News

Hi all,

Well I can't contain my excitement anymore so I am going to tell you that Able Cadet Splicer is attending HMS Raliegh as a solo piper representing Croydon at an Area Comp.

This has all been achieved by coming first at both District and Area Comps with a lot of hard work and dedication and all the more special as AC Spicer is mainly self taught with a little instruction so wishing her all the the best for the up and coming comp and no matter what happens AC Spicer will always be a winner for team Croydon so fingers crossed.

There's more !!!! Able Cadet Spicer is also competing in the team piping event at HMS Raliegh with 2 cadets from Beckenham so I am wishing the team all the best and it just goes to show that units are also stronger together and also shows what can be achieved when units work together for the greater good.

Even more I hear you say again this is for inter unit relations as Ordinary Cadet Monique Nelson is teaming up with Sutton unit going to HMS Raliegh to enter the Area comp as a unarmed drill team and I know that a lot of blood sweat and tears and hard work has gone into shaping what is hopefully a winning team so my congratulations goes out to Sutton unit and all their hard work.

I must all so to take a moment to mention Ordinary Cadet Joshua Barriteau-Haynes from Croydon who has made the reserve list for the unarmed drill team which takes a lot as cadets on the reserve list work just as hard with lots of blood sweat and tears with the possibility of not taking part and that takes a very special person so my thanks and respect goes out to him.

Hi all.

2016/17 was a very busy time for Croydon Sea Cadets with lots of cadets going away on course, the cadets crewed the sailing ship TS Royalist which holds 12 cadets and they sailed round the English channel for a week we also had cadets assisting to crew the TS John Jerwood.

We also had a week of boating at

 HMS Raliegh which was really successful along with a couple of camps held at Frylands Wood along with a some day walks the highlight of one of them was to watch the fly pass of a Spitfire as it buzzed over us a few times  I don't know about the kids but it was fantastic for me.

The staff were very busy as well assting at district camps weekends away training weekends for the cadets held at Crowborough Training camp as well as HMS Bristol based on the Naval base at Portsmouth all so holding extra training weekend at the unit for competitions that we entered besides doing all this they all so found time(where from I don't know) to advance their own knowledge base and getting new specialisations which they pass on to the cadets.

On Wednesday 27th September 2017 we had our Royal Naval Parade which is an inspection of the ships company and staff were we put on evolutions explaining what the cadets have achieved over the previous year.

this was a total success as the Captian of the Sea Cadets was so pleased to see how together the whole ships company was as a unit and a team he also mentioned the hardwork of all the staff and that it could not have been easy to have achieved all the improvements that have be made in such a short period of time.

He also made referance to the fact that this could have only been achieved by strong leadership and the support of a good staff  team who were really trying to deliver the cadet experience which seemed to have been achieved from what the cadets were telling him.

This all came to ahead when the unit was presented a burgee which  means that we are in the top 10% of performing units nationally and it doesn't get much better than that we still have plenty to aim for though.

We are now looking forward to as busier 2017/18 if not more so and we are off to a flying start with new members of staff and cadets who have achieved quiet allot all ready.

We are always looking for help so if there are any parents out there who have a little free time in this busy world we all live in then you could help out at the unit from just a few hours a month doing as much or as little as you want we really need parental help to carry on offering the cadet experience to our young adults as at the moment they need as much help and support we can give them in these turbulent times.

Croydon Sea Cadets will be shortly be having its RNP.  The Royal Navy inspection takes place every other year and is the most important evening for cadets and staff where the cadets do a full ceremonial parade and put on a display for their guests.  This year we have Area Officer, Commander Nesbitt attending together with other VIP guests from Head Office, Commanding Officers from other Sea Cadet Units, an MP and a representative from the Mayor's Office plus other guests.  The cadets and staff have put a lot of work into the preparation for this year's RNP and we, as a Unit, are very excited about it.  Parents/carers, family members and friends are also invited to this event and we look forward to seeing you there.  

 During August our very busy unit did the following:

one cadet was away on an International Exchange to Canada; we took cadets for swimming assessments, we had a cadet away on the UK Exchange looking after cadets from other countries; 12 cadets went camping at Frylands Wood for the weekend and went on a hike; 4 cadets attended our former building caretaker's funeral; 6 cadets went to Area Summer Camp at Woking; 3 juniors went to the National Junior Summer Camp at Doncaster; 12 cadets went to HMS Raleigh doing powerboating and rowing; 6 cadets went sailing for a week on T.S.Royalist; 2 cadets went sailing for a week on T.S. Jack Petchey and 2 cadets went to the Royal Victoria Docks and passed their RYA Level 1 Powerboat.  

In total cadets gained 34 qualifications and have badges in Campcraft, Rowing, Powerboat Levels 1 and 2, Offshore Sailing levels 1 and 2 and Offshore Powerboat level 1.   

BZ to all those cadets that organised and attended the bag packing fundraising event over the past two weekends!