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Lincs Big Bash

YOU READY?! ��

This summer, something BIG is coming… Lincs Big Bash is bringing the UK’s hottest tribute acts to Scholey Park, just 4 miles from Woodhall Spa, for an unforgettable weekend of music, energy, and pure festival vibes!

�� 3 Days. 3 Stages. 1 Epic Festival! - �� Friday 4th to Sunday 6th July 2025.

�� Scholey Park, Lincolnshire - Campers, Campervans and Caravans welcome.

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There are 14 Tribute Acts and 21 Local Bands on 2 Stages over the Friday & Weekend and a comedy stage for the Weekend

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Stn Cdr’s Foreword

Gp Capt O'Grady

Welcome to the first edition of

the station magazine for 2025.

February marks a full year since I had the privilege of taking command of RAF Coningsby, and this feels like the perfect moment to pause, reflect on your achievements, and look ahead to what the next 12 months will bring.

As we step into the new year, Top Guns: Inside the RAF provides a timely opportunity to celebrate the remarkable work of our personnel over the past year. This series offers a fascinating glimpse into life at RAF Coningsby and across Lincolnshire, shining a light on both our successes and the challenges we navigate daily. As Station Commander, I couldn’t be prouder of how our teams continue to deliver operational excellence in an ever-evolving threat landscape.

I encourage you all to watch the series with friends and family—it’s a rare chance to share the scale and strategic significance of what the Royal Air Force delivers, and the dedication it takes to keep the mission on track, whether at home or overseas. As we move forward into 2025, our focus remains firmly on operational delivery, ensuring we are always ready for the challenges ahead.

A personal highlight for me in recent months was the Ready, Steady, Cook event, where I had the pleasure (and challenge!) of competing. Witnessing the incredible standard of culinary skill firsthand was a real treat— even if the competition ended in what I can only describe as a daylight robbery by the Red Tomatoes!

This edition of the magazine perfectly captures the balance that service life offers. As the Commanding Officer, my top priority is our people, and nothing gives me greater satisfaction than seeing them thrive, both professionally and personally. A fantastic example is AS1 Martin, who, alongside his role as a photographer, has released his first single on mainstream streaming platforms—a testament to his dedication and talent.

Looking ahead, preparations are well underway for two major summer events: the Station Health &and Wellbeing Day and the Station Family’s Day. Both promise to be spectacular occasions, celebrating the very best of RAF Coningsby. I look forward to seeing many of you, along with your families, there.

Here’s to another year of excellence, teamwork, and achievement!

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Editor Flt Lt Shaun Allen

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06 3 SQN- SUN, YELLOW SANDS AND SUSPICIOUS HALLOUMI

07 READY, STEADY, COOK!

On Wednesday 5th February, RAF Coningsby became the stage for an exciting culinary showdown as it hosted its very first Ready Steady Cook event in aid of the Station charities committee.

11 BECOMING A MILITARY PADRE’

About 7 years ago a colleague from Truro Cathedral encouraged me to consider Military chaplaincy

12 A BUSY 6 MONTHS FOR 12 SQN

An extremely busy second half of 2024 for 12 Squadron, the joint UK-Qatari Typhoon Squadron supporting Quick Reaction Alert (QRA), dispensing highend training in support of the Qatar Emiri Air Force Typhoon Force, and fostering greater relationships with international partners.

15 EX SOARING KINGFISHER

On 22 Oct 2024 personnel from RAF Coningsby, Digby and Cranwell attended an ‘Introduction to Recreational Gliding’ FD day at RAF Cranwell Gliding Club.

15 TATCC VISIT HEATHROW

On Friday 17 January, eight controllers and ASOS from Coningsby visited London Heathrow airport for familiarisation and an insight into the civil air traffic world.

19 EXCHANGE LONG LOOK

Sgt Craig Clarke, arrived in Australia on 17 July 2024, hosted by 4 Sqn RAAF on Exchange Long Look.

21 ONLY MARTIN

Air Specialist Class 1 Martin Goffin, a photographer at Royal Air Force Coningsby in Lincolnshire, has released his debut single on Apple Music and Spotify.

23 IMAM ALI OMAR

Imam Ali Omar, a Muslim and an RAF Coningsby Chaplain, is heading to Mecca to lead a UK Armed Forces team in a prestigious international tournament.

3 SQN- SUN, YELLOW SANDS AND SUSPICIOUS HALLOUMI

By : Flt Lt Jon Taylor

In a rare departure from the wit, good taste and verve that normally characterises 3(F)’s contributions to this magazine, this instalment features yours truly as a guest writer to relay the tale of 3(F)’s winter abroad. Over the last few months, the Sqn relocated to the sunnier and thoroughly pleasant shores of Cyprus amongst other taskings. Some of the highlights of this trip came from Defence Engagement tasks with our allies in the region. As part of EX YELLOW SANDS and others, our Typhoon pilots were nobly despatched to train tactics and practice integration with our partners. Flying alongside B-52 bombers and F-15E Strike Eagles from the United States Air Force was a key provider of new profile photos for the more camera hungry among the pilots of the Sqn.

Away from the aircrew, a team of engineers, survival equipment specialists, and Ops staff worked tirelessly over

a very busy few months in order to support the essential tasking we were engaged in over the Christmas period. For many this was a second Christmas away from the UK in three years, making the best of the situation however, we swerved the traditional turkey and stuffing and embraced the local cuisine. The Sqn JEngO’s, Gabby and Austin, donned their aprons, fired up the BBQ and delivered a feast of Halloumi, Sheftalia and Kebab for their shifts. This was followed by many of the Sqn heading for a brief dip in the (surprisingly very cold) Mediterranean Sea before the work continued.

In amongst the outbursts of aviation and auditions for junior MasterChef time was also found to conduct some much-needed work on the recreational facilities at the accommodation block. Quite how six tons of gravel and several lengths of timber falls off the back of a lorry

will r emain a mystery our Ground Liaison Officer is simply unwilling to answer but by the end of the detachment a fine new gazebo was constructed providing shelter and much morale. Pleasingly, at the end of the detachment the structure was intact, and one pilot’s

spontaneous purchase of an angle grinder had not led to the tragedy that some might have expected.

Overall, this was a very successful few months for the Sqn who can now look forward to some well-earned time with their families – and maybe even a delayed roast dinner.

RAF CONINGSBY HOSTS THRILLING READY STEADY COOK CHARITY EVENT

On Wednesday 5th February, RAF Coningsby became the stage for an exciting culinary showdown as it hosted its very first Ready Steady Cook event in aid of the Station charities committee. The competition, organised by Cat Flt and supported by ESS, showcased the skills, creativity, and teamwork of RAF chefs, AGS, and VIPs, all while raising funds for a worthy cause.

The event followed a dynamic format, pairing RAF chefs and AGS with senior officers to prepare and serve two impressive courses alongside specially crafted cocktails. Representing The Green Peppers, Cpl Brad Porter-Duffy and AS1 Megan Day teamed up with Station Commander Gp Cpt O’Grady, while AS1 John Sabu and AS1 Dan Field joined forces with Gp Cpt Heeps as The Red Tomatoes. Given a mystery box of ingredients, each team had to strategize, plan, and execute a starter and main course within a strict 40-minute time frame per dish.

As the competition heated up, both teams impressed with their culinary creations. Cpl Porter-Duffy crafted a Coronation Chicken-style canapé starter followed by a pork main course, while AS1 Sabu delivered a Chicken Katsu bites starter and an elegant hake en papillote with concassé tomatoes.

Adding another layer of flair to the event, two RAF AGS competed in a cocktail-making challenge, pairing drinks with their dishes. AS1 Field served up a Passionfruit Martini and a

frozen Strawberry Daiquiri, while AS1 Day impressed the judges with a Negroni and an Espresso Martini.

As the competition drew to a close, the panel of judges carefully sampled each dish and cocktail before announcing The Green Peppers as the winners. However, the final twist came when WO Holt handed the decision over to the audience, who overturned the judges verdict by raising their signs in support of The Red Tomatoes, securing them the ultimate victory.

Beyond the excitement of the contest, the event highlighted the exceptional capabilities of RAF Caterers, demonstrating their ability to perform under pressure in high-stakes environments an essential skill both at home and on deployment. More importantly, Ready Steady Cook was a celebration of camaraderie, skill, and charitable spirit, bringing together personnel from across RAF Coningsby in support of a common goal.

With its mix of culinary excellence, competition, and charity fundraising, the event was an undeniable success, leaving everyone with lasting memories of a fun-filled and meaningful day.

Tattershall Village Hall 7:30, 9:00 & 10:30am

Ranked in the top 5% of schools nationally, students make outstanding progress at GCSE - over two-thirds a grade above national average. 95% of students progressed to university - 40% of which were Oxbridge and Russell Group. Students benefit from excellent teaching, a comprehensive curriculum, and a vast breadth of opportunities beyond the classroom. The boarding school, open to 11-18-year-olds, prides itself on offering outstanding pastoral care, ensuring students feel relaxed

their

BECOMING A MILITARY PADRE

About 7 years ago a colleague from Truro Cathedral encouraged me to consider Military chaplaincy. Fast forward to January 2025 and here I am serving at RAF Coningsby as a Padre. Before my life as a Church of England parish priest, I was a professional musician and music teacher. As a young kid I started out on drums and quickly transitioned to piano which soon became my main instrument. I was also very fortunate to receive a scholarship to study music in Manhattan. It was there that I worked at Times Square Church and met my wife, Angela. We spent a year in South India serving as missionaries and it was at this time I sensed my calling into full time ministry.

After spending a number of years abroad, my family and I returned to the UK to

commence training in the Church of England. Following theological studies at St. Mellitus College, I served as a parish priest in Truro, where I felt a divine calling for our family to join the RAF. Inspired by my father's service in the RAF, this was an aspiration I had long considered, should the opportunity arise. During last Sundays’ service, I recounted the story of Jesus asking his disciple Peter to push his boat into deep waters and cast the net over the side, resulting in an unexpectedly abundant catch of fish. This narrative serves as a metaphor for life's seasons wherein we must venture into uncharted territories. While it may be uncomfortable, such actions can yield extraordinary results. My family and I have answered the call to military service, and despite the challenges, it has been an immensely rewarding journey.

A BUSY 6 MONTHS FOR 12 SQN

AN EXTREMELY BUSY SECOND HALF OF 2024 FOR 12 SQUADRON, THE JOINT UKQATARI TYPHOON SQUADRON SUPPORTING QUICK REACTION ALERT (QRA), DISPENSING HIGH-END TRAINING IN SUPPORT OF THE QATAR EMIRI AIR FORCE TYPHOON FORCE, AND FOSTERING GREATER RELATIONSHIPS WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS.

Concurrently, and whilst preparing for their three-month tour of the Middle East, they proudly supported both The King’s Birthday and France’s Bastille Day flypasts over London and Paris respectively.

OC 12 Sqn, Wg Cdr Watson and Capt (QEAF) Abdulla Al-Khulifi flew in the formation over His Majesty alongside the RC-135W Rivet Joint.

The squadron departed Coningsby in September with six Typhoons for a series of exercises in the Middle East. The deployment began in Oman on Exercise MAGIC CARPET, based out of RAFO Thumrait, which provided the opportunity for live weapon drops and strafing sorties supported by JTACs from 7FP Wing ALI Cell. The rest of the exercise offered a breadth of scenarios including Close Air Support and Combat Search and Rescue missions, operating alongside Omani assets such as the F-16, C-130, Hawk and NH-90.

One of the aircraft suffered a bird strike to one of the engines during the recovery stage of a live strafing run, requiring an immediate return to RAFO Thumrait. The engineering team acted swiftly to complete a successful engine change and return the aircraft to the flying programme within two days to complete the exercise objectives.

The squadron then transited to Al-Dhafra Airbase in Abu Dhabi, UAE to take part in the Advanced Tactical Leadership Course (ATLC) 34. The course consisted of four weeks of mission planning and flying, alongside eight partner nations operating ten different aircraft,

as well as integrating Patriot and THAAD Air Defence Systems. Two 12 Sqn Pilots and one Intelligence Analyst graduated the course as Mission Commanders and an Intelligence Team Lead respectively with a graduation ceremony held at the UAE Air Force Air Warfare Centre.

Following completion of ATLC 12 Sqn then departed for Dukhan Air Base in Qatar to participate in the final exercise of the deployment, Exercise EPIC SKIES. The exercise comprised of three weeks of planning and flying alongside our QEAF Typhoon Partners. This usually culminates in the annual flypast over Doha for the Qatari National Day (18 Dec) that celebrates the unification of the country, however the military parade was cancelled by Qatar’s Department for Culture.

During 12 Sqn’s busy exercise period, Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, accepted an invitation from His Majesty The King to pay a state visit to the United Kingdom on 3 Dec, during which two 12 Sqn aircraft escorted the State jet on arrival to UK sovereign airspace. The visit heralded a commitment to deepen

cooperation including extending the joint UK-Qatar Typhoon programme with the signing of new defence agreements at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, attended by members of 12 Sqn aircrew.

12 Sqn’s tour did not stop on the Arabian Peninsula but ventured to the Eastern Mediterranean when two Typhoons flown by OC 12 Sqn and Sqn Ldr Sainty broke away from the trail home to visit Mürted Air Base Command outside Ankara on 18 December. They were greeted by UK Minister of State for Defence Procurement, Maria Eagle, alongside Turkey’s Air Force Commander General Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu who inspected the Typhoons before the aircraft returned to the UK in time for Christmas.

Looking ahead, 2025 marks the 110th Anniversary since the formation of 12 Sqn since being stood up under the Royal Flying Corps in February 1915. Plans are underway to celebrate an extraordinary year in 2024, moreover toasting the future as we continue as the UK’s first Joint Squadron since the Second World War.

EX SOARING KINGFISHER

On 22 Oct 2024 personnel from RAF Coningsby, Digby and Cranwell attended an ‘Introduction to Recreational Gliding’ FD day at RAF Cranwell Gliding Club.

Based at the spiritual home of the RAF, Cranwell Gliding Club are a large and successful club, serving personnel based throughout Lincolnshire and the surrounding areas.

The aim of the FD event was to introduce SP to the sport of gliding, provide an overview of aircraft operations and basic aircraft handling to promote Air Mindedness. Many of the participants had never flown in a glider or light aircraft before, therefore all the planned FD objectives were met with participants being instructed how to fly the glider and having the opportunity to take control of the glider in the air.

Both aerotowing and winch launching were utilised throughout the day, with some of the participants opting for aerobatic flights from 5000 feet overhead RAF Cranwell.

One lucky member from RAF Coningsby, who had previous gliding experience but had not flown for several years, flew with an instructor and was sent solo towards the end of the day.

Future FD events like this will be planned, therefore please keep an eye out for future opportunities and updates. Alternatively, why not consider joining the RAF Cranwell Gliding Club, which is open to SP, reservists, and civil servants.

Further information can be found through Cranwell gliding club social media channels or the club website. www.cranwellgc.co.uk

TATCC VISIT HEATHROW

On Friday 17 January, eight controllers and ASOS from Coningsby visited London Heathrow airport for familiarisation and an insight into the civil air traffic world. After meeting in T3 and passing through staff security, the day started with an airfield familiarisation with the operations manager, learning different parts of the airfield, seeing the historic Concorde gate guardian, and observed airfield movements from a different perspective.

After, we had a presentation on National Air Traffic Services (NATS) their operations in the London area and the challenges of civil air traffic control. This highlighted the significance of the work done by controllers working within London and emphasised the challenges of working within some of most congested airspace in the world. NATS, a UK air traffic company, manage around 2.2 million movements per year with around 200,000 of them being into or out of Heathrow. This is made more complex by movements around the surrounding airfields, such as Gatwick, Northolt, Stanstead, and London City Airport. To put all of this into perspective, a plane lands or departs

every 45 seconds at Heathrow, with controllers hitting a 97% efficiency rate for use of the airfield.

Following the presentation, we split into two groups, one group looking around the virtual tower and simulators, whilst the other group went upstairs to watch the tower in action. The equipment that they use to assist in the training their controllers and develop air traffic technology is highly sophisticated, with simulators becoming ever more advanced in the way they support new controllers.

Upstairs, we observed controllers dealing with live traffic, with the airport being split into three sections to help deal with traffic levels. It was interesting to see the difference in clearances and movement between the civil and military world; most notably, ground vehicles could manoeuvre around taxiways without getting clearance from the tower, and aircraft can have conditional clearances to manoeuvre after another aircraft.

Overall, the job that the controllers conduct, and the efficiency rate they work at was mightily impressive. Controlling military aircraft is inherently different to controlling civil airliners, however there are certainly things that we can learn from their world and that they can learn from us.

The inaugural parkrun at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Horncastle was a resounding success, drawing an impressive crowd of enthusiastic participants. This new addition to the parkrun family offers a rare 'Q' event for those aiming to complete the alphabet challenge, making it a soughtafter destination for dedicated parkrunners.

The events are made even more special by the active involvement of the school's Parent-Teacher Associations across the trust, Girl Guiding and the Duke of Edinburgh Award students, who organise fundraising activities and sell refreshments to support their initiatives – they have facilities for cash and cashless payments and so please do enjoy what they have on offer. Their efforts contribute to a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere for all attendees.

We thank Laura Stott-Allworthy and Robin Harrison; Event & Run Directors alongside Joanna Langley; parkrun Event Ambassador, who have all worked tirelessly with us, and brought parkrun to QEGS.

The second event saw an increase in participant numbers, reflecting the growing popularity of this parkrun. Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School parkrun takes place every Saturday at 9:00 am and it is free to participate.

For more details, visit their official page: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/queenelizabethsgrammarschool/

@HET

A heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers who make this event possible. Horncastle Education Trust look forward to welcoming everyone in the coming weeks to walk, jog, run, or volunteer at our community event.

Our consultation period about Amalgamation and Alternative Provision has now ended and we are awaiting the decision from the Department for Education regarding the outcome.

To learn more, take a look at our plans on the website: https://www.horncastleeducationtrust.org/About/Consultation/

Our schools continue to be vibrant and exciting places to learn, and joining together will create more opportunities for children to thrive, enjoy enrichment experiences and access quality first teaching.

If you are looking for a place, don't miss an opportunity to take a look around - contact our school offices to arrange a visit.

Frithville Primary School

enquiries@frithville.lincs.sch.uk

01205 750291

New York Primary School enquiries@newyork.lincs.sch.uk

01205 280320

All parents, prospective students (Year 7 and 6th Form) and friends of the school are invited to an:

Wednesday 5th

October 2022 6.30pm-8.30pm

At Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, we provide outstanding teaching which ensure the highest quality learning outcomes. Our highly-qualified and experienced staff consistently deliver lessons which are engaging and exciting. Lessons are taught at pace and excellent use is made of technology to support learning. We aim to create passion for learning among students and to generate the skills which enable Indvidual’s to become independent learners, with a strong emphasis on learning that is relevant, enjoyable and intellectually challenging. Effort and achievement are encouraged, valued and celebrated. Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School is a high-performing specialist school, specialising in science and modern foreign languages, and is rated as ‘good’ by Ofsted.

It welcomes students from Horncastle and the surrounding area up to and beyond Wragby, Bardney and Woodhall Spa to the west, the Wolds to the north and east, and almost to Boston in the south. The designated transport area also includes the RAF base at Coningsby.

•

• Meet pupils and staff • Tour the school’s facilities Visit departments and take part in activities • Light refreshments

T: 01507 522465 E: enquiries@qegs.lincs.sch.uk

Please visit www.qegs.lincs.sch.uk for more information

EXCHANGE LONG LOOK

Sgt Craig Clarke, arrived in Australia on 17 July 2024, hosted by 4 Sqn RAAF on Exchange Long Look. Exchange Long Look is a short-term exchange program which aims to broaden the experience and knowledge of personnel and promote the development of personal relationships between respective Air Forces.

Sgt Clarke is a RAF Regiment Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) from the Air Land Integration Squadron at RAF Coningsby.

“Working with other nations provides an invaluable opportunity to observe and exchange Techniques, Tactics and Procedures and enhance interoperability, whilst exploring capabilities that the UK can adopt in the future. Whilst also strengthening the UK and Australian alliance” Sgt Clarke said.

“The time at 4 Sqn has unfortunately flown by, and there is still a lot to be gained from working together. It has been extremely useful in a variety of ways that will assist

my home unit moving forward, and hopefully it has been mutually beneficial as I have advised 4 Sqn in some of the tools we use back home.”

Sgt Clarke travelled to RAAF Base Townsville recently with 4 Sqn on Exercise Black Dagger, where he performed the duties associated with a JTAC Instructor. This included mentoring students from a variety of units across the ADF, designing and running Close Air Support scenarios, conducting assessments, and role-playing air and ground assets.

“A key takeaway from the exercise was observing and understanding the key similarities and differences in our JTAC courses end product.”

Outside of work, Sgt Clarke has spent time exploring the local area and learning to surf, a key item on his personal bucket list.

“I have also managed to get to a few live sports events. Be that the AFL which I can get on board with, or Ice Hockey which I didn’t expect to see in Australia. I have plans to go to an A League football game, once the season starts in November,” Sgt Clarke said.

“I am very appreciative to 4 Sqn, and all attached units, for hosting me the last few months. For giving me the opportunity to share my knowledge with the students in their progression during the JTAC Course. As well as enabling me to observe and learn about 4 Sqn and their journey, which has opened opportunities for further training and a stronger relationship with my unit at home.”

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ONLY MARTIN

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Specialist Class 1 Martin Goffin, a photographer at Royal Air Force Coningsby in Lincolnshire, has released his debut single on Apple Music and Spotify.

Released under the name ‘Only Martin’ the new single is called ‘6am’ and is inspired by Martin’s memories of getting up early in the morning for a job he didn’t enjoy. He said: “Everyone knows how it feels to get up early and work a horrible job, when all you want to do is switch that alarm off and go back to sleep.”

AS1 Goffin is an RAF Photographer, or Visual Communicator, and he joined the Royal Air Force in 2023 when he transferred over from the Army. RAF Photographers play a varied range of roles, capturing everything from aerial reconnaissance images to public relations portraits.

father of three children with a fourth on the way. His colleagues and chain of command have been nothing but supportive.

The serious interest in music started in his twenties with urban, hip-hop, and UK rap; but it was in the Army that ‘Only Martin’ took shape.

He said: “It began in Cyprus when I had singing lessons, and that laid the foundations for me. I love indie and soft rock and that was the music I wanted to make going forward.”

6am took only three days to write but was written over a year ago. Like many emerging artists, AS1 Goffin spent the best part of 12 months deciding whether he was going to release any music at all. Two more singles from his coming album will be released in due course.

Martin balances his career as an RAF Photographer with a busy home life, as a

AS1 Goffin said: “Everyone at work has been great; the guys put 6am on in the office and just listened to it.”

Corporal Shauna Martin works in RAF Coningsby’s Photographic Section. She said: "He's a guy who can turn his hand to anything, success in the Army, now as a photographer in the RAF and to add to that we find out he's a talented singer and songwriter! We all love it, Martin! Just remember us when you're famous!"

Group Captain Paul O’Grady is the Station Commander at RAF Coningsby. He said: “This is great news for AS1 Goffin, it takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there and invest so much of your own experiences in your music.

Congratulations Martin, publishing anything for the first time, whether it’s a book, or a painting, or a song, takes hard work and dedication.”

IMAM ALI OMAR

Imam Ali Omar, a Muslim and an RAF Coningsby Chaplain, is heading to Mecca to lead a UK Armed Forces team in a prestigious international tournament.

RAF Coningsby’s Chaplains provide a safe space and listening ear for everyone in the Station community. The Chaplains are available 24/7 for Station personnel and their families, regardless of belief or creed, in times of crisis and distress.

The Prince Sultan International Military Quran Memorisation Competition is being held in Saudi Arabia. Imam Ali coaches a team of three British Army personnel who will compete against representatives from other military teams, drawn from the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

The task for competitors is to memorise entire chapters of the Quran, and to then be able to recite selected parts to a judging panel. Imam Ali said: “The judge will select a point in one of the chapters and then ask you to recite from that point onwards. It is a challenge of memory, but also of clarity and of performance. For example, there are several instances of the story of Moses in the Quran, you have to know the text but also to not be confused as to which particular account you are being asked to deliver.”

Reverend Wing Commander Ian Brown is the Senior Chaplain at RAF Coningsby. He said: “Imam Ali is a valued member of the chaplaincy team here and he offers thoughtful pastoral care, which is really our bread and butter.

We look for the worth in everyone. For Chaplains it is a privilege to walk alongside people at the most joyous moments of their lives and support them at the most challenging.”

The appearance of a UK team at the Military Quran Memorisation Competition is unusual, Imam Ali continued: “In similar situations before I have found there is a lot of interest in us, other competitors are surprised that there are Muslims in the UKAF, and that we would have an Imam, or Padre, they are keen to find out about our careers and how we live as Muslims in

the UK. For me it is a special honour as a Muslim to be taking part in this event, but there is also a huge sense of pride as we represent ourselves and the UK Armed Forces.”

Group Captain Paul O’Grady is the Station Commander at RAF Coningsby. He said: “We are grateful to have Imam Ali here. He is an integral part

of our chaplaincy team, and his role as coach to the UK Armed Forces personnel at the Prince Sultan International Military Quran Memorisation Competition is proof of his deep knowledge and profound commitment to the teachings of the Quran. We wish him every success.”