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City of Bath Sea Cadets were proud as punch this week, after taking part in the Colour Party category at the South West Area Drill competition, held at HMS RALEIGH, the Royal Navy's Initial Training establishment.

Cadets Mya, Erin, Toby, Zach and Rebecca, confidently commanded by Able Cadet Frankie held their own against stiff competition with Districts covering the length of the South West from Birmingham to Cornwall.

In their category the cadets were were required to parade the District Colour, conducting a 15-minute display involving uncasing and recasing the colour, salutes at the halt and on the march, and an advance in review order. 

After their success at the District Competition, held at Worle school and attended by units from Swindon to Weston-Super-Mare, the cadets were hopeful about a place on the podium.  However, even though maintaining drill standards during lockdown had been difficult, all of the SW Area teams were very strong, and the cadets managed to come in at 5th place.

Nonetheless, Able Cadet Frankie was undeterred.

"I really hope we can come back next year, and next time, really show them what we can achieve."

City of Bath Sea Cadets worked alongside ten other volunteer groups, watersports clubs and Avon Fire and Rescue Service for the Great Avon River Pick on 26 March.

More than 120 bags of litter were collected from the banks of the River Avon by volunteers and local organisations as part of this year’s Great British Spring Clean.

Accross the city, one hundred and seventy people of all ages came together to clear the litter using equipment provided by Bath & North East Somerset Council including 70 litter pickers, 30 children’s pickers, sacks, gloves and high vis jackets.

The river pick was part of the annual Great British Spring Clean campaign organised by Keep Britain Tidy running from March 25 to April 10, which invited people to join the #BigBagChallenge and improve the environment on their doorsteps.

Councillor David Wood, said:

“Thank you to all the volunteers who joined forces to carry out Great Avon River Pick. It’s a huge success that more than 120 bags of litter were saved from polluting our waterways, posing a danger to wildlife and remaining an eyesore in our beautiful district."

Although City of Bath Sea Cadets has not had its own band for many years, this year four cadets, most of whom had no musical experience whatsoever, braved the South West Area band course!

Cadets Rebecca, Mya, Joseph and Erin practiced using the military side drum, and playing the bugle, as well as drill when part of a band.

By the end of the week, they were able to parade with the massed bands of South West Area Sea Cadets on the hallowed parade ground at the Royal Navy's initial training establishment at HMS RALEIGH.  Playing a range of traditional tunes, the cadets had a thoroughly enjoyable time.

Perhaps, in a few years, Bath's Sea Cadet band will experience a resurgance of its own, thanks to these early pioneering cadets!  Thanks go out to all the Area instructors who made the course possible.

When City of Bath Sea Cadets were approached for some assistance in creating an eye-catching artwork in the city centre in time for the COP26 climate change summit, the Unit Management Team were happy to help.

The spectacular "Sinking House" which appeared to be disappearing beneath the River Avon just downstream of the iconic Pulteney Bridge was, in fact, floating on a hidden pontoon, loaned by the unit. 

Architecture firm, Stride Treglown, who also designed the Unit's own headquarters, planned and managed the construction of the artwork, using the parade ground area at the back of the Sea Cadets' building as a workshop area. Advised by the Unit Management Team, the team then launched the enormous red sulpture down a purpose-built ramp, and with further advice, were able to moor it to the famous bridge's piers.  

The sculpture attracted an enormous amount of attention, especially the desperate figure on top of the house, created by artist Anna Gillespie.  It was a fantastic project to be involved with;  it inspired cadets and volunteers alike, and as the artist herself wrote of the project:

"When you see people collaborating, you think… yes, this is the kind of world we need to live in: a collaborative world"

Local Sea Cadet volunteers from Bath and North East Somerset reached out to the community this week, meeting the Mayor of Bath at a fun day held in the Mulberry Park Hub, located on the former site of the Admiralty's former ship design offices in Foxhill.

The fun day was a celebration of everything on offer in the buzzing community growing in Mulberry Park, and volunteers and cadets were able to meet the public and share the amazing work that City of Bath Sea Cadets have been doing in the community ever since WWII. Cadets helped the Mayor of Bath, Cllr June Player, carry out a symbolic litter pick outside!

As well as letting people know what cadets have been up to and running some enjoyable activities for youngsters at the fun day, the team, led by Sea Cadets' Growth and Development worker, Lucy Underwood, were busy recruiting new cadets, and importantly also looking for more adults to volunteer as instructors and helpers at the unit.  

Ever since its foundation in Bath in 1942, the city's Sea Cadet unit has relied on the support of people in the city to train and develop young people in nautical skills and have fun on the water. 

When the Admiralty moved to Bath from London to avoid the Blitz in 1939, it set up shop in a number of sites including the one in Foxhill where the fun day took place.  Local Royal Navy Officers felt that a Sea Cadet unit should be formally created in the city where they could give back to young people, and Bath Sea Cadets were born.

Today, this connection continues, with two retired Royal Navy officers on the instructional staff, and the support of other ex-Navy and defence industry employees as trustees.  But today, volunteers come from all walks of life - healthcare, construction, education, engineering, hospitality - there is no special skillset needed to help our young people, just enthusiasm, professionalism, and a sense of humour!