The finance for the initial batch of 100 ties was privately provided by Flt. Lt. Clark
and Fg Off Patuzzo and ties sold at £5 each, the few pence profit being used to
cover the loss of interest on the capital employed. It took sales at the 1978 and
1979 camps to sell the 100 initial ties and at first, interest was very limited.

By 1988, interest had grown so much in Proteus Ties that Flt Lt P. Weston of 1082 (Brimington) Squadron took on the project of providing a second batch of Proteus
Ties for sale to staff attending the camp.These ties were funded privately and 100 were ordered to be sold at £5.50 each. The second batch of ties had a gold backing to differentiate them from the original 100 which had a dark blue backing.

By 1990 the second batch had sold out and once more the ties became rare and difficult to obtain.

By 1992 and 93, demand and pressure from the new staff attending Proteus Camp had grown so much that Flt Lt Weston was once again persuaded to obtain another 200 ties to commemorate the 21st anniversary of East Midlands Wing ATC. The third batch of these ties, funded this time by East Midlands Wing ATC, were to be sold at £7 each and feature a red backing to indicate that they were produced for the 21st Anniversary of Proteus Camp in 1994.

Although East Midlands Wing is now no more, the concept of Proteus Camp (a week of adventure training) is still alive in the two wings into which the squadrons of East Midlands Wing merged. However, since the closure of Proteus, camps are currently held at RAF Beckingham.

Flt Lt. Laurie Patuzzo, former CO of 1803 Sqn