Last updated at 20:32, Tuesday, 22 January 2013

A FORMER pupil at Ulverston Victoria High School has spoken of his pride at receiving an OBE.

Rod Boundy is a group captain with the RAF and a former member of Ulverston Air Cadets.

He made the Queen’s 2013 New Year’s Honours List for his outstanding transformational leadership while at Royal Air Force Boulmer in Northumberland.

He said: “I am extremely honoured to receive the award.”

Capt Boundy commands the Control and Reporting Centre, which is at the heart of British air surveillance and played a key role in overseeing the security of UK airspace at the 2012 Olympics.

He has had a varied RAF career that has seen him deployed twice to the Falkand Islands and three times to the Middle East.

He recently returned from a six-month operational tour in Kabul, Afghanistan, where he was responsible for UK Strategic Communications.

But his impressive career began at the age of 13 when he joined the air training corps based at Dragley Beck.

Capt Boundy said: “They took me flying, adventure training and taught me the importance of good discipline.

“I will always be grateful to the staff there who gave up their free time to give young people like me a great start in life.”

His mum, Lynne Boundy, still lives in Ulverston and said she was overjoyed to hear her son had been awarded the OBE.

She said: “I’m delighted that Rod’s hard work and dedication have been recognized in this way.”

First published at 17:46, Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk