Okehampton’s RAF Cadets held a coffee morning in the town’s Charter Hall on Saturday to raise money for upgraded training equipment and activities.

RAF personnel, Okehampton town councillors and members of the public met at the weekend to enjoy tea and coffee, a raffle and a cake sale to support the Cadets in their bid to fund the purchase of newer flight simulators.

Flight lieutenant Dave Wilkinson said: ‘This money will allow more Cadets to get involved in more activities and more advanced training activities.’

He added that they hoped to raise at least £150 to go towards the costs of the new equipment.

Town councillor Julie Yelland emphasised the additional importance of the coffee morning to the rest of Okehampton and the social opportunities that it provided.

She said: ‘It’s vital for all the town to come together to have a catch up. The Air Cadets are doing a fantastic job for the young people in the town. The coffee mornings are kind of an anchor point for the town. It’s just a great place to come together and meet a lot of new people.’

The RAF Air Cadets is a UK-wide group funded by the Royal Air Force which provides training opportunities and leadership skills for young people aged between 12 and 20.

There are currently 40,000 members across the UK.