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Funding Success
We have had some recent success with funding having raised nearly £8,500. This is great news but the unit operating costs have been exceeding the annual income. Over the last few years we have been dipping into the reserves without replacing or repairing any capital equipment. We now have a big shopping list and plan to get all the engines serviced and to purchase new hand-held radios. A big thank you to all the Trustees that have donated over £7,000.
Although this was a great start, the Gift Aid tax refund was exceptionally large as we claimed for the last five years. This year we can only expect to get back around £300 so we will need to rack up the other fund raising activities to ensure that we collect a similar amount in 2008. Otherwise we will again be dipping into reserves and neglecting the routine maintenance.
Thank you to all the Trustees and parents who completed the Gift Aid forms. If you haven't done so yet then please contact CPO Rachel Benson for a form. The form is very simple and allows us to reclaim the tax paid on the subscription fees you pay.
By the way, we need all the help we can muster for the street collection and coffee morning that we hold later in the year. Our aim is to raise over £400 to help fund the cadet operations. Unfortunately, the subscriptions do not cover the unit's operating costs such as hall rent, lighting and heating. If you can't make it on the day, then a generous donation will suffice. Please contact the Commanding officer or any member of the UMC.
Our first purchase has been a metal fire safe (costing £500) in which we will store fuel at the Boat House. This is required by the new safety regulations and is a sensible precaution as the building is built of wood!
Five new Kayaks were delivered on 9th May to Christchurch Sea Cadet Boat House on the River Stour in time for the unit's summer season on the water. All the cadets were excited to try out their new “Perception Whiplash” performance kayaks. Commanding Officer Rachel Benson said “this will really make a difference to the cadets training for their canoeing certificates”.
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Help needed
We are always on the look out for new staff. They do not necessarily have to have experience of the Sea Cadet Corps or Navy (although this does help) but they must be available to spend two evenings a week (Tuesday and Thursday) plus some weekends at the Unit.
We are still looking for more adult help especially in the summer when out on the water; if you think you can give an hour or so, let us know as we are starting to prepare for the summer now.
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Recent Events
October halfterm The cadets visited the Naval Dockyard for a visit to HMS Victory, Action Stations and HMS Warrior all based in Portsmouth.
The following day, courtesy of Flagship Fire School at HMS Excellent, they had instruction in maritime firefighting. The day started with a lecture on fire prevention, then progressed to the fire ground where they were shown how to use fire extinguishers and breathing apparatus, ending with a small exercise in the hot units putting out various types of fires using all the skills that had been taught during the day.
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District Full Bore Course 2007
Following the success of the 2006 Full Bore Course held at Longmoor Camp, instructors and cadets from Christchurch Unit, ran and took part in the 2007 course held in December.
Following the same two-weekend format of weapons training followed by a live-fire shoot, the course was boosted by the opportunity to use two different ranges.
In addition to using Range 1 at Longmoor, a 600m Gallery Range, cadets were also able to test their skills on the 300m Electronic Target Range (ETR). With targets popping up at different ranges of between 100-300m, cadets were able to finely hone the principles of marksmanship taught the previous weekend. The Gallery Range enabled the cadets to practice groupings and earn a Good Shooting Badge (if they were good enough).
One of our cadets from Christchurch earned the Full Bore Advanced award.
Marksmanship is open to all cadets and used within the Sea Cadet Corps as a tool to help develop self-discipline and learn the importance of safety. Cadets from the age of 10 are able to use Air Rifles, from age 12 can use Small Bore (0.22) rifles and from age 14 can learn the skills required for using the L98A1 Cadet GP Rifle and L81A1 Target Rifle.
All marksmanship is taught by appropriately qualified instructors. All SCC Range Conductors have completed the appropriate Army training course. Regular tests of training are carried out to ensure that weapons-handling skills have not atrophied over time. When on ranges, coaches and safety supervisors monitor the safety drills of all firers.
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