Having been a cadet himself, returning as a cadet forces adult volunteer felt like a natural step.

“The air cadets gave me experiences, skills and confidence that helped me get to where I am today, and I wanted to give other young people those same opportunities,” Mike explains.

Now the squadron’s training officer, Mike helps plan activities and supports cadets as they learn and develop.

“One of the things I enjoy most is working with our other volunteers, bringing together everyone’s different skills and ideas to make training interesting and enjoyable,” he says.

“Much like being a paramedic, it sometimes means thinking on your feet when the plan needs to change!”

Mike particularly enjoys getting hands-on with first aid training, drawing on his experiences at work to bring lessons to life and show cadets how the skills they learn could make a real difference.

“Hopefully, I can help inspire a few future lifesavers along the way.”

But for Mike, volunteering is about more than teaching practical skills. It’s also about seeing young people grow in confidence, try new things and achieve things they might not have thought possible.

“Volunteering gives me a sense of purpose and something different to get involved in outside of work,” he says.

“It’s rewarding to see a cadet grow in confidence, learn something new or achieve something they didn’t think they could.”

Having benefited so much from being a cadet himself, Mike now gets to play a part in helping the next generation develop their own skills and confidence.

“Having benefited so much from being a cadet myself, it’s lovely to now play a small part in that journey for someone else.”