Huntingdon RNA: Cadet of the Year, 2016

30 November 201527 December 2015 Karl Webb Bill Small, Graham Holt, Karl Webb, Pete Aston

In May 2015, Huntingdon & District Branch, Royal Naval Association, officially affiliated with Huntingdon Sea Cadets, T.S. Cromwell. The Branch offered their support to the cadets, for instance, sponsoring a cadet to spend a week on the Training Ship Royalist next year. The Branch also discussed presenting a trophy to a cadet during their annual presentation evening.

This year, one cadet has already stood out amongst his group. Cadet 1st Class, Kieran Turner had paraded alongside Huntingdon’s Standard Bearer, shipmate Bill Small, for the annual Sea Sunday Service in July.

Cadet Kieran Turner and S/M Bill Small parade Standards at the Sea Sunday Service 2015

The CO of T.S. Cromwell, PO Henry Rayner SCC, nominated Kieran as he is ‘always putting himself forward for community event, flag day collections…and his uniform is always immaculate’. Huntingdon Branch Committee members agreed with this statement and were pleased that Kieran had been nominated.

On Sunday, 29th November, the day of T.S. Cromwell’s annual presentation evening (held at Commemoration Hall), shipmates Graham Holt, Bill Small, Karl Webb and Pete Aston, took their places amongst the other VIPs such as the Chair of Huntingdonshire District Council, Councillor Peter Bucknell.

Prizes were awarded to the cadets for various achievements, it was really good to see how proud they were as they marched up to receive their trophies. When it was time for the first ever presentation of the RNA Trophy for Cadet of the Year 2016, all shipmates took to the floor whilst S/M Bill Small presented the trophy.

Cdt 1st Class Kieran Turner receives the RNA Cadet of the Year Trophy from S/M Bill Small

After the presentation, shipmates were able to enjoy a buffet lunch and chat with the cadets before taking their seats again for the raffle (we didn’t win). S/M Karl Webb was asked to draw one of the tickets (a bottle of wine being won by a Lt Cdr based at RAF Wyton – pure coincidence, but amusing).

It is fair to say that the first trophy evening attended by the Branch was a successful one, we look forward to seeing Kieran attending parades alongside the Branch and of course, to continue supporting the local branch of the Sea Cadet Corps. BZ to all the cadets, we were proud of you all.