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As Whitley Bay Sea Cadet Joe Moore embarks on his Royal Naval Career, he is “walked ashore” by his fellow cadets.

Joe Moore, 17, from West Monkseaton begins a new adventure on 2 March 2014, as a Royal Naval Marine Engineer. Joe was invited back to his old Sea Cadet Unit on 14 February, and the cadets walked him ashore - a ceremonious parade to congratulate him and send him on his way.

After a period of training in Plymouth and Portsmouth, Joe could be posted on a ship anywhere in the world.

Joe said “ I joined Whitley Bay Sea Cadets when I was 13 because I was looking for something to do, by chance I attended an open evening at Whitley Bay Sea Cadet Unit and instantly, I knew it was for me - I have never looked back. I particularly enjoyed the trips away which were so adventurous. When I was 14,  I spent one week living, sleeping and sailing around the South Coast on the iconic TS Royalist, I’ve enjoyed the Norfolk Broads and Caledonian Canals too alongside other cadets from all over the UK, who are now friends for life.  Whitley Bay Sea Cadets have taught me so much, and I have extra qualifications. I feel as though I have a head start, and I am certainly less anxious about joining the Royal Navy, because I already have an understanding of the expectations my employers have of me”.

Commanding Officer Lt Jane Fox said “We are so proud of Joe and hope he will come back and visit us, he is a credit to our Unit and epitomises everything the Sea Cadets represent, which is respect, loyalty, self-discipline, commitment, honesty and integrity. We do not actively recruit on behalf of the Royal Navy, we simply strive to give young people a head start in life through nautical adventure and fun,  regardless of what they chose to go on and do - but if our cadets are considering pursuing a career in the Royal Navy, then we are the first place to start”.

Check out the other photos on our Facebook page.

Like many charities, it can be difficult to raise the essential funds needed to ensure the survival of our Unit. We know we give young people from our region a head start in life through nautical adventure and fun, and we will strive to keep providing the facilities which enables them to do just that.

However, we do need your help. If you shop online, you can raise a donation for free by doing it through Easyfundraising.org. There are thousands of retailers including Adsa, Tesco, itunes, Argos, Currys, Groupon, and there are also a number of hotel chains and tour operators  if you're planning a break. You need to set up a free account, and you can even install the "find and remind" toolbar which acts as a reminder when you are browsing.

You can find out more here http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/whitleybaysc

Thank you for your valued support and please tell everyone you know! Every penny is vital to our survival.

When we heard Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre in Newcastle were looking for people to share their love this Valentine’s Day to help boost its profile and raise some cash, we couldn't wait to help.

As a charity ourselves we know how difficult it can be, so on Wednesday 12 February 2014 we baked some heart shaped biscuits and sent them up to the centre, to be enjoyed by the hard working staff and centre users.

Maggie’s offers free emotional, practical and social support to people with cancer and their families and friends. To donate online visit www.virginmoneygiving/showsomelove or text MAGG98 £1 to 70070 and they are also asking people to use the hashtag #showsomelove on Twitter, and tweet any pictures of Valentine’s themed fundraising they might be doing on Valentines Day in support. Check out our Twitter @TSWhitley and Facebook page for more of our photos.

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Whitley Bay Sea Cadet Juniors Section enjoyed a rather unusual start to their parade night on 5 February 2014, when Pantrinis on Claremont Road visited the Unit  to be presented with a certificate for the best chips in Whitley Bay, as part of their course module on nutrition.

Officer in Charge, Jane Fox said “On the Junior Cadet Training Programme, we teach our 10 -13 year olds the importance of good nutrition, healthy eating and the benefits of being outside in the fresh air and getting involved in sporting activities, as opposed to being sat inside playing on computer games! In line with that programme, we undertook a taste test on takeaway chips and selected five local businesses. The chips were assessed on saltiness, value for money, greasiness, crispiness, size, shape and overall taste and the Junior Cadets decided Patrinis were the all round winners”.

Acting Petty Officer Cristina Stewart who manages the junior section said “ There are countless benefits for eating a healthy diet and teaching young people about being active, but it is also good to treat ourselves once in a while. The cadets really enjoyed this experiment and it was a way of bringing healthy eating to life in a classroom environment”. 

Pictured is Gillian Fairbairn from Pantrinis, Cristina Stewart and two of our Junior Cadets.

On 2 February 2014, Whitley Bay Sea Cadets were congratulated for their contribution in helping the Poppy Appeal raise a record breaking £73,600 at a presentation evening hosted by the Whitley Bay and North Shields District Branch of the Royal British Legion.

Officer in Charge, Lt Jane Fox paid tribute to the dedicated cadets who gave up their time, and raised £461.85 by standing on the streets to collect.

Lt Fox said “We were privileged to have been invited to the presentation evening hosted by the Whitley Bay, North Shields and District Branch. It was a very special evening and we were all humbled at the ability of the Poppy Appeal to galvanise support from the local community. Whitley Bay Sea Cadets are proud to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and raise money to help those in need today”.

President of the Whitley Bay and North Shields District Branch of the Royal British Legion Clive McKeag said “I am delighted and honoured to be able to present some certificates to the Whitley Bay Sea Cadets in recognition of raising substantial sums of money for the Poppy Appeal. Whitley Bay Sea Cadets are having a resurgence at the moment, and they are hoping to recruit a lot of young people to become involved in this excellent organisation.”

Leading Cadet Charlotte Brass, 15, accepted the certificate from Mr Mckeag on behalf of Whitley Bay Sea Cadets, as the winner of the Best Poppy Appeal Trophy for raising the most money for the Appeal from within the Unit (pictured).

Thank you and well done to all our cadets who participated.