Congratulations to the Air Cadets Junior Leaders who have recently completed their demanding course with Test Phase, a week long assessment. Pete and Linda Thornton were delighted to be invited to join their Graduation Dinner at RAF Honington in Norfolk and honoured to make the awards to the successful applicants for the JTYAF funded expeditions to Kenya and Nepal.

The Junior Leaders Course is the toughest of the Cadet's leadership courses, physically demanding and requiring real commitment and determination. The Qualified Junior Leaders are awarded a Level Two Certificate in Team Leadership from the Institute of Leadership and Management and as part of their assessment they are required to organise and manage a fundraising project for the JTYAF.

In 2013 the Junior Leaders raised a fantastic £17K, a tough target for this year's course, but Course XV absolutely smashed it, raising more than £22,000!!

The sixty three Junior Leaders organised a whole range of fundraising activities. There were many tough physical challenges, with stretcher runs, rowathons and London to Brighton cycles to name but a few. Gala nights, skydives and even a swim in combats also featured on the long list of events! Sam Livingstone managed to organise for the JTYAF flag to be flown at the North Pole alongside the Royal Marine flag and this together with a sponsored skydive saw Sam raise a fantastic £1300. The highest individual total on the course.

The JTYAF is totally overwhelmed by the support of these remarkable young people. Their commitment to the Foundation and the support and encouragement that they provide is nothing short of inspiring. We are also extremely grateful to the JL's friends and families for their kindness and generosity. £22,000 will make a massive difference to the opportunities that the JTYAF is able to provide for young people. It will fund both the Junior Leaders Kenya and Nepal expeditions and finance the awards to young people from the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, Dorset, together with the Guides (NE Forest and NE Minster Divisions) and the Scouts (East Dorset Division).

A huge huge thank you for all that has been achieved by Course XV, to both the staff and to the Junior Leaders. Hoofing effort as JT would say!