New North Manchester Squadron Building Opens

Sunday 22nd August saw the Official Opening Ceremony of the new headquarters building of 1832 (North Manchester) Squadron at Longton Road, Blackley, Manchester.

The opening was performed by the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Colonel Warren J Smith JP as well as the Lord Mayor of Greater Manchester, Councillor Mark Hackett. Also at this important Air Cadet occasion was Regional Commandant North, Group Captain John Middleton OBE.

Group Captain Middleton opened the proceedings by telling guests that he had a special interest in 1832 (North Manchester) Squadron as it was here that his ‘air’ career started before progressing into the Royal Air Force, culminating in piloting Avro Vulcan bomber aircraft.

The Lord Mayor praised the cadets, staff and civilian committee of the squadron for their hard work preparing the squadron for the opening ceremony and felt sure that the squadron would be an asset to the local community.

Colonel Smith spoke to staff and cadets who were on parade in front of the building with a bugle accompaniment by two of the squadron cadet musicians.

Following the official opening ceremony, all guests did a walkround of squadron facilities including the training rooms as well as the Flight Simulator, designed to give the cadets a ‘virtual experience’ of flying before going on to flying and gliding ‘for real’ at the squadron’s designated flying facilities on RAF Stations. Cadets fly from RAF Woodvale and 635VGS at (ex RAF) Topcliffe Airfield. Drummers from the squadron band also entertained the VIPs and guests.

The cadets of 1832 Squadron have occupied temporary accommodation for nearly six years since their original squadron building was declared as unusable and cadet numbers dropped because of this.

The squadron, now in its new building, has now started to increase in numbers thanks to publicity drives headed by squadron commander Flight Lieutenant Kevin McGuire and his adult staff.

Flight Lieutenant McGuire said “Since we moved into the new building we have been able to reform the Squadron band. Recruitment for new Cadets and Staff is moving forward at a pace and 1832 Squadron will now go from strength to strength”.