NewsHAPPENINGS WANTS
HERITAGE NEWS |
NEWSBCH ROADSHOW 2006: KEMBLE "AT HOME DAY"See also SAVE RAF BICESTER CAMPAIGN
A cut-down BCH Roadshow made it to the superb Kemble "At Home Day" 2006 under the wing of Delta Jets, and had a fantastic response again from the Public to the BCH SAVE RAF Bicester Campaign. A BIG thank you this time must go Delta Jets, the Hunter engineering and operating specialists at Kemble Airfield. Through their generosity they have not only provided a temporary home in their hangar to Dave Hall's Kemble Mossie Project, but they also gave us an opportunity to do a small display stand alongside the Kemble Mossie at the KAHD-06 event.
In typical BCH-Fashion we had not quite got around to putting together a small version of a display stand suitable for our SAVE RAF Biceter Campaign. However, a last-minute invite by Delta and Dave Hall to do "something" at the Show, was just too good an opportunity to miss. After much frantic running about, problems with BCH Volunteer availabilities, late printing out of contents... in the end we made it to the Show with a basic stand that did the job. What a thrill it was to be in the hangar and alongside Dave's magnificent Mossie, and the elegant Hunters of Delta Jets. It is their 10th Anniversary and it certainly looked like a good time was being had had all - let alone the main event outside. Crowds were thronging, and even inside at the back of the hangar, many people made it to the BCH Stand and we got another good dollop of signatures for the Petition. We also made several interesting contacts, and once again we were most heartened by everybody's enthusiasm for our Proposal. this has again helped convince us that we are on the right track, and that with a bit of vision, both the general public and other organizations are behind what we are trying to do. Of 500 or so ex-Hunter pilots who were there for the bash, many seemed to make it over to our Stand. Fantastic conversations with these chaps. However, it was a conversation with a Delta Jets club 89-year old member that was the most inspiring. A few years previously at the age of 85 he managed to do aerobatics in a Delta Hunter! We salute you Sir! Interestingly as a small boy he was a witness to Douglas Bader's early crash where he lost both legs. He must be the only surviving witness...if only we had our DAT recorder with us for our Aural History Archives. This is what happens when one is not fully prepared, and lack bums on seats for the event.
All things considered, this really was a most worthwhile event to do. Just imagine if we were organized, had all the materials to hand, and sufficient numbers of volunteers on-call - world domination! Seriously - the support does seem to be out there. We just need to continue to progress as an organization. Let's hope that
BCH can hit the ground
running for the 2007/08 display season. DELTA JETS: www.deltajets.com If this story has fired your imagination
please become a |
