The Sea Cadets are reforming here in Port Alfred

Following an 11-year hiatus, the Port Alfred Sea Cadets held their first meeting at the Port Alfred Primêre Skool on Friday September 6 with 14 new members signing up to join the institution.

The Sea Cadets in Port Alfred were originally founded in 1994 but were disbanded in 2005 due to a lack of volunteer helpers and instructors. This time around Carmen Diedericks, who is responsible for getting the cadets off the ground, contacted the school and requested that a classroom be made available for instruction of the cadets on a Friday evening.

“Your school would be the perfect facility as there are bathrooms, classes, a parade ground etc,” Diedericks wrote in her letter to the school governing body.

The school agreed to the use of its facilities and the first meeting saw 14 boys attend.

It is hoped there will be more in the future.

The Sea Cadets have a long history of assisting youth development, the organisation having been founded in England in 1854.

The Sea Cadets provide training for young people of school-going age in necessary maritime skills.

In addition, the Sea Cadets inculcates honesty, morality, responsibility, accountability, discipline, obedience and self-respect.

In SA, the Sea Cadets were formed in Woodstock, Western Cape in June 1905 and the opening ceremony was attended by Rear Admiral Sir John Durnford GCB.

There are now 15 training centres, named Training Ships (TS), in cities and towns across the country.

Should anyone be interested in joining the Sea Cadets, please call Diedericks on 081-086-5399.