Birkenhead Sea Cadet unit got a new lick of paint this month thanks to the help of nine young citizens from across the North West.
Aged 16-18, this altruistic bunch were all graduates of the National Citizen Service (NCS), a programme that brings young people together to deliver social action projects in their communities.
Keen to continue their good works after their NCS experience, these young people jumped at the chance to assist yet another charity in a practical way, and set to work with vigour at 9am on Saturday 7th March to paint both the main deck and rip out the old galley.
Working alongside the existing cadets at the unit, several of these young people were also keen to find out about the different sorts of opportunities available to them through Sea Cadets and have since opted to join their local unit as either cadets or volunteers.
When asked why she wanted to be involved in the weekend, Beth Williams, 17, said: ‘I wanted to meet more NCS graduates as a graduate myself and gain even more experiences. I really enjoyed meeting new people, bonding as a team, and mixing both NCS graduates and cadets together. I am looking forward to joining my local unit.”
Officer in Charge, Mike Larsen, said: ‘The weekend has been a fantastic success and the unit is looking much fresher and cleaner now. We are really pleased that we have inspired some fantastic young people to join the Sea Cadets now too.’
There are opportunities for young people to join both Sea Cadet Units and NCS programmes all around the country. Please see www.sea-cadet.org and www.ncsyes.co.uk for more details.
