Cadet parent Alec Kendrick shares their experience as a parent of a Sea Cadets
I didn’t know much about the Sea Cadets when our youngest expressed a desire to join. The request came as a surprise and to be honest my first thoughts were … what an earth is a Sea Cadet Unit doing in Harrogate so far from the Sea! At the end of the first Junior drill night , I turned up and asked in an embarrassed manner if I could watch the parade and see what it was all about. Of course the volunteers (after checking I genuinely had a child at the Unit) were only too pleased for me to stand at the back and see the Unit end of night parade.
Staying informed
The notice boards outlining the Volunteer structure and who was responsible for what and the various seamanship courses the Cadets could undertake gave a me a sense of the opportunities on offer, as well as an insight into the Naval ethos of team work, structure, and respect.
So our youngest continued to attend and progress from Junior once a week attendance to twice weekly and then three times a week with Band on Wednesdays. It is a testament to the Sea Cadets and volunteers that despite all the pressures on children’s lives with school and after school activities, our Cadet would look forward to the parade nights. Even during Covid, the activities continued albeit on Zoom with Volunteers conducting Catering Courses and Seamanship Training. The comradery amongst the Cadets continued even during those hard times.
Cadets have purpose and meaning
Naively I still wasn’t fully aware of the scope of the activities and community events that the Unit was involved in. I just knew our youngest was enjoying it and I could see the structure and parade discipline bring out their confidence whilst making some great pals outside of school. It wasn’t until I saw the Remembrance Service Parade at the Harrogate Cenotaph that I got an inkling of what they do in the community and the great contribution all the Cadets and Volunteers played in that moving service. This naivety was almost my undoing as one day a few years ago the conversation at home turned to attendance in London at “Traff”. Busy with work and dealing with our other children I assumed it would simply be a “Band Camp” and “Traff” was the nickname of a parade/concert. However come the Saturday morning, it dawned on me that “Traff” was a big deal. I didn’t know why it was a big deal but I jumped on the train nevertheless to London and found myself at Trafalgar Square stunned at the size and scale of the Battle of Trafalgar memorial service. I was in awe of the Sea Cadets from around the country coming together in one overall Sea Cadet Band with hundreds of other Cadets marching down the Mall towards Buckingham Palace after the memorial service at Trafalgar Square, delighting thousands of tourists with the spectacle and history.
Participate and support
So, if you are like me, just grateful that your child has discovered the Sea Cadets but you’re not too sure what goes on, please do get in touch with one of the great volunteers and ask plenty of questions. I wish I had! There is plenty of fundraising events for much needed development work for TSS Cleopatra. A Unit that might be a long way from the Sea but carries on the great traditions and ethos of the Navy!
Thanks Alec for sharing your experience!
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