Air Tattoo 2026

Dear Parents / Carers,

Stroud Valley Scouts have been invited to attend the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Futures Day at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) in Fairford, Gloucestershire on Friday 17th July 2026.

Futures Day is a fantastic opportunity for young people to explore careers in aviation, aerospace, and engineering. Scouts will take part in STEM workshops, meet employers and universities, and enjoy the unique atmosphere of the Air Tattoo.

I appreciate that Futures Day falls on a school day. However, I have a letter from the Scout Association that can be provided to your young person’s school or headteacher explaining that this is an approved educational activity in line with Department for Education guidance.

Important Notice for Year 6 Parents

This event often falls on the last day of school before the summer holidays.
If your child is in Year 6, they may miss their end-of-year celebration or leavers’ event. While this is usually less of an issue for those already in secondary school, it has previously led to several last-minute withdrawals, which resulted in us having to cancel our booking.

Please consider this carefully before signing up to avoid disappointment later, as sudden dropouts can make the trip unviable.

Cost & Travel

RIAT does not allow parental drop-off, so we must book group transport.
Final cost will depend on the number of Scouts who attend, as the coach is our main expense. Admission to the event is free.
Last year the total was around £35 per person, but this will vary based on sign-ups.

To plan properly, the sign-up deadline is the end of March 2026.
Please register your young person before this date so we can confirm coach size, final cost, and the number of places available.

What to Bring

More information will be sent out in 2026, but for now please note:

Stroud Valley Group T-shirt and full uniform (we’ll be taking lots of photos!)

Packed lunch or pocket money to buy food on site

Optional pocket money for souvenirs or theme park rides — we recommend no more than £25

Possible Overnight Option

If there is enough interest, we may also offer an overnight stay at our Scout Centre after the event.

We expect to return from RIAT at around 7pm on the Friday.
If the overnight goes ahead, Scouts would stay at the centre, enjoy food and games, stay overnight, and be collected on Saturday afternoon.
Details and costs for this optional add-on will be confirmed nearer the time based on interest.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the event, please feel free to contact me.

All the best,
Aaron