SeaCadets: Guildford

Guildford

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About Our Unit - Our Activities - The Unit and Facilities - Unit History - Affiliate Clubs

About Our Unit

We are TS QUEEN CHARLOTTE or Guildford Sea Cadets.

The Sea Cadets is a youth group where you can get to grips with subjects both on water and land as part of basic training, all on a nautical theme. You can take part in courses and competitions ranging from rock climbing and shooting to music, power boating and sailing. These can give you a head start in life and boost your confidence, plus it's good fun.

Guildford is a well established Sea Cadet unit that has been in operation since 1942. Located in the heart of Guildford the unit is perched on the banks of the River Wey near the the National Trust's Dapdune Wharf. Being so close to the water gives us a great advantage over many other units but in addition to this we also have some other great facilities.

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Activities at Guildford Sea Cadets

So you have got this far and you probably want to know more about what it is you can actually do if you join the Sea Cadets. We are a youth organisation providing recreational and social facilities and therefore activities. This basically means you can have a lot of fun with young people your own age but also learn new skills and knowledge from our adult instructors. It all adds up and combines meaning you have a great time and go away wanting to come back for more!

That's basically it. However, I know you probably want to know more than this. So, we have put together a list of, just some (because we can't list them all), of the water sports, active sports and more educational subjects that we offer either in the Winter or the Summer. Please be aware that many of our activities rely on the weather and therefore the seasons. For example kayaking and sailing are available for the majority of the year but we try to avoid December, January or February as it's a bit chilly!

Why not click on the activity to find out more!

Kayaking

Sailing

Power Boating

Pulling (a.k.a. Rowing)

BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Public Services

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The Unit and Facilities

What's great about Guildford Sea Cadet Unit?

The River and Outbuildings.We have two boat sheds, one of which was built in 2010 to house Guildford and Southern Area kayaks and associated equipment. We also have a covered slipway and a large area for riverside mooring (allowing us to keep many of our boats afloat in the Summer).
The Unit Building. We have a very large building which is designed for sole use by Guildford Sea Cadets. We have two large halls both of which are big enough for a game of 5-aside football. The first is used as our quarterdeck and the second as a games or activity hall.
Computer Suite. One of the classrooms is now equipped as a computer suite. This includes both projectors and interactive whiteboards. The computers are mainly used by cadets to work towards a BTEC Level 2 in Public Services. All computers have internet access which is under full access control of unit staff.
Classrooms and Offices. We have a selection of different classrooms and offices that are multi-purpose. These classrooms are also approved to be used as overnight accommodation for both cadets and staff.
Catering Facilities. We have a large galley and canteen style eating area. This includes pots, pans and other catering equipment that can be used to feed large groups of people.
Toilets, Changing and Showering. Guildford unit has separate youth and adult facilities for changing and showering. These are large and clean with a good supply of hot and cold running water.
Southern Area Kayaking Centre. Due to our location and facilities we have the honour of storing and hosting the Southern Area Kayaking equipment and courses. We have also hosted other Surrey District, Southern Area and London Area events or courses at the unit.

Please note. The unit is available to hire. If you wish to enquire about your event here or using our facilities then please contact us at guildfordseacadetcorps@btinternet.com.

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Unit History

TS QUEEN CHARLOTTE held her first parade night on Monday 19 October 1942 at Northmead Senior Boys School. This was the start of Guildford Sea Cadets with an astonishing 90 young people attending this first parade. In addition, it was actually 116 boys that presented themselves on that night. Unfortunately 26 of them were too old to join.

It took 4 months to decide whether to officially form Guildford Sea Cadets. With 90 cadets it can't have been a difficult decision. The unit moved to some small huts at the bottom of Lawn Road, Guildford and prospered under the command of Lt Cdr Eric Reid RNR (SCC). The unit also established an award winning band which unfortunately has now been dispanded.

The existing buildings were started in September 1962. Dame Vera Lynn was the principal guest at the opening ceremony on 20th October 1963. 2007/8 was our 65th Anniversary Year and this was celebrated and commemorated with several events to mark the occasion.

Things have now moved on from how they were in 1942. It was then essentially a recruiting organisation. Today both boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 18 can join our organization.

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Affiliate Clubs

Due to our excellent facilities and fantastic location we have a number of affiliate clubs. These include other Sea Cadet units, RYA Clubs, Youth Groups and community groups. These include:

Farnham Unit

Surrey District Training Weekends

Southern Area Kayaking/Canoeing

London Area

Royal Grammar School Guildford

Surrey Care Trust

Swingbridge Community Boats

Surrey Police Youth Victims of Crime

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Kayaking and Canoeing

Canoeing / kayaking refers to small boats that are human powered (though canoes can also be sailed). Traditionally kayaks were the boats that the Inuit (Eskimos) used and the paddlers sit inside the boat with their legs in front of them using double-ended paddles to propel the kayak. Canadian canoes started out amongst the North American Indian people. The paddlers kneel or sit on a raised bench and use either a single-ended or double-ended paddle.

At Guildford Sea Cadets we are equipped with both kayaks and ‘open’ or ‘Canadian’ canoes. Canoeing is a great way to get fit – and wet! Opportunities are available to use different kinds of canoe in different water conditions. The Sea Cadets is an associate member of the British Canoe Union, which means you can work towards nationally recognized qualifications.

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Dinghy Sailing

At Guildford Sea Cadets we have just made a commitment to dinghy sailing. It is an activity that is widely available across The Sea Cadet Corps. However, Guildford hasn't offered sailing for a number of years. This changed in 2010 when the unit brought a Bosun sailing dinghy with plans to purchase further dinghies for the 2011 season. We have two fully qualified RYA Dinghy Instructors who teach the cadets according to the RYA dinghy sailing syllabus.

You can find out more from the RYA website by clicking here. When sailing cadets are always looked after by a qualified member of staff and a safety boat will always be present on the water.

Dinghy sailing uses the power of the wind to propel a small dinghy across the water. This requires a variety of skills including seamanship, balance and awareness of your surroundings. It is a very enjoyable and stimulating activity that requires you to be both physically fit and to make intelligent and well thought out decisions. The Bosun sailing dinghy is a double handed dinghy where cadets are expected to work as a team. We also have Topper sailing dinghies which are single handed and allow cadets to challenge themselves as an individual.

All sailing takes place at Papercourt Lake SC near Ripley. This is a short minibus ride from Guildford unit and is a friendly and well equipped sailing club. Facilities include showers and changing facilities as well as boat storage and a slipway for launching. It is a good size lake and often has a good but mild breeze which is ideal for learning. You can check out there website by clicking here.

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Power Boating

At Guildford Sea Cadets we are very committed to Power Boat training. The unit is recognized as an RYA Power Boat Training centre and this allows us to award RYA qualifications. Our Commanding Officer is the principal of the centre and heads up the power boat training. We are committed to offering the cadets to opportunity to progress and achieve recognised qualifications in the RYA power boating syllabus. You can learn more from the RYA site by clicking here.

We are in an excellent position to be able to offer power boat training being located just a few steps from the banks of the River Wey. This allows us to train cadets on a working river where they may encounter other river uses. This means we can educate them in respecting the river and the other traffic using it as well as local wildlife. However, we also occasionally take some cadets to Papercourt SC with us to use as trainees in our safety boat.

We have three power vessels at Guildford that are either tied up on the wharf alongside the unit or stored in our newly built boat shed. We have a Viking displacement type craft which is used for training younger cadets and beginners. This has an inboard diesel engine and can take more trainees as it is bigger and more stable. We also have two planing craft with outboard petrol engines. These are more manoeuvrable but are smaller and less stable than the Viking. Both are different and this means we can offer cadets a variety of boats and therefore experience.

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Pulling (a.k.a. Rowing)

Pulling is basically rowing and involves working as a team to propel a boat through the water using oars, skill, strength and manpower. It involves a high level of seamanship and allows you to see how important teamwork can be. We have qualified instructors at Guildford who can teach you all you need to know. It is similar to traditional gig rowing which is a very popular sport across the UK. The Sea Cadets also has an annual pulling regatta where cadets race other teams from different units. They progress from district through to area level and then finally nationals.

In 2009/10 the Sea Cadets commissioned a new pulling boat called the Trinity 500. This was to replace the ageing ASC. Guildford has been lucky enough to have been able to find the funds to purchase a brand new Trinity 500 pulling boat. You can see a picture of our new boat just above. It is lighter than a traditional ASC and is very different in shape being longer and thinner. We hope to get it out onto the water very soon and to test it out. We will make sure some pictures make it onto the website when we do finally show it off on the River Wey

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BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Public Services

At Guildford we offer cadets the chance to complete a Level 2 BTEC First Diploma in Public Services. It is an excellent qualification that provides cadets with practical skills that they can take with them when they leave school and start looking for a job. This includes CV writings skills, interview techniques and how to lead and manage a team. The qualification is highly respected by employers and educational institutions. It could make you stand out from the crowd!

Many of the activities that cadets do on a day to day basis as well as qualification already held in kayaking, sailing or power count towards the BTEC. In most cases this means either little or no extra work to be awarded the diploma. Any extra work that does need to be completed is done over the Winter when boat work is not possible.

The Level 2 BTEC First Diploma in Public Services mixes theory and practical elements with an emphasis on leadership, teamwork, communications, problem solving and fitness. This internationally respected qualification is equivalent to 4 GCSEs at A*- C level (Standard grades at levels 1-3 in Scotland).

The syllabus has been designed to improve valuable life skills. Cadets learn professional CV preparation, interviewing techniques, communication, first aid, adventure training, health and nutrition. And best of all, it's FREE for Cadets!

Cadets must be 16 to enrol in the BTEC Programme. In addition to existing Cadet activities, Cadets are required to complete the course syllabus which includes supervised adventure training activities and occasional weekend training. All coursework is assessed by Edexcel.

If you want to find out more then e-mail us or visit the Cadet Vocational Qualifications Organisation (CVQO) website, who administer the award.

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Coming Soon?

Do you have a skill and want to volunteer?

We offer a lot of activities at Guildford Sea Cadets. However, we want to offer more. We are always looking for adult instructors who can volunteer for a couple of hours a week. If you have a skill that you want to use to help us out then please contact us. We will be really pleased to hear from you.

Activities that are Coming Soon...

We are always trying to get staff trained and equipment purchased to be able to offer cadets new activities at the unit. At the moment we are trying to develop Physical Training (PT) including sports and Expedition Training (ET) as activities. This requires us to train our volunteers and buy new equipment. If you think you might be able to help either with a donation or as a volunteer with qualification or skills then please contact us.

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First Aid

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Seamanship

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Navigation

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Communications

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Dapdune Wharf, Woodbridge Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 4RR
Tel: 01483 449914 Email: guildfordseacadetcorps@btinternet.com

Registered Charity Number: 305055