WHITEHAVEN Sea Cadets have celebrated the news that won a social action award in the 2023 National Sea Cadets annual awards.
The award recognises the work that the cadets and volunteers put into a nationwide environmental and social action campaign that aimed to create over 10,500 square feet of new wildflower spaces where bees and pollinators can thrive.
Taking inspiration from the formal name for their unit, TS Bee, the campaign was named #SaveTheTSBees and saw the cadets send over 8,000 'Beebomb' wildflower seed balls to over 400 youth groups including every sea cadet unit in Great Britain and dozens of local youth groups, encouraging the recipients to join their cause.
This was made possible thanks to funding from the Cumbria Community Foundation and Sellafield's Transforming West Cumbria #CanDo programme.
One of the cadets involved is ordinary cadet Connor Sweeney. He said: “Bees play such an important role as pollinators and yet there are less and less of them every year.
"Given our unit name, we decided to take a stand and help bring them back.
"Helping the environment has been at the heart of the project - we have used biodegradable envelopes, packing, and labels, and even our flyers were printed on seeded paper which will create even more flowers for the bees to thrive."
The unit is currently recruiting new members. Open to everyone aged between 10 and 18, they meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6.30 – 9pm at Kent House behind Dixons department store, Carter Lane.
Whitehaven Sea Cadets is a structured youth development charity working with young people aged between 10 and 17 over a long term and run entirely by adult volunteers aged 18+.
A spokesperson said: "We offer a wide range of water and land-based activities and opportunities for young people and volunteers, all underpinned by a nautical ethos based on the customs and traditions of the Royal Navy.
"This includes the opportunity to attend courses, camps, competitions, and events, take part in offshore voyages and overseas adventures, and chances to work for and gain recognised qualifications, and develop life skills, underpinned by adventure and friendship."
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