On a Sunday in June 2024 we held a maintenance day to give our Unit a bit of TLC and make it ship shape! Many adult volunteers and cadets joined in the day clearing rubbish, doing some gardening and tidying our parade ground, painting the main deck and organising inside the unit. It was a busy day. We finished off with a BBQ for all volunteers to thank them for their efforts.
Unit Volunteer Maintenance Day
Junior Cadets trip to a honey farm
Our Juniors were buzzing with excitement in May with a visit to Quantock Beekeepers Association, where they spent the evening meeting some of the busy residents, learning about hives, trying out some of the headgear and tasting some honeycomb. Thank you to the kind gentlemen of the QBA for showing the Junior Cadets and volunteers around.
Bridgwater Unit's 60th Birthday Showcase Event
On Saturday 27th April, Bridgwater Sea Cadets opened the doors of their Unit with a Showcase Event to celebrate the Units 60th Anniversary. Initially opening in 1964, on the site currently occupied by Asda, they moved to their current location on Seaward Drive by the Docks in 1968.
Throughout the day, visitors were able to see firsthand Cadets taking part in some of the onshore qualifications they can achieve such as First Aid, Marine Engineering, CIS (Communication & Information Systems) and STEM modules. In the Galley, the Cadet crew were rustling up bacon and sausage rolls along with freshly made cakes. Bridgwater Unit’s own Cadet Band put on a wonderful performance at lunchtime with additional entertainment by The Beach’d Buoys singing a range of sea shanties.
There was a celebratory cake, in the shape of a 60, cut by Mrs Christine Fuller, Chairperson and Commanding Officer, Lieutenant (SCC) TJ Date. In some of the classrooms were photos, videos and newspaper cuttings showing the history of the Unit by decade. Many ex-Cadets and ex-Volunteers who attended on Saturday were able to reminisce of their time at Sea Cadets and see how the Unit had changed over the years.
Bridgwater Band take part in RNLI Overland Launch
On the 13th January 2024 our Sea Cadet Band played as part of the last quarter mile leg of the 125th annual celebration of the RNLI Overland Launch at Porlock Weir in Somerset. 125 years ago, due to severe weather, the Lifeboat team at Lynmouth made the decision to hike their boat 13 miles over land to Porlock Weir where it was safer to launch and rescue crew of a vessel in trouble, which they did. The 2024 procession involved over 100 people pulling the boat overland.
It was an honour for our Band to be invited to such a special event. It was a cold day but as ever our Cadets and Adult Volunteers did us proud.
Royal Marine Band workshop for South West Cadets
At the end of November, some of our Band Cadets attended a band workshop hosted by TS Weston in Weston-Super-Mare with members of the Royal Marines Band Service. It was a unique opportunity for our cadets to develop their Bel Lyre, Drum and Drum Major skills and learn some new pieces with guidance and advice from members of the Royal Marine Band.
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