Royal Air Force News Friday, August 21, 2026 P10
News
Wittering Ironmen show their mettle Simon Mander A BIT of banter at Wittering turned into a charity challenge at the Cambridgeshire airbase. Strongmen from the station will be attempting Operation Iron Push in aid of an anti-suicide charity. 2MT Sqn Sgt Declan Walsh said: “We were chatting, having a laugh, throwing around ideas when someone joked, ‘Imagine pushing a gym sled a marathon distance’. Everyone laughed. “But within days, what had started as a throwaway comment had completely taken on a life of its own. The idea gathered momentum incredibly quickly. “More people wanted to get involved, the planning started, and before we knew it, we weren’t just talking about it anymore, we were committed to making it happen.” The team chose to raise money for the Campaign Against Living Miserably, which seeks to challenge the stigma around mental health.
Family first
TOUGH ENOUGH: Wittering team putting their strength to the test for charity. Use the QR code to sponsor them
“Too often, men feel they have to bottle things up, carry the weight alone and never show vulnerability,” said Sgt Walsh. “These outdated attitudes
continue to have devastating consequences, and suicide continues to affect far too many families, friends, colleagues and communities.
“If our challenge can raise funds to encourage one person to start a conversation, every single metre we push that sled will have been worth it.”
RAF FAMILIES with children who have special educational needs are being cared for by a new group at Marham. Parents Sophie Allport and WO Chris Daykin, who have firsthand experience of the challenges military personnel face over special educational needs, have launched a new social service at the Norfolk airbase. WO Daykin said: “The SEN group has been invaluable to our family. It has provided friendship, support and reassurance during challenging times, helping us feel connected and understood within the military community.” Backed by Armed Forces charity SSAFA, the group, which meets once a month, sits outside of chain of command and provides a safe space for families to offer peer support, organisers said.