Fun Run.

King’s Lynn Tuesday market place

SundAy 1ST MAy

Morris dancing. Knights Hill

Roundabout Wooton King’s Lynn

SundAy 1ST MAy

May Garland Procession A Real

May Day Event. st margaret’s

Church - Town Centre King’s Lynn

FridAy 6TH MAy

Folk on the Pier. pavilion

Theatre at Cromer

FridAy-SundAy 20TH-22nd MAy

Cromer & Sheringham

Crab Festival

THurSdAy-SundAy

26TH-29TH MAy

Subaru international Horse

Trials. Houghton Hall

What’s on in the local area during May & June 2011:

SundAy-MOndAy 29TH-30TH MAy

Country Weekend. Bircham

Windmill (Sheep Racing,

Dogs, Horses and Crafts)

June 2011SATurdAy 4TH JunE

Cambridge Strawberry Fair

One-day Music Festival

SATurdAy 11TH JunE

Picnic in the Park. Wootons park,

King’s Lynn (Family Fun Day)

SATurdAy-SundAy

11TH-12TH JunE

Cambridge Town & Country

Show. parkers piece, Cambridge

SATurdAy-FridAy

18TH-24TH JunE

Summer Seaside Special.

pavilion Theatre in Cromer

WEdnESdAy 22nd JunE

Cambridge Midsummer Fair.

midsummer Common

SATurdAy-SundAy

25TH-26TH JunE

The Muckleburgh Military

Collection Military WWII Weekend

with camping and WWII re-enactor

and military entertainments

(Discount for Service personnel)

SATurdAy 25TH JunE

Festival Too Weekend Free

Music Festival. King’s Lynn

Tuesday market place

SundAy 26TH JunE

Hunstanton Carnival

SundAy 26TH JunE

Beachamwell Open Gardens,

opens at 12.00, entry fee £3 per

adult, £5 per couple, children

free, parking free. Other

attractions include a band, raffle

and tombola.Ploughman’s lunch

and cream teas available to buy

on the day. all welcome, near

RaF marham, just off the a1122

look forward to seeing you.

THurSdAy-SundAy 26TH-29TH MAy

Subaru international Horse Trials. Houghton Hall


issue 4 MARHAM MATTERS 1�Visit: www.marhammattersonline.co.uk

community support squadron

London Road25 London Road,King’s Lynn,01553 773168

Spring has arrived!Now is the time to bring your

rabbit in for a free health checkMake sure they are safe from Myxomatosis

www.makeyourpetsmile.co.uk

Hollies ClinicParadise Road,Downham Market,01366 386655

London Road Veterinary Centre

Your Local Independent Vets

Mill Barn, Necton, PE37 8EN

01760 721000 / 723178

Baby pages is set in the heart of the Norfolk countryside in converted barns, where you will find a variety of nursery

goods for that very special new addition

Nigel & Colleen offer excellent customer care service as they have always prided

themselves on delivering a first class service.

Stockists of

Free Silver Cross Ventura car seat with any Silver Cross pram purchased.

Offer closes 31/5/11






As you have no

doubt witnessed

there has been

a dramatic rise

in the number of families in

Marham. We understand that

our facilities are coming under

increasing pressure to meet

the needs of all our families

and would like your help to

assess, in the first instance

the current need for our

families taking into account

and supporting the Norfolk

Children’s Plan. In order to

assess this need it would

be very helpful if you would

complete the questionnaire

which can be found on www.

sandringhamcentre.com or if

you prefer pick up a hard copy

from the Community Hub or

your childcare provider.

Eagles Coaches

Bus Service Route 51

downham Market to norwich

service runs 1st and 3rd

Wednesday of the month

• May 4th and 18th 2011

• June 1st and 15th 2011

• July 6th and 20th 2011

Adult Fare: £6 Return

Bus Times from

rAF Marham to norwich:

RAF Marham Main Gate: 0910

Norwich Castle Meadow: 1020

Bus Times from

norwich to rAF Marham:

Norwich Castle

Meadow Stand W: 1330

RAF Marham (Request

stop): 1445

Full timetable available from

the Community support Hub.

Fancy shopping in norwich? Now You CAN

The use of

Service Families

Accommodation for a

business or commercial

activity e.g. internet and home

working, mail order catalogue;

cosmetic representative;

kitchenware sale; registered

child minding etc, is not

generally prohibited but prior

permission must be sought from

the HIC and the Local Service

Commander (via SCSO).

Such activities must not be

prejudicial to the good order of

running a Business / commercial

ACtiVitY FRom sFAthe SFA estate and the general

interest of other occupants.

Business or commercial

undertakings requiring installation

of industrial machinery, storage

of heavy, large, car repairs or

constant visits to the SFA by

members of the public (e.g.

surgery/advice services) are not

permitted and the unauthorised

use of a SFA for such an activity

could lead to compulsory vacation.

Additional advice can be sought

from the SCSO in the Community

Support Hub.

• The name and address of

the owner must be inscribed

on the dog’s collar.

• The Licensee is responsible

for keeping the pet(s)

under control at all times.

• The pet(s) must be

prevented from causing

nuisance, including barking

and fouling footpaths

and public areas.

If a dog fouls at any time

and the person in charge

of the dog fails to clean

up the faeces, they may

be in breach of their

license to have a pet,

dogs are not permitted

in Children’s play areas.

• The owner/Licensee

must comply with the

Dangerous Dogs Act 1991

• The Licensee is to ensure

that pet(s) do not damage the

fabric of the building, spoil

the makeup of the garden

area or cause damage to

perimeter fencing/boarding.

• The Licensee is to notify

Defence Infrastructure

Organisation Housing if

there is any change to the

information provided.

keeping dogs in sERViCE FAmiLiEs ACCommodAtioN

With the increase

in the numbers

of children,

using the

Infants school and Rainbows,

parking has become an issue.

This has caused several

incidents of occupants being

blocked in and being unable

to get to work or to hospital

appointments. The parking

issue now has got to the stage

where the local authority and

police, with the support of

the Station, have agreed that

action needs to be taken.

As of the 1st May 2011,

parking outside the Infant

school, Rainbows and

surrounding roads will be

monitored (for a 6 month

period) and anyone found to be

parking illegally will be warned

of the action which may be

taken if they persist to ignore

the Road Traffic regulations.

Additional parking has been

identified to the rear of the

Infant school, parking in the

Ash Road Garages, access is

via Ash Road. Please do not

block the front of the garages

Please help by parking

correctly, not blocking

the front of drives, drive

with care and allow extra

time for your journey.

PARkiNGinFants school: RAiNBows

The Community Support

Hub have a range of

discounts available for

holidays in the UK and

abroad, just pop in and pick up

your copy of the Forces Discount

holidays oR short BreaksBook. RAFA have holiday chalets

at Hemsby on the Norfolk Coast

which can be booked for a family

break and are reasonably priced.

RAF Neatishead have a

boat on the Broads just north

of Norwich which can be

hired by Service personnel.

Interested then pop

in for more information

and to see what other

holidays are available.

Fancy a trip to ALtoN towERs, LEGoLANd, sEALiFE, this summer? Tickets are available from

Merlin Corporate Discount with

up to 55% discount available at

selected attractions. Contact

the HIVE for further details.

tHE wiNCH a10 west winch Carvery Restaurant offering

10% discount to those serving

at RAF Marham. More

information available from the

Community Support Hub.

latest disCouNts

defence Infrastructure

Organisation Modern

Housing Solutions

(MHS) has been

informed by Service customers

that unsolicited ‘cold call’

individuals who produced SSE

Identity Cards & stated that MHS

had brokered a deal with SSE.

They stated that a 22%

reduction in the bill for energy

cold calls soutHERN & sCottisH ELECtRiC

can be achieved with SSE as

MHS has brokered a special

arrangement for Service

personnel & exclusively with

SSE. They then invited the

SFA tenant to sign a change of

contract form which included

a Direct Debit mandate. MHS

has no such arrangements in

place and is unlikely to ever

make such arrangements.

On Sunday 3rd April

Community Support

hosted the 2011

Deployed Mothering

Sunday Lunch. Eight Mums and

one Grandmother and Granddad

were treated to a wonderful lunch

courtesy of The Olde Windmill

Restaurant at Great Cressingham.

The glorious spring

weather enabled the children

deployed Families motHER’s dAY suNdAY LuNCH

to play in the garden whilst

families were able to meet,

chat and share experiences.

The families had sons,

husbands and daughters

deployed to various locations

such as The Falklands,

Afghanistan and Italy. To be

able to come together and

share this special day with

other families and not to have

to slave in a kitchen or wash up

made it even more fantastic!

We would very much like

to thank Community Support

and the staff of the venue for

providing such a wonderful

event, and also to ‘Home

Alone’ who so very kindly gave

us all a box of chocolates.

who are we?We are a group of over

150 education and welfare

professionals working

collaboratively with members

of the Military community to

encourage and facilitate the

provision of high-quality support

to Service Children and their

families. Our wider membership

now numbers over 500 people.

What are our aims?

• To promote wider understanding

of the specific needs of Service

Children and their families.

• To offer effective support

and advice to professionals

who work with Service

Children and their families.

why?We believe that the specific

needs of Service Children and

The next Occupancy

Consultancy

Group meeting

will be held on

Tuesday 7th June 2011 at

4.00pm at the Chaplaincy

Centre. Please feel free to

come along if you have any

questions or complaints

relating to housing within the

families accommodation.

housingHAVE YouR sAY

childcare suFFiCiENCY Audit

serVice CHiLdRENs NEtwoRk

their families are frequently

overlooked, often for no other

reason than a lack of knowledge

and understanding of the

pressures placed upon them

and the issues they face. This is

perhaps understandable given

the lack of dedicated research

and policy guidance relating to

Service issues within the UK.

However, it is encouraging to

know that across the Country,

pockets of excellent practice

and small-scale research to

support Service Children

and families can be found.

We believe that it is vital

that educational and welfare

professionals be made aware

of the challenges that can arise

as a result of military life and

the potential impacts that they

can have on children and their

educational attainment.

www.servicechildrensupportnetwork.com/index.html

St. Margaret’s & St. Andrew’s

C of E & CSFC Churches

Wednesdays:

12:00 – 12:30 Mid-

week Communion.

Sundays:

10:30 United service

with Sunday School.

C of E Chaplains

Ext: 7225/7101

CSFC Chaplain

Ext: 7991 (Vacant post at present)

Chaplaincy Clerk

Ext: 7550

Daily prayers are said by

the Chaplain throughout

the week. There is a notice

board in St Margaret’s

church where requests for

prayer can be placed.

church serVices HELd iN tHE CHAPLAiNCY CENtRE At RAF mARHAm

The dates for this year’s Summer Ball’s are as follows:

wo & sgts’ mess:Friday 17th June, 2011

oFFicers’ mess:Friday 24th June, 2011

oFFicers’ mess, wo & sgts’ mess summER

BALL

sunday 15th

diAMOnd dOG

CAPEr,

104mins,

A courageous

boy battles

a gang of bumbling thieves to

rescue a dog carrying a fortune in

stolen diamonds.

sunday 22nd

GuLLiVEr’S

TrAVELS,

85mins,

Travel writer

Lemuel Gulliver

takes an assignment in Bermuda,

but ends up on the island of

Liliput, where he towers over its

tiny citizens.

monday 16th

THE KinG’S

SPEECH,

118mins,

The story of King

George VI of

Britain, his impromptu ascension

to the throne and the speech

therapist who helped the unsure

monarch become worthy of it.

monday 23rd

BLACK SWAn

108mins,

A ballet

dancer wins

the lead in

“Swan Lake” and is perfect for

the role of the delicate White

Swan - Princess Odette - but

slowly loses her mind as she

becomes more and more like

Odile, the Black Swan.

HOW TO Find uS… Located

in the Ops Wing, Station Main

Briefing Room shown on the

large screen in a relaxed,

comfortably seated atmosphere.

nO MEMBErSHiP iS rEquirEd.

However, a small donation of £1

per person would be gratefully

received upon entry, to help

maintain this service.

OPEninG TiMES

monday: Doors open at 1900,

film starts at 1930

sunday: Doors open at 1400,

film starts at 1430

your Very LoCAL CiNEmA FiLm GuidE FoR mAY 2011

STATion mAin briefing room

rAf marham

sunday 1st

BAMBi 2,

74mins,

Picking up

shortly after the

original movie’s

end, Bambi follows his father, the

Great Prince, into the forest after his

mother’s death and the Great Prince

must teach the young fawn, and his

friends Thumper, Flower and Owl,

how a deer survives in the forest.

monday 2nd

CLOSEd BAnK

HOLidAy

monday 9th

THE GrEEn

HOrnET,

119mins,

Following

the death of

his father, Britt Reid, heir to his

father’s large company, teams

up with his late dad’s assistant

Kato to become a masked crime

fighting team.

sunday 8th

ArTHur And

THE GrEAT

AdVEnTurE,

93mins,

Arthur answers

a distress call from Princess

Selenia, who is menaced by the

nefarious Maltazard.

sunday 29th

TAnGLEd,

100mins,

The magically

long-haired

Rapunzel has

spent her entire life in a tower,

but now that a runaway thief has

stumbled upon her, she is about

to discover the world for the first

time, and who she really is.

monday 30th

CLOSEd BAnK

HOLidAy



The scenery made

by the brownies

looked fantastic, as

did the costumes

that had been made by the

parents. There was plenty of

singing and dancing and lots

of audience participation – the

‘booty’ shaking by the audience

was very impressive! Each of

the brownies received an award

at the end of the night from

Wing Commander Dharamraj,

OC Base Support Wing, along

with the Entertainers badge

for those that hadn’t already

obtained it. A big thank you to

everyone that helped to make

this such a fantastic event

and to those that came along

to support the brownies.

The 1st RAF Marham Brownies production ‘A Brownie Tale’ was a great success with £116 being raised for their appeal to Sponsor a Child from Sierra Leone.

Simon will be starting

his challenge from RAF

Marham and will finish

at RAF Cranwell, to raise

funds for both the ‘Help for Heroes’

and ‘Cancer Research UK’ charities.

If you would like to sponsor

SiMOn please visit the

following websites. To donate

to the ‘Help for Heroes’ charity

please visit: www.justgiving.

com/simon-spencer4. To

donate to the ‘Cancer Research

UK’ charity please visit:

www.justgiving.com/simon-

spencer3. Thank you.

24hr charity 100km tABLance Corporal Simon Spencer of MPGS at RAF Marham will be undertaking a 24hr Charity 100km Tab fund raising event on 25th May 2011.

raF marham

BRowNiEs


How mANY smokE ALARms do You NEEd?The more alarms you have,

the safer you’ll be - as long

as they are working - so make

sure you test them weekly.

You should have a minimum

of one alarm on each floor.

However, if you have only one

alarm and two floors, put it

somewhere you’ll be able to

hear it when you’re asleep.

If you have a large electrical

appliance, like a computer,

in any of the bedrooms, you

should fit a smoke alarm there

too. You should also make

You are more than twice as likely to die in a fire at home if you haven’t got a working smoke alarm. A smoke alarm is the easiest way to alert you to the danger of fire, giving you time to escape.

sure you test it weekly.

All Married Quarters should

already be fitted with smoke

alarms. If there any issues

with these smoke alarms

Modern Housing Solutions are

to be notified immediately.

mAiNtAiNiNG YouR smokE ALARmTo keep your smoke alarm in

good working order, you should:

• test it once a week, by

pressing the test button

until the alarm sounds

• change the battery

once a year (unless it’s

a ten-year alarm)

• replace the whole unit

every ten years

Please contact RAF Marham

Fire Safety Officer, SGT

SIMON MARSH for further

advice on Ext: 7234.

smoke ALARms

The Crossings Veterinary CentreSaint John’s Way, Downham Market, Norfolk, PE38 0QQ

01366 382219 (24 hours emergency cover)

Professional and Personal• Modern, spacious purpose built premises • All staff and facilities on one

site • Easy access with dedicated parking including disabled spaces • Fully independent • Free consultations with nurses

• Mixture of open surgeries and appointments for your convenience • Full medical and surgical facilities • Dedicated sterile operating theatre

• Dedicated dental suite • Full x-ray facilities • Ultrasound facilities • In-house laboratory • ECG facilities • Separate dog and cat wards •

Isolation ward • 24 hour nursing cover available• Computerised record keeping • Pet Passport and Export Services

• Only 2 veterinary surgeons ensuring continuity of care

Opening Times; Monday to Friday 8.30am-6pm Saturday 9.30am-12.30pmConsultations; Open surgeries; Monday to Friday 9am-10am

Saturday 10am-11.30amAll other consultations by appointment

Go to www.crossingsvets.co.uk for all the latest surgery

news Email: [email protected]

Our new purpose built premises continue to receive plaudits but many clients still comment on the easy access and ample parking which we are able to provide with our convenient location on the outskirts of town. We continue to maintain the personal and professional service that our clients are accustomed to. We warmly welcome new clients who wish to register with us.

As part of our aim to give something back to the community we recently purchased a full set of match shirts for the Swaffham under 9’s rugby team. We hope to extend this to other age groups in the future. Now the quality of the shirts can match the quality of the rugby!

Hall Farm, Church LaneRoydon, King’s LynnPE32 1ARt: 01485 600 022f: 01485 601 186

Roydon Clinic

Weekdays 8.30 - 6.00pmSaturday 9.00 - Noon

Hunstanton Clinic

No 95 Westgate, Hunstanton, Norfolk PE36 5EPt: 01485 535 950f: 01485 535 962

Weekdays 8.30 - 6.00pm Saturday 3.00 - 6.00pm

Out of hours emergencies 07802 83065810% discount to service personnel and their families

www.sunnysidevets.co.uk

The ten hours is being

made up by a gruelling

mix of training on

static bikes in the

gym, spinning sessions and

on the road riding to prepare

them for the challenge.

The team have recently

been in talks with Jon-Allan

Butterworth about his possible

involvement in the ride. Jon-

Allan is an ex-RAF weapons

technician who lost his arm

whilst serving in Iraq in 2007.

He took up the sport of cycling

and is now aiming for gold

at the Paralympics in London

2012. As Jon-Allan has received

assistance from RAFA he is

very supportive of the ‘Ride

for RAFA’ and is hoping to join

With the Ride for RAFA challenge only weeks away the cyclists training has been stepped up a gear with a minimum of ten hours a week in the saddle being required.

the team for a training session

and maybe a leg of the event.

The team took part in their

first fundraising collections at

local supermarkets. At Morrisons

in King’s Lynn they were joined

by Watton Air Cadets and some of

the members of the RAFA King’s

Lynn Branch, who arrived with

two birds of prey and collected

outside the store for the ride.

The Ride team set up a display

inside the store and together

they raised £780. A few weeks

later the team went to Tesco’s in

King’s Lynn, again assisted by

RAFA and Watton Air Cadets.

On this occasion approximately

£1,300 was collected. So a big

thanks goes to the gentlemen

from the RAFA King’s Lynn branch

and the Air Cadets who gave

up their time to help raise the

money. Also a thank you must

go to Morrisons and Tesco’s in

King’s Lynn for allowing us to set

up inside the store, as without

their support the collection

would not have taken place.

If you wish to make a donation

to the Ride for RAFA you

can at the following: http://

uk.virginmoneygiving.com/

rideforrafa, Text: ridE to 70007.

Text message cost £3 plus

one message at your standard

network rate. please ask the bill

payer’s permission. an average

of £2.74 will go towards the RaF

association’s Wings appeal

which offers support to serving

and ex-RaF personnel and

their families, whenever they

are in need. Or cheques can

be made payable to: Service

Funds rAF Marham and sent

to Tornado Structures Flight

(TSF), royal Air Force Marham,

King’s Lynn, norfolk, PE33 9nP.

1� MARHAM MATTERS issue 4

ride For raFa


storyBook wings & raFalo’s quiZ night


ride FoR RAFA

can You help?

The RAF Association Storybook Wings project needs your help. Do you have a couple of hours to spare each week, a computer and a soft spot for childrens stories?

Storybook Wings is

growing from strength

to strength. With over

30 Stations now using

the scheme, stories are coming

in faster than the current small

team of volunteers can edit

them so we need your help. This

is a fantastic scheme designed

to offer comfort to children

whose parents are deployed.

Full training and the relevant

software is provided

for all volunteers.

For more information

please contact: FS

TErry nOrMAn SCSO.

Ext: 6052, SAC KErry

SMiTH (volunteer editor)

Ext: 6308 or Storybook

Wings direct on: www.

rafastorybookwings.com

tHEN VoLuNtEER to BEComE A stoRYBook wiNGs EditoR.

The aim of the

evening was to

integrate the

supported branches

together at RAF Marham and

for them to meet up with old

friends and make new ones,

in a relaxed and friendly

environment. It also gave the

RAFALO’s the opportunity

to demonstrate the ongoing

support and commitment that

RAF Marham has to serving

the welfare of these branches

and RAFA as a whole.

The evening was a

resounding success, with over

50 members participating, and

a team from the Downham

Market branch scooping first

prize in the quiz, on what

proved to be a very closely

contested competition.

It was also due to the

generosity of many of RAF

Marham’s Squadrons/

Sections and BAE Systems,

that the RAFALO’s were

able to hold a raffle with

some very unique and

special prizes. The raffle,

along with the auction

of a signed Red Arrows

book, went down a storm

on the night and raised an

additional £100 for the RAF

Association’s Wings Appeal.

Thanks go to SAC Chrissie

Hall and SAC Richard

Bartholomew for organising

the raffle and auction, to SAC

(T) Kerry Smith for organising

the security arrangements and

quiz, to Sgt Tom Sawyer for

his ‘Quiz Master’ impression

all evening, and to the other

RAFALOs who assisted

throughout the evening.

RAF Marham’s Royal Air Forces Association Liaison Officers (RAFALO’s) played host to members from each of the RAFA branches that it supports on 6th April 2011 for a Quiz Night in the WO and Sgts’ Mess.

raFalo’s quiz NiGHt

The club is still growing as

a team and new players

are just as welcome

as veterans! To satisfy

all needs, the club plays union

games as well as league. This also

enables us to play throughout the

year and give players a chance

to play both types of game.

If you are interested in joining

the club, training takes place every

Monday and Tuesday evening

next to the astro pitches.

the training times are as Follows:

Monday

1800hrs, cardio session

(touch rugby)

Tuesday

1730hrs, skills ‘n drills

All standards are welcome

and encouraged!

For further enquires,

please contact:

OIC: FLT LT CHriS PEArSOn,

Ext: 3526

CLUB CHAIRMAN:

SAC COnrAd quArMBy,

Ext: 7274

TEAM CAPTAIN:

SAC CHriS dOrLinG,

Ext: 3476

PUBLICITY:

CPL STu COATES, Ext: 4931

raF marham

BuLLs RuGBY FCRAF Marham has now got its rugby club up and running again with a new committee voted in and Flt Lt Chris Pearson as OIC.

crossBowCAPABiLitYat raF marhamFrom 8th March 2011, RAF personnel of the Tactical Imagery Intelligence Wing (TIW) based at RAF Marham have been providing near real time imagery intelligence analysis in support of UK and Coalition forces in Afghanistan.

Analysts receive

feed from the US

Distributed Common

Ground System

(DCGS), which provides globally-

networked Intelligence Surveillance

and Reconnaissance (ISR)

capabilities. The UK capability

is known as CROSSBOW.

CROSSBOW’s concept

of operations calls for true

interoperability between both the

United States Air Force (USAF)

and the Royal Air Force (RAF) for

distributed use of information

from ISR collection assets.

“This capability is the result

of a longstanding, mutual trust

and relationship between the

United States and our British

allies,” said Major General James

Poss, the Air Force’s Assistant

Deputy Chief of Staff for ISR.

“Crossbow will enhance the future

potential for leveraging synergies

in distributed ISR operations,

translating into additional

capability to better support our

joint forces commanders and

warfighters engaged in combat

operations in Afghanistan.”

Major General Poss explained

that the programme represented

a significant capability to enable

improved shared situational

awareness at the coalition

operational and tactical levels

of command. It also provided

a better use of scarce imagery

analyst resources, increasing

the overall intelligence support

to theatre without increasing the

number of people in Afghanistan.

This is the first time that the UK

will have the capability to provide

near real time imagery intelligence


crossBow capaBility at raF marham

issue 4 MARHAM MATTERS 21Visit: www.marhammattersonline.co.uk

support to Afghanistan from the

UK. This ‘reachback’ capability –

the ability to use service personnel

in the UK to support troops on the

ground in Afghanistan - ensures

we make optimum use of available

resources without increasing

our footprint in Afghanistan.

Air Officer ISTAR, Air

Commodore ‘Flash’ Gordon

stated: “CROSSBOW is an

innovative, affordable and highly

effective force multiplier that

significantly enhances our combat

Intelligence, Surveillance, Target

Acquisition and Reconnaissance

(ISTAR) capabilities; it also

serves to demonstrate the

close and enduring cooperation

between the RAF and USAF”.

Officer Commanding TIW,

Wing Commander Andy Stewart,

added: “CROSSBOW is a highly

effective capability that allows

TIW to provide situational

awareness to Coalition ground

units right now. Our dynamic

support ensures that these

units can successfully plan

and execute their missions,

knowing that we are there to

support them. We enhance

our CROSSBOW operations

with Reconnaissance Air Pod

Tornado (RAPTOR) imagery,

which collectively provides a

highly potent ISTAR capability.

I am immensely proud of what

everyone on TIW has achieved

in such a short time.”

Open 10am - Midnight 7 days a week Page Stair Lane, King’s Lynn

Tel: 01553 691081

• 4 English Pool Tables

• 15 Snooker Tables

• 5 American Pool Tables

• Big Screen TV - All Sky Sports

• 20% discount to Service personnel on all tables

• Families Welcome• Licensed Bar• Food available all day

Large selection of clothing fabrics.Burda, Simplicity & Butterick patterns in stock.

Extensive range of haberdashery items.Alterations & repairs to clothes undertaken.

Sewing Machine Sales & Service. Having trouble finding clothes you like, or that fit?

We make garments to order from any of our fabrics.1 Lynn Road

Downham Market(by the traffic lights)

Telephone: 01366 387147Open: 9am to 5.30pm

closed Wed & Sun

SALENA DAWSON & CO.SOLICITORS

Matrimonial ~ FamilyAdvice and Representation on:

n Divorcen Separation Agreements

n Matrimonial Financial Settlementn Contact and Residence for Children

First Free Interview available

Personal Injury ~ Wills ~ EmploymentHome Visits Available and Free Car Park

01953 88353520 Thetford Road Watton Norfolk IP25 6BS

www.dawsons-law.co.ukMarket Town Firm with City Experience

Taxis Up to 8 seatsMinibuses 8-16

& 21 seatsGet around safely and book

early to avoid disappointment

BISHOPS TRAVELCall Gary or Denise

01366 324307

Mobile 07767 304684 07789 724366

CAMBRIDGE ARMY & NAVYSUPPLIES STORE

Used and new militaryclothing & equipment

39a St. Andrews StreetTel: 01223 576564

www.squaddie-direct.co.uk

BACO-COMPAK (NORFOLK) LTD Innisfree Trading Estate, Bawsey, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE32 1EX

n Licenced Transfer Stationn Skip hire 2cu.yd to 16cu.ydn Roll on/off 16cu.yd to 40cu.ydn Wheelie Bins • Trade • Residentialn Septic Tanks • Cess Poolsn Paper/Cardboard Recycling

A FRESH TASTE OF THE SEA

DONALDSONS

AUSTIN FIELDS, KING’S LYNNTEL: 01553 772241

S. & D. WilliamsonProprietors

Licensed Game Dealer

For all your fresh, smoked & shellfish, visit your local friendly fishmonger!

OPEN: Tues: 7-4 Wed 7-4 Thurs 7-5 Fri 7-5 Sat 7-3Visit our deli counter for a selection of British cheeses,

Italian olives, ham on the bone and patés.

Orders now being taken for Easter OPEN GOOD FRIDAY 7am - 1pm

The function was

funded and organised

by the East Anglia

Reserve Forces

and Cadets Association in

partnership with the regions

SaBRE (Supporting Britain’s

Reservists and Employers) Team

and provided a rare opportunity

to thank many of the supportive

employers of the 350 Reservists

who live and work in the County.

The Officers’ Mess provided

a fitting venue for the event

and apart from showcasing the

operational contributions of the

Station’s own Reservists, from

7010 Photographic Interpretation

Squadron and 2620 Squadron

Royal Auxiliary Air Force

Regiment, employers had the

opportunity to meet Reservists

from Norfolk’s Territorial Army

units; 3 Royal Anglian and 254

Medical Regiment.

The evening commenced

with a welcome address from

The High Sheriff of Norfolk,

Mr Charles Barrett and was

followed by a presentation

from 2620 Squadron’s Sergeant

Niall Hayton-Williams who

talked about the transferable

skills gained from both his

service and civilian careers

and how important the support

from his civilian employer had

been in helping him realise his

ambitions. Niall works for Lotus

Cars UK at their Hethel site, a

former RAF station just outside

Norwich and his employer,

Mr Peter Wainwright, was

also present at the dinner. Mr

Wainwright commented: “It was

interesting to see such a diverse

range of local companies that

currently employ Reservists,

and the uniformity of support

these companies provide to

recognition For EmPLoYERs oF NoRFoLk REsERVistsOn the evening of Thursday 7th April 2011, RAF Marham hosted a special dinner for the employers of Reservists in Norfolk.

them. Obviously, I was especially

interested in Niall’s presentation,

and thought it was a credit to

Lotus, the RAF, and himself. Many

of the qualities and attributes

that were mentioned in the

presentations underline exactly

why I employed Niall in his current

position, and I firmly believe the

initiation of these skills came from

his RAF experience.” A second

presentation was delivered

by Sergeant Pete James, an

final speaker of the evening

was Air Commodore Russell La

Forte, Commandant General

of the RAF Regiment and while

he praised the outstanding

performance of the Army as the

largest Reservist component

of the UK contribution to

operations in Afghanistan, he

was quick to acknowledge the

remarkable contribution of

Reservists from all the Services,

not least the 20 Squadrons of

the Royal Auxiliary Air Force

that collectively deliver more

than a dozen specialist roles

ranging from Movements to

Intelligence. Responsible for

9 of the Squadrons within

the Royal Auxiliary Air Force,

the Commandant General

concluded by emphasising the

vital role of those Reservists

in maintaining a robust Force

Protection capability on

operations, all of which was only

possible thanks to the ongoing

support from civilian employers.

At the end of the evening, the

High Sheriff and Commandant

General presented certificates of

appreciation from the Ministry

of defence to Norfolk employers

for their unswerving support

to the regions Reservists. The

certificates, signed by both

the Secretary of State and

Chief of the Defence Staff were

presented to the following

organisations: Archant Ltd,

Aviva Plc, Breckland Council,

BT Openreach, College of

West Anglia, Emergency

Service Systems Sgcaccd,

Ford and Slater Ltd, Hughes

Electrical, James Paget

University Hospitals NHS

Foundation Trust, Lotus Cars

UK, Norfolk Community

Health and Care NHS Trust,

Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service,

Norvic Ambulance Service

Ltd, Serco Local Government,

University of East Anglia,

Waitrose, Walkers of King’s

Lynn, Crowes Complete Print,

Reepham High School, Norwich

City Council, Warehouse

Express, Ormiston Venture

Academy, Edwards and Blake

Ltd, Norfolk Employer Support

and the Port of Felixstowe.

anaesthetist with the NHS and

with 254 Medical Regiment. Pete

talked about the similarities of

working in an NHS hospital in

the UK and the hospital at Camp

Bastion in Southern Afghanistan,

providing a vivid account of the

contribution made by Reservist

medical professionals on

operations every day.

Following a superb dinner

with music provided by the

RAF Honington Volunteer Band,

guests and hosts alike were

treated to a further presentation

on the Reserve Forces, but this

time from the perspective of the

employer. Mr Bob Page, Head of

Support Services from the Port

of Felixstowe employs some

30 Reservists in the region and

highlighted how the transferable

skills developed through military

training benefit every aspect of

his business, even down to lower

than average sickness rates. The


employers oF reserVists in norFolk


adVice From the raF police Flight


PiCTurEd: mr peter Wainwright

of Lotus Cars UK (right) receives his

certificate from the Commandant General of the RaF Regiment.

crime reduction AdViCE FRom tHE RAF PoLiCE FLiGHt

WriTTEn By: Cpl Peter Rushton

As part of the crime prevention series of articles written by the RAF Police, this month we look at the subject of car and caravan security.

CARAVANsYour caravan is as valuable to you as your home is, especially when you’re on holiday or touring.

• Immobilise your caravan even

when you only stop briefly.

• You could have a tracking

device fitted so that the

caravan can be traced if

it is stolen. All caravans

manufactured since 1997 have

been electronically tagged.

• Have a reliable alarm fitted

and switch it on whenever

you leave your caravan, even

if only for a few minutes.

• At home, always keep caravan

keys in a safe place out of sight

from windows and doors.

• Take valuables with you when you

leave the caravan. If you can't,

lock them away in a cupboard.

• Ask about built-in security

when buying a new caravan.

CARsCar crime can be a big worry for motorists. Protect your car by following our simple

advice - it might just be enough to deter thieves from targeting your car.

• Lock all the doors and close

the windows when you

leave your car, however

long you are leaving it for.

• When parking at home,

always use your garage if you

have one and lock both your

vehicle and your garage. If

you don't have a garage, try

to park in a well-lit, place.

• When parking outside,

always try to park your car

in an attended car park.

• Don't leave anything

on display. Even an old

coat or plastic bag can

be a tempting target for

the opportunist thief.

• Remove the stereo if you can.

• Don't keep valuables or

important documents in the

glove box. Leave the glove box

open to show there's nothing

inside or if you can, lock it.

• Tuck in wing mirrors and

put the aerial down to

discourage vandals.

• Never store your car's

documents in the car.

• A Thatcham-approved

immobiliser or steering

lock can help secure older

vehicles and deter thieves.

• Have the windows etched with

the car's vehicle registration

number (VRN) and make a

note of its chassis number.

• Keep your car keys in a safe

place, even in your house,

so that someone breaking-

in cannot steal your car.

• Get an alarm fitted. Alarms

can deter thieves not

only from stealing your

vehicle, but also from

taking items from it.

• Secure your wheels using

locking wheel nuts.

• Mark all equipment, eg.

car stereo, with your car

registration number.

• When your caravan is not

in use, leave curtains and

cupboard doors open – thieves

can be put off by a caravan

that is obviously empty.

For further information

please contact CPL PETE

ruSHTOn on Ext: 7621.

Baste the duck with a knob of

butter, then roast in the oven

for 2-3 minutes (for medium),

or until cooked to your liking.

5. Heat the fennel and coriander

seeds in a dry frying pan until

aromatic. Grind the seeds in

a pestle and mortar. Add the

nutmeg, cinnamon and orange

zest. Stir in the honey and

enough orange juice to give

the glaze a good consistency.

6. Remove the duck breasts from

the oven and brush the spice

mixture over the duck breasts

with a pastry brush. Baste the

duck with its roasting juices and

leave to rest for a few minutes.

7. Heat a frying pan until hot, add

the duck stock and cook until the

volume of liquid has reduced

by half, then add the 25g/1oz

of butter and whisk until well

combined. Season with salt and

freshly ground black pepper.

8. For the creamed Savoy cabbage,

heat a lidded frying pan until

hot and fry the bacon lardons,

carrot and celeriac with the

lid on for 4-5 minutes.

9. Add the cabbage and season,

to taste, with salt and freshly

ground black pepper. Cover

with the lid and continue to

cook for 3-4 minutes, or until

the cabbage is tender. Add the

cream and cook for 1-2 minutes,

or until the cream has thickened.

10. To serve, spoon the cabbage

onto serving plates and top with

the roasted apples. Slice the

duck breasts and place on top.

duCk with APPLE & creamed sAVoY CABBAGEiNGREdiENts: For the duck • 2 x150g/5oz duck breasts

• 1 Braeburn apple, quartered

and core removed

• 25g/1oz butter, plus

a knob of butter

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• 1 tsp coriander seeds

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp orange zest

• 1 tsp honey

• 25ml/1fl oz orange juice

• 175ml/6fl oz duck stock

• salt and freshly ground

black pepper

For the creamed saVoy caBBage • 50g/2oz smoked bacon lardons

• 30g/1oz carrot, diced

• 30g/1oz celeriac, diced

• ½ Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced

• salt and freshly ground

black pepper

• 250ml/9fl oz double cream

PREPARAtioN mEtHod1. For the duck, preheat the

oven to 210C/425F/Gas 7.

2. Score the skin of the duck

breasts in a criss-cross pattern.

3. Place the duck breasts in an

ovenproof frying pan, skin-side

down, and cook for 4-5 minutes,

or until the fat is rendered.

Add the apple to the pan.

4. When the duck skin is crisp

and golden-brown, turn the

duck breasts over and cook

the other side for 1-2 minutes.

FAmiLY wEEk �0th may to 5th JuneYou might think you would

be stuck for something to do

with the family locally during

the Half-Term 30th May to 5th

June, 2011. Not so as events

will be detailed in What’s On

leaflet for May 2011. Look out

for activities such as horse

riding; family entertainment

in the Bull & Bowl on Friday

3rd June and a disco for 5 to 12

year olds in the Sandringham

Centre on Saturday 4th June

and the special Sunday Family

Church Service planned at St

Margaret’s Church on Sunday

5th June. See the What’s On

leaflet for full details.

raF marham comBines two NAtioNAL wEEks to BENEFit ouR CommuNitY!

there is plenty to be done in the

RAF Marham community under

the umbrella of ‘Big Society’,

doing things for ourselves. To

help us create and maintain the

Society we enjoy, volunteering

is the key as well as being

extremely rewarding - just

speak to those who do it year

after year. The Community

Development Officer, Rita

Broomfield, will be finalizing a

booklet in mid - May with the

self-help jobs that need doing.

Contact riTA on Ext: 7884.

However, you can expect a

volunteers’ fair on Wednesday

1st June in the Sandringham

Centre - where we will be

showcasing the planned

developments to the building

as well as some volunteering

opportunities such as First

Responders; radio station to

encourage communication

in the community; librarian

to extend the library hours of

operation; Home Watch as a

local safer Neighbourhood

scheme and community

support activities such as

road reps for Service families

accommodation. On the evening

of 1st June the Uniform Groups

will be holding an open evening

at the Youth Activity Centre

to encourage volunteers such

as the need for a warranted

Guide leader so come along and

see what the uniform groups

including Scouts, Explorer

Scouts and Girls Venture Corps

Air Cadets have to offer.

We intend to finish the

Volunteers’ Week on Tuesday

7th June with an invitation only

Volunteers’ Thank You Lunch in

the Bull & Bowl.

VoLuNtEERs’ wEEk 1st June to �th June We want to raise the awareness

of the need for everyone to be

involved in their community.

This is a National event and


recipe: duck with apple & saVoy caBBage



SPECTRUM FINANCIAL PLANNINGIndependent Financial Advice for all your financial needs

Contact: Peter Oddey APFS Tel: 01366 348037Chartered Financial Planner www.spectrumfinancialplanning.co.uk Address: Fodderston Mill, Mill Road, Shouldham Thorpe, Kings Lynn, PE33 0EA

Spectrum Financial Planning is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

THE OLD GRANARY ANTIQUES CENTRE

King’s Staithe LaneKING’S LYNN Tel: 01553 775509Selling antiques and collectables

Open Mon - Sat 10am to 4.30pm

J. W. SARGEANTFamily Butcher

The Best Traditional Butcher in the AreaFAMILY RUN

Established for over 75 yearsWe produce all our own cattle and

only use farm produceFREEZER AND COOKED MEATS

to suit your requirements

Stow BridgeNr Downham Market Tel: (01366) 382232

Specialists in Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning

End of Tenancy CleaningNo Job Too Big or SmallThe Experts in Cleaning

Domestic and CommercialCall Ben on01553 677047 or 07788 458985www.bmlservices.co.uk

Burrows and Howes Ltd9 Cherry CloseMarhamKing’s LynnPE33 9JF

Tel: 01760 337222Tel: 01366 328149Mob: 07900 673220

www.burrowsandhowes.com

P & K Training ServicesYour local training provider

For details - call Angela01553 692045

email: [email protected]

• HSE First Aid at Work• Emergency First Aid at Work• First Aid for Sports/Carers/Teachers etc.• Paediatric First Aid (OFSTED approved)• Child Protection• CIEH Food Hygiene and Health & Safety • Moving & Handling

Say hello to your dog’s new best friend!

The local home boarding for dogs that’s a real alternative to kennels...

Norfolk Pet CarersThe kind alternative to kennels

Tel: 01553 631818 Mob: 07766 811142Web: www.norfolkpetcarers.co.uk

Steve’s Heels & KeysShoe Repairs - Shoecare - StitchingHousehold Keys - Car Keys - EngravingWatch Straps & Batteries - Sharpening

41 High Street, Downham MarketNorfolk PE38 9HF

Telephone: 01366 384900E-mail: [email protected]

Steve Palfrey

23 Bridge Street,Downham MarketNorfolk, PE38 9DW01366 384414Local & Interflora deliveries. Phone orders welcome

www.elizabeththeflorist.co.uk

ELIZABETHTHE FLORIST

FLOWER CORNER 49 Norfolk Street King’s Lynn Norfolk PE30 1AG 01553 774544 Local & Interflora deliveries Phone orders welcome

www.flowercornerfloristry.co.uk

FM PERFUMES & COSMETICSNow in the UK

Distributors required in50 countries

Tel: 01945 582493www.fmcosmetics.co.uk

Paths, Patios Laid, Brick weave, Block paving,Shingle/Slate driveways, Decking, Fencing, Gates of all types, Ponds, Water features,

Small trees/hedges removed/trimmed, Lawns laid/seeded, Small drainage repairs, Shed/Summer house bases laid, Guttering,

Rain water soak-aways.All general Garden jobs. Patio Cleaning. Fully Insured.

For a free no obligation quotation call:Martin 01760 336103 / 07879 335609

27 St Andrews Lane, [email protected]

PITTYS Garden Maintenance & Landscaping. No Job Too Small.All Work Considered

TRAILER SALES & HIRE

STOCKING BLUELINE & BATESONS TRAILERS

• Sales • Hire • Service • Repair w w w. m i d n o r f o l k t r a i l e r s . c o m

SERVICING FOR ALL MAKES & MODELS LAND ROVER SPECIALIST

VEHICLE DIAGNOSTICS & LAND ROVER SPECIFIC DIAGNOSTICS

MOT’S FOR: CARS, VANS, MOTOR HOMES, QUADSMINI BUSES & HORSE BOXES

SERVICES & MOT CENTRELandrover Specialists

Manor Farm, Weasenham, Kings Lynn PE32 2TF Telephone: 01328 838484

10% OFF ANY SERVICE OR MOT with this advert

Motorcycle servicing, repairs, spares, tuning, modifying, restoration.For more info please see our websitewww.icenimotorcycles.co.uk

Now moved to new premises at,Narborough Garage, Main Road,

Narborough PE32 1TETel: 01760 444359

Insurance Approved • Accident RepairsRestoration • Windscreens • Body Kits

Chris Brown (Downham Market) LtdSovereign Way, Trafalgar Industrial Estate, Downham Market, Norfolk PE38 9SW

Tel: 01366 386608 Fax: 01366 386005www.chrisbrownuk.com

Modern ApArtMent: SleepS 4

w w w . l a g o s a l g a r v e . c o . u k

to book ContACt: For more info or to book contact Judith: 01536 711884 or Email: [email protected]

Situated on the top floor of a three storey block the apartment has its own residents’ swimming pool. It has the advantage of being away from the bustle of the town centre but within walking distance (10 minutes to the marina and another 5 to the town centre).

It has a twin bedroom, open plan kitchen and lounge. The kitchen has a 4-ring hob, oven, microwave, toaster and washing machine. There is a family sized bathroom. The lounge has a sofa (which converts into two more single beds) and a table to seat four. A TV, DVD and CD player are also available. Both the lounge and bedroom have patio doors which open onto the balcony offering views over the swimming pool and across Lagos.

There is ample car parking space in front of the building.

Prices are per week. Special rates for longer periods can be negotiated. Prices include cleaning and linen change. Towels are changed mid-week and beds at the end of the week. A 25% deposit is required at the time of booking and balance is due six weeks prior to departure.

priCes:Nov to Mar £190Apr, May, Oct £255June & Sep £320July & Aug £395

crossbow capability - marham matters online€¦ · visit: issue 4, 2011 £f ree inside: op ellamy...

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