It's National Cadets Week, and today's theme is Skills For Life. Here's Sophie Gairdner's accounts of how the Air Cadet Charity and other organisations have supported her through her journey since becoming a Royal Air Force Air Cadet:

When I joined the Air Cadets in March 2022, I was simply looking to meet new people and take part in adventure training. Although I knew flying was part of the experience, I had never considered becoming a pilot.

That changed on 29 March 2023 when I took my first Gliding Induction Flight at RAF Little Rissington. From the moment we took off, I was hooked.

Inspired by that experience, I applied for an Air League flying scholarship and was awarded the Ed Strongman Flying Scholarship in June 2023. Later that year, I completed my first five hours of powered flying at Booker Aviation. Those flights confirmed that aviation was the career I wanted to pursue.

I then sought every opportunity to continue flying, becoming a Flight Staff Cadet with 622 Volunteer Gliding Squadron and applying for a Private Pilot's Licence (PPL) Scholarship with the Honourable Company of Air Pilots. I was fortunate to be awarded The Wigley Scholarship, supported by the BALPA Benevolent Fund.

While studying for my A Levels, I balanced schoolwork with nine aviation theory exams and intensive flight training. With the support of my instructors, I completed my first solo flight, one of the proudest and most memorable moments of my life.

After further navigation training, solo flying and my Qualifying Cross Country, I earned my Private Pilot's Licence with around 50 flying hours. In just a few years, I'd gone from never considering aviation to becoming a licensed pilot.

The experience also made me realise how easily I could have missed aviation altogether. Until joining the Air Cadets, it had never been presented to me as a realistic career option. As a young woman in aviation, I was particularly aware of the lack of female representation at careers events and within the industry.

Wanting to help others discover similar opportunities, I began visiting Air Cadet squadrons across the South West, sharing my story and promoting scholarships available to young people. It has been incredibly rewarding to hear from cadets who later secured flying and gliding scholarships themselves.

One cadet I inspired nominated me for recognition through The Air League, and in 2025 I was honoured to receive an Air League Framed Address for an outstanding contribution to aviation and aerospace. Receiving the award at the Houses of Parliament made the occasion even more special.

At the event, I met Air Cadet Charity Director Jess Gilbert and Chair of Trustees Mark Osman. After hearing about my ambitions to pursue professional flight training, they encouraged me to apply to the Air Cadet Charity for support. I was subsequently awarded a grant towards the deposit for my integrated airline pilot training at FTEJerez.

On 31 August 2026, I began integrated airline pilot training in Jerez, Spain. Over the next 14 months I will work towards UK CAA and EASA qualifications with the goal of graduating with a frozen ATPL and starting my career as a commercial airline pilot.

Looking back, it's hard to believe how much has happened since joining the Air Cadets. What began as a chance to try something new ultimately introduced me to aviation and set me on the path to becoming an airline pilot.

I have been incredibly fortunate to receive support from The Air League, the Honourable Company of Air Pilots, the BALPA Benevolent Fund, Booker Aviation, the RAF Air Cadets and the Air Cadet Charity. Each has played a part in helping me reach this stage of my journey.

Most importantly, the Air Cadets gave me that first opportunity to discover aviation. I hope that by sharing my experience, more cadets will have the confidence to apply for opportunities that could change their lives too.

"I would like to say a massive thank you to the Air Cadet Charity for the confidence they have put in me and for supporting me towards the next stage of my journey."
Sophie Gairdner, former RAF Air Cadet

I hope that by continuing to share my journey, I can encourage cadets to apply for opportunities through organisations such as the Air Cadet Charity. My aviation journey has been built on taking chances and applying for opportunities without knowing where they might lead.

I can't wait to begin the next chapter in Jerez and take another step towards achieving my goal of becoming an airline pilot.

By Sophie Gairdner, former Royal Air Force Air Cadet.

Supporting Air Cadets to reach their potential

The Air Cadet Charity is proud to support cadets and volunteers through a range of grants and funding programmes that help make life-changing opportunities possible.

Sophie was awarded funding via the Charity's Air Cadet Development Scheme (now renamed the Development Grant). The Development Grant prioritises applications for training, courses, and qualifications that demonstrate a clear, practical pathway into a specific career or employment. It is available to cadets who are 16 or over and have been a member of the ATC or CCF(RAF) for a minimum of 2 years. Junior adult volunteers aged under 25, who have been a member of either the ATC or CCF(RAF) for a minimum of 4 years are also eligible to apply.

Our grant window is open. Eligible regions, wings, squadrons, cadets and volunteers can apply for the following grant programmes:

• Core Grant
• Development Grant
• Immersive Technology Grant: Phase 2