LAUNCH OF KENT’S CADET 150 CELEBRATIONS AND AWARDS FOR RECORD POPPY APPEAL CHALLENGE
KENT’S celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Cadet movement have been launched in style at this year’s record Poppy Appeal awards ceremony.
Hundreds of uniformed Cadets and adult leaders from every part of Kent were at Oakwood House, Maidstone, on Wednesday (17 February) to receive awards – and give Cadet 150 a rousing send-off.
Platform for the launch was the Lord Lieutenant of Kent’s Royal British Legion Cadet Poppy Appeal Awards, presented this year by the Vice Lord Lieutenant, the Viscount De L’Isle MBE DL.
The event was hosted by Kent County Council and Chairman John Davies said KCC’s support reflected its commitment to Kent’s young people: “Our youth services will be taking part this year in the Lieutenancy’s celebration of achievements of Kent youth, including the celebrations marking the 150th Anniversary of the birth of the Cadet Movement.”
It was the first of a series of Cadet 150 events involving all Kent’s Sea, Army, Air and Combined Cadet Force units. Cadets from the County will be taking part in on-going celebrations across Kent this year, highlighted by a major Cadet 150 Parade and Service in Rochester on 8 May.
Lord De L’Isle said: “The United Kingdom’s Cadet movement is one of the oldest and most successful voluntary youth organisations in the world. Here in Kent we have the oldest Sea Cadet unit in the country – in Whitstable – and this year we are also celebrating the Centenary of Kent Army Cadet Force, of which I am proud to be Honorary Colonel.
“Cadet 150 honours the role the Cadet Forces play in assisting young people towards responsible adulthood through learning new skills and developing self-confidence, and recognises the contribution young people themselves make to their local communities.
“Not least, this year’s celebrations will I am sure reflect the spirit of fun, excitement, adventure and community service at the heart of the Cadet movement.
“The Cadet Forces offer great opportunities for thousands of young people and in this anniversary year – in the words of the Cadet 150 slogan – we are encouraging more of them, and potential adult leaders and helpers, to come along and Live the Adventure!”
This year’s Cadet Poppy Appeal Awards recognised the achievement of raising £42,000 in response to a challenge set by the Lord Lieutenant, Allan Willett CMG.
In Kent alone the Poppy Appeal raised over £1,078,000 and satisfied the financial needs of more than 1,000 applicants for Legion assistancein the past year.
In repeating the Lord Lieutenant’s Challenge for 2010 Lord De L’Isle said: “You, in our Cadet Forces, are answering the call to help by working with Legionnaires across Kent and Medway to raise much needed funds.
“My own father and grandfather were both Victoria Cross winners in the two World Wars, and the sacrifice of those great conflicts is reason enough for people to support the Poppy Appeal.
“But let us not forget the many young Service personnel wounded or damaged in recent times, some not much older than our Cadets here tonight, some with horrific injuries like triple amputations, surviving only thanks to our modern military medical services will need on-going support for the rest of their lives. So I emphasise that the work is very much about the living. It is about helping veterans of all campaigns – and their dependents.”
  
  
  
  
[Music was provided by the Band of Training Ship Vigilant (Whitstable Sea Cadets), and the Pipes and Drums of 2513 (Romney Marsh) Squadron, Air Training Corps.
Overall Individual winner was Cadet Cpl Ashley Dengate (17), of Mascalls D Company ACF who received the Anne Hill Cadet Shield.
Individual awards also went to Ordinary Cadet Luke Petheridge (14), of TS Hazard Faversham Unit, Sea Cadet Corps; Cadet Cpl Owen Brown (15), of Broadstairs Det, ACF; and Cadet Isabelle Brinan (14), of 2513 (Romney Marsh) Squadron, Air Training Corps.
A special individual award for her Poppy Appeal work was presented to Mrs Florrie Sceal who, with her family, continued the work of her husband Gordon Sceal, Chairman of Paddock Wood Branch of the RBL, after his death last year.
Overall unit winners were 2158 (Sevenoaks) Squadron, ATC, who received the Lord Lieutenant’s Trophy.
Sea Cadet unit winners were TS Bulldog, Ramsgate & Broadstairs; Broadstairs Detachment won the Army Cadet Force award; 312 (City of Canterbury) Squadron was top Air Training Corps unit; with Sutton Valence School taking the Combined Cadet Force award. Unit runners-up were TS Cornwallis, Medway Towns Unit, Sea Cadet Corps; Gillingham & Woodlands Detachment, Army Cadet Force; 173 (Orpington) Squadron and 1039 (Gillingham) Squadron, Air Training Corps.
Participant Certificates were awarded to:
Ashford Unit SCC – TS Churchill; 305 (Ashford) Squadron ATC; Aylesham Detachment ACF; Broadstairs Detachment ACF; 312 (City of Canterbury) Squadron ATC; Deal Detachment ACF; 2235 (Deal) Squadron ATC; 2374 (Ditton) Squadron ATC; Faversham Unit SCC – TS Hazard; Faversham Detachment ACF; 1242 (Faversham) Squadron ATC;1039 (Gillingham) Squadron ATC; Gillingham & Woodlands Detachment ACF; Herne Bay Unit SCC – TS Triumph; Mascalls Detachment, D Company ACF; Medway Towns Unit SCC – TS Cornwallis; Moncktons Detachment ACF;173 (Orpington) Squadron ATC; Ramsgate & Broadstairs Unit SCC – TS Bulldog; 2433 (Ramsgate) Squadron ATC; 2513 (Romney Marsh) Squadron ATC; St Mary’s Bay Detachment ACF; 2158 (Sevenoaks) Squadron ATC; Sheppey Unit SCC – TS Kent; Sittingbourne & Milton Regis Unit SCC; Snodland Detachment ACF; Sutton Valence School CCF; 438(Thanet) Squadron ATC; 2520 (Tonbridge) Squadron ATC; 129 (Tunbridge Wells) Squadron ATC; Whitstable Unit SCC – TS Vigilant.
Key: ACF = Army Cadet Force; ATC = Air Training Corps; CCF = Combined Cadet Force; SCC = Sea Cadet Corps; TS = Training Ship]
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