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PHASE 1 OF “LIQUID SUN” IS COMPLETE

Poole Sea Cadet’s Project Liquid Sun to substantially reduce the carbon footprint of its TS Drax headquarters building in Sterte has been completed successfully.

Having attracted a grant from Low Carbon Dorset, the solar panels have been installed and are now providing the promised clean energy. Phase 2, battery storage, will follow soon.

Parts of the HQ building, TS Drax, are 83 years old and used to create a considerable ongoing electricity bill. The charity is constantly looking for ways to use money raised by fundraising and donations for the direct benefit of our young people rather than on increasing utility costs.

Following a technical survey and a briefing from Wessex ECOEnergy, Project Liquid Sun is swiftly gaining momentum.

Poole Sea Cadets are blazing a trail and setting an example which can form the basis for similar projects across the Sea Cadet Corps nationally.

At TS Drax we are entering an exciting period during which we want to expand, to accommodate those potential cadets on our lengthy waiting list. We are also looking to create an improved headquarters building. Appropriate voluntary Trustees are needed to help us achieve these objectives.

Our flagship brig, TS Royalist, has returned to the South Coast for a series of voyages. On arrrival in Poole yesterday, just before midday, she had to cope with a South Westerly 24 wind boosting to 36. The swell outside the harbour was a sea state of 2.5m. In Beaufort terms this was somewhere between a Strong Breeze and a Near Gale. No wonder she was not under sail on her approach up the  second largest natural harbour in the world. She attracted many onlookers as she passed Brownsea Castle at the entrance to Poole Harbour.

TS Jack Petchey is pictured alongside in Poole Quay Marina on 3rd April having arrived from Gosport and on her way to Weymouth early in her 2022 schedule of Offshore Voyages.

She was built in 2010, having benefited from a £1m investment from the Jack Petchey Foundation. As many of our Cadets will know she is designed to take 12 Sea Cadets to sea for week-long residentials giving them a variety of experiences. These range from navigation to cooking to hands-on sailing.

For many cadets she takes them to sea for the very first time.

Whilst on board ship the Cadets are able to earn Royal Yachting Association qualifications up to Watch Leader, as well as receiving practical seamanship training.

The MSCC, parent charity of the Sea Cadets, appointed Mr Jack Petchey OBE as an Honorary Commodore of the Sea Cadet Corps for having been such a great supporter.

It is 40 years since a task force sent from the UK liberated the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic from an Argentine invasion.

This is personal to Poole as Royal Marines based locally joined the Royal Navy, Army and RAF in that task force.

This is commemorated by the town’s Falkland Square.

Many now live in and around Poole and some are valued volunteer instructors with the Sea Cadet Corps, amongst other cadet organisations.

We thank them all for their service both then and now, whilst also humbly remembering the sacrifices that were made.

For further information please go to: https://www.falklands.gov.fk/londonoffice/falklands40th