Celebrating our Scottish friends this International Friendship Day!
Today is International Friendship Day, and at the BWPA we are proud of the friendships that have been created and maintained through networking amongst members. Our recent membership survey (thank you to all who completed it!) showcased this, with many members saying meeting new people interested in aviation was their key motivation for joining.
On the subject of BWPA friendships… we recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of our Scottish Regional Group. Run by Alison Field, who lives in West Lothian, the inaugural Scottish meeting took place on 5 July 2020 via Zoom. Since then, they have met online every month. But finally, earlier this month, Scotland-based BWPA members gathered at the Scottish Gliding Centre at Portmoak Airfield in Kinross for their first in-person event.
“Getting to meet like-minded people was one of the top reasons everyone gave for joining the BWPA. We are all excited to have the ability to keep in touch and meet up with members located close by,” said Alison.
A gliding event had been on the cards for a while, but due to COVID-19 related restrictions, ‘Team Scotland’ had to initially make do with Zoom and WhatsApp. The event was enjoyed by everyone including our four-legged friends and was well worth the wait. The members gathered at the airfield, for a day of catching up, gliding, and good food. It was a brilliant summer evening enjoyed by all, with the team trying their hand at both aerotow and winch launches, and finishing the night off with a BBQ.
Some of the gliding club members hold a significant number of UK records for speed and distance, and the site at Portmoak is nationally recognised as one of the premier soaring centres in the UK. The Centre runs a range of introductory flight experiences and learn-to-glide packages, including specially designed and affordable courses for 14 to 26-year-olds.
The theme of this year’s International Friendship Day is deepening international friendships. Although getting on a ‘plane and crossing oceans to catch up with our friends across the world is a little difficult at the moment, we encourage all readers to pick up the phone or send a message to their friends, wherever they may be!
Remember to keep in touch with your BWPA friends by keeping an eye on our events page. And if you would like to join the Scotland group, please get in touch.
