News

It was with great sadness that today we gathered to mourn the loss of Lt Cdr (SCC) S Murray, whom served our unit and the Sea Cadets Corps as a whole for many years. During his time with our unit Lt Cdr (SCC) Stan Murray served in many positions, from being a unit instructor to our commanding offer, later becoming our executive officer. He will be fondly remembered for never missing an opportunity to make us laugh with one of his many stories from his days at sea. 

For the last couple of months the cadets parade nights have consisted of sewing badges, practicing drill, rehearsing lines, and relentlessly polishing boots... all for this night; for tonight was the annual unit inspection, where the cadets parents and area officers come down to hear all about what the cadets have been up to for the past year. The evening consisted of presentations by the cadets themselves about their year, a performance by our very own marching band, and a uniform inspection by a high ranking officer from our area team (and of course regular breaks for cakes and drinks). The cadets hard work paid off as they were a credit to their unit and we are very proud of them all.

The beginning of this month marked the beginning of the boating season for the Sea Cadets Corps and, as such, our unit wasted no time in getting down to Crosby Boating Station for a weekend of boating and sunshine (well, boating at least). The cadets enjoyed activities such as sailing, windsurfing, and powerboating, and during the evening took the minibus down to Southport to sample the local arcades and chippies. At the end of the weekend not only had the cadets had a great time but they had also gained nationally recognised RYA qualifications in the discipline of their choice.

This Easter break 10 of our cadets went for a week long voyage to Amsterdam and back. They spent the week living on a traditional 22m tall ship, working hard 24 hours a day to cook their own food, rig sails, navigate, and manoeuvre the boat under the guidance of the permanent crew (not to mention being sick every few minutes). As well as sailing the boat the cadets learned some invaluable lessons in seamanship and navigation, and got some first-hand experience at what it’s like living at sea. During their down time the cadets relaxed on the deck, watched films, and made new friends from around the country. The ship also made stops at numerous ports around the country, giving the cadets a chance to explore the local areas. All of the cadets and staff who attended where sad to see the week come to an end and said that they had made some amazing memories that they would never forget, but were all glad to get back into a bed that didn't sway from side to side!

Today our juniors went on a trip to the Merseyside Police Mounted Section. They were given a guided tour of the facility by members of the station and got to stroke the horses and try on the protective equipment that a police officer would wear when going into a riot situation. They were also given a tour of the Dog Section, and saw the dogs in action sniffing out drugs and attacking a real police officer dressed in protective clothing.