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A Weekend at RAF Brize Norton by Michael Stables

 

“RED ON! … GO!” shouted Flight Sergeant Baron, in his sharp Scottish accent. With my hands slightly shaking, I slapped my left hand on to my right wrist. All ready to jump out of the Hercules simulator – fixed 30 feet in the air.

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(many hours earlier)

        It was a fresh Saturday morning in Crosby when my father and I pulled into the St Mary’s school car park. The school’s CCF office (or ‘hut’ as the St Mary’s cadets called it) was opposite the car park. We were early so that we made a good first impression by not turning up late. There to greet us was the CCF’s Sergeant Major Tom Barny, an ex-paratrooper who was able to set up the weekend. After more paper work was signed, and the rest of the cadets had shown up the parents took their leave.

        The group was to make the 4-hour journey in a mini-bus. Classic cadet transport. In the mini-bus were 12 people in total (10 cadets, 1 officer and 1 senior NCO) and everyone’s luggage. The cadets consisted of: myself, Dominic Hodkinson, Ben Foskett and Will Surridge. We were the Merchant Taylors’ School CCF attachments. The rest were from St Mary’s. From St Mary’s there was: Tom Huges. George Clarke, Sean Dwyer, Ben Holdem, Talitha-Kay Greatorex and Leah Lovelady. The adults on the trip were Captain Elaine Overend and, as I previously mentioned, Sergeant Major Tom Barney.

        The drive down was useful in learning everyone’s names. But in truth the time seemed to fly by.

        When we arrived at RAF Brize Norton, we were met at the gates by Warrant Officer Class 2 Kevin Almond, who was going to be our host for the weekend. Rank worn on the wrist, polished boots, impeccably moulded and old beret and deep booming voice. He looked like a stereotypical sergeant major. Through him we were waved through the gate and dropped off at the Parachute Training Support Unit Centre (PTSU). Located next to Number 1 Parachute Training School (No.1 PTS).

WOII Almond gave a very quick brief before he marched us over to No.1 PTS. This place was like sacred ground to the Parachute Regiment. It was where they earned their coveted parachute wings. Merely the chance to see it was something to behold. It wasn’t much on the outside. It looked very much like an ordinary aircraft hangar. But on the inside was a whole other story. The hangar was stocked with parachutes, simulators and other various bits of jump equipment (including harnesses and helmets).

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Strolling over with a hot cup of tea in his hand, came Flight Sergeant Baron. One of the most senior PJIs (parachute jump instructors) of the school. His instructor’s jacket was covered with various parachuting badges. Flt Sgt Baron came across as quite a relaxed man. He never had to raise his voice or start shouting the entire day. We conducted interesting warm ups/drills prior to the 3 30 foot jumps. The training was excellent and so were the officers and NCO (non-commissioned officers). After the training we were all awarded honorary Army or RAF parachute wings. It is a shame we are not allowed to wear them on our uniforms.

Everyone was tired; the group went to the Parachute Training Support Unit Accommodation, kindly provided by WOII Almond. First job was to make the beds, then have a shower before meeting a World War 2 veteran, Private Steve Morgan(2 PARA), who was the last British solider off the bridge at Arnhem, Holland.

The drive to Private Morgan’s house was very short. We were greeted at the house with open arms. Literally. The man hugged all of us as we came through the door. He was very open to tell his story to us because he believed that we, as the next possible generation of HM forces, needed to know of the history that our predecessors fought to create. Meeting him was an immense honour and listening to him talk about such events in so much detail was incredibly interesting.

The day ended with some light-hearted bowling and me in my bed at 22:15.

The next morning was a rather fast process. The shower, then breakfast, then packing up and tidying the room seemed to blur into one. Low ropes and command tasks were on the agenda for the day. Sadly, there was not enough instructors for the high ropes.

The first test of the day was when we were told to stand on a 1.5 metre pedestal and fall back. The aim of the task was to see if you trusted in your team to catch you. I am not going to lie. But I was wondering whether they would make the catch. Never the less I fell back and the caught me. The other command tasks were done in apparently base record-breaking times.

The final event involved us listening to WOII Almond explain his time in the army and us being able to ask questions about careers in the forces. After thanks were exchanged and goodbyes were said, the group boarded the bus for the final time. Destination: home. The drive back up north was filled with laughter and Captain Overend’s disco tunes.

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Overall the weekend down at RAF Brize Norton was an eye-opening experience which none of the Merchant Taylors’ cadets will forget. In this report I would like to thank the St Mary’s CCF  and its officers for setting up and inviting us on the weekend.

 

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Arigatou Tokyo, konnichiwa Kyoto! 🇯🇵✨ Tod Arigatou Tokyo, konnichiwa Kyoto! 🇯🇵✨

Today our pupils travelled by bullet train to Kyoto, taking in the sights and culture along the way. There were more kimonos purchased, plenty of photos taken, and a poignant visit to a memorial for those affected by the 2011 tsunami.

A very special mention to one of our pupils who celebrated her 16th birthday in Kyoto today, what a memorable place to spend it! 🎉🎂

Everyone is now settling into the new hotel and looking forward to exploring more tomorrow. 🌸
Ready for the next step? ✨ We look forward to w Ready for the next step? ✨

We look forward to welcoming prospective pupils to our Year 7 Entrance Assessment for external candidates on Friday 7 November 2025.

The assessment forms part of our admissions process for entry to Merchant Taylors’, offering families the opportunity to take the next step towards joining our vibrant school community.

To register, please follow the link in our bio or contact our Admissions Team on 0151 949 9366 or admissions@merchanttaylors.com
Pupils on the Japan trip spent today exploring Hak Pupils on the Japan trip spent today exploring Hakone, beginning with a geography lesson from their guide before setting sail across the caldera lake aboard a traditional pirate ship ⛵️

The adventure continued with a cable car ride to the famous sulphur vents, where some tried black eggs and ice cream, while others took in the views in their newly bought kimonos 🇯🇵✨
Yesterday, our pupils in Japan enjoyed a fantastic Yesterday, our pupils in Japan enjoyed a fantastic day at Tokyo Disneyland, soaking up the sights, sounds and magic of one of Japan’s most iconic attractions. ✨🏰🇯🇵

After an action-packed few days exploring Tokyo, it was another unforgettable day of adventure with thrilling rides, colourful parades and plenty of Disney magic throughout.
Some more snaps from across the weekend in Japan 📸
Our RAF cadets enjoyed a brilliant weekend away at Our RAF cadets enjoyed a brilliant weekend away at Inskip Camp, getting stuck into everything from command tasks and air rifle shooting to low ropes, field cooking, drill and first aid.

The highlight was a night exercise under the stars, rounded off perfectly with a well-earned hot chocolate (and a swirl of squirty cream, of course!) ☕

Well done to everyone involved, it was a fun, challenging and rewarding few days, and the recruits have every reason to feel proud. 

A special thank you to our brilliant volunteers and staff for giving up their weekend to make it all happen, we couldn’t do it without you.
Pupils on the Japan trip travelled across Tokyo th Pupils on the Japan trip travelled across Tokyo this morning on the Japanese rail network for a fascinating calligraphy class, followed by a visit to the beautiful indoor botanical gardens 🌿✍️

They also learned about the tragic story of the Daigo Fukuryu Maru - a tuna fishing boat whose crew were exposed to radioactive fallout following U.S. hydrogen bomb testing after the war - an experience that brought history vividly to life.

In the afternoon, pupils explored Tokyo’s old town, Asakusa, where they visited traditional temples, sampled local dishes and enjoyed some shopping among the bustling streets 🇯🇵🛍️✨
Our Sixth Form pupils and staff marked Halloween t Our Sixth Form pupils and staff marked Halloween today with a spooky dress-up day, raising funds for Queenscourt Hospice.

The Common Room was transformed for the occasion, and pupils enjoyed joining in with party games for Year 7, as well as visiting the Prep School, where their costumes were met with plenty of smiles.

It was a great way to end the half term - full of fun, creativity and community spirit, all while supporting a very worthy local cause 🎃👻

More photos on our Facebook page 📸
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