NAVY NEWS, JUNE 2010

41

Scottish salute to cadet forces

Parliament considered the impact of 150 years of the Armed Forces cadet movement. Celebrations are being held throughout the year to mark the achievements of the 130,000 youngsters serving with the Sea Cadets, the Army Cadet Force, the Combined Cadet Force and the Air Training Corps across the UK. MSPs from all parties have given their support to a parliamentary motion congratulating the cadet movement and the opportunities it has given to young people to develop and improve their lives. Cadets were on the agenda at Holyrood to mark the anniversary, and to salute the youngsters taking part in Cadet 150 activities. Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Liz

the cadet movement is the many volunteers and instructors who provide both experience and specialist skills to develop the talents of the cadets. “Without their support, given selflessly and with unrelenting enthusiasm, the Cadet Force will have great difficulty in supporting young people.”

north of the border was a gathering at Braehead shopping centre on the Clyde near Govan.

One of the major cadet events

the event provided a platform for around 250 youngsters to demonstrate their talents. Shoppers and visitors saw free displays, climbing walls,

simulators, parades, boat races and the Royal Marines Band perform.

flight

Cadets showed the range of activities available to them, and raised the profile of the Cadet 150 initiative, which is designed to highlight the role young people play in supporting their communities and how the cadet forces help young people by giving them the chance to learn new skills and boost their confidence.

Paul wins civic title

EACH year the Rotary Club of Liverpool presents a Citizen of the Year Certificate and a cheque for £100 to a member of the public who they consider worthy of the title.

This year the award was presented to Lt Cdr (SCC) Paul Rycroft RNR – but he didn’t know it until the ceremony began. Lt Cdr Rycroft was invited to

Childwall Golf Club ostensibly to give a talk on the Sea Cadets. After an excellent dinner with Rotarians and guests Paul delivered his presentation on the Corps and his role as District Officer for Liverpool,

which

covers nine units. Paul is also responsible for the Sea Cadet Boating Station at Knowsley Lake on Lord Derby’s estate.

Mayoral links

role comes additional

CLLR Chris Bulteel became Mayor of Poole last month, and with the

titles – Admiral of the Port, Mayor of the Staple and Clerk of the Market.

The Mayor has four chosen

charities for his year of office, of which Poole unit is one. His two youth escorts for the

civic year are LC Morrison and LC Oliver, and both cadets attended the mayor-making ceremony and were presented with a book, A

Portfolio of Old Poole.

LC Morrison and LC Oliver

will attend numerous events throughout the year with the civic party, the first of which was scheduled to be Civic Sunday.

● Cadets and staff from Forest of Dean unit during their tree-planting session in Gloucestershire

Forest of Dean join tree-planting project

FOREST of Dean unit got its

contribution to Cadet 150 under way with a tree-planting session. In an ambitious project which is

supported by the Woodland Trust, cadets from all over the UK will be aiming to plant 150,000 new trees by the end of the year as one of a range of challenges and celebrations to mark the anniversary. Youngsters from the Lydney- based unit spent a day at Crooked End Farm in Ruardean, Gloucestershire, planting more than 200 trees. S/Lt (SCC) Mike Chard RNR, Commanding Officer of the unit, said: “The Sea Cadet Corps is much more than uniforms and parades – it is all about challenging its members to develop and gain

life skills for life whilst having fun.

“Tree planting is a great way for us to mark this anniversary – the Sea Cadets have been around for over 200 years and the trees we planted will hopefully be there for future generations of cadets to enjoy. “We are, however, a modern,

forward-thinking organisation helping

young people towards

responsible adulthood by providing adventurous training based on a nautical theme.” The youngsters also planted a micro-coppice of willow, supplied by local specialist Steve Pickup – a method of producing fast-growing willow for fuel or other uses in a small area.

● Northampton cadets pull their boat along the River Nene

River expedition

THIRTY Northampton and Rushden cadets got the watersport season off to a good start with a week at the Thrapston Sea Cadet training centre. As well as learning how to sail, windsurf and drive a powerboat, the youngsters also helped prepare food at mealtimes – and there was

Grants provide boats and slipway

TAMWORTH and Lichfield unit

managed to secure grants to the value of almost £50,000 – and have put it to very good use. The money was used to build a new jetty and slipway, allowing safer use and better access to the unit’s boat, and to buy three new Trinity 500 pulling boats. They will replace the old MOD

ASCs, which will be taken out of service later this year.

● A Trinity 500 is launched at the Tamworth and Lichfi eld slipway for the fi rst time

good weather, to boot. Two crews of five went to Thrapston the hard way – rowing the unit’s boats along the River Nene, a distance of 24 miles and through 21 river locks from HQ at Becket’s Park, Northampton, all part of their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award expedition. And after a busy week they had to row back again...

As a result of their efforts at the camp, 45 Royal Yachting Association qualifications were awarded and a total of 1,112 training hours were completed on the water. The unit is actively recruiting

adult volunteers as well as cadets. Cadets from the Northampton

and Wellingborough unit also led the parade to commemorate the wartime loss of the destroyer which shares their name; the ship was sunk by U-boat in 1944. Cadets from Loughborough,

Leicester, Kettering

Hinckley were also on parade.

and Organised by the Sea Cadets, strength of

CADETS from across Scotland went on parade at Holyrood as Members

of the Scottish

● Blow-carting on St Ouens Beach in Jersey

Hornsey members sought

THE former Admin Officer of a long-closed unit is hoping to make contact with some old staff and members. Hornsey unit TS Royal

Threewheelin’

Smith, who sponsored the debate, said: “The greatest

MEMBERS of 1st Watchet

Sea Scout Group thought

they had lost their leader just hours into their activity week

in the Channel Islands.

The 38 Scouts, Explorer Scouts,

leaders and parent supporters were on the Channel crossing from Weymouth when a Coastguard helicopter hovered over their fast ferry and a crew member was winched down to the deck.

But SL Simon Bale was staying put – it was just some of his colleagues carrying out a training exercise. The group spent the following

week at the Jersey Scout Centre at St Ouens Bay, though a party of six Explorer Scouts went their own way on the first day, undertaking a three-day Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition on the coastal path.

Half of the remaining cohort

carting – racing three-wheeled wind-powered carts at St Ouens Bay. A stiff breeze and not a little skill picked up from navigating dinghies meant the scouts were soon blasting

sandy beach under blue skies. The remainder practised other skills back at camp,

chartwork and navigation. In the afternoon all went cycling to St Brelade for a swim, and the following days saw more cycle trips to other Jersey tourist attractions, including the War Tunnels and Gorey Castle. Thursday was spent learning

how to use jetskis and then making their way round a course set out in St Aubins Bay.

And in a hectic finale there was still time to climb the cliffs at

including across spent their first morning blow-

Grosnez Castle and to undertake more blow-carting, this time in stronger winds and on wet sand – a great combination. During the week there were

the wide

also, needless to say, camp fires for cooking on and sitting round. A closing ceremony saw four new Explorer Scouts invested and a series of presentations, including a thank-you gift to centre manager Mrs Mary Roberts. The trip back to Weymouth was a little cosier than the voyage out as booked passengers were joined by others stranded in France by volcanic ash clouds who were seeking alternative routes back to the UK.

the group goes to the Norton Fitzwarren branch of the RNA whose donation helped towards some of the activities.

Kerry maintains link

A SOUTHWARK unit member has been chosen as the Lord Lieutenant of London’s Cadet for the second year running. LC Kerry Szmidt received her

certificate and badges from Lord Lieutenant Sir David Brewer, and can look forward to a busy year. But she will have the benefit of POC George Whitfield’s experience to draw on – George

was the previous incumbent. Both TS Cossack cadets were chosen from the 46 units which make up the London area, and as such the Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet acts as an ambassador for London Area and the Corps in general, not just Southwark unit. When Kerry took over she was

preparing for her advancement board to Petty Officer Cadet.

A final thank-you from

Sovereign, which decommissioned more than 25 years ago, was situated in the grounds of Alexandra Palace. Now Joan Soole and a former member of staff hope to make contact with some of the old staff and cadets who were at the unit from 1965 onwards. Among the names that spring to mind are Jim Downing,

Courtney, Dave Oakley, Brian Webb, Bob Sidey, Pat Buckeridge, Tom Burns, and Tony Walker, who was possibly a midshipman in the RN.

hotmail.co.uk

Contact Joan at

j.soole@

Southport rewarded

CADETS and staff from Southport unit attended the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside’s Cadet Poppy Appeal awards evening at Naval Regional HQ in Liverpool. Each year the cadet forces are on the streets of the town collecting for the Royal British Legion, making an invaluable contribution to the welfare work of the Legion. In 2009 TS Active won both the

SCC trophy and the Tri-Service trophy, collecting over £6,600 – the highest total so far, although the unit aims to surpass it this year. The Lord Lieutenant of Dame Lorna

Merseyside, for

Muirhead, thanked all cadets and staff

their contribution, and

presented them with their awards and certificates.

Burgee for Stockport

STOCKPORT unit has won a coveted efficiency burgee for 2010 following three recent inspections. TS Hawkins was described in their RN Parade (ceremonial) inspection as a “happy ship” with a dedicated staff and committee, and enthusiastic cadets. Area Officer Lt Col Davies RM

was particularly complimentary about

the evolutions – evening

displays – which he described as a ‘fun’ way to advertise the unit and Corps.

And the unit has gained no

fewer than five new leading cadets at a promotion board held at TS Quantock, the Tameside unit. The weekend also

included multi-subject specialisation

training, and TS Hawkins gained a cook/steward, a seaman (rigging and ropework) and another five new communicators – no one left without a qualification, so that meant another 100 per cent pass rate for the unit.

Channel trip for Arbroath

A DOZEN cadets from the Arbroath unit, accompanied by PO (SCC) Tracy Maxwell, made the long haul south to Gosport to join TS John Jerwood. The weather had a say in their

plans, so the week-long course saw the powered training vessel head east along the Channel coast to Ramsgate.

From there they enjoyed a trip to Buckingham Palace and the London Eye.

All cadets returned home with

their power badges. For four of the travellers who

were welcomed back to Arbroath on the Friday evening there was little respite – they were off the following day to Inverness for a spot of band duty in connection with Cadet 150.

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