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December 2011 News

Northern Lights Flights

Glasgow, Monday 21st November 2011.

The weather was clear in Scotland with fog down south so there was no problem there – or so we thought.  All went well with everyone from the charity With Kids excitedly waiting in the departure lounge when at 8.30pm, half an hour before the flight, news filtered through that the aircraft had not arrived in Glasgow. 

As is turned out the operating aircraft had been scheduled to land at London City to disembark passengers and then to pick up more for the next leg to Glasgow.  Unfortunately owing to fog at City Airport the aircraft had to divert to Stansted where it landed safely but was unable to depart.  It was a very disappointing experience for all concerned.  The flight has now been rescheduled for March 2012, so at least there was some good news.

Bristol, Monday 28th November 2011

By contrast the flight at Bristol was a great success and the evening was thoroughly enjoyable.  Thirty three people were invited to attend and the group included two representatives from AWB, two guests and a cameraman from EADS and, from the charity Action for Children, eleven adults, some of whom were parents and others carers, plus seventeen children and young people.

The Bristol Airport manager personally attended to the group and the children received baseball caps and other items from EADS and an Amy ‘pilot’ bear and pilot wings from AWB.  Most of the children had never flown before and there was a carnival atmosphere on board with the children clapping, cheering and laughing from take off to landing.  And, most importantly of all, the Northern Lights made an appearance and danced and changed colour to the enjoyment of the passengers. 

‘The trip was the best day of my life’, exclaimed Daniel, ‘I had no idea there was a world like that out there’.

A most memorable evening for all.

October 2011 News

Fundraising at Edinburgh Fun Run, 23rd October

On a chilly Sunday morning, Gillian Burke and her 6 year old daughter joined 100 or so other fun runners in Edinburgh's Holyrood Park for a 5km run around Arthurs Seat.

Gillian kindly offered to raise money for Aviation Without Borders through www.justgiving.com/gillian-Burke and has so far raised £305. You can still donate too!

After an energetic warm up session, the starting gun was fired and off they all went. Some runners were in fancy dress and Gillian decided to wear a "Biggles" flying hat along with her AWB  T-shirt. Many people asked about the charity on her way around the course, raising awareness just that little bit more.

And 45 minutes later, Gillian and Eilidh crossed the finishing line, and although Eilidh grabbed a piggy back off Mummy for some of the course, it was a tremendous effort all round.

So well done to both Gillian and Eilidh and thank you to everyone who sponsored them.

September 2011 News

Cotswold (Kemble) Smiling Wings Day Report Saturday 15th October 2011

On 10th September the event had to be cancelled when the tail end of Hurricane Katia swept across Gloucestershire, but the second time round was a success.  The weather on Saturday 15th October was warm and sunny with a beautiful clear sky and a light breeze – a perfect day for flying.

The event was sponsored by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) and was funded from proceeds from the sale of last year’s Christmas card which featured a drawing by Andrew, one of the residents at the Kingfisher Centre in Stroud. 

The day was organised as a thank you and was a little different to other Smiling Wings events in that all the Kingfisher residents, Andrew, Dan, Frank, Joe and Terri, flew with a qualified flying instructor on a short trial lesson.  Each had a chance to fly the aircraft and in the perfect conditions it was a great success. 

At the AV8 Restaurant near the flying school refreshments in the form of drinks, sandwiches and cakes were available throughout the afternoon and a large decking area out front provided the ideal spot to sit in the sun and view the proceedings.

‘It was a great day’, said Andrew. ‘It was fun and exciting and I’d really like to do something like that again’.

All in all, a good day for everyone.

August 2011 News

Cumbernauld Smiling Wings Day Report . Saturday 6th August 2011

Eleven children and young people, mostly from The Aberlour Child Care Trust, got the chance to fly at Cumbernauld Aerodrome on Saturday, 6th August 2011. 

The day was hosted by Aviation Without Borders and The Leading Edge Flying Club (LEFC).  EADS, and pilots from the LEFC, generously funded the event. 

Groups had travelled from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling and Falkirk to attend and activities included a talk on aviation, a guided tour of the hanger, lunch and a short flight for the children, families and carers. 

The weather had been changeable before the event but, fortunately, on the day it was warm and pleasant.  Rain was forecast for early afternoon but didn’t arrive until much later so everyone got the chance to fly.  A representative from Bel Press Photographers also attended to record the activities.

‘I can’t believe I was flying’, said young Jordan after his flight,’ and I even sat beside the pilot and got a shot’.

It goes without saying that the children and young people, some with carers and others with their families, had a great time and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day.




July 2011 News

REACH REUNION AT RIAT AS GUESTS OF EADS

A reunion for 18 of AWB’s friends from the charity Reach was held on 17thJuly at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. 

The European Aeronautic, Defence and Space Company (EADS), AWB’s main sponsor, had a chalet at the event and they very kindly invited our Reach friends to join them as VIP guests.

At the start of the day Fairford was anything but fair and heavy rain delayed the start of the flying programme.  Fortunately the rain eased off and, as the cloud lifted, the weather improved allowing the full flying programme to be flown. 

EADS Head of Corporate Sponsorship and Promotion, Bettina Nerb, kindly organised a tour of the Vulcan bomber, one of the star attractions, which was later seen in the air.  The flying display also included impressive demonstrations of the F16, Rafale and Typhoon fighters as well as another spectacular show by the Red Arrows.

Our guests from Reach met old acquaintances, made new friends and all thoroughly enjoyed the event. Said one Reach parent, ’we had an absolutely fantastic day and really enjoyed meeting up with the other REACH families’.



June 2011 News

Perth Smiling Wings Day Report Saturday 4th June 2011

Ten young people from Edinburgh Sick Kids Hospital took to the skies at Perth Aerodrome on Saturday, 4th June 2011.  The event was hosted by Aviation Without Borders and The Scottish Aero club.  EADS generously funded the event. 

The day was a great chance for the young people and their families to relax and enjoy themselves together.  Activities included a talk on aviation, a guided tour of the hanger, lunch and a short flight for the children and their families.  

The weather had been warm and sunny the day before but changed for the worse on the Saturday with low cloud and fresh winds.  Fortunately the cloud lifted after midday and everyone got the chance to fly. 


Photographers from the Daily Record and the Perth local newspaper, The Courier, attended, so the Press were well represented. 

A feature on Emma (10) and her family appeared in the Daily Record later in the week

‘It’s wonderful to see her doing something away from the hospital and smiling.  She’s had a great time’, said Emma’s mum.


All enjoyed their day and, thanks to everyone at the SAC, there were lots of smiles.

Air Transport students raise over £2,000 for AWB – 4 February 2011

Cranfield students come up trumps once again!

For the second year running, the students of the Department of Air Transport from Cranfield University hosted the Air Transport Party and Fundraiser on 4 February 2011. The event was started by the class of 2010 with the hope that their initiative would be followed by fellow air transport students in years to come.

The class of 2011 set out to match last year’s admirable total of £1,000 raised for AWB, which had been selected once again as the beneficiary of this year’s fundraising, since the charity’s aims were in line with the overall theme of the event.

The whole evening had an aviation setting. The Cranfield Students’ Association was given a worldly flavour with posters of aircraft and exotic destinations. The dance floor was transformed into an aircraft cabin and soon filled up with cabin crew, pilots and mechanics. In addition to an auction of aviation-themed items, the class also ran a raffle, the first prize of which included a pair of return air tickets. Thanks to support from aviation enthusiasts across the campus and the generosity of members of industry and the Department of Air Transport, a grand total of over £2,000 was raised.

Aviation Without Borders trustees joined the students to express their appreciation and support and to donate a number of Amy ‘Wonderful’ Bears, AWB’s cuddly ambassador, for both the auction and to the Department of Air Transport. Before leaving, the trustees were generously presented with a cheque of £250 by DHL Global Forwarding (UK) Ltd representative Matthew Davies, as part of the overall funds raised.

The air transport students thanked the Department for its support, in particular Graham Braithwaite (Head, Department of Air Transport), Keith Mason (Head, Air Transport Group), Andy Foster (Senior Lecturer) and Frankie O’Connell (Course Director, MSc Air Transport Management) for his charismatic auctioneering. Special thanks also went to Sue Richardson of the Cranfield Students’ Association for her support and assistance.

Having now been a successful event for two consecutive years, the students are confident that this will become an annual highlight and that next year’s students will build on what has become an exciting tradition.

Once again, grateful and sincere thanks from all at AWB go to the students and staff of The Air Transport Department at Cranfield for their initiative and tremendous efforts in raising this truly magnificent sum – it is really is greatly appreciated and will be put to good use.

(The Department of Air Transport at Cranfield University is the main international centre for postgraduate teaching in air transport management and safety. MSc courses and PhD research can be undertaken on a part-time basis as well as full-time. The Department is a focus for research in air transport, and it provides consultancy services and career development training to the industry.)

 

AWB assists with excess baggage request for Swaziland – 2 February 2011

Providing humanitarian help – in whatever way it’s needed!

In January 2011 AWB was approached by Paul Redfern, on behalf of Skillshare International, to see if it could help in dealing with excess baggage charges for 20Kg likely to be incurred on his flight to Manzini, Swaziland via Johannesburg. Skillshare is an international volunteering and development organisation working in partnership with communities in Africa and Asia.

The extra luggage in question included donations of books, jigsaws, football kit, socks, and shoes (to be shared with another school) along with DVDs and board games for use by students at the Siteki School for the Deaf, the only school of its kind in Swaziland.

AWB was able to facilitate this through the kind help of all the staff at South African Airways at Heathrow Airport and at its London head office who most generously waived any surcharge. The impact of this gesture and the resulting effect of the shipment can be judged by the photos of the students.

And this email from Paul says it all:

Adrian,

Hello there!

Just a quick note to thank you for arranging the extra kilos. The school were delighted with the extra bits and pieces.

Mind you I had a bit of a hairy time when I arrived at customs. I had a huge suitcase overflowing with football socks, jigsaw puzzles, books, football shirts, hair accessories for the girls, papers and DVDs. I had a cabin suitcase with my clothes in. And of course, I was obliged to open both my cases. Customs want money so they ask me if my laptop is new – no, it isn’t. I fill out a form – nothing to declare. Wrong. My case full of stuff for the school and is deemed liable to customs duty. The little suitcase isn’t too bad, he rifles through my clothes but the big suitcase is a disaster.

They ask me to cost it – I tell them that it was all donated (true – even if I donated some of it) and so wouldn’t be re-sold for profit. Not good enough, he starts taking things out – socks flying out, jigsaws opened, books looked at. Fortunately another teacher, Zanele comes in at that point and she tells them that it’s all for the school. And she tells them we haven’t got any money,… and it works. But impossible to get that suitcase packed again. 

But I made it…. and a huge thank you to you for making it happen. I might ask you again as I’m hoping to come back in October to supervise the first ever sign language exams for the Deaf students.

I’m also attaching two photos of the students with the football strip and the hair accessories so you can paste them onto the website.

Cheers

Paul [Redfern]

Aviation Without Borders would like to thank once again all the staff involved in making this possible.


Special presentation at Kingfishers Residential Project, Ebley, Stroud, 14 December 2010

Stroud youngster is flying high as design is showcased worldwide!

19-year-old Andrew Holland, who lives at the charity Action for Children’s Kingfishers Residential Project for young people with learning disabilities at Ebley, Stroud in Gloucestershire, designed a Christmas card which was chosen by Airbus parent company EADS, based on his once-in-a-lifetime trip to view the Northern Lights last year. It is understood that over 125,000 Christmas cards with his design have been printed and distributed worldwide!

Andrew was one of nine lucky youngsters who last November went on the special flight organised by Aviation Without Borders and funded by the Airbus Corporate Foundation.

"I can’t believe they’ve chosen my design and people all over the world will see it”, said Andrew. "We were asked to draw what we saw at the Northern Lights, so I drew the big plane in the dark night with lots of flashes of light and stars.”

The Kingfisher Project celebrated Andrew’s winning success in style when representatives from EADS, Aviation Without Borders and Airbus presented Andrew with a specially-framed copy of his design and the Christmas card.

Ian White, who was the Airbus Corporate Foundation’s ambassador at the time of the Northern Lights trip, said: "I feel honoured to get to meet Andrew again and I think his painting is fantastic! It brings back memories of our trip to see the Northern Lights a year ago. I am so pleased that I could be involved in a event that gives young people like Andrew an amazing flying experience that stays with them.”

Action for Children’s Lisa McColl, Project Manager at Kingfishers, said: "We are absolutely delighted that Andrew’s design was chosen - he should be extremely proud of himself. The trip was incredible and an experience the young people will never forget. We can’t thank Aviation Without Borders and Airbus enough for giving them the opportunity to experience something so special.”

Kingfishers at Ebley provides accommodation within a detached house for seven young people with learning disabilities, helping them to develop the skills necessary to live either independently or with limited support after their placement at the project.

It is anticipated that AWB will receive part of the money raised from the sale of the cards and that this will be used to fund an event next year with Action For Children and EADS.

Andrew Holland is pictured with his framed Christmas card.

Pictured with him are from left to right: Adrian Waite, AWB trustee; Bettina Nerb, Head of Sponsorship and Promotion at EADS; Ian White from Airbus and of course Amy 'Wonderful' Bear.

Photos courtesy of Airbus

Smiling Wings Christmas Party Special at Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, Surrey, 13 December 2010

Smiles and fun all the way!

About 60 youngsters from the special-needs Meadow High School, Hillingdon were the excited guests of Aviation Without Borders' special Smiling Wings Christmas Party held at the famous Brooklands Museum, said to be the birthplace of British aviation and motorsport.

Aviation Without Borders organises its regular Smiling Wings days where children with disadvantages can experience the thrill and excitement of flying in a light aircraft. And in view of the recent weather, where better to hold a Christmas Smiling Wings Party than where it is claimed to be "The birthplace of aviation”.

The boys and girls were taken on a specially arranged tour of the museum with its remarkable range of aviation exhibits – from historic aircraft such as the Vickers VC-10 through to the Concorde G-BBDG or ‘Delta Golf’ which was the first aircraft ever to carry 100 people at twice the speed of sound. The children were then treated to a sumptuous Christmas lunch with all the trimmings before settling down to enjoy the wonders of Mr Mysto the Magician who thrilled everyone with his endless entertainment of mysteries and delights!

18 year-old Ashlee said: "I enjoyed Concorde the best and going on the old-fashioned planes”. And Zak aged 16, said: "I enjoyed the whole experience – it was quite fascinating. I really enjoyed the whole day.”

Sana Bhopal, Head of History at Meadow High School commented: "The whole event was so well organised. Annie at AWB made sure all our needs were catered for.” And Andy Bunker, Assistant Head Teacher remarked: "AWB and the work that it does is amazing. We are very grateful for this opportunity for our students to experience the Museum and all that it has to offer. Our thanks go to everyone at AWB who helped organise such an amazing event!”

At the end of the event, armed with bags of numerous aviation goodies appreciatively donated by AWB’s principal supporter EADS, Airbus, local company Primart of Addlestone, and of course an Amy Bear each, the children left with big smiles on their faces.

AWB would like to thank the staff at Brooklands Museum in particular the guides and members of the Hospitality & Events team for looking after everyone so well, and their hard work in making the day such a success.

Humanitarian aid shipment to disaster-stricken Haiti, 4 December 2010

Once again AWB responds to calls for help with cholera epidemic

More than seven months after Haiti’s devastating earthquake, rubble still fills the streets and 1 million people or more remain homeless and subject to disease and infection.

There are still urgent calls for help and Aviation Without Borders has just completed a 7400kgs air cargo shipment of essential medical goods such as Ringer’s solution - used intravenously to help with dehydration. These essential supplies will be used by NGOs in Haiti in the continued treatment of cholera patients in at least 60 rehydration centres.

As soon as the earthquake struck in January this year, Aviation Without Borders assisted in the support of aid organisations working on the ground, providing air cargo shipments of rescue equipment and medicines for some of the charities helping the earthquake survivors.

AWB is once again one of the first charities to respond to recent renewed calls for urgent aid and assistance. The operation could not however have been achieved without the support and cooperation of several companies and their operations staff, in particular: Air France/KLM Cargo, HCH (Heathrow Cargo Handling), Proflex Ltd, Farma Mundi in Spain, Argenta Srl in Santa Domingo and Zamni La Sante in Haiti.

AWB Trustees Adrian Waite and Annie Brand, who oversaw the project, commented: ‘without the unstinting support of the companies and people mentioned, Aviation Without Borders would not have been able to do much. This unique cooperation has enabled vital medical goods to reach their target speedily. AWB is proud to have been able to help once more.’

Pictured with Amy Wonderful Bear are Adrian Waite of AWB and Darren Wickens of Proflex Ltd

AWB assists with escorting Kenyan mother back home, 18 November 2010

AWB comes to the rescue!

AWB was pleased to offer immediate assistance when Mama Lilian had to return home unexpectedly to Kenya.

Lilian is the mother of Divinah (pictured), a young Kenyan girl brought to the UK for heart surgery by the UK charity Chain of Hope. Lilian accompanied her daughter to the UK, but reluctantly had to return home at short notice. AWB was able to help financially and also with airport assistance at London Heathrow, providing a smooth passage for Lilian and her escort both landside and airside.

Chain of Hope, with whom AWB works closely and regularly, was founded by the pioneering heart surgeon Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub. Professor Yacoub is also a patron of Aviation Without Borders.

Young Divinah herself will be returning shortly to Kenya, as soon as she is well enough to travel.

Aviation Without Borders would like to thank all the staff of BAA Security at London Heathrow and British Airways for all their kind assistance in making this trip run as smoothly as possible.

BACA 2010 Autumn Lunch & Excellence Awards Guildhall, London, 26 October 2010

Auction of Amy Bear contributed to over £2300 raised for AWB!

Aviation Without Borders was chosen as the Baltic Air Charter Association’s (BACA) adopted charity for 2010.

BACA’s 2010 Autumn Lunch and Excellence Awards ceremony was held on Tuesday 26th October at the magnificent Guildhall situated in the heart of the City of London. The event hosted by well-known sports presenter and broadcaster John Inverdale.

The excellent lunch was held within the spectacular backdrop of this rare and magnificent medieval Grade I listed landmark. AWB trustee Adrian Waite was one of the guests of honour, and gave a short talk to the 270 guests on the work of Aviation Without Borders and the latest flying adventures of Amy Bear, who was to be auctioned. Before and during the meal, a raffle was also held raising some £1800 for AWB’s funds.

The BACA Excellence Awards followed and then at the end of the proceedings John Inverdale kindly agreed to auction one of AWB’s much-travelled Amy Bears. The assembled guests continued to dig deep into their pockets and a further £500 was achieved!

This particular Amy Bear was auctioned complete with her pilot’s logbook, a fantastic photo album showing many of the unique aircraft, old and new, that she had flown in - all contained within a beautiful presentation bag. (See Amy’s latest blog for a taste of some of the aircraft she has had the pleasure of flying in.)

AWB would like to thank BACA’s chairman, Dick Gilbert, members and all who contributed, for their incredible generosity and assures everyone that the money raised will be used to help with the continuing work of the charity.

The Baltic Air Charter Association represents the interests of commercial aviation companies particularly in the air charter industries and markets. Membership includes air brokers, charter airlines, airports, business aircraft operators, freight forwarders, consultants and others.

AWB is privileged and honoured to have been chosen as BACA’s adopted charity for 2010.

Smiling Wings Day Special with Airbus at Broughton, Hawarden (Chester) Airport, 2 October 2010

Young people fly high at Airbus fun day!

October weather can be fickle. The Friday before the event saw heavy rain and strong winds throughout the UK. Sunday forecast was rain. On Saturday 2 October, by good fortune, a weather window opened and the day dawned bright and clear.

In good flying conditions about 25 young people from across the North West and North Wales were able to enjoy a flight over Broughton and to experience the excitement of a trip in a light aircraft.

The day was hosted by AWB in association with two other aviation charities, Aerobility (formerly the British Disabled Flying Association) and fly2help, and was funded by the Airbus Corporate Foundation. This was only the second time that the three charities had come together for such an event, the first being with Airbus at Filton, and was the first time that AWB had held a Smiling Wings Day in Wales.

In addition to flights in a single and twin engine aircraft, activities from aircraft design to building your own model aeroplane were provided by Airbus direct entry graduates, a static aircraft was on display for the kids to look at up close and to sit in the cockpit and the Hawarden Airport fire department provided tours of its shiny, new fire engine.

Beth, 16, from Bangor came along with her dad Terry who said, "Everyone has been so friendly and welcoming. The flight was amazing. Beth got to have a go at flying the aircraft and did really well. All-in-all it was a brilliant day!” Beth added, "It was a very thrilling experience flying an aircraft on my own and I wouldn’t mind having another go someday”.

The support from all concerned was overwhelming and the good weather made the day. Thanks go to Airbus Corporate Foundation, Airbus, Chester Handling Services, Flintshire Flying School, Bristol Aviation and all the pilots and supporters who kindly volunteered their help.

Photographs Courtesy of Airbus UK

Airbus Family Day, Filton, 18 September 2010

Another Family Fun Day!

We were kindly invited by Airbus UK to bring our Amy Bears and our famous "Wheel of Fortune” and share the day with thousands of families and friends at its annual Family Day. And so AWB was able to add to the large list of activities and entertainment, which had been thoughtfully organised for the delight of young and old alike.

After making sure that nothing had been forgotten, two Trustees, Adrian and Annie, set out at the crack of dawn (it was! 05.30 on a September day in what had been a wet week, please believe it — the dawn had not even cracked!). But the sun came out whilst we were on our way and then we knew our luck had changed and it would be a nice day. We were meeting Mick, one of our intrepid volunteers, at the Filton site, and we soon had everything ready for the Grand Opening.

The day was a great success and the ever-popular Wheel of Fortune was extremely busy with lots of children happily clutching an Amy, having either had a lucky turn of the Wheel or persuaded Mum and Dad that they could not do without her! Nearly £600 was raised for AWB funds during the day as a result of everyone’s enthusiasm.

Our grateful thanks go to our host for giving us the opportunity to share in such a joyful event with all at Airbus Filton.

Humanitarian cargo shipment to Nairobi, Kenya, 31 August 2010

Partnership creates library for Nairobi orphanage

A new library is being created for orphans and vulnerable children in Kenya, thanks to a partnership between Airbus employees, regional airline BMI and two charities: Humanitarian for Children International (HFCI) and Aviation Without Borders (AWB).

Kind-hearted Airbus employees in Toulouse collected thirty-two boxes of clothes, toys, books and computer hardware, which was flown from Toulouse to Filton thanks to regional airline BMI. It was then transported to Heathrow and onwards to Nairobi by Aviation Without Borders, before its final destination – the Ayofo House Orphanage and its resident children aged three to 15.

The charitable consignment was organised by Airbus employee Michelle Oduor who is also President of the charity Humanitarian for Children International which set up the Ayofo House Orphanage.

Michelle Oduor, who works at Airbus head office in Toulouse, France said: "As President of HFCI, I wanted to do everything possible to improve the lives and future of the orphans and vulnerable children in the orphanage, many of whom have lost their parents from HIV, AIDS and malaria.”

"A library will ensure the children have access to reference books whilst computers will allow them valuable access to the world-wide web. It’s great that Airbus, BMI and Aviation Without Borders have stepped in to support this worthwhile project and the children and staff at the orphanage and the charity are of course tremendously grateful.”

The consignment will be split on arrival with the books and computer hardware going to start up the library and the clothes and shoes given to the orphanage, with the surplus being donated to mothers with new-born babies and children from disadvantaged families.

AWB organised the despatch between Filton and Heathrow Airport with the help of Panex, based at Cheltenham airport, who kindly offered the use of its daily scheduled service to assist in this charitable effort.

Finally, the last leg of the journey was made under the care of the enthusiastic team from Kenya Airways Cargo, headed by Katrina Hanson, Regional Cargo Sales Manager.

As a result of this successful cooperation with Kenya Airways and AWB’s involvement in humanitarian aid, we are looking forward to many more joint operations in the future.

Smiling Wings Day, Fairoaks Airport, Chobham, Surrey, 2 August 2010

SMILES all the way!

Aviation Without Borders’ guests for this latest Smiling Wings Day were six children from SMILE (Sutton Mentoring and Independent Leisure Experiences) – a peer mentoring scheme for disadvantaged young people in the London Borough of Sutton. Each youngster was individually supported by a trained teenage volunteer from local schools and colleges recruited with the help of the Sutton Volunteer Centre and ‘vinspired’, the national young volunteers service programme. So there were at least 12 young people who were all ready to fly!

AWB’s ever-popular Smiling Wings Days are funded by our principal supporter EADS and the aircraft and pilots on this occasion were provided by Synergy Aviation Ltd based at Fairoaks Airport.

On their arrival the youngsters were treated to refreshments and then divided into two groups. The first group was given a brief introductory talk on the principles of flying by one of Synergy Aviation’s pilots and then, armed with a headset each person was ready for take-off! The remaining group continued to enjoy the summer sunshine. They watched their friends prepare for departure and while waiting for their turn, were kept entertained by the various aircraft movements taking place in full view of the public enclosure.

By lunchtime both groups had successfully flown and, judging by the expressions shouted out such as ‘awesome’ and ‘fantastic’ and the huge smiles on each face, it was clear that the 45-minute flights had been enjoyed by all. The children flew over many well-known landmarks and there were several opportunities for aerial celebrity house-spotting as well as chances of recognising well-known places closer to home.

It was also a pleasure for AWB to welcome Jane Stark, the Sutton Disability Partnership's Short Breaks Manager, who was able to see for herself the exciting work that AWB is doing with young people and the enjoyment the SMILE youngsters and their volunteers were getting from this event. It was also a pleasure to welcome Nigel Scott-Dickeson, Project Manager of The Springboard Project, of which SMILE is a part.

After a sumptuous buffet lunch, the youngsters were presented with a certificate marking their flight and received a Young Pilot wings badge. And of course, everyone, including the volunteers was given an Amy Bear to take home!

Farnborough International Airshow 2010, 19-25 July 2010

That old AWB wheel just keeps on spinning!

The Farnborough International Airshow is one of the world's most iconic global aviation events. and Farnborough 2010 was no exception.

Thanks once again to the generosity of AWB’s principal supporter EADS, we were given the unique opportunity to take a prominent spot at the front of the EADS stand in Hall 4 for the weekend (24-25 July) during which the show is open to the general public. The location is second to none, attracting scores of visitors and being opposite the Rolls-Royce stand is an added bonus.

AWB’s famous "Wheel of Fortune” was once more in action – almost working non-stop from the moment our display was set up first thing in the morning! Amy Bear look-alikes can be won by a simple spin of the wheel and this simple device proves a tremendous hit with both young and old.

Indeed this year, so successful was Amy, that in many instances, bears were being bought as fast as others were being won! This enabled us to raise several hundreds of pounds and easily exceed last times’ total by a significant margin.

Throughout the day there were also opportunities to meet potential new members and supporters and explain the role of the charity and highlight its aims and achievements. But of course without the generosity and support of EADS, none of this would have been possible. Our grateful thanks go therefore to Edelweiss Alonso and her exhibition team for helping to make this such a successful fundraising event.

Special mention should of course also be made of AWB volunteer Mick Simpson, without whose selling skills, our final fundraising total would have been much less!

‘100 Years of Aviation in Switzerland’, Emmen, Lucerne, Switzerland, 24 July 2010

Amy flies with the best!

AWB’s cuddly ambassador Amy ‘Wonderful’ Bear was privileged to fly with one of our patrons Brian Jones in a replica of Breitling Orbiter 3 during the hot-air balloon displays and flights at the recent celebrations of ‘100 Years of Aviation in Switzerland’ which was held at the Emmen Airshow, Lucerne in Switzerland on 24 July 2010. Brian said afterwards: ‘It was a little windy and the flight was quite exciting, so we only managed to get a couple of photos from the ground’. However for him to have been able to take Amy with him was fantastic. Many thanks Brian!

Brian Jones was one of the pilots of Breitling Orbiter 3, the first hot-air balloon to fly non-stop around the world! The replica balloon is used to promote the work of Brian and his co-pilot Bertrand Piccard’s charity Winds of Hope dedicated to ridding the world of one of the most shocking diseases – Noma, a disease which kills thousands of young victims each year.

Flying in the Breitling Orbiter 3 replica has of course also helped in raising the profile of Aviation Without Borders and Amy’s log book was appropriately signed.

Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, 18 July 2010

VIP hospitality for our special guests!

EADS, our major supporter, once again generously invited AWB and their guests as VIPs to this prestigious event. So this time 13 young people and their carers and families from four Action For Children groups based in Gloucestershire and Shropshire were our guests for a thrilling day of flying displays and hospitality second to none!

Some of the children were from Stroud, The Meadows in Dudbridge and Kingfishers in Ebley, and others were from Shrewsbury Shared Care and Telford Shared Care.

The EADS hospitality suite at RIAT is elegant and stylish, with its own viewing area. This time, despite a miserable start, the weather took a turn for the better. Everyone was able to visit some of the static displays, take a sightseeing trip around part of the show in the EADS golf buggy, or simply relax in the viewing area outside – right next to the runway. A fantastic place to watch all the action!

After enjoying a magnificent three-course lunch, our guests headed outside and continued watching the flying displays. As always, among everyone’s favourites were the Avro Vulcan display by the Vulcan To The Sky Trust and of course The Red Arrows! In fact AWB’s cuddly ambassador Amy Bear was able to meet up again with Red 1, Ben Murphy and Red 7, David Montenegro before their display and remind them that she flew with the team at Farnborough two years ago!

AWB was also delighted to meet some old acquaintances at the show and in particular Brian Jones, an AWB patron - one of the pilots of Breitling Orbiter 3, the first hot-air balloon to fly around the world non-stop.

By the end of the day - and after being treated to more impressive displays and enjoying the occasional ice cream, our guests began to make their way home. It was clear from most of them that this had been memorable day out and an experience they will remember for a long time.

AWB would like to thank everyone involved at EADS and in particular, Bettina Nerb and Hannah Hall from EADS, Munich, for their time and generosity in making this event possible and such a success.

AeroExpo UK - Wycombe Air Park, Berkshire 25 - 27 June 2010

AWB on show once again!

AWB continued to raise its profile by exhibiting once again at AeroExpo UK - the only major general aviation event in the UK aimed at aviation professionals, recreational pilots, and flying enthusiasts.

Of course our cuddly ambassador Amy 'Wonderful' Bear was there too and she continued to make new friends. A chance of winning an Amy Bear by spinning AWB's exciting ‘Wheel of Fortune’ was as always the highlight of the display. Many happy visitors spent their time - and money - helping us to raise money for the charity and to try and win an Amy, some with great success even on the first spin!

A number of important new contacts were made and AWB was also pleased to meet several old friends. Some companies and organisations discussed sponsorship opportunities and a number of private pilots and other aviation professionals and enthusiasts also indicated their interest in becoming members and/or volunteering for such activities as our Smiling Wings Days.

A big Thank You to all our guests who came to the stand and made the event such a memorable one. And a very special Thank You to AWB volunteer Mick Simpson who was a great help during the event.

Smiling Wings Day, Cranfield Airport, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, 5 May 2010

Flying fun and excitement!

Eight youngsters from Action for Children - Shortbreaks @ Adrian Road, Abbots Langley in Hertfordshire, plus carers and one parent were the guests of AWB for another Smiling Wings Day. The weather forecast had been indifferent and the morning dawned grey and somewhat chilly, but, thankfully, apart from a few drops in the middle of the afternoon, it stayed dry.

Our young guests were welcomed at the airfield’s Café Pacific where they had been well looked after by Duncan and his team. They were soon whisked away to meet Terry Akeroyd and his colleagues at TA Aviation who were waiting to introduce them to the aircraft which would be used for the day, a Cessna 177 Cardinal.

After a short talk and safety briefing given by Terry, it was time to start the fun. Each flight was planned to last about 30 minutes, and it was decided that one group would stay and wait for their turn whilst the other would go back to Café Pacific for lunch. The spread was delicious and plentiful (the fries being voted best ever!) and everyone enjoyed the feast.

The flying was a great success and two children, who were adamant they would never set foot in an aircraft, were finally persuaded to ‘give it a try’. In fact they liked it so much that they refused to leave the aircraft at the end of the trip and one grown-up - who will remain anonymous - declared that she would never be afraid of flying again!

At the end of the day, and to their delight, the young flyers were presented with their wings (an AWB ‘Young Pilot’ winged badge), an AWB flying certificate and a small Amy Bear.

Our sincere thanks go to Terry Akeroyd of TA Aviation who provided the pilots and light aircraft and for ensuring the day was so successful.

Presentation to Cranfield University students - 5 May 2010

A big ‘Thank You’ again!

The Smiling Wings Day held at Cranfield Airport provided the ideal opportunity for the Trustees to present a framed ‘Thank You’ certificate to the students from Cranfield University’s Air Transport Department. The group had supported us so splendidly by raising the magnificent amount of £1019 at a function held in earlier in the year.

Trustees Adrian Waite and Annie Brand made the presentation on behalf of AWB just before the children were about to start their day of flying. The students were accompanied by Andy Foster, Senior Lecturer, Richard Moxon, Lecturer and Keith Mason, Reader. 

The instigator of it all was Sylvain Gloux, who had been on work experience with Air France Cargo a few years ago and is now studying for his MA at Cranfield. AWB wishes him well and hopes he will stay in contact with AWB at the end of his studies.

(The Air Transport Department at Cranfield University comprises the postgraduate courses: MSc Air Transport Management and MSc Airport Planning & Management. The department also runs short courses throughout the year for industry professionals.)

Smiling Wings Day Special, Filton, Bristol - 17 April 2010

Airlines grounded but Aviation Without Borders still flies!

Despite grounded flights across Europe, almost 30 young people from the Bristol area soared high over Filton during a special Smiling Wings Day on Saturday 17 April. The young people and their families enjoyed a day of fun aviation-related activities, including a flight in a light aircraft, hosted by Aviation Without Borders (AWB). The event was funded by the Airbus Corporate Foundation.

This is the 14th Smiling Wings Day that AWB has organised. AWB trustee Adrian Waite said, ‘It’s fantastic these children are given a chance to fly in a small plane — something they never thought possible. They have overcome disadvantages in their lives, which may have made them think they could not do anything like this, and it is great to see them enjoying this amazing experience. There are a lot of good people out there helping to make this happen.”

After Jordan Hawkes' (19, from Knowle, Bristol) flight, during which she took in both Severn Bridges and Gloucestershire, she said: "It was amazing! I was a bit nervous to take the controls myself but I really enjoyed it, it was a great experience.".

Jamie Cockbill, 13, from Barnstaple, Devon, said: "It was a bit bumpy but it was fun. I've never been up in a light aircraft before. We could see the horse race track at Chepstow and the golf course."

Special thanks from AWB go to the following organisations for their help in making this Smiling Wings Day happen:

Air BP for assisting with the fuel; Airbus for running the fun aviation activities; BAE Systems for donating the use of its facilities including Filton Airfield; Bristol Aero Club for providing the aircraft and pilots; Aviation charities: BDFA (British Disabled Flying Association) and fly2help for helping organise the event and bringing along two dozen deserving guests from the Bristol area and providing them with exciting small aircraft and helicopter flights; Reach charity for also bringing some deserving guests and Sodexo for donating the catering.