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Meet the volunteers
HOW SEA CADETS CHANGED MY LIFE
Through our My LegaSea campaign we’ve been reconnecting with former cadets from around the world to explore the impact that Sea Cadets has had on its alumni – and inspire the next generation of cadets to create their own legacy
When Sea Cadets launched a campaign to reconnect with the people who’d once been cadets, we couldn’t have imagined the response. From Olympians and award-winning musicians to dancers, civil servants and military vets, former cadets from every walk of life have got in touch to recall their time with the corps. Here, five former cadets tell us in their own words how Sea Cadets inspired the paths they took and influenced their futures.
Andrew Le Seelleur MBE Innovative and inspirational charity founder My father was a cadet in the 1950s and gave my brother and I no choice but to join. I started at the age of 12 and stayed right up until the week before I joined the Royal Navy at 17.
I loved everything about it: the sailing, pulling, guard display teams. It was definitely the biggest influence on my decision to join the Royal Navy as soon as I could.
Every skill I learned as a cadet gave me a head start when I joined up. I’d been on residentials to HMS Raleigh so was familiar with life there; the leadership and communication skills I’d developed were hugely useful – as was the ability to iron my uniform and polish my shoes!
I left the Royal Navy after nine years and returned to Jersey where I fell into the finance industry. Having seen what real teamwork and workplace pride looked like, I could see this was missing from the corporate sector, so I spent the next 14 years developing incredibly challenging but fun fundraising events. I always say that the greatest attributes I took from Sea Cadets were leadership – the ability to not only stand in front of a group of people but also be decisive – and teamwork, which has always been a huge asset to me and the skill I cherish the most. Life is short, so live it to the full and experience as much as you can: Sea Cadets is most definitely the place to fulfil this outlook.
Former cadet Andy was awarded an MBE for his services to the community
Caroline says she got her ‘get-up-and-go’ attitude from her days as a sea cadet
Caroline Parkhouse Pioneering and determined Assistant Head Teacher I’m very much opportunity driven. If I see something that interests me, I think: ‘Yeah, I’ll try that!’ That’s how I ended up at Sea Cadets. My parents and I saw an advert and we thought I should just give it a go. It was love at first sight! I remember going in and thinking: ‘Yes, this is where I belong!’ I didn’t really enjoy school or fit in there, but at Sea Cadets I found a roomful of people who were just like me.
My mum always says that Sea Cadets gave me confidence. Perhaps too much! I definitely have a can-do attitude that has pushed me to travel on my own across Australia and Asia, gain loads of coaching qualifications and, ultimately, find my calling teaching post-16 students with complex additional needs.
Colleagues will tell you I am very ‘get-up-and-go’ and positive in the classroom, and this has come from my time with Sea Cadets. I didn’t think twice about getting on a train to Plymouth in my teens or spending weeks away at Sea Cadets summer camps. This resilience has stayed with me and is something I want to pass on to my students: if someone says they can’t do something, we’ll find them new opportunities elsewhere.
Lt (SCC) Jan Spicer MBE RNR Long-serving and inspirational volunteer I joined Hull Unit as a cadet in July 1968 when I was 13 years old. The unit was only 200 yards from my house so as soon as girls could join, I did.
It’s been such a major influence on my life and choices. I know, through my own experiences, that Sea Cadets is a great way to meet people that will become friends for life and I want to pass on that gift to other young people. It also taught me that girls can do whatever boys can do… and we did!
There are many reasons to join Sea Cadets but the confidence it instils has to be one of the most useful… That, and the fact that you can drive a boat before you can drive a car!
Jan has been with Sea Cadets since 1968 and says it’s been a major influence
Caitlin Vinicombe Aspiring photojournalist and water sports instructor Without Sea Cadets I wouldn’t have had the skills or confidence to go to university and embark on my new career in photojournalism. But I think the influence runs deeper than that: I mean, I live on a houseboat and teach windsurfing in my spare time! If I’m not ‘living my best life’, Sea Cadets has definitely set me up for a pretty good one.
I started Sea Cadets a few days after my 10th birthday and carried on as a volunteer when I turned 18. The people I met have definitely changed my outlook on what’s possible – I was the first cadet to become an intermediate windsurfing instructor. It’s really cool to be able to give back to the cadets and inspire young people now I’m a volunteer.
People would probably describe me as bubbly and outgoing and Sea Cadets helped to draw out that inner confidence. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, built my character and helped me to develop people skills. It’s also kept me so busy that I didn’t have time to get into trouble, even if I’d wanted to! Above: Caitlin as a young cadet (right), holding the Olympic torch in 2012
Left: Ray as a young sailor in the Royal Navy Above: Making memories and life-long friends “The most important thing I learnt was how to work as a team”
Ray Bullock Retired Royal Navy and unstoppable 90-year-old I’m 90 years old and I still cook for myself, clean the house, fix my own socks, keep everything tidy. These are the skills I learned as a young cadet and then later in the navy, and I’m still using them today.
I joined Sea Cadets during World War II. I’d just left school and it was the middle of the blackouts. I didn’t have much money, wasn’t allowed into the pub, could hardly read by the light of a 60-watt bulb and our battery-controlled radio was so expensive to run we only listened to the news once a day. We got a bit bored during that winter, so when I first went to Sea Cadets, I thought: ‘This is great!’
A local business owner donated a boat to the unit and our CO asked me and two other cadets to look after it. That was the start of our friendship and we’re still friends today. We had some fantastic times on that boat, like collecting cockles that were as fat as your finger. Without Sea Cadets, I probably wouldn’t have joined the navy.
The most important thing I learned was how to work as a team. It may sound silly, but it also helped me to make a success of my married life. My wife and I were both in the navy and carried the teamwork spirit into our marriage.
BUILDING A BRIGHT FUTURE
Sea Cadets provides a space for young women to develop interests and skills that can help them get into traditionally male-dominated careers. In time for International Women In Engineering Day on 23 June, we spoke to Cadet Evie and the inspirational volunteer who has helped to spark her passion for engineering
It’s still mostly men that work in engineering jobs, but it seems changing attitudes are slowly but surely closing the gender gap.
After years of trying to encourage take-up, the number of female students sitting A-levels in sciences exceeded that of male students for the first time last year. Add to that the rising number of women graduating with degrees in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths), and there are more than a few reasons to be optimistic. Inspiring change “Sea Cadets encourages everyone – regardless of gender – to have a go at something new,” says Petty Officer (SCC) Stephanie Smith, volunteer at Whitehaven Sea Cadets and all-round engineering inspiration.
“Young women aren’t typically encouraged to take part in things like engineering, so it’s our job as volunteers to inspire them to think outside the box and try something they wouldn’t ordinarily do at home or at school.”
While Stephanie acknowledges that engineering is still seen as more of a
“male thing”, she says that attitudes are changing, “so it’s up to us to encourage our young women to have a go at courses in these subjects”. This girl can Stephanie’s words have certainly had an effect on Cadet Evie. “I’d never considered an engineering career before I joined Sea Cadets,” Evie says. “I joined just over a year ago knowing no one and PO Smith helped me settle in from the start. She made it clear that Sea Cadets gives equal opportunities to both girls and boys and inspired me to try engineering. The more engineering courses I’ve done, the more it’s opened my eyes to how many different careers there are in the sector.” A multi-billion-pound industry In fact, it’s difficult to find a sector that doesn’t require the precision skills and efficient thinking of engineers. From energy to the environment, defence, design, medicine and maritime, engineers work in a variety of roles in all sorts of Stephanie (left) has inspired Cadet Evie to pursue engineering
”PO Smith made me realise girls can do engineering too. It has opened my eyes to how many different careers there are in the sector”
Above: Cadet Evie receiving the runner-up Cadet of the Year Award from PO (SCC) J Mitchell Right: PO (SCC) Stephanie Smith
industries. You can find them in high-rise offices, state-of-the-art labs, isolated oil rigs, colossal ships… even out in space. The work they do is hugely important to the UK too, contributing an estimated £127bn to our economy!
Practical magic The moment engineering clicked for Evie was following a District engineering competition. “Two of our team had no qualifications in engineering but we came third after a sudden death question,” she explains. “On the way home, I realised how proud I was of our little team.”
This proved to be the springboard for Evie’s ambitions and she will soon be embarking on her Intermediate Engineering qualification. After that, her sights are firmly set on a career in the Royal Navy.
“The thing I love most about engineering is how hands-on and practical it is, how you can see how all the parts move and work,” she explains. “My hopes are that I can use these skills and go into the navy. I would never have considered that before I joined Sea Cadets.”
For fellow female cadets who may not think engineering is for them, Evie has some very simple advice: “Just try it! Learning with Sea Cadets is 10 times better than school because it’s more practical and you get to study less traditional subjects that you have an interest in. Just work hard, give it a go and, you never know, you might like it.”
WOMEN IN ENGINEERING IN NUMBERS
42%
of girls aged 16 to 18 would consider a career in engineering
22%
of students starting A-level physics in 2018 were female
Girls
outperform boys in all STEM A-levels except chemistry
80%
of female engineering students get a first or upper second degree
80%
of female engineers are happy or extremely happy with their career choice
98%
of female engineers find their job rewarding
All statistics are taken from study carried out by Engineering UK and interpreted by the Women’s Engineering Society
Career paths
There are loads of jobs in engineering: try some of these these on for size
ROYAL NAVY APPRENTICE
RN apprenticeships combine practical, on-the-job training with study. You earn as you learn, gain job-specific skills and are guaranteed a job at the end of it. For more info visit royalnavy.mod.uk/careers.
AEROSPACE ENGINEER
Fancy building space shuttles, working on satellites or testing prototypes? Aerospace engineers do all these things and more in this highly diverse field. Specialist roles include aerodynamics, space technology or air accident investigation.
ROBOTICS ENGINEER
Robotics engineers are the ingenious inventors responsible for driverless cars, automated hoovers and deep sea drones. To make your way into the world of Wall-Es and BB-8s, try joining a robotics engineering group or enter design competitions to hone your skills.
CHEMICAL ENGINEER
You know that super-clever fabric that wicks sweat away from your body as you exercise? That was likely developed by a chemical engineer. These clever people study and explore processes to help transform raw materials into useful items, from sportswear fabrics to food flavouring. A bachelor’s degree will be your first step into the industry, although internships are available.
CIVIL ENGINEER
Just think about where we’d be without our trusty civil engineers. They make sure our towns and cities run like clockwork, focusing on roads, water supplies, bridges and buildings. You’ll likely need a degree for this one.
Why we volunteer
There are so many options when it comes to volunteering with Sea Cadets. Whatever your experience or skills, and however much time you can give, there really is something to suit everyone. We asked four volunteers from Kingston Unit to tell us about their roles and what they love about volunteering
Petty Officer (SCC) Olivia, In charge of junior cadets division “There are so many opportunities as a volunteer – you can do the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (if you’re in the age bracket), and there are loads of BTEC outdoor qualifications for your CV. I’ve also made some really good friends and met people from all over the country. But the best part of being a volunteer is seeing the cadets come through the door the first week and you think, “Will we see them again?”, then they come a second week. Then six months later, they’re standing at the front, living their best life, absolutely loving every minute of it. Every volunteer feels they played their part in making that cadet who they turned out to be. It doesn’t matter if you have no experience, the other volunteers will support you. I think that’s really what makes a family unit.”
Petty Officer (SCC) Nicola, Commanding Officer “I’m responsible for the day-to-day running of the unit, but I couldn’t do it without the other volunteers. We see young people grow as individuals, and you get a lot of reward from that. When they think they can’t do it and you’re like, ‘I’m absolutely sure you can do that…’ and they go out there and smash it and come back with the biggest grin on their face. There are also things I’d always wanted to have a go at, like kayaking, that Sea Cadets has enabled me to do, and as an adult you don’t usually get those opportunities.”
Carina, Chair for the parents and supporters association “My background is in communications and marketing, so I help co-ordinate fundraising and getting support from parents/carers and supporters. My biggest motivation for volunteering is giving something back – with their uniform on, they suddenly look so much more self-assured and confident. Particularly when they go on some of the voyages, seeing that confidence build is really rewarding. Every volunteer has different skills to offer and we all pull together as a team. I think people are scared sometimes – that if they sign up to be a volunteer it’s going to be a huge amount of work. But even if you can only spare 10 minutes or half an hour a week, it doesn’t matter: any time is welcome.”
Keith, Unit Assistant “I help out within the unit, during parades and at other times. It’s really friendly, there’s good camaraderie, you’re working as part of a team to help young people. For me, it’s also about getting out of the house, having something to do at weekends other than the mundane stuff. It’s a degree of excitement, doing different things, meeting different people… I find it very rewarding. It’s a good atmosphere, and there’s a big sense of achievement. You can do a lot as a volunteer – it’s not just for the kids, it’s for adults as well.”
Nominate a volunteer! Email
SCmag@ms-sc.org
and tell us who it is and why they deserve it
