RAF Wittering staff put best foot forward ahead of Great Eastern Run

The RAF Benevolent Fund is an RAF welfare charity with a proud tradition of looking after all serving and former members of the RAF as well as their partners and dependent children. Formed in 1919, the charity is now celebrating one hundred years of unwavering support.

The Great Eastern Run will be held next month, with runners now in the final stages of preparation for the event.

RAF Wittering’s runners meet up for regular weekly training sessions at the Station’s 400 metre track, to build up their fitness for the thirteen-mile half-marathon distance. The sessions are run by Corporal Jonathan Roberts, an RAF Regiment Gunner and part of Wittering’s regiment training flight.

Corporal Roberts said: “Our runners are doing plenty of distance training in their own time, but at our weekly sessions we build up the muscle strength and cardio-vascular fitness you need to complete a half-marathon. It’s a mixed group, so we encourage everyone to train at their own pace and to their own ability.”

Jon took up running in 2016 after completing his first Parkrun. He quickly caught the running bug and has completed four full marathons and many more half-marathons.

RAF Wittering is home to the specialist engineering and logistics squadrons of the A4 Force, which support RAF exercises and operations around the world. The Station also trains the next generation of Royal Air Force pilots.

Staff also got more training in last week. Friday 13 was not an unlucky day at the base. The Station’s airfield had scheduled no-fly day and RAF Wittering’s personnel were invited to ‘Run-the-Runway’. For the Great Eastern Run team, the event was a great team building experience and an opportunity for some distance training with the RAF Benevolent Fund’s famous mascot, Ben Elephant. Happily, a bucket-shake at the event raised over £150 for the RAFBF.

Group Captain Jo Lincoln, Station Commander at Royal Air Force Wittering and the A4 Force Elements Commander, is a keen runner and often goes running with her husband and their border collie, Kai.

Group Captain Lincoln said: “Sport and fitness are important parts of life in the Royal Air Force. They keep us ready to deploy whenever we’re needed and sport in particular builds teamwork and helps us to develop leadership skills. If we can put our fitness training to good use for our service charities, especially where our own people need support, that has to be a good thing.

“The RAF Benevolent Fund has made a massive difference to the lives of so many Royal Air Force personnel over the last hundred years. It’s amazing that we’ve got a really dedicated team together for this half marathon, and hopefully we’re going to raise some serious money for the RAF Benevolent Fund.”

The Perkins Great Eastern Run starts at 10.30 am on Sunday October 13th. Donations can be made to the RAF Benevolent Fund from the team’s page on the Go Fund me website: https://www.gofundme.com/f/raf-wittering-supporting-the-raf-benevolent-fund