A MASSIVE community effort has meant more than £1,000 was raised by young air cadets during a charity abseil in Tavistock last month. The event was organised by senior instructor cadet Flight Sergeant Kirsty Ingrams from Tavistock?s 2312 Squadron, with the aim of raising funds and awareness for the Royal Air Force Association. The RAF Association is a registered charity that helps serving and past Royal Airforce personnel and their families with assistance when needed. Many recipients of such funds were in Bedford Square on the day of the abseil to give their support, ranging from a former world war II Spitfire pilot to airmen and women of various trades. A total of 22 air cadets abseiled down Tavistock Town Hall, with kind permission of Tavistock Town Council, while others worked at ground level, collecting donations from the public and selling tie pins. The abseil was one of many events being carried out by air cadets throughout the country ? with the most successful event winning the youngsters a dream trip to Cyprus next year, to watch the Red Arrows in training. Flt Lt Phil Newcombe of 2312 Squadron said he was delighted at the success of the event. He said: ?We achieved what we set out to do, which was to abseil the equivalent height of the UK?s three highest peaks and we actually exceeded that by 500ft. On the day we collected £460 from the public and so far, with sponsorship, we should exceed £1,250 in total.? Flt Lt Newcombe said the support of the town council was ?very much appreciated? in staging the event, with the mayor and several councillors coming into town to encourage the cadets. He also paid tribute to the ?very professional manner? in which Kirsty Ingrams organised the abseil. He hoped the superb sum raised and the challenge achieved should stand the cadets in good stead to win the coveted trip to Cyprus. ?There was good overall community support all round for the event,? he said.