News from our Voluntary & Part-Time Chaplains 

Revd Tony Mayes

Air Cadet Chaplain - Burgess Hill Squadron (2529)

Being a Chaplain with the Air Cadets was an opportunity that came while I was in the EBA region, in full time ministry. I “volunteered” and became Chaplain to the Harlow Squadron (2317) and found that I enjoyed the time spent with the cadets and staff and the opportunities to often have good chats about faith subjects with them over a coffee or in the sessions.  There is a shortage of chaplains for the squadrons and so when I retired and moved to West Sussex 18 months ago, I was asked if I would take on a Sussex based Squadron. This is in Burgess Hill (2529) based at the Burgess Hill Academy, as I had moved to West Sussex. This Squadron had had no chaplain for 7 years!

What is an Air cadet chaplain? It is an opportunity to get involved with one of the biggest youth organisations in the country, currently 43,000 cadets and around 10,000 adult volunteers in the organisation. While chaplains are not there to try to convert the cadets and should respect the faiths or none of the cadets, the role means getting to know the cadets by attending parade nights and I usually go once or twice a month. Through getting to know them and the staff I provide support in a number of areas including safeguarding, encouraging, listening as well as in teaching. Most nights I dress smartly but informally as Chaplains have no uniform as such. On ceremonial occasions I role out my suit and collar.

Most chaplains are given evenings, often called “Padre’s” nights, when the chaplain has the whole squadron to talk with. I have done a number of these covering subjects including faith (Could there be a God?), ethics, responsibility, online safety, responding to world events and dealing with stress and loneliness.

In terms of “ceremonial” duties, Chaplains officiate at the enrolment of all new cadets and have an opportunity to give each cadet a “New Testament and Psalms”. When there are dining in nights, a quaint term for having a formal dinner, the chaplain attends and leads grace. We are also able to hold parades in a local church from time to time. In Harlow we had a church large enough for the annual “Wing” parade of multiple squadrons and held the annual squadron parade there as well as getting the cadets involved in church open days and community days. Chaplains can also be asked to join camps throughout the year, if they have time, which means going with the staff and cadets to an Air Force base for an organised week or weekend.

Things for Prayer:

• That more Christians (you don’t have to be a minister) would see the opportunity in being a cadet chaplain.
• That I would manage to get bibles to hand out. West Sussex hasn’t had any for a while but I hope soon to have access to them again.
• That I would continue to be a light in the Squadron to help cadets and staff to think about the faith I have.