19 year old Oliver Hall from Wolverhampton attended RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) in 2018 and I was his team’s mentor.

As with all the youngsters, we’ve stayed in touch, and I’ve been able to support him through Rotary contacts, in his firm aim to join the RAF as an Air Operations Control Officer – the military equivilant

of air traffic control. Having previously arranged for him to visit RAF Cosford ‘behind the scenes’ – a visit

which included a meeting with the station commander Group Captain ‘Tone’ Baker, we’ve been able to follow up with a visit to the School of Air Operations Control (SAOC) at RAF Shawbury, with the valuable assistance of Rotarian Les Goodchild.

During the visit, Oliver was able to try a computer based simulation that trainees complete. He also had long discussions with several of the trainers and ask many

questions to enhance his experience.

Oliver is a member of the District 1210 Alumni Association and has been

volunteering on the Books4Home project outside his working hours.

Oliver says “The few hours I spent at SAOC were extremely valuable and reinforced my desire to join the RAF as an Air Operations Control Officer. I can’t thank Rotary enough for making the visit possible and aiding me in the process of joining the RAF.”

PDG Richard Green