News

Cadets from Birmingham Vernon (Training Ship Vernon) and Birmingham Stirling sea cadets have taken part in a weekend of fun activities and camping at Blackwell Adventure!

The first unit camp for many years saw our cadets take part in a variety of team building exercises, laser tag and camp fires. Cooking their own meals on camping equipment, the cadets were fully immersed in the camping experience - not a mobile phone in sight!

A huge success which will return next year. Thank you to our adult volunteers for making this unforgettable experience happen for our cadets. 

Last week volunteers and cadets from Birmingham Vernon took part in the South West Area (SWA) summer camp, held evey two years at HMS Raleigh.

This huge camp saw over 130 cadets and 80 volunteers come together for an action packed week of fun, learning and adventure whilst living and sleeping onboard at the Royal Navy's home of learning - HMS Raleigh.

Birmingham Vernon was proudly represented by three outstanding volunteers and two upstanding cadets all of which have come home exhausted. Despite falling asleep on the coach home, our volunteers have all had an amazing experience saying it was "the best week ever!" and highlighting the impact that sea cadets has on our young people: "seeing the cadets happy, facing fears and making new friends is honestly amazing to see and makes me so proud as a volunteer".

Thank you to Petty Officers (SCC) L Smith, J Roberts and Probationary Sergeant (SCC) D Mulvenna for giving up your time to give our young people the best head start in life. 

Groundbreaking news! Today we celebrated an exciting milestone in our Midlands Boat Station and Birmingham Vernon construction project.

Hard hats on and shovels at the ready, our CEO Martin Coles CBE, Councillor Sir Albert Bore, cadets and volunteers from Birmingham Vernon Unit and across Mercia District met at the 'ground-breaking' ceremony, a custom that marks the first official day of construction.

Rumour has it a spade has been kept behind to be engraved!

Birmingham Vernon has a variety of social media to provide all the latest updates, this includes cadet adctivies and key milestones on the building journey Click here

Thank you to Carol Tiley MBE our Chairperson, Chief Petty Officer (SCC) P Fenton our First Lieutenant, Petty Officer (SCC) J Roberts and members of Mercia district for attending.

Change of Command at Birmingham Vernon's Royal Marine Detachment

As of Thursday 22nd June 2023, Birmingham Vernon's Royal Marines Detachment has a new Commander, Sergeant (SCC) C Unwin. 

The detachments previous DC, Sergeant (SCC) J Millward led the detachment through a tough few years which included the Covid-19 pandemic, and the leaving of our old building which were both major disruptions to learning and routine. She has maintained and developed the detachments teaching staff and organisation whilst seeking ways to improve finances to reinvest into new kit for our cadets. Furthermore, she worked closely with the Officer In Charge to improve our social media presence and created a uniformed visual look to our informative posts.

She leaves the detachment in a position poised to grow and expand into our new building, estimated for completion in June 2024.

Officer In Charge Sub Lieutenant (SCC) Richard Keyte RNR spoke at the hand over ceremony - "Sergeant Millward leaves this detachment in a fantastic position, and has every right to be proud. Taking on the role when the detachment was in a position of weakness and leaving it better off, positive and growing".

The whole ships company thanks her for her work, and wishes the new DC all the best in her new role - 

BZ

A cadet from Birmingham Vernon Sea Cadets and Royal Marines cadets was handpicked to attend a once in a lifetime event, the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Cadet Corporal Callum, fourth from the right, was hand picked and put forward to attend this amazing event due to his hard work, commitment and integrity. 

Starting his Sea Cadet journey as a Junior Cadet, Callum rose up the rates and quickly established himself as a hard working, committed and engaging cadet. Moving into the Sea Cadets he spent a year growing and developing his self confidence before taking the step to the Royal Marines, in the footsteps of his brother but most certainly not in his shadow. 

As a Royal Marine he worked hard to master the qualifications required for promotion boards, but Callum was unfortunately set back like many cadets due to the global Covid-19 Pandemic - this could have stopped him progressing, but Callum stuck to it and returned to parading and continued his progression.

Reaching the rate of Cadet Corporal is a fantastic achievement, and is a reflection of his years of competitions, camps and being parade commander here at Birmingham Vernon.

BZ Cadet Corporal for this amazing achievement and memorable weekend.