Royal Air Force Charitable Trust  »  Community Matters

Community Matters

The Royal International Air Tattoo is run by the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises (RAFCTE), the trading arm of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust (RAFCT). In addition to staging the world's largest military airshow, there are a number of other, less well known ways in which RAFCTE supports its community:

  • In 2006, Air Tattoo organisers spent more than £1 million in Gloucestershire, £675,000 in Wiltshire and £80,000 in Oxfordshire setting up the airshow. A further £500,000 was spent with suppliers in an additional seven counties. When accommodation, food, fuel and other sundries are added, it is estimated that millions more is generated in the surrounding counties, with the Service and Tourism industries receiving the biggest boosts.
  •  Local homeowners turn spare rooms into B&B accommodation, homes with drives 'rent out' private parking spaces and landowners,  including the Fairford Town Football Club, open campsites.
  • The Air Tattoo provides a number of employment opportunities. The majority of the 44 permanent staff live in Wiltshire or Gloucestershire, with at least 10 coming from the immediate area. A further 330 casual staff are employed by the Air Tattoo's catering arm alone.
  • RAFCTE works closely with Kempsford Parish Council, Fairford Town Council and Fairford Business Club as well as a number of other local councils and organisations.
  • RAFCTE hosts an annual Representatives' Briefing where representatives from all the villages, town, district and county councils, the Gloucestershire police and other interested parties meet to discuss the forthcoming airshow. It also produces a Residents' Newsletter and provides residents' parking stickers to reduce the inconvenience caused by airshow traffic restrictions.
  • The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises makes available complimentary Air Tattoo tickets to local schools, charities and organisations in the area – on a rotational basis - to help them raise money. Among those to benefit in 2006 were: St Sampson's School (Cricklade), Kempsford School, Faringdon Youth Centre, Down Ampney Village Fete, Werrington Primary School, Cricklade Pre-School, Fairford Festival, South Cerney Street Fair, Swindon Rotaract Club, Kempsford and Whelford Parish.
  • The Air Tattoo is a sponsor of Fairford Youth Football Club and Fairford Festival.
  • The Air Tattoo is free to all accompanied under-16s.
  • The Air Tattoo employs representatives from Cirencester, Swindon and South Cotswold Rotary Clubs – in addition to the Lechlade Lions' Club - as ticket checkers and programme sellers. It also offers employment to representatives from Fairford Town Youth Football Club, Blunsdon Colts Youth Football Club, Lechlade Junior Football Club and Farmor's School PTA. In 2006, the Lions and Rotarians alone raised more than £9,000. An additional £900 was raised by the football clubs and PTA.
  • The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises donates money to the British American Committee based at Lechlade, which helps visiting Forces reach out to the local community.
  • By bringing so many people to the area, RAFCTE is able to promote the area internationally. A number of people who come to the Air Tattoo prolong their stay to explore the Cotswolds.
  • The Air Tattoo is happy to host a number of charities each year, free of charge. Last summer saw a group of 24 young carers from the Gloucestershire Young Carers' Project in Gloucester spend the day at the Air Tattoo as part of RAFCTE's involvement with BBC Children in Need (During the past three years the Air Tattoo has raised £70,000 for Children in Need). Each year it also hosts a visit from the Cherished Memories charity, which provides memorable days for the families of children with life-threatening illnesses. Tickets were also given to a charity in the Forest of Dean so that it could bring a group of terminally ill children to the Air Tattoo. In addition to this, a party of 10 from the Gloucestershire Young Person of the Year Awards spent a day at the Air Tattoo.

Young Carers

  • The Air Tattoo works alongside Gloucestershire Youth Services to provide opportunities for local groups and organisations – such as Lechlade Youth Club - to participate and promote themselves.
  • In its first two years operating under its new title, RAFCTE has been able to gift more than £500,000 to its parent charity. Already around £200,000 has been handed out to the RAF's family of charities. Among those to benefit are: The Royal Air Forces Association, The Maritime Air Trust, The Royal Auxiliary Air Force Memorial Trust, The Reserve Forces 'Ulysses' Trust:, The Air Training Corps, The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund and The Royal Air Force and Dependants' Disabled Holiday Trust.
  • The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises has made modest donations to the Marston Meysey Parish Rooms Committee towards the Village Hall; to the Fairford Community Centre Project Appeal and to Kempsford Parish Council.
  • Wiltshire Police hire out Kempsford Parish Hall for the duration of RIAT.
  • For several years, RAFCTE has hosted a visit by 50 ladies from Kempsford Thursday Club on the eve of the Air Tattoo.
  • The Air Tattoo provides work experience opportunities for local schools such as Farmors in Fairford.
  • Local shops, such as Londis and Andrew Butler butchers in Fairford supply RAFCTE's catering facility throughout the year.
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