Can you be a flying ace? Club’s £1,000 reward for new home
A MODEL aircraft club is hoping it will be chocks away for a new venue – after they’ve been asked to fly away from their home of 35 years.
The South East Berks Radio Model Club (SEBRFC) has used Birchin Inhams Farm for an airfield, but say that the family business needs to use the space for other reasons.
The farm, off Heathlands Road in Wokingham, has been a popular spot for the model flyers, and they are hoping that a new venue can be found.
They are even offering a £1,000 reward to anyone who can successfully introduce them to the right home.
The club, which uses radiocontrolled planes, has 70 members, with lots of younger people involved and even a former Black Arrows display pilot. It says one of the reasons for this success is that its encourages adults to bring interested children to try flying using a dedicated training model.
Instructors are on hand to train people to fly safely, and there is a simple flying and knowledge test, administrated by the British Model Flying Association, to which the club and all members are affiliated.
And the BMFA arranges valuable insurance cover for all members, including students, that provides cover against personal injury and third-party property damage up to £25 million. Fortunately, current and past safety officers have ensured that no claims have ever been made by the club.
On the need to move, the club’s chair, Ken Owen, said: “It’s such a shame, we understand that the needs of the family (who own the farm) must come first.”
A spokesperson for the club added: “Now we are looking for a new location where we can hopefully build a similar, great relationship with a new landlord. We need a field, or area of a field, which measures around 150 metres by 200 metres – about two football pitches – from which we can take off and land. We also need parking for around 15 cars, as well as vehicle access.
“We can pay a very competitive rent for the right site and would enter into a lease or license to provide security of income to the landlord. Our current landlord has provided an excellent reference.”
They added that the site should be in the wider Wokingham area and not too close to housing or farm animals.
“We are confident that a site will be found, but to encourage people to come forward we are offering a reward of £1,000 to the person who directly introduces us to a landowner or farmer, who eventually enters into an agreement to lease a site to us,” they said.
“The landowner introduced must have already indicated a willingness to discuss a lease with us, and full contact details should be provided.
“So, if you know someone who might have a suitable site available, have a chat to them and give it a go.”