Aviation fun in Drymen

Climb into a cockpit tomorrow (Saturday) if you are in the village of Drymen.

The international aviation charity Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) is co-hosting a community fun day with Drymen Church of Scotland from 10am-2pm at The Village Square.

The public are being invited to sit in the cockpit of a real MAF plane and hear about the exciting flights that are serving isolated communities across plains, mountains and jungles.

Children and adults can enjoy interactive activities, videos and refreshments and learn what life as an MAF “bush pilot” is really like.

The event marks the start of a year-long partnership between MAF and Drymen Church of Scotland, raising funds and awareness to help remote communities facing hardship in South Sudan.

Also attending the event will be the Duke of Montrose, and Andy Martin, Community Manager at MAF.

Andy said: “It’s fantastic that Drymen Church of Scotland is committing to support South Sudanese communities for a whole year. I hope this event really opens people’s eyes to the adventures, the needs and the opportunities of MAF working to serve and help those communities.

“South Sudan has few roads across its vast swampy plains, meaning aid and other basic services depend on MAF’s aircraft to reach people suffering from hunger, conflict and homelessness. MAF has flown in Sudan - of which South Sudan was formerly a part - since the 1950s. Working with over 130 humanitarian organisations, some of MAF’s main partners in South Sudan are Oxfam, Save the Children, World Vision and Tear-fund.”