On the weekend of Friday 9th October 2009 10 cadets and 3 staff from 2438(Bishop Ullathorne) Squadron Air Training Corps spent the weekend at Elan Valley , Wales , to take part in their practice and actual Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions. This was a fresh challenge for most of the cadets as it was the first time they have undertaken this type of task as well as there first time at the Elan Valley Adventure Training Facility, operated by Warwickshire and Birmingham Wing Air Training Corps.

The cadets spent two days walking around the hills and dams of Elan and practicing their map reading skills as well as learning the history of the area and its use in supplying the Birmingham area with mains water. The weather was predictable for an area chosen to be a reservoir but the cadets battled on to walk their routes whilst they were assessed by members of staff. The potential for getting lost was a constant challenge for the cadets but their training won out and got them back to base every time.

For most of them this was their first experience of undertaking an expedition on their own without the constant guidance of the squadrons staff and for some their first time away with the Squadron and indeed from home. Those on an actual expeditions found that their map reading and cooking skills had improved since their practice expeditions.

2438 Squadrons Senior Adult NCO Flight Sergeant Alan Tillman who accompanied and assessed the cadets said, "This expedition has probably been the most physically and mentally demanding thing some of the cadets have ever done. The weather didn't help with the expedition but they managed to work well as a team and put the skills they had learnt to good use.”