Area news: Spring 2025
Read about the achievements of cadets across the country, from drill winners and digital grants to British Empire Medals for volunteers. Share news from your area by emailing SCmag@ms-sc.org
Northern
Middlesbrough Unit was delighted to start 2025 with gold medals for Best Unarmed Squad and Best Squad Commander (for Able Cadet Evie) at the Teeside District Drill Competition. To cap a brilliant event, their two Cadet Lance Corporals were part of the 5 Troop team which won Best RMC Platoon.
The unit was then invited to help former Royal Navy Leading Seaman Frank Biggs celebrate his 105th birthday, with cadets learning about Frank’s career and thanking him for his wartime service.
North West
Two outstanding volunteers were awarded British Empire Medals in The King’s New Year Honours, in recognition of their contribution to Sea Cadets. Mr Roy Heppenstall BEM (left) has been an active President of Newton-le-Willows Unit and helped to forge links between cadets and veterans, while CPO (SCC) Stuart McCourt BEM (right) has given 20 years of service to Whitehaven Unit – including leading their ‘Bee Bomb’ initiative to help cadets create wildflower areas.
South West
Stroud and Swindon Units’ cadet teams were announced as two of the winners of the Sea Cadets 2024 Innovate Challenge in December. The challenge was set by the Learning Team and business consulting company CGI, who asked cadets to design an engaging learning experience on a tech theme. CGI praised the cadets’ “innovative concepts that reflect the bright futures of these young minds as problem-solvers, architects and engineers”. Both teams received a £1,000 digital grant to bring their ideas to life, and a VIP visit to CGI’s Chippenham office, where they learned about information systems in mission-critical environments and got to enjoy some hands-on time programming robots!
Eastern
Captain Sea Cadets, Captain Neil Downing RN, visited Scarborough Unit to honour a special volunteer – presenting CO Lt Cdr (SCC) John Webster RNR with a prestigious Captain’s Medal in recognition of 50 years of voluntary service to Sea Cadets. During a half-century dedicated to helping thousands of young people fulfil their potential, John’s command transformed Castleford and Dewsbury Units, and ensured Scarborough Unit has maintained its exceptional standards. He’s also had an impact in district, area and national roles, and contributed to some incredible camps, competitions and training events. BZ and thank you, John!
London
Two more amazing volunteers were recognised with British Empire Medals in the New Year Honours list. WO1 (SCC) James Bryan BEM RNR (right) has worked tirelessly to develop training and mentoring programmes for young leaders in Sea Cadets and other cadet forces. He was also the driving force behind London Area’s Platinum Jubilee activities and their Coronation Parade in 2023. Mrs Gail Cramp BEM (left) is the Chair of Sunbury & Walton Sea Cadets and has spent over a decade leading a project to build new facilities, also giving years of dedicated service as London Area Chair.
Southern
November saw Southern Area triumph in Sea Cadets’ last national competition of 2024. Their cadet and young adult first aid teams from Milton Keynes Unit gave excellent demonstrations of teamwork under pressure – winning their categories by skilfully dealing with some very realistic scenarios at the Manchester Fire & Rescue Service Training Centre in Bury. The teams then put on a fine showing in the following day’s inter-service competition, with the young adults earning bronze medals.
Photos: Sea Cadets
