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Powys County Times
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Powys County Times
Powys Air Cadets finally have new minibus after four years
A LLANDRINDOD Wells organisation says it is 'delighted' to have finally achieved its goal of buying a new minibus for youngsters in the town. The Llandrindod Wells RAF Air Cadets recently purchased a new minibus, after a near four-year campaign that started in late 2021. The group's old bus had been sent to the garage and the initial hope was to repair it. However, it quickly became apparent that it would be too costly to fix and the cadets set up a fundraising page, with the aim to raise a modest total of £3,000. 'Thank you to everyone who has supported our fundraising efforts to raise money for a replacement minibus over the last few years,' said the cadets on its Facebook page earlier this month, accompanied by a picture of proud youngsters standing next to the new Peugeot vehicle, which the kids have named 'Dennis'. 'We are delighted to have achieved our goal and on April 10 our minibus arrived. 'It has already been put to good use over the Easter holidays. So far it has supported our road marching, taken a group of cadets to RAF Cosford for flying and helped transport our gazebo to the lake for the Easter Saturday fun day. It (also) took the cadets to Sennybridge for a weekend of fieldcraft activities. 'Thank you to everyone who suggested a name for the minibus. The cadets decided on 'Dennis'.' The old minibus had served them faithfully for a decade but once it was sent for repairs it was discovered that would be too expensive, and a brand-new vehicle was required. The spa town-based squadron aims to train young men and women in leadership and citizenship roles through exciting and adventurous activities. The RAF Air Cadets offer young people exciting opportunities for personal and professional development. It describes itself as an inclusive organisation that cares about helping young people reach their potential. There are around 43,000 Royal Air Force Air Cadets across the UK, as well as 10,000 volunteer staff, who take part in exciting events at over 1,000 squadrons across the UK. From cyber and space to sports, flying and adventure training, being a cadet means trying new things in a safe environment, making friends along the way and gaining skills for life. To find out more about the RAF Air Cadets, visit
Wales Online
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
The full line-up of Miss Wales 2025 contestants and the woman who topped them all
A Royal Air Force cadet and student nurse has been crowned this year's Miss Wales. Helena Hawk, 20, fought off competition from 28 other women from across Wales to take the crown and the chance to represent Wales on the Miss World stage. Catching up with WalesOnline Helena, a nursing student in Cardiff, said it was the 'cherry on top to win' after the positive experiences that came alongside being a part of the competition and meeting other young women from all around Wales. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here 'It's one of the most empowering spaces I've been in and especially when you start the three day final in what's called the Empowerment Day… I think everyone has their own story and it's just brilliant to celebrate with each other.' Just over a week ago 29 young women from across Wales spent three days competing for the title and the chance to represent Wales in Miss World. The final took place in Cardiff and Newport from May 1 to May 3, where the contestants did everything from walking barefoot over broken glass before donning their stilettos for the catwalk. Discussing how she ended up on her path, Helena said: ' I was a member of the Royal Air Force air cadets and I was 14 and often at times I was the only young girl on the squadron. 'And so through Miss Wales I decided to host open evenings, annual open evenings to encourage more women and young girls to get involved in specifically the RAF Air Cadets but also to think about a future in a military career. 'There are just so many life skills, you know, that I've learned through the cadets. They're just things that you wouldn't even think of, you know, I'd had the opportunity to fly a plane before I could even go behind the wheel of a car.' A 20-year-old nursing student at a leading Welsh university, Helena is not only passionate about helping others through healthcare, but also through service and community action. With her new title, Helena now plans to expand her initiative, Hawk's Horizons. The project aims to inspire more young women to consider future careers in the military by sharing practical advice, lived experience, and real pathways into the forces. The open evenings she has hosted, which also raise awareness for Beauty With A Purpose, have grown over the past two years and now see more female cadets enrolled than male. Helena thrives when she is busy so balancing all of her commitments alongside being a student nurse has come naturally to her. She said: 'I was always that kid at school that did every sport imaginable, every club there was, I was a part of it. 'I've always been a busy bee, so this is not unnatural for me, I would say. I thrive best when I'm occupied and I've always got something on the go.' Her ongoing commitment to empowering young people is also reflected in her long-standing support for Beauty With A Purpose, the Miss Wales charity. Alongside her duties as a student nurse, Helena volunteers at a local sports club where she coaches young children in cricket. She also plays cricket and hockey herself, using sport as a way to relax and recharge. The winner of Miss Wales is automatically guaranteed a place at Miss World, where they will compete with other young women from over 100 countries, which Helena also shared her excitement for. She said: 'That has been a massive goal of mine and I look forward to going there in 2026.' So who were the other finalists for this year? We've made a list of all the amazing women in Wales who made it through to the final rounds. These are their stories. Wales Online Social Media Poll
South Wales Argus
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Helena Hawke from Caerleon crowned Miss Wales 2025
Helena Hawke, from Caerleon, was named Miss Wales on Saturday, May 3 at The Riverfront in Newport. Helena, who is currently undertaking her training as a nurse, has deep military roots in her family and hopes to join the Royal Air Force after her studies. In order to get an early taste of life in the force, she joined the RAF Air Cadets at the age of 14. Helena Hawke is an air force cadet (Image: Miss Wales) One of her most cherished memories was flying a plane before driving a car. However, she couldn't ignore the evident gender imbalance as, for a period, she was the only young woman present during parade nights. She then decided to organise her first open evening two years ago, specifically encouraging female cadets to enrol. Annual open evenings have been held since, and she is proud to state that more female than male cadets are now enrolled in her squadron. Helena has helped to organise open evenings encouraging female cadets to join (Image: Miss Wales) Helena is currently a Civilian Commissioned Officer at 1367 Caerleon Squadron, where she teaches cadets radio comms, flight simulation, and her speciality, the glockenspiel in the marching band. She stated her intention to implement a speaking tour called 'Hawke's Horizons' during her year as Miss Wales, focused on encouraging girls to join the cadets to acquire essential life skills and to consider a military career. In addition to her nursing studies and duties at the squadron, Helena also volunteers at her local sports club, coaching children in cricket. Helena Hawke has been crowned Miss Wales 2025 (Image: Miss Wales) She is also a passionate cricket and hockey player. Helena said: "Being Miss Wales has been a goal of mine for so many years. "I've always looked up to former winners and been inspired by how they carry themselves. "Now the role is mine, I'm going to work really hard to maintain the legacy. "Having the title of Miss Wales is an honour – and I want to do it correctly." Helena has said being crowned Miss Wales is 'an honour' (Image: Miss Wales) The Miss Wales grand final featured 29 contestants from all corners of Wales, welcomed by a supportive crowd. The winners were selected after three key performances: the patriotic Welsh wear opener, a red dress catwalk, and the traditional evening wear parade, along with one-to-one interviews with a panel of six judges. Apart from these, the contestants participated in a Miss Wales Empowerment Day to help in their personal development and leadership skills. They attended a Miss Wales Charity Ball where awards were given to those who had excelled during their Miss Wales journey. Helena with the other finalists, Ellie Corcoran from Anglesey (left) and Romilly Evans-Powell from Risca (right) (Image: Miss Wales) Helena and the other finalists had been tasked with fundraising for 'Beauty With A Purpose,' a Miss World charity which assists disadvantaged children across the globe, and offering their support to A-Sisterhood, which aids and protects women both in the UK and overseas. Following her crowning, Helena will combine her studies with her duties as Miss Wales, and will also represent Wales at Miss World next year. The runners-up on Saturday night were Ellie Corcoran from Anglesey, who came second, and Romilly-Evans Powell from Risca who took third place.
