Ten Lucky Staff and Clients Brave the Sky

 Ten lucky Nelson Trust staff and clients were offered the chance of a free flight in a glider from Bristol & Glos Gliding Club at Nympsfield, near Stroud.

A total of 20 people including groups from the Churn Project in Cirencester and the Gear Project in Stroud were awarded free flights from funds made available by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The BIS has given out £1,000 grants to 20 gliding clubs in England to take part in the Learning Revolution October Festival of Learning.  The festival is used to showcase informal learning activities that are already available for people to take part in.

The groups were flown on 29 October in three two-seater gliders by club instructors. They could see stunning views of the River Severn ox-bow and the beautiful Cotswold scenery. Lunch was provided and talks were given by club members on aspects of gliding. There was also a visit to the aircraft servicing facility run on the airfield by Roger Targett.

One of the participants said ‘It was a brilliant experience, excitement and anxiety all rolled into one!  I felt like I had no problems in the world when I was in the air.  We felt really welcome and the club instructors and volunteers really looked after us.  This isn’t an activity that would have occurred to me to do and I’m so grateful I was given the opportunity. I would recommend it to anyone that is thinking of taking up gliding’.