The Veterans’ Foundation were among the guests at the official opening by HRH The Princess Royal of Wings4Warriors’ dedicated flight training centre for veterans at Gloucestershire Airport.
Grants Manager, Sarah Kelling, and Trustee, Maggie Pedder, joined the charity’s founder, Mark Radcliffe, as well as His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Edward Gillespie, Gloucestershire Airport’s Managing Director, Jason Ivey, and Her Royal Highness.
Wings4Warriors is one of the many charities supported by the Veterans Foundation and has received seven grants totalling £135,000 since 2017, to help train veterans as professional pilots on a not-for-profit basis.
The Veterans’ Flying School was officially opened on Friday, 16 January 2025. The ceremony began with a tour of the facility, observing a flying lesson in progress, speaking with instructors and students, and meeting key supporters, trustees and veterans who have benefited from the programme.
Wings4Warriors was founded in 2012 after founder Mark Radcliffe, then a flight instructor, met an amputee Royal Marine with dreams of becoming a commercial pilot. Since then, the charity has supported more than 30 veterans into aviation careers, including former Royal Engineer Sam Taylor, severely injured in Afghanistan, and now flying for a major UK airline.
“Having our own charitable training school is a game changer,” said Mark Radcliffe.
“It allows us to significantly reduce the financial burden of commercial pilot training, with fees around 40% of the standard cost. This makes us an excellent prospect for airlines seeking to partner with an innovative cadet programme as an intelligent solution to their recruitment needs. The net result is a newly qualified First Officer who brings real-world experience, and a work ethic rarely found elsewhere,”
The school aims to train up to 10 veterans every 18 months.
Veterans’ Foundation Grants Manager, Sarah Kelling, said:
“I was honoured to receive an invitation to attend the opening of this facility and to see first-hand how our funding helps veterans who have given so much for our freedom.
“The Princess Royal showed obvious interest and it was a delight to see her interacting with the veterans and those who support them.”
