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A trip to Greenwich

This weekend was one of those very special occasions that I think will take quite a while to sink in.

I am absolutely thrilled, incredibly proud and more than a little overwhelmed to have been presented with the Roddie Casement OBE RN Sword, awarded nationally to the Sea Cadet Commanding Officer judged to be the best in the Corps.

To receive such a prestigious national award is an extraordinary honour. To have it presented at the National Band Competition, in the magnificent surroundings of the Queen’s House at the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, made the occasion even more memorable. To receive the Sword from descendants of Captain Roddie Casement OBE RN himself was something very special indeed.

I make no apology for being immensely proud of this one. I give a huge part of my life to the Sea Cadets because I passionately believe in what we do and in the opportunities, confidence and experiences we give to young people. Being a Commanding Officer is already an enormous privilege; to have that commitment recognised nationally in this way means more to me than I can really put into words.

But no Commanding Officer achieves anything alone.

I am enormously proud to command TS Kingfisher – Redditch & Bromsgrove Sea Cadets and Royal Marines Cadets, and of the fantastic cadets and volunteers who make our Unit what it is. Their achievements, enthusiasm, occasional chaos, determination and sheer hard work are what make being their CO so rewarding.

The success of our Unit is built on an extraordinary team of volunteers who give their time, skills and energy so generously, the support of our UMT, our families and friends and, above all, a fantastic group of young people who continually make us proud.

They are the reason we do it.

I may have been the one holding the Sword this weekend, and my name may be engraved upon it, but there are a great many people standing behind that achievement.

And what a setting for such a moment, glorious sunshine, fabulous music, a Royal Marine Band, a superb National Sea Cadet Band Competition and some wonderful friends alongside me.

I came away feeling enormously proud, genuinely humbled and, I have to admit, more than a little bit chuffed.

There are some days in your Sea Cadet career that you know you will remember forever.

This was definitely one of mine.

The Roddie Casement OBE RN Sword – National Best Sea Cadet Commanding Officer.

That one really does mean a great deal.

SLt (SCC) LAWood MA RNR

This week the Royal Marine Cadets got out into the field for the first time this year, with an evening out at Arrow Valley Park. It was a great opportunity for the new Marine Cadets to experience what RMCs do. Time was spent  building shelters with our 'bivvi’s' and learning about patrolling.  It was great to be back outside!

This weekend has been another roaring success, with our Dril Team, already  District Champions, now proudly holding the title of Area Champions. 

This victory means our cadets will be representing the South West Area at the prestigious Sea Cadet National Drill Competition at HMS Raleigh at the end of April.

The journey of our drill team has not been easy. Amongst nine units in Warwickshire District, our team has put in weeks of rigorous training to achieve first place within the district. 

At the competition this weekend, they outshone competition from eight other Districts, claiming the gold medal. Put into perspective, they have beaten 77 other units to attain their well-deserved title.

The hard work and dedication of both the cadets and the volunteers has been truly remarkable. Their flawless performance, attention to detail, and ‘snap’ had set them apart from the rest.

Despite their exhaustion, the cadets have displayed impeccable behaviour throughout, embodying qualities such as politeness, courtesy, and respect that has made both the unit and the SCC proud.

We are all very proud!
 

This weekend the Royal Marines Cadets took part in a large training weekend at HMS Raleigh (despite a WW2 bomb having to be detonated offshore!).
 
During the weekend, our cadets competed in the Alpha Troop Ceremonial Drill Competition. It has been many years since Redditch & Bromgrove have had a squad of cadets enter, so we are extremely proud of the training and commitment they have shown in entering the competition.

This week the Junior Sea Cadets were set the STEM Challenge of moving a ball around a maze without touching it.  They came up with different fans and 'blowers' and then experimented to see which worked best,