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In June we held our AGM and were delighted to see so many of you there.  A huge thank you to staff, parents and guests, including members of the District Team and our Town Mayor, Cllr Peggy Clatworthy who came to support the committee at this important annual event. Due to increasing work commitments, we had to say goodbye to Mike Fyles, who has been our Treasurer for the last year, stepping in when we were in desperate need of filling the role and doing a fantastic job for us. It was also our pleasure to welcome Geraldine Liddy to the committee. Geraldine has taken over from Mike as Treasurer and she brings a wealth of experience with her. I’d also like to express my thanks to our Unit President, Mrs Anne Cadbury, who has again kindly offered to remain in post and who is one of our biggest supporters and champion of the Unit. 

I have pleasure in announcing your elected Unit Trustees as follows:

Sarah Griffiths – Chairman

Geraldine Liddy – Treasurer

Jane Montellier – Secretary

Bob Skelt – Health & Safety

Sharon Mercer – Housekeeper

We are also hugely supported by our CO Tristan Cooper and Padre Roger Grey along with our Unit President Anne Cadbury and Vice Presidents Mike Bennett and Ted Keeper.  

Led by our CO, 14 cadets and 6 staff from TS Otter invaded the Sea Cadet Training Centre at Weymouth recently for a weekend of sailing, power-boating and windsurfing.  It was hot, it was challenging, it was fun (!) and crowned with success as every cadet gained a qualification in his or her chosen activity.

With the sun blazing down, there is no better place to be than on the sea. That is where our cadets were put to the test in a variety of craft. The power-boating included managing a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) that went very fast as it sped across Weymouth Bay. Asked what she enjoyed most about the weekend, one of our cadets told her mother: "seeing a terrified padre clinging on for dear life as the RIB bounced across the bay!"  The sailors learnt how to harness wind and sea conditions to maximise speed and, those sailing as a crew of two, the all important art of working as a team. Excellent teaching and advice were readily available from instructors in the two safety boats constantly on hand. In a separate article, one of the windsurfers tells us about the Weymouth weekend as experienced by four of our cadets.

It was a great privilege to watch our cadets gain so much in confidence and skill. They were a credit to themselves, their unit and their families. But the weekend would not have been possible without the dedication to the welfare of the cadets  shown by our staff. For several of them, it meant giving up a weekend after a busy week at work and, for all of them, time away from family and friends. We owe a great debt of gratitude to our CO, Sub Lt Tristan Cooper, Lt Ron Matthews, Sub Lt Daniel Howells, PO David Anderson, CI Stuart Bailey and PO Paul Mercer. No Less appreciated are the staff and facilities of the Weymouth Sea Cadet Training Centre

As an independent charity that is recognised by the UK Charity Commission, one of our annual requirements is to hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM). This year, our AGM will be held on Thursday 15th June in the Unit building, Trinity Walk, Oldbury Road, Tewkesbury Glos. Please join us for refreshments and cake at 7.00 pm with the meeting starting at 7.30pm prompt. The meeting should be completed within an hour.

This will be a valuable opportunity to hear about the progress of the Unit and of future hopes and plans as well as to consider any concerns. Members of the Unit Management Team are also elected or re-elected at the meeting and anyone wishing to be considered for a position on the committee should contact myself for a nomination form via umc.tsotter@gmail.com.

I do hope you will be able to attend.

Sarah Griffiths, Chairman, Tewkesbury Sea Cadets

Very ably led by our Commanding Officer, Sub Lt Tristan Cooper and Chairman of the Unit Management Team, Mrs Sarah Griffiths, TS Otter came through its recent annual inspection with reasons to be very proud.

The inspection was carried out by Commander Nigel Morton RN, whose leadership as Area Officer for the South West Area we much appreciate. Come the night, and the upper deck was filled with invited guests, civic leaders past and present, representatives from a number of key institutions in the wider community, parents and other supporters - more in number than at any previous inspection. As ever, the presence of our Unit President and Vice-Presidents was greatly appreciated.  On the main deck, the impressive bearing and discipline of the ship's company deservedly won the plaudits of our guests, who also took a keen interest in the activities on display and the able commentaries provided by the cadets themselves. Ceremonial Sunset with Evening Colours and excellent refreshments rounded off a rewarding and memorable evening.

As reported in our RNP article, a fantastic group of parents, cadets and staff gave up their time on the Sunday beforehand to give the Unit a clean, paint, weed, sweep...you name it, they did it! The Unit looked wonderful afterwards and we are hugely grateful to all of them.