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Red Arrows' David Simmonds on how the RAF Air Cadets inspired him to follow his dreams

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As the RAF Air Cadets celebrate their 80th anniversary, Red Arrows pilot Flt Lt David Simmonds looks back on where it all began for him in the organisation.

David, who flies as Red 5 with the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, said: "I was a cadet with 188 Ipswich Squadron and thoroughly enjoyed all the time I spent there. Being a cadet really does give you a good grounding of what military life is like, and I was lucky enough to do some fantastic things, such as flying in the Chipmunk, which really was a stand-out moment.

"Flying is like a bug, once you have had a go at it, it gets into you and you just want to have another go. That really cemented my desire to become a fast-jet pilot in the Royal Air Force.

Red Arrows Formation

"I learnt so many things as a cadet and went away with some great advice. As an air cadet, I remember being told by the chief instructor at the time to give everything a go — now I’ll always encourage others to follow their dreams. If you want to achieve something in life, a bit of hard work and determination can take you a very long way. When I was 13 years old, I had no idea or even any confidence that I would be able to become a Red Arrows pilot. But if you believe in yourself and try your very best, you will be surprised by what you can achieve."

The air cadets and the RAF Benevolent Fund have a long history of working together. As a charity which supports the RAF Family, the Fund has always been able to rely on support from the cadets in this mission with everything from fundraising efforts to supporting veterans and serving personnel at Fund events.

To mark the organisation's 80th anniversary, the RAF Benevolent Fund is proud to offer an enhanced package of welfare support for the RAF Air Cadets, including members of the Combined Cadet Force. Support includes emotional wellbeing, counselling and bereavement support, as well as financial support if a member is killed, on or off duty. This also extends to staff cadets and uniformed volunteers.