The team at Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge’s Sea Cadets Unit are celebrating after being rewarded for outstanding effort.
The Unit’s Junior Sea Cadets, comprising 10 and 11 year-old boys and girls, have been recognised as being the best in the South West.
They are representing the area as one of six groups of Juniors from around the UK competing for the National Cleverly Trophy – the best Junior Sea Cadet section in Britain.
At a recent bi-annual Royal Navy Parade, in addition to the formal ceremonial routine, all the cadets put on a display of the kind of training they undertake each night at the Unit. This year the theme was navigation. The cadets explained the importance of safe navigation to shipping. This interactive, engaging display earned them a joint Runners-Up award in the category of Best Evolution, the Gazellig Trophy.
The Sea Cadet Units’ Commanding Officer, Lt (SCC) Dom Gregory RNR, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “I couldn’t be more pleased with this result. Our cadets put in a massive amount of work to prepare for this year’s inspection and for their effort to be recognized with like this is absolutely amazing.”
“And to be the South West Area nomination for the Cleverly Award is just astonishing and a real recognition of the time and effort that the Junior Sea Cadets and their instructors, CPO Sidwell and Mrs McPherson, put in to give them a brilliant, engaging and interesting programme. I couldn’t be happier for them.”
Carol Roberts, the Unit’s Chairman of Trustees, added: “These awards are a recognition of the commitment of the volunteers and cadets and reflect that the cadets, no matter how old, will only accept the best of themselves. They are a credit to the Unit and I’m very proud of them all.
“Now we have to bite our nails and wait for the national awards to be announced. Fingers crossed!”
The awards were presented by the Area Officer for South West Area Sea Cadets, Commander Nigel Morton Royal Navy, during the SW Area Volunteer’s conference at the weekend in front of Commanding Officers and Unit Chairs from across the area.
