Royal Air Force Charitable Trust director departs after 'remarkable growth'
- 22nd Nov 2024
After eight transformative years at The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, the forward-looking aviation and STEM education charity, have announced that director Justine Morton OBE is stepping down.
Justine joined the Trust in January 2017 following 25 years in the Royal Air Force, where she held the rank of Group Captain. Justine channelled her love for aviation and technology, and the leadership skills she developed in the Royal Air Force, to power the transformation of the charity.
Landmark achievements include the creation and growth of the UK-wide Road to RIAT primary school programme in partnership with RAF STEM; the programme this year will support 500 schools via STEM days and a sustainable aviation design challenge.
Other achievements include the formation of strategic partnerships with leading STEM delivery organisations including: Engineering UK, EDT/Industrial Cadets, Primary Engineer, The Smallpeice Trust and Tech She Can.
These strategic partnerships, powered by the proceeds of the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), have enabled the charity to inspire more than 250,000 children to fulfil their potential in Aviation, Technology and STEM this year alone.
The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Chairman, Philip Osborn CBE, led tributes to Justine, praising her impact on the charity.
“As our Charity Director for the last eight years, Justine has been simply amazing,”
“The success of the Charity and its remarkable growth has predominately been the result of her strategic sense and drive, as has the indispensable part that the Charity plays in the delivery of RIAT, the world’s greatest air show.
“We are immensely grateful for her professionalism and energy, and we are hugely lucky to have benefitted from her leadership, her insights and her friendship.
“She will be an exceptionally hard act to follow and we wish her the very, very best for the future.”
Reflecting on her time as Director, Justine said: “It has been a humbling experience to be part of the evolution of The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, and its growing role in STEM education in the UK.
“There have been many highs, and some lows, most notably the cancellation of two RIATs due to COVID-19 (never in my time, firstly as a volunteer, and latterly as Director, did I ever envisage two years without the world’s greatest military airshow!).
“Whilst proud of the Trust’s history and unique position amongst RAF charities, the charity I leave is one with a greater sense of ambition for how it delivers its purpose, vision and mission. I look forward to watching the Trust’s growing support for young people aged 8-25 across the UK.”
