Air Cadets inspired by Connect!

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The cadets have been collecting food and toiletries for the Northfield Foodbank to help their local community. They decided to collect food following a ‘Padre’s Hour’ virtual parade night during lockdown on the subject of food. Traditionally, the Padre’s Hour is a time for the Chaplain to talk to troops about religious subjects and then field an array of questions from them on topics from the socio-economic to the purely religious.

The session was based on the ‘Food’ section of the Diocese of Norwich Connect! booklet series and looked at subjects such as food injustice, food waste and the work of the foodbanks. Cadets were challenged to think of the meals they could provide using only the standard foodbank donation and realised how difficult it was. Cadets then decided that they would collect food with friends and family to be donated to one of our local foodbanks run by Northfield Community Partnership.

Pauline Weaver, Chaplain to 493 Squadron said: “The Connect! series has been a fantastic basis for talking to cadets about important topics and I was delighted that the cadets decided to become more involved by arranging to collect food and toiletries.” 

On Thursday 17 June, Pauline and a representative of the cadets, Harrison Allen, delivered a large donation of items to Bob Jones of Northfield Foodbanks.

Bob said: “We would like to say thank you to the cadets and their friends and family for this big and generous donation.”

For more information about the Connect! booklets and to order your own copy, please see our Mission Hub area.

Photo is courtesy of Pauline Weaver.