A group of Feilding children were treated to an awesome aerial experience by local staff and pilots recently as part of the Blue Light annual 'Take a kid flying day' initiative.
There was an air of excitement as the 25 children and some of their parents gathered at the Taonui Aerodrome on Sunday 18 April for a scenic flight around the region, followed by a BBQ put on by the local Police.
Feilding staff Constables Allan McLean and Mike Linton, Senior Constables John Samuela and Allan Wells, and Frontline Support Officer (FSO) Lilly Sabyan supported the event which has been running since 2014, and has occurred every year except for 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Constable Allan McLean says the event was made possible with the support of local pilots supplying their time and planes for this awesome day.
"It was a fantastic day out with the children experiencing something they may have never done before, and a big plus was the positive engagement with Police staff," says Allan.
"The invite was also extended to parents as it can be beneficial for them to attend. The parents ensured the tamariki were safe in the plane, and most importantly it created a special moment between the parent and their child."
The children ranged in age from 8-15 years old and came from schools in both Palmerston North and Feilding. A large number of them had previously had involvement with Police for various reasons. Depending on the individual attending, it was offered to them as a reward or as a chance to see Police in a different light.
"They were very excited as were their parents," says Allan. "There were some children that we’d been struggling with in regards to gaining their trust and confidence and on the morning of the flight we were greeted by them with huge smiles and high fives which was awesome."
Feilding local Dave Wiseman initially helped set up the event and this year it was run by Graham Donald. Both are members of the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association of New Zealand (AOPA), and through this group they get fellow aircraft owners within the Manawatū area to help out.
This initiative is run nationally but limited to specific areas due to access to a private airport or the availability of the pilots or planes.
"Often when Feilding Police run or support youth initiatives we operate under the Blue Light umbrella. We’re always looking for opportunities to get amongst the rangatahi of our communities to create positive engagement," says Allan.
"The ‘Take a kid Flying’ day is a perfect example of not only our Blue Light commitment, but also the support of our community, and in this case our local pilots helping out to bring this magical moment alive."