Trent Wing Retains the Sir Roger Austin Sword for Duke of Edinburgh Achievement

Trent Wing RAFAC is proud to announce that we have once again retained the Sir Roger Austin Sword, awarded for the highest percentage of Duke of Edinburgh Award achievements as a proportion of Wing cadet strength.

The Sir Roger Austin Sword is a prestigious recognition of a Wing's commitment to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, reflecting not just the number of awards achieved, but the depth of engagement across the entire cadet population.

With a Wing cadet strength of 1,318, Trent Wing cadets achieved an outstanding 225 DofE Awards over the qualifying period:

• 🥉 Bronze Award – 137 achievements

• 🥈 Silver Award – 72 achievements

• 🥇 Gold Award – 16 achievements

This gives Trent Wing an overall achievement rate of 17.07% — the highest percentage across every Wing in the Central and East Region, securing first place and retaining the Sword for another year.

An achievement of this scale doesn't happen by chance. It reflects the sustained hard work of cadets across every squadron in Trent Wing, who have committed themselves to the physical, skills, volunteering, and expedition sections of their awards — often over many months of dedication.

It also reflects the tireless effort of our CFAVs, who plan, supervise, and support cadets through every stage of their award journey, from first sign-up through to expedition and final assessment. Retaining the Sword is as much a testament to their commitment as it is to the cadets themselves.

Congratulations to every cadet who contributed to this fantastic result, and to all the staff and volunteers who made it possible. Trent Wing will continue to champion the Duke of Edinburgh's Award as a cornerstone of cadet development, and we look forward to building on this success in the year ahead.