Fund supports new kitchen for Airplay young people at RAF Brize Norton

The RAF Benevolent Fund was proud to join personnel and staff at RAF Brize Norton to celebrate the official opening of a newly refurbished kitchen at the Airplay youth club in the Millennium Centre on 11 May – a space designed to support young people in developing essential life skills.

Fund staff attended the unveiling alongside station personnel and community representatives, marking the completion of a project made possible through more than £50,000 in station grant funding from the RAF Benevolent Fund. The new kitchen is fully equipped with modern facilities, including two ovens, induction hobs, ample storage and generous worktop space.

The upgraded kitchen provides a safe, functional and welcoming environment where children and young people can learn to cook, budget and make informed nutritional choices. It will also support a wide range of activities, from structured cooking programmes to community engagement sessions, benefitting children from early years through to secondary school age.

During the visit, Fund representatives heard first-hand from those involved in delivering the project and supporting young people at the station, highlighting the positive impact the facility will have on family life and youth development.

Group Captain Louise Henton, Station Commander at RAF Brize Norton, highlighted the wider impact of the project: “The opening of the Airplay Family Kitchen at RAF Brize Norton represents a significant investment in the wellbeing and development of our Service families. I am grateful to the RAF Benevolent Fund for their valued support in delivering this important facility. The kitchen will provide a safe and structured environment where young people can develop essential life skills, including food preparation, budgeting, and informed nutritional choices. These skills are fundamental in building confidence, independence, and long-term resilience.

“This initiative directly strengthens our station community by creating opportunities for learning, engagement and personal development, reinforcing the importance we place on supporting our people and their families as a core component of our operational effectiveness.

“RAF Brize Norton remains committed to fostering a resilient and connected community. This project demonstrates the positive impact of an effective partnership working together and delivering an enduring benefit to our personnel and their families for years to come.”

Irene Greenwood, Welfare Programmes Manager at the RAF Benevolent Fund, said: “We were delighted to support Group Captain Henton and her team in bringing their vision for the Airplay Family Kitchen at RAF Brize Norton to life. The Airplay programme remains one of our flagship initiatives, dedicated to enriching the lives of children and young people across the RAF community. This project will have a lasting, positive impact for local families and the wider Airplay community at Brize Norton, and we hope its success will inspire other RAF stations to develop similar initiatives.”