Stratford-upon-Avon Gliding Club to host taster weekend encouraging more women to take to the skies

STRATFORD Gliding Club is hoping to help improve a statistic about the number of women pilots in the UK.

Only five per cent of the 30,000 pilots across the country are female, and the club has announced it’s doing its part to encourage more women to take to the skies.

On 26th and 27th April the club will host a ‘Women Go Gliding’ weekend at their Snitterfield base.

This is part of an initiative from the British Gliding Association to open up the sport to more people, getting them to take to the skies in a glider being kept up by air heated from the sun.

At the event later this month, women will be able to get an introduction to gliding. This will include the chance to talk to members at the club, find out about how gliders fly and be able to take a flight at the discounted rate of £75.

This week, the Herald visited the club and got the opportunity to take a flight in a glider. I was delighted to put my name forward, and on what was a stunning day, I was taken into the skies by instructor and marketing lead Val Roberts.

Speaking to club members, it was easy to see why there was a strong sense of community. After a safety briefing from Val, I was strapped in and ready for take-off. The entire experience was breath-taking, and an unexpected thrill was take-off itself.

The gliders at Stratford Gliding Club are launched into the sky by a winch. Sitting at the end of the runway, the cable started to disappear over the brow of the hill and in seconds the glider was pulled forward. This literally took my breath away, and in no time at all we were soaring at 1,000 feet.

During the flight, Val handed me control of the glider for a short time and this only added to the excitement. I got a real kick from a brief time in control, so I can only imagine how exciting it is to fly solo.

Ahead of the promotion weekend, some of the more than 120 members of Stratford Gliding Club spoke about the welcome they received when joining, and how they have come to love the sport.

Katharine Balkwill started gliding three years ago when she retired and now spends much of her time soaring above the Warwickshire countryside and beyond in the club’s high performance single seat glider. She is now also membership secretary at the club.

She said: “I found it all rather daunting to start with but with expert instruction and a lot of encouragement, I went solo after five months. I have really enjoyed progressing through the stages required to get my sailplane pilot’s licence. There is always something to learn, and every day is different.”

Single mum of four, Monika Mroz, is training to become a solo pilot. She spoke of the support received by the club and how it feels like being part of another family.

“As a 42-year-old Muslim, I never imagined I’d find myself in aviation,” Monika said. “With no prior connection to flying, I started attending Stratford Gliding Club with my daughter and quickly fell in love with the sport. Balancing motherhood and training is challenging, but the club’s welcoming environment and support make it an incredible journey.

“I’m still on the road to my first solo flight, but every step is thrilling. Gliding has given me confidence, freedom, and a sense of achievement I never expected.”

For more information on the weekend and how you can get involved at the club, email katharine@stratfordgliding.co.uk.

Look out for May’s edition of Focus magazine for a feature on gliding.