NAVY NEWS, AUGUST 2009 41
Blackpool
unit seeks
Smallest cadets join
ex-members
BLACKPOOL unit is to hold
a 70th anniversary dinner next
month, and is inviting former
cadets to take a stroll down
the giant sleepover
Memory Lane.
The TS Penelope dinner will be
at the Savoy Hotel in the town
NORTHAMPTON and
Area sailing and windsurfing
on Friday September 18; tickets
Rushden junior cadets – the
regatta, where ACs Matt and Luke
cost £25 each and include a five-
smallest members of the unit –
Rixon won the windsurfing event
● Northampton and
course meal, entertainment and and AC Harry Boyde will compete
Wellingborough cadets
a disco.
took part in a big event.
in the Olympic Laser class in
take an Admiralty Sailing
● LC Luke Finnigan
Ex-members are scattered far
The youngsters get together as
the national finals, to be held in
Craft out on to the Forth
and wide, but current CO Maj
part of the Giant Sleepover, a
Southport in September.
Emile Timothy wants as many as
charity fundraiser which attempted
Cadets from the Northampton
possible to rejoin their old unit for
to break a world record into the
and Wellingborough unit were Luke is
the evening.
bargain.
also present at the Crick Boat
The unit is also very keen
And although they fell a little
Show to demonstrate their boat-
to obtain any archive material
short of making the Guinness Book
handling skills to the public.
– photographs, letters and the
of World Records, the cadets enjoyed Sailing skills were put to the test
rewarded
like – which can be returned if
making model boats and testing in more demanding circumstances
the sender provides a stamped
them on the river, and teamwork during a Duke of Edinburgh Silver
addressed envelope.
activities including arts and crafts, Award expedition, held in the for his
Any such material should be
camping and a trip to the Stoke Firth of Forth in Scotland.
sent to Blackpool Sea Cadets,
Bruerne Canal Museum. The aim of the expedition was
596 Devonshire Road, Bispham, Northamptonshire rowers
to visit a small island to assess
Blackpool FY2 0JL. have beaten their rivals from
the impact of the Royal Navy
efforts
For more details and to obtain Leicestershire to take their place
during World War 1, using a sturdy
tickets, contact Ken Hart on at the regional finals.
Admiralty Sailing Craft (ASC)
OUTSTANDING achievements
07717 027192 or George Spindler The county also saw a clutch
which had plenty of room for kit.
by a Huyton with Roby unit cadet
on 07748 933930. of excellent results at the Eastern
Having mastered the boat –
have been celebrated at the annual
particularly the tricky rigging –
Duke of Westminster Awards
the expedition set off on Day
ceremony for the Cadet Vocational
2, stopping at the island of
Qualification Organisation.
Inchholm before setting up camp
At a ceremony and lunch at
on Cramond, where the cadets
the Cavalry and Guards Club
undertook research on their
in London, Luke Finnigan was
projects.
presented with the Learning
Island exploration and
and Skills Council Prize for
teamwork at sea may be fun, but
his commitment to others both
the group was very glad to return
within and outside the cadet
to Port Edgar and hot showers.
organisation.
The unit has also run two
Luke was one of five winners
expedition training weekends
from 215 nominated cadets from
when cadets learned skills such as
across the UK in all four cadet
campcraft and ropework for rock
organisations – the Sea Cadet
climbing.
Corps, the Army Cadet Force,
the Air Training Corps and the
A little less sun,
Gold team
Combined Cadet Force.
Two years ago Luke had left
school with no qualifications,
CURRENT and former members
a bit more wind...
having “fallen in with the wrong
of Swansea unit picked up their
crowd.”
Gold Awards from the Duke of
Determined to turn his life
Edinburgh himself in London.
around, he joined the Corps, since
● Barrow cadets line the route in the Devonshire Dock Hall as VIP
SUMMER is here, bringing the which is also a Royal Yachting
Jason Davies (who was due
when he has made significant
guests approach – from left, then Defence Secretary John Hutton,
prospect of some lazy, sunny Association training centre,
to join the Royal Marines as
Flag Offi cer Reserves Rear Admiral Martin Alabaster and managing
contributions to his local
days. also underwent its annual
Navy News went to press), Nigel
director of BAE Systems Submarine Solutions John Hudson
community, including impressing
Except for a small group centre inspection to ensure
Morton (adult Petty Officer),
the mayor with his leadership
of youngsters in the North they can continue to deliver
Joseph Wakeman (Royal Marines),
qualities when organising a
Audacious show
of Scotland, who have been various courses safely and
Alastair Green (joining the Royal
celebration of his area’s 50th
keeping their fingers crossed in effectively.
Navy next month) and Rhodri
anniversary.
the hope of cool temperatures The week rounded off in
Thomas (Cadet PO) were joined
Luke gained the BTEC First
and strong winds. traditional fashion, with cadets’
by the unit’s DoE officer Lt Mike
Diploma in Public Services and
by Barrow unit
It is the seafarers of assessments, a BBQ and an
Thomas at the ceremony, held in ILM Level 2 Team Leading
Stonehaven unit who were afternoon of water fights. St James’s Palace. Certificate through CVQO.
on the look-out for unsettled “It was the best decision I ever
weather as they prepared for made,” said Luke. “Achieving
MEMBERS of Barrow unit were the managing director of BAE their annual boatwork week at these qualifications proved to
commended on their good turn- Systems Submarine Solutions the unit headquarters and in
Massed Band
me that I could get something
out at the keel-laying ceremony for John Hudson on the VIP stand. the town’s historic harbour. worthwhile.”
the fourth Astute-class submarine John Hudson is also president The group, consisting of The winners also visited No 10
HMS Audacious. of the Barrow unit. around 30 cadets and 10 adult Downing Street and went on to the
The ceremony was witnessed The TS Sovereign drum and instructors, took to the water Cadet Training Centre at Frimley
by hundreds of BAE Systems bugle band led a parade of around in a number of activities with
to play again
in Surrey, from where Luke and
Submarine Solutions workers 80 cadets through the shipyard to the aim of having fun as well as
nine fellow cadets departed for a
and invited guests, including local the Devonshire Dock Hall for the achieving qualifications in water
three-week expedition to South
schoolchildren. ceremony – cadets from Kendal safety, boat pulling, canoeing,
FOLLOWING a successful outing Robert O’Nay, who was a
Africa, where they undertook an
Local MP John Hutton – who and Workington helped swell the kayaking, dinghy sailing and
to Beat Retreat at Edinburgh member of the Grangemouth
environmental awareness course
was Defence Secretary at the numbers. powerboating.
Castle, the Massed Sea Cadet
unit TS Forth 35 years ago and
in KwaZulu Natal and a cultural
time – was joined by Flag Officer The Barrow boys and girls are By the end of the week
Band took another turn in the
went on to serve in the Royal
project working with and teaching
Reserves Rear Admiral Martin now looking forward to a trip to almost 50 qualifications had
spotlight.
Navy, said that a massed band
orphaned children.
Alabaster, the Mayor of Barrow- the joint Services base at Gibraltar been awarded.
Lt Mark Clissold had put
formed from TS Forth and TS
They also visited Rorke’s Drift,
in-Furness Cllr Dave Roberts and this month. During the week the unit,
together the band from Arbroath,
Gold Rover, the Greenock unit,
Dundee
Isandlwana and took part in a
and North Shields,
beat retreat at Edinburgh Castle in walking safari.
which performed alongside the
the mid-1970s, then went on to a “I never thought I could achieve
Massed Pipes and Drums of the
band competition at Kendal in the something like this. I feel quite
Royal British Legion Scotland.
Lake District. overwhelmed,” said Luke.
This time Lt Clissold was
approached by the High Sheriff of
Northumberland, John Blackett-
Ord, after another band dropped
out.
The bands from North Shields –
including cadets from Ashington
and Newburn – Dundee and
Arbroath met up a day early
at Otterburn Army Camp for
a practice before heading on
to Whitfield Hall, home of the ● LC Josh Williams storms to victory in the boys Individual Open Sprint on the River Avon
Blackett-Ord family since 1750.
Bath team paddle to victory
Prince Charles was due to
be the guest of honour, but was
forced to cancel.
Although disappointed, the
A TEAM from the City of Bath unit put their category across all age groups, which inevitably led
cadets still put on an excellent
canoeing skills to the test at Chippenham – and to the unit taking the top honour.
display.
ended up being crowned kayaking champions of the “It was a great day for the cadets, and they’ve
Indeed, so high was the praise,
district. certainly done the unit proud,” said S/Lt (SCC) Ian
the High Sheriff asked the band to
In a tightly-fought contest on the River Avon, 16 Woodward, Commanding Officer of TS Avon.
perform again at future events. ● A dozen Sea Cadets represented Gosport unit at Ham Polo Club
cadets and ten members of staff saw off a spirited “They have put a lot of time and effort into their
One member of a Sea Cadet in London earlier in the summer – and ended up hanging about
challenge from nine other units in the Avon District. kayaking skills, and it really paid off on the day.”
massed band of the 1970s has with royalty. Princes William and Harry were both playing polo, and
A series of races included short-distance sprints LC Josh Williams-Trim (16) won three of the
contacted Navy News to dispute Prince William took time out to speak to cadets and have his picture
and a gruelling marathon, all on one of the hottest hardest-fought contests of the day, winning the
the claim that the Arbroath/ taken with them. The group had been asked to help out at the event
days of the year to date. laurels in the Boys Individual Open Sprint as well as
Dundee/North Shields massed through their affi liation with the RN Submarine Museum in Gosport,
City of Bath cadets, in both individual and two- being one of the winning pair in the Boys Sprint and
band was the first to perform at and spent the day in the capital directing guests to their seats and
man boats, finished in the top three in every race Marathon Doubles.
Edinburgh Castle. carrying out other general duties
041-044_NN_jun.indd 1 20/7/09 16:27:07
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