News

Sea Cadets are proud to support the #ChildrenAtTheHeart campaign. We’re calling for the Government to put children at the forefront of the nation’s coronavirus response.

We want the Government to recognise the pandemic has brought about uncertainty and worry, which will lead to anxiety and mental health problems for young people. We know closed schools will damage the educational attainment and life chances of children – the poorest, the most. We know black, asian and minority ethnic communities will be hit the hardest. We know there is no certainty about when the crisis will end and when we can see loved ones again. We know there is more financial hardship to come.

The Budget should be the start of a rescue, recovery and rebuild plan designed to prioritise, support and enable our children to thrive. We need an ambitious, radical plan that will be transformational for the generation of children growing up in today’s modern Britain.

We have joined a group of 80 charities and bodies within the youth sector in writing an open letter to our Prime Minister, calling for a dedicated press conference for young people to answer their questions about the Coronavirus pandemic and to allow under-18s to submit questions to the daily press conference.

Young people across the UK are feeling the effects of the lockdown - mental health, education and so much more have been significantly impacted. However, young people across the country have been making a positive difference to so many communities, as well as supporting their own loved ones. This should be recognised, this should be encouraged.

After constructive initial engagement with Number 10,  #iWill campaign partners are ready to work with the Government to ensure that young people emerge from this crisis ready to continue their lives as active, positive citizens.

Join us online in promoting the campaign - share our posts and create your own (using artwork provided below) Let's get this campaign heard!

Get your artwork for social media here:

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Next Friday is VE day, celebrating when the guns fell silent across Europe marking the end of the Second World War.

We want you to celebrate it with us from home, especially as this year we mark 75 years since the day came about on 8 May 1945.There’s plenty going on across the country to celebrate the moment that the Second World War came to end.

From singalongs to baking, we’ve put together a pack for you to plan your day’s activities and join the national celebration - all from the comfort of your home. 

Download your pack here.

Make sure you share your family celebrations with us on Friday - use #SeaCadetsVEday to tag us in your posts!

Marine Society and Sea Cadets were well represented in the New Year’s Honours List.

MSSC Trustee John May DL (pictured) becomes an OBE for services to young people, while former trustee and current MSSC Vice-President Patrick Stewart MBE receives a CVO for his work as Lord Lieutenant of Argyll and Bute.

The recognition of Sea Cadet volunteers across the country remains one of the highlights of the Honours List.

While three volunteers have become recipients of British Empire Medals (BEM), Janice Spicer was made an MBE for her fund-raising efforts to many charities in her native Hull, including Sea Cadets.

Mrs Spicer, 65 and from Hull, joined as a teenager when girls were first admitted in the late 1960s.

After coming back the following week, Janice remained for a near-continuous 50 years period. “My dad wasn’t sure. He huffed that it would be another “week-long wonder” but I knew different,” she said.

21 members of Janice’s family are now Sea Cadets and despite severe illness in her family, she remains as committed to the Sea Cadet cause as ever.

“I had good role models in a nan who brought up kids on their own and my mum’s sister who would take everyone from their street on train for a day’s holiday. If I’m as good an Aunty as our Aunty Madge. I’m doing all right. Sea Cadets in a way are my family and this is for them as much as anyone else.”

Emma Walton BEM from Grimsby has been honoured for community and voluntary service in helping her local Sea Cadets,

Since getting involved within Sea Cadets in 2015, Emma has helped recruit a new set of trustees, refurbish and sign a 99 year lease on their building near the Royal Dock, launch a major recruitment drive for both cadets and volunteers, develop partnerships with local businesses and charities as well as raise over £70,000 within four years to secure the future of Grimsby and Cleethorpes Sea Cadets.

All of this, in spite of being a mother of three which was added to by the arrival of Emma and her husband’s fourth child three years ago. She is also chair of Lincolnshire District Sea Cadets and helps to train new chairs across the East of England.

“I do it because I enjoy it. I’ve made so many friends and when my eldest daughter joined, I started helping out tidying up the unit. “I didn’t really know what I was letting myself in for, when I became Chair.”

Lieutenant Commander George Wilson, London Region HQSO as well as Chief Petty Officer Stefen Wells from Shirley also received BEMs for sterling work in their communities.

Sea Cadets' 2019 awards have been released!

The awards are for the units, cadets and volunteers who have performed admirably throughout 2019. There are lots of winners across the Corps, but highlights include:

Salisbury (pictured) unit took home The Canada Trophy, awarded to Sea Cadets unit which is considered to have attained the very highest standard of all-round efficiency in the previous year. Each volunteer and cadet at Salisbury will receive a medallion to commemorate the event and cadets will also receive a red or gold maple leaf and a year badge, which are to be sewn on to their uniform. Salisbury have excelled at boating in the last year, averaging 145 hours of boating per cadet and all their cadets received at least one boating qualification!

Scarborough won the Thomas Grey Memorial Trophy, in their centenary year. With around 100 cadets and 40 volunteers, the numbers illustrate how popular this unit is within the remote community. Scarborough Cadets lead from the front at the Duke of Edinburgh award events, and always do well at promotion boards, plus many of them achieved CVQO BTEC qualifications this year.

The Commander Brown Trophy was handed to POC Daniel from Weymouth, for outstanding achievement, excelling at Sea Cadets, gaining multiple qualifications over the year and conquering his DofE. POC Daniel works hard at Sea Cadets to ensure he picks up qualifications, already having DofE Bronze and Silver awards and is working towards his Gold. He also holds British Rowing Supervised Coxswain, Basic Navigation, RYA Watchleader (Power-24m TS John Jerwood/TS Jack Petchey) Meteorology Proficiency, Basic Piping and Intermediate Seamanship, Advanced Stewarding, and Basic CIS.

Captain Rodie Casement Sword was awarded to Lt (SCC) William Elliott RNR from Milford Haven Unit. William embraces and embodies the Core Values and his drive to inspire these in his cadets is infectious. His commitment to the Corps is tireless endless, attending the unit despite other calls on his time.