Barrow Sea Cadets provides an experience to last a lifetime.

Wed, Feb 19th 2020 at 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Barrow Sea Cadets aims to give young people an experience that will help them grow into the person they want to be in a safe and friendly environment.

S/Lt Niyall Phillips RNR with Youth Chair Jan and President Brian

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JOINING the Sea Cadets can give youngsters the skills and confidence to take on the world, the Rotary Club of Furness heard.

Members were impressed by a talk from Sub Lieutenant Niyall Phillips, second in command of the Barrow-in-Furness unit. A beneficiary himself of the Sea Cadets, the unit gave him his first taste of life abroad in Gibraltar at 13 and he said other highlights included four weeks sailing on a Tall Ship, summer camps and attending a Royal Garden party.

After leaving Barrow Sea Cadets at 18, Niyall spent four years in The Merchant Navy as a navigations officer, then worked for the MoD before landing a job with BAE Systems. He said his current employers were generous in allowing time for his work with the Cadets.

He also said that the latest batch of 18-year-olds to leave the Barrow unit had gone on to BAE Systems as well as the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy.

Niyall said the Sea Cadets provides affordable activities and life skills away from a school or home environment and hopefully motivates youngsters to gain better qualifications and jobs.

The Barrow unit, founded in 1932, has one of the best sailing centres in the country and was voted best Sea Cadet unit out of 400 nationally in 2016 and runner-up the following year.

Rotarians heard there were at present 18 juniors (10-11 years); 44 cadets (12-18 years) including nine Royal Marine attachments; and 22 adult volunteers (many of them ex-cadets).

Rotary Club President Brian Boyd said the Sea Cadets were producing good people and that the club had linked up with them for a community-focused Interact club.

A vote of thanks to the guest speaker was given by Rotarian Jan Kirkham. 


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