A COTSWOLD charity has just proved it’s one in a million, with its largest-ever grant to the Air Cadet Organisation pushing the total donated to the Cadets to well over £1 million.

At a ceremony at RAF Syerston near Newark last week, guest of honour Sir David Jason – best known for playing the role of Del Boy’ Trotter in the BBC TV series Only Fools and Horses – presented a cheque on behalf of the Fairford-based RAF Charitable Trust for £125,000.

This is the first instalment of an overall grant of £625,000 to fund 25 flight simulators for Air Cadets.

Honorary vice patron of the Royal International Air Tattoo since 1999, Sir David is a keen supporter of the airshow and attends every year.

He said: “I’m delighted to be presenting the first of 25 simulators to the Air Cadet Organisation on behalf of the RAF Charitable Trust.

“When I was younger one of my ambitions was to join the RAF but I didn’t feel I had the academic qualfications. Many years later I had the chance to fly a glider and it’s because of that that I had the courage to pursue my other passion – acting. Without flying I don’t think that we would have had Del Boy.”

Each simulator costs around £25,000, making this grant the largest sum ever awarded in the history of the Trust.

The RAF Charitable Trust raises money through RIAT, staged annually in support of the RAF Charitable Trust at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. This year’s event takes place from July 11 to 13; tickets are only available in advance from airtattoo.com or by calling 0800 107 1940.