Royal reply to Logan’s letter on green issues
‘ROLE MODEL’ SEA CADET SHARES STRONG INTEREST IN ENVIRONMENT
A YOUNG Sea Cadet has received a royal reply to his letter about saving the planet.
The 12-year-old wrote to King Charles about his time in Long Eaton’s Sea Cadets where his interest in the environment was sparked.
Logan Smith knew about the King’s sustainability initiatives but was very surprised to get a response. He said: “I just remember getting the letter back and feeling happy and excited that I’ve done something to help the environment and showed what is possible.”
King Charles’ Secretary thanked him for the letter, writing: “Thank you for your most thoughtful letter to His Majesty The King regarding the environment and your time at the Sea Cadets. His Majesty is deeply committed to protecting the natural world.”
The Royal Secretary also sent Smith and his family “warm wishes” on behalf of the King. Smith joined the junior Sea Cadets at 10 years old and graduated to the senior programme once he turned 12. Alongside activities like sailing, windsurfing, and power-boating, the Sea Cadets are encouraged to add value to both the local community and wider society. The 66 members of the Long Eaton branch are taught life skills to develop their confidence and resilience.
To learn more about respecting the environment, they took part in The Earthshot Prize, a global challenge founded by Prince William. They focused on dangerous plastics in bodies of water – a fitting topic for the Sea Cadets. The leaders of Logan’s unit, T.S Indomitable, called him a “role model” and praised him for using the values of the Sea Cadets on his own initiative. Petty Officer Andrew Maltby said: “He’s a cadet who’s always got involved. He’s always the one to say ‘Right, we’re doing this.’”
Commanding Officer of the Long Eaton Sea Cadets, Petty Officer Kevan Chatterley, praised young people’s enthusiasm for sustainability. He said: “It brings a tear to your eye.”
Cadet Smith already owns a Blue Peter Green Badge which is awarded by the BBC for eco-friendly activities. In Cadets, he has built bug hotels and bee bombs which are filled with wildflower seeds to encourage wildlife. They have plans to clean up rubbish from Attenborough Nature Reserve in May. In the future, Smith hopes to join some of his fellow cadets in the Royal Navy.
As for his plan for saving the planet? He said: “I don’t have any more big plans; I just want to try and keep the environment healthy and try my best to keep the planet alive.”