The Air Cadets need as much support as they can get, with COVID preventing tens of thousands of youths from meeting in person across the UK. 'Town nights' are now conducted online via Zoom or Skype calls (if the cadet has access to the internet!) - resulting in many youths leaving the organisation. I hope to raise awareness of everything the Air Cadets has to offer - from flying in a Grob Tutor to learning how to map read for a Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition...you could even get a BTEC along the way!

If you're a fan of aviation, action and adventure, love sports and getting to know people then you'd absolutely love the Air Cadets. Every year nearly 56,000 air cadets and volunteer staff take part in exciting events all over the country. And with over 1,000 squadrons across the UK, you could be one of them - either as a cadet, or an adult volunteer (depending on your age!).

So what exactly am I doing? I'm going to travel the UK (when COVID restrictions allow) with my ocean rowing boat, talking to Air Cadet squadrons about my planned 3000 nautical mile solo row across the Atlantic. I'm aiming to break the World Record along the way (currently 49 days, 7 hours and 15 minutes), and I'll leave at the end of the 80th Anniversary, having completed a year of fundraising. My aim is to leave the Canary Islands in Jan/Feb 2022 (depending on the weather window) and row 3000nm to Barbados. In the process, I aim to raise £80,000 - 100% of the money you donate will go to the Air Cadets.

Why the Air Cadets? When I found out it was the RAF Air Cadets' 80th Anniversary in 2021, I realised that I wanted to give something back to the organisation that had shaped my life and got me where I am today. I grew up in Burnley - one of the poorer areas of Lancashire - and if it hadn't been for the adventurous training, self-discipline, teamwork and leadership development the Air Cadets gave me, I wouldn't have joined the Royal Air Force and I wouldn't have had such amazing adventures along the way. The self-confidence and competitive spirit that was instilled in me saw me go on to become a Squadron Leader Training Officer, compete for Great Britain in the Europa Cup at Skeleton Bobsleigh and complete tours of Afghanistan and the Middle East.

I want to spread the word about what Air Cadets can offer you/your family and I hope to travel the UK with my ocean rowing boat and talk to Air Cadets about adventure, using my ocean rowing expedition as a tool to teach Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects.

Follow my progress and adventure on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoloAtlanticRow