More than £200,000 was granted to the 7 Overseas (Jersey) Squadron from the first tranche of the government Fiscal Stimulus Fund for the project.
The fund was established to provide support for projects that were designed to help the Island’s economy recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Jersey Air Cadets hope to use their grant to improve their facilities for young people.
Leighton Jenkins, squadron training officer, said: ‘As a successful squadron we have many members and we have outgrown our existing building. Given this, we needed a large flexible space where we can teach our young people when the weather is poor, which this new structure provides.
‘This project also allows for a suitable storage area and an outdoor gym, which will be enormously beneficial to help keep the physical and mental wellbeing of our young people.’
In a submission on the planning website, MAC Architectural Services, who submitted the proposals on behalf of the squadron, said: ‘The new structure will provide much-needed additional indoor space for conducting a range of teaching activities and provide shelter for the cadets during inclement weather in order to continue their activities.
‘The store will allow much of the remaining outdoor space to be cleared of Air Cadets property – improving the aesthetic of the site.
‘Moreover, the new building is designed at a sympathetic scale to the site, with the ridgeline sitting lower than the existing Air Cadets headquarters and is placed away from neighbouring buildings, minimising its aesthetic impact.’
They added: ‘The construction of this teaching space and store would allow for the continuation and expansion of the Jersey Air Cadets, helping to enrich the community by giving purpose to this underutilised space on site.’
The Jersey Air Cadets teach leadership, teamwork and communication skills to Islanders aged 12 to 20 through a variety of activities.
