Coronation Families Day at RAF Chicksands

In celebration of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s Coronation, RAF Chicksands hosted a Families Day to mark the occasion on Sunday 7 May 2023. 

The event brought families and friends together from the Chicksands site community. They played host to a wonderful array of local businesses selling their wares to raise awareness of their place in the community. 

There were several activities on offer for the children to enjoy, including an inflatable slide and an obstacle course, a climbing wall, archery, and inflatable football goals. With a variety of food and drink vendors from Indian cuisine, fish & chips and an ice cream and coffee van; they had catered to everyone. 

The event featured a large LCD screen which was used throughout the day by the children's entertainer, displaying charities logos including the RAF Benevolent Fund who supported the event, and culminated with showing the Coronation Concert in the evening. 

Around 500 people attended throughout the day and evening, primarily the Service personnel and their families that live on site. It became apparent when speaking to people that families had invited extended family and friends specifically for the event. The Station Commander and family were also in attendance.

Speaking on the day’s events, Sergeant James Rogers said: "The RAF Benevolent Fund provided funds that went towards the budget for the entire event; without this support the event would not have been as successful as it turned out to be.

"Chicksands recognises the contributions made by RAF Service Personnel across the entire site which goes a great way to rewarding their excellent output in a social setting. To make each single Service family feel included within our community is key; RAF Benevolent Fund helped us to achieve this."