Reach for the sky with Leeds Armed Forces Day 2023

The flight experience winner (subject to meeting the terms and conditions) will take to the skies in the open cockpit of a 1930s Tiger Moth, operated by Tiger Moth Academy, from Breighton Airfield near Selby. The 30-minute flight will be on a flight path of the winners choosing and they will even get to take control themselves, following an on-the-ground briefing from a qualified pilot.

The Armed Forces Day Grand Raffle, being run by the Friends of Leeds Armed Forces Day, has been made possible by the kind donation of the flight experience by Sergeant Dave Walker of the 4^th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, based in Pudsey. Tickets are on sale now at the Leeds Box Office for only £1 each. All proceeds will go towards Leeds Armed Forces Day and local armed forces charities.

Hosted by the new Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Al Garthwaite, the Tiger Moth raffle is just one of many activities being organised by Leeds City Council, various veterans’ groups and serving armed forces personnel, to celebrate Armed Forces Day. The celebration starts with a flag-raising parade in Victoria Gardens on Saturday 17 June between 10:30–11:30am, before the main celebration day on Sunday, 25 June between 11– 4pm.

The main event, which will span the length of Briggate, is free and will include a host of family-friendly activities. With a traditional parade at 12 noon, the event will also feature stalls, stands and exhibitions, activities, and a wide range of musical entertainment, including performances from the Dishforth Military Wives Choir and the Daisy Belles. 

The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Al Garthwaite, said: “Armed Forces Day is an excellent opportunity to celebrate the work of our armed forces both past and present while having a fun day out for all the family.

I’m really looking forward to the wide range of events and attractions this year, and the grand raffle, with the chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime flying experience while supporting local armed forces charities and Armed Forces Day itself, makes it doubly exciting. I will be buying some tickets and wish the best of luck to everyone who enters.”

Tickets for the Tiger Moth flight experience will be on sale until 4pm on Sunday 2 July 2023 at: https://bit.ly/afdraffle.

The winner will be drawn at random on Monday 3 July and notified the same day. 

For more information on all the Leeds Armed Forces Day 2023 events, visit www.leedsafd.co.uk.