Spring 2021 news

More than 100 people climb Mount Everest with Sea Cadets!

Last year we challenged cadets to climb the equivalent height of the world’s highest mountain and you rose to the challenge

During lockdown we set cadets the challenge to climb the equivalent of 8,848m: the elevation of Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain. 

More than 100 brilliant participants signed up to take part in the epic virtual challenge to raise funds for Sea Cadets. Between juniors, cadets, royal marines cadets, volunteers, parents (and the occasional dog!), everyone managed to raise a phenomenal £11,000 for Sea Cadets and their units!

The Sea Cadets spirit was on show, with some people walking up and down their staircase at home hundreds of times, and others out hiking in all weathers in their local hills or around their neighbourhoods, when government restrictions allowed.

JCFC Felix from Burton on Trent was one of the amazing cadets who took on the mammoth challenge, and for him it was personal – he was aiming to beat his dad! 

“My dad loves mountain walking, but I’m going to go higher than my dad has ever gone. He has trekked to the South Everest Base Camp in Nepal (5,364m) but I’m going to go all the way to the top with this challenge.” And he did just that.  

Thank you to everyone who took part, we are so proud of you! Well done for taking on the mammoth challenge, helping your unit and other cadets across the country. BZ.

New boat station at the ready

We are delighted to announce that work at Port Edgar Boat Station in Scotland has been completed and it is now ready to welcome cadets for new adventures on the water. The new state-of-the-art boat station will allow thousands of young people to experience watersports. 

With the official launch delayed due to Covid-19, the boat station is currently waiting to open its doors to cadets for a range of exciting waterborne activities. The new facilities also include a kitchen, a sleeping area for overnight stays and an open space for classroom activities. 

Watch the video below to get a sneak peak of this fantastic new facility on a virtual tour with Centre Manager Adam.

Cadet designs winning tribute to submariners lost in service

A sea cadet has won a competition to design a memorial that will pay tribute to submariners who have lost their lives in service, and to their families.

Winner of the age 11–18 category in the Submariner Memorial competition was Cadet Zoe from Gosforth. Zoe impressed the judges with her blue glass design that visitors can walk under to view the sculptured art.

“The dolphins symbolise the souls lost at war and becoming free and part of the oceans in which they served and perished,” says Zoe. Her design has been given to the winning sculptor creating the memorial, to inspire them.  Along with the other winners, Zoe is invited to the opening of the memorial at the National Arboretum in 2022 by Prince William, Commodore-in-Chief Submarines. 

The Submariner Memorial Appeal was set up to create a fitting tribute to submariners who have lost their lives and to the sacrifice of their families. Lieutenant Hugo Mitchell-Heggs RN is Serving Lead & Trustee of the appeal.

“As Royal Navy submariners we have proudly developed a unique ethos over our 120-year history,” he says. “We are a community, a family, so coming together with Sea Cadets to create this fitting tribute really is very special.” 

The appeal has to raise £375,000 to build the memorial. Learn more on the Submariner Memorial website.  

First Sea Lord’s Cadets for 2021 are sworn in online

In January we celebrated the investiture of our First Sea Lord’s Cadets for 2021. This year’s ceremony was held virtually rather than the usual location at HMS Victory in Portsmouth. The First Sea Lord, Admiral Radakin CB ADC, joined the cadets, along with other cadets from the CCF (Combined Cadet Force) and VCC (Volunteer Cadet Corps) as well as parents and guests on Zoom. 

During their year as the First Sea Lord’s Cadets (one from each area) they will be representing their peers on the National Sea Cadet Forum and, as restrictions allow, attend events. Find out who the new FSLCs are here.

Call to government to help young people through the pandemic

During the pandemic it has become clear that many children in the UK are suffering; from not having the right tools for home schooling to not being able to meet up with their friends, it’s clear that it has had a huge impact on the lives of young people.

We know that 45% of Sea Cadets units are in economically challenged areas, so we have been working closely with other charities, asking the government to improve their support for young people.

Sea Cadets CEO, Martin Coles, has joined leaders across the youth, education and corporate sectors to come together with celebrity backers and young people to demand that the government urgently invests in youth services. 

Sea Cadets launches its own Earthshot for juniors

In 2020, The Duke of Cambridge Prince William announced a new campaign aimed at helping the planet deal with the environmental challenges it’s facing.

Over 10 years, £50m will be awarded through the Earthshot Prize, aimed at finding solutions by 2030.

To celebrate the launch, Sea Cadets has created a range of activities for junior sea cadets. The Earthshot Challenge will see them work through five goals and encourage them to come up with ways to fix the climate crisis.

Learn more about what the activities will involve and how to get started in our article about the Earthshot Challenge. 

Sea Cadets appoints its first young trustees

For the first time ever, two young people have joined the Trustees Committee of Sea Cadets to make sure the charity is always doing the best it can for cadets

Sea Cadets now has its first-ever young trustees. The charity was looking for young people aged 18–25 who are passionate about youth development and who understand the impact Sea Cadets can have on young people, to sit on the board of trustees. 

Trustees hold a very important role. They oversee the charity to make sure it’s working in the right direction for the people they serve – in this case, our 15,000 cadets. 

The charity received many strong applications, but two of them really stood out. One was from Laurelle Brant, who you might recognise as the First Sea Lord’s Cadet for London Area in 2020. Laurelle made guest appearances during MSSC Trustee Council meetings last year, so was already aware of the responsibilities of being on the board of trustees. Laurelle is currently studying for an MSci in biological sciences.

The second successful applicant was Gareth Hampton, a former sea cadet for six years who worked hard to gain the rank of Petty Officer Cadet. “Being at Sea Cadets was the biggest contributing factor in my decision to join the merchant navy,” says Gareth. “It provided me with practical skills to utilise at sea and when working within my community. My experiences both as a cadet and now as a junior officer have acted as good preparation for the position of a young trustee.” 

Gareth was highly involved in Sea Cadets, taking advantage of every opportunity, such as competing in national sailing and rowing competitions, going offshore and taking part in the flying programme.

As part of the Trustee Committee, Laurelle and Gareth will attend meetings to discuss important aspects of the charity, such as how it spends its money, and will contribute to new developments as well as helping to plan the future strategy of Sea Cadets, to make sure that we do the very best we can for young people.