485 Harborne & Quinton ATC

31/10/2026

Well done to our Officer Commanding on his promotion to Squadron Leader. Well deserved and fantastic recognition of his hard work to the Squadron and Wing. 👏

PROMOTION TO SQUADRON LEADER 🚨

It is with great pleasure that Warwickshire & Birmingham Wing announces the promotion of Flight Lieutenant J Ashcroft to Squadron Leader RAFAC, as announced by OC W&B Wing this afternoon.

Over the past year, Sqn Ldr Ashcroft has held the appointment of Wing First Aid Officer, making a significant contribution to improving both the quality and delivery of first aid training across the Wing, whilst strengthening compliance across both Staff and Cadets.

Alongside his Wing responsibilities, he continues to serve as Officer Commanding 485 RAF Air Cadets, who were selected as the Wing’s Regional Candidates for the Lees Trophy this year.

Warwickshire & Birmingham Wing extends its congratulations to Squadron Leader Ashcroft on his promotion and wishes him every success in his new rank.

Comdt AC Wales and West Air Cadets Gp Capt Ben Wakefield RAFAC WO Alex Corbin Royal Air Force Air Cadets West Midland RFCA Youth Organisations in Uniform West Midlands

10/10/2026

Very proud squadron!

02/10/2026

Before & Now! ✈️

At 485, we are always incredibly proud of our ex-cadets and whatever career path they choose to follow. One of the three aims of the Air Training Corps is “To provide training which will be useful both in Service and in civil life.” And the following post proves just that! 🙌

With the majority of our syllabus and training being identical to that used by our parent organisation, the Royal Air Force, the following ex-485 cadets have chosen to follow that career path.

Well done to Pilot Officer Jayhanie, Officer Cadet Moore and Air Specialist Heath on successfully joining various branches of the Royal Air Force. We wish them all the best of luck in their future endeavours! 🇬🇧✈️

29/09/2026

It has been a busy few weeks! Here’s what we’ve been up to… ✈️

🏆 Wing Competition Day 2026

485 competed against our fellow squadrons across the Wing in a wide range of competitions, from archery to drill.

With a great effort all round, we are pleased to have achieved the following top-three results:

🥇 1st – Aerospace
🥇 1st – Space
🥇 1st – Air Recognition

🥈 2nd – Archery
🥈 2nd – First Aid
🥈 2nd – Banner IC
🥈 2nd – Mixed Media Artwork

🥉 3rd – Radio
🥉 3rd – Shooting
🥉 3rd – Public Speaking

A huge well done to everyone who competed and represented 485, and congratulations to all those who achieved a 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in their respective competitions! 👏

🩹 Activity First Aid Success

Congratulations to Civilian Instructor Dovey, Flight Sergeant Hudson and Corporal Sault on completing and achieving their Activity First Aid (AFA) qualification.

They have all completed the equivalent of First Aid at Work, bringing them one level closer to achieving their Gold First Aid Cadet badge, the highest award available within this category! 🥇

👩‍💼 Visit from MP Preet Gill

We were pleased to welcome our local MP, Preet Gill, to the squadron, where she had the opportunity to learn more about the experiences and value that 485 (Harborne & Quinton) Squadron provides to young people in her community.

During her visit, Ms Gill was shown our first aid training, preparations for the Regional Activity Day (RAD) Space competition, and our drill training. She also met with members of our Civilian Committee and, most importantly, spent time speaking with our cadets and discussing their experiences.

Our cadets thoroughly enjoyed her visit, and we would like to thank Ms Gill for taking the time to visit us and learn more about 485.

✈️ A productive few weeks!

Another busy and productive few weeks at 485 (Harborne & Quinton) Squadron!

Once again, thank you to all our cadets and staff for your continued hard work, commitment and support. Well done, 485! 👏💙

15/08/2026

📣 WE ARE OPEN FOR RECRUITMENT! ✈️

485 (Harborne & Quinton) Squadron is officially open for cadet recruitment!

From 17 August – 7 September 2026, you can register your interest and take the first step towards joining the Royal Air Force Air Cadets.

Whether you’re interested in flying, adventure training, shooting, drill, sport, leadership, STEM, camps or simply making new friends and trying something different — there’s something for everyone at 485! 🚀

📝 How to join the waiting list

Visit 485squadron.co.uk and follow:

Contact & Join ➡️ Join as a Cadet ➡️ Contact Us ➡️ Complete the Joining Form

📅 Recruitment window: 17 August – 7 September 2026

📍 Location: Tennal Grange, Tennal Lane, Birmingham, B32 2HX

Places are limited, so don’t miss your opportunity to join us.

We look forward to welcoming you to the 485 family!

12/08/2026

We're looking for more staff! 📣

As a growing squadron, we're looking for more people to join the 485 (Harborne & Quinton) Squadron Staff Team.

❌ You do not need:

• Previous experience working with young people
• Previous military experience
• Any formal teaching qualifications

✅You do need:

• To be 20 years old or over
• To have lived in the UK for a minimum of 3 years
• A genuine desire to help develop young people
• To be able to volunteer your time on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1900-2130hrs

If you're interested in joining the squadron, email 485 .mod.gov.uk to register your interest and someone will be in touch!📧

27/07/2026

Archery Practice at 485 (Harborne & Quinton) Squadron 🎯

Here's a snapshot of some of our cadets putting their aim and marksmanship to the test during an evening of archery supervised by a qualified RAFAC CFAV.

With plenty of focus, determination, and friendly competition, our cadets demonstrated great effort throughout the session, with some excellent results achieved. Well done to everyone who took part! 🙌

24/07/2026

Meet 485 (Harborne & Quinton) Squadron’s Cadet Non-Commissioned Officers! 🙌

From the rank of Corporal through to Cadet Warrant Officer, our Cadet NCOs have demonstrated to the Squadron Officer Commanding and Squadron Senior Non-Commissioned Officer that they possess the qualities expected of role models, leaders and mentors to their fellow cadets.

They play a vital role in the day-to-day running of the Squadron, supporting staff in the management and delivery of the progressive training syllabus, whilst helping to inspire and develop the next generation of cadets.

We asked some of our NCOs to answer a few questions about their experiences within the organisation, along with some light-hearted questions to help you get to know them better.

This is the first of two posts introducing the Cadet NCO team at 485 Squadron.

Our next recruitment intake will be announced once the Squadron is officially open for new cadets to join. In the meantime, you can find out more about 485 Squadron, explore our history, browse our library, and register your interest by joining our waiting list via our website: 485squadron.co.uk.

10/07/2026

Busy day today!

CWO Deeming, Sgt Brown, OCW, Flt Lt Seymour and FS French were honoured to represent RAFAC at the One Year To Go event for the at the NEC Birmingham.

We met some very familiar faces and had the privilege of cheering on the incredible veterans competing across a range of sporting events.

With stands and activities provided by the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force, it was a fantastic opportunity to network, strengthen relationships and engage with our parent and neighbouring Services.

With a little persuasion, we even managed to capture some fantastic moments with a few VIP guests!

We are looking forward to the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027!

Commandant Air Cadets Y O U West Midlands West Midlands Lieutenancy West Midland RFCA Wales & West Air Cadets Warwickshire & Birmingham Wing Air Training Corps Royal Air Force Air Cadets The Invictus Games Foundation This Morning

18/06/2026

🏆 The Best Squadron in Wales & West Region! 🏆

Recently, Group Captain Roger Simon, Regional Commandant Wales & West Region, visited 485 (Harborne & Quinton) Squadron as part of the selection process for the prestigious Lees & Morris Trophy (the best Squadron in the UK).

At the request of the Regional Commandant, the Squadron operated as a normal parade night, allowing him to experience first-hand the culture, enthusiasm, commitment and professionalism demonstrated by our incredible cadets, staff and civilian committee. He also had the opportunity to observe the wide range of activities and training opportunities we offer.

Following his inspection, Group Captain Simon selected 485 (Harborne & Quinton) Squadron to represent Wales & West Region for the Lees & Morris Trophy!

With over 130 squadrons across Wales & West Region, this is an outstanding achievement and a testament to the hard work, dedication and teamwork of every cadet, member of staff, civilian committee member and supporter associated with 485 Squadron.

As well as this, a massive congratulations to Sergeant Flynn and Sergeant Gordon on their recent promotion to the cadet Senior NCO team!

Congratulations to everyone who has contributed to this success, this achievement belongs to all of you. 👏



Royal Air Force Air Cadets Commandant Air Cadets Wales & West Air Cadets Warwickshire & Birmingham Wing Air Training Corps West Midland RFCA