On the 22nd October, members of staff and cadets, past and present, gathered at HMS Scotia drill deck in the presence of Mrs Dean (the Lord Lieutenant of Fife) and Air Commodore Moulds (Air Commandant Air Cadets) for the presentation of the Lees Trophy. The Lees Trophy is awarded to the Squadron judged to be the best in the Air Cadets and this is the second time in its history that 1145 (Dunfermline) Squadron has achieved this.

Whilst all at 1145 appreciate that there are Squadrons within the Corps much larger than ours, and there are Squadrons that do far more exciting things than us, Air Commodore Moulds stated that the reason that he chose 1145 as recipients of the trophy was because of the Squadrons "Consistency of Achievement".

As a result of winning the Lees Trophy, the ladder of success for 1145 has grown that much taller. Although we will be out of the running for the trophy until 2010, this is no time for us to rest on our laurels. If anything, we now have to give 110% to everything that we do (not that we didn't before). It is far too easy to fall of the ladder and that is not an option.

Whilst congratulations are in order to all cadets (and members of staff), it now falls to everyone from the newest recruit to the Commanding Officer to ensure that the Squadron continues to achieve. Well done to one and all.

The Squadron has just heard, that it has won the Sir Alan Lees Trophy, which is awarded annually to the best Air Training Corps Squadron in the United Kingdom.

This is the second time that 1145 Squadron has won the trophy, the first in 1995, whilst in 2006, it won the 'Morris' Trophy, which is awarded to the Squadron that is placed second in the 'Lees' Trophy competition.

The Lees Trophy competition is run in three stages: all Squadrons compete to be judged the best Squadron in their Wing. The winning team then competes to be judged the best Squadron within their Region (Scotland & Northern Ireland for 1145), and the final selection is made by senior officers from Headquarters Air Cadets, based at RAF Cranwell, after a formal parade and inspection, along with a review of all the various 'achievement' and 'Efficiency' marks.

Assessments are made on a number of 'pillars', including:

Achievement - which reflects actual training results, including Corps examinations, successfully completed projects and degree of cadets involvement, courses and camps attended by both cadets and staff, sports and shooting representations, drill results and Duke of Edinburgh Awards obtained and distinguished achievements such as Lord Lieutenant's Cadet and International Air Cadet Exchange selections.

Efficiency - The variety of projects undertaken, imaginative choice of activities in citizenship and the degree of involvement in practical help given to the local community, administration efficiency and the personal appearance, deportment, morale and motivation of staff and cadets.

The cadets, staff and members of the civilian committee are to be applauded on their commitment, determination and enthusiasm, the culmination of which, has brought forth this quite outstanding result and accolade, as being chosen as the 'best of the best'.

The Commandant Air Cadets, Air Commodore Gordon Moulds, will present the 'Lees' Trophy to the Squadron, on a date to be determined in the autumn.