Welcome to the Autumn/Winter edition of the Northolt Approach, which again is a fantastic showcase of the huge range of activity and output that is delivered by the Station. The contributions from all across the Station, including news updates from the medical centre and station management squadron, community activity, the Ethnic Minorities conference and RAF Northolt night photoshoot, really sum up the energy and dedication of Station personnel. Thank you all for continuing to provide such varied and interesting contributions and for helping to celebrate the RAF Northolt community.

Welcome to the Winter 2024 edition of the Cosford Apprentice. With a busy few weeks ahead in the run up to Christmas I hope you all take the opportunity to take some time off over the festive season. I am acutely aware that some of our personnel are deployed over this period and my thoughts and heartfelt thanks goes to them and their families; deployments can be difficult at any time of the year, but particularly at Christmas but our welfare services and Community Support Team are on hand to offer support as needed. Please do take advantage of the many activities taking place on station and across the region over the coming weeks and I look forward to seeing you all in the New Year. I wish you a peaceful and restful festive season.

I am delighted to have returned to RAF Odiham and taken over as the Station Commander to work alongside Gp Capt Matt Roberts as the Force Commander. My arrival signals one of the stepping stones in the transition to the Wittering Model and the adoption of an air base and an air wing approach, unlocking investment by Air in our workforce and a funded infrastructure plan. The transition is expected to occur no later than April 2025, but organisationally will occur as soon as we are ready and have posts filled by career management. There is still work to do and I know that there are unanswered questions and a sense of unease out there amongst some as change isn’t easy but, having served at Odiham previously and seen the benefit of this model at other MOBs, I am convinced that this is the right path for RAF Odiham and will lead to betterment.