SWAFFHAM Air Cadets held their annual presentation evening, with town mayor Shirley Matthews the guest of honour. Flt Lt Robert Gardner, commanding officer of 894 squadron, gave a presentation to guests, parents, staff and committee members on what the squadron had achieved over the year, finishing with the presentation of awards by the mayor.

SWAFFHAM Air Cadets held their annual presentation evening, with town mayor Shirley Matthews the guest of honour.

Flt Lt Robert Gardner, commanding officer of 894 squadron, gave a presentation to guests, parents, staff and committee members on what the squadron had achieved over the year, finishing with the presentation of awards by the mayor.

The awards were: Best Academic Cadet - Cadet Cpl Sophie Prentis; Best Marksman - Cadet Flt Sgt Richard Green; Best Sports Person - Cadet Cpl Nathan Clarke; Best NCO - Cadet Flt Sgt Daniel Parker; Best New Recruit - Cadet Maria Rushton; Best Cadet of 2008 -Cadet Sgt Ryan Duke.

Mrs Matthews said: “It is a great pleasure to spend an evening with young people who have chosen a very practical hobby that helps fulfil their potential of good citizens and that has a huge amount of fun and adventure attached to it.

“You all obviously have the right attitude to life; living life to the full, using time usefully as well as having a sense of fun and adventure.”

Four Cadets from the Swaffham squadron played for Norfolk and Suffolk Wing sports teams at RAF College Cranwell.

Cadet Maria Rushton played for the junior girls' hockey team and Cadet Sgt Ryan Duke, Cadet Cpl Nathan Clarke and Cadet Samuel Cairns played for the junior boys' football team.

All four received their Wing Blues and Cadet Rushton received a silver medal, as the junior girls' team came second. The junior boys' football team received a gold medal each for coming first.