Delkia supports Whitehaven Sea Cadets vital restoration
- hpearson862
- 1 hour ago
- 4 min read
Whitehaven Sea Cadets have received a £600 donation to support the much-needed refurbishment of their new unit, courtesy of specialist engineering and technology company Delkia.
The cadets have been in temporary accommodation since 2013, after a series of storms damaged their barracks on the harbour. Thanks to the hard work and determination of the Whitehaven Sea Cadets Committee, the unit has now secured new premises – at the Whitehaven Colliery Mission – however, much essential renovation work needs to be done before the cadets can move into their new, permanent home.
To date, a new gas boiler and double glazing have been installed, a fire risk assessment and asbestos surveys conducted and all asbestos removed. But there is still much to do, including installing a fire alarm system, an electrical rewire, and a new roof.
Alan Prince, Chairman of Whitehaven Sea Cadets, said: “People are often surprised to learn that each sea cadet unit is an individual charity and doesn’t receive any funding from the national charity or the armed forces.
“The money to buy the Whitehaven Colliery Mission building has come from our fundraising efforts and the renovation work is reliant on grants. It is difficult to predict when the cadets will move in as we await the outcome of grant applications, but we are entirely committed to making the move to our permanent home as soon as possible.
“My awe and admiration go to the volunteers who have dedicated themselves to ensuring the survival of the charity through some very tough times.”
Based just a few miles away in West Cumbria, the team at specialist engineering company Delkia heard about the great work being undertaken by Whitehaven Sea Cadets and encouraged them to apply for funding through their Corporate Social Responsibility activities. As a result, the cadet unit has now received £600 towards the refurbishment, which will be spent on essential plumbing and joinery work.
Supporting the cadets is an important cause for many at Team Delkia. Serving the defence and nuclear sectors with safety-related and mission-critical systems, the company employs a growing number of veterans and is a proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. After making the donation, one member of staff decided to go the extra mile by paying the unit a special visit…
Commander Paul Blythe Royal Navy (Rtd) had a distinguished career in the Navy, serving for 29 years in a variety of roles that took him around the world, culminating with the captaincy of two nuclear deterrent submarines. He now brings the values, standards and skills developed in the military to his role as Defence Strategy Director at Delkia.
Wearing his full Nos 1 uniform, Commander Blythe joined the cadets for a parade evening, where he also had the honour of formally presenting them with a Gold Burgee – an award recognising the unit’s impressive growth during the 2023 inspection period.
As is tradition in the armed forces, the cadets conducted evening colours – a formal ceremony where flags are lowered, officers salute, and a pipe signal named ‘piping the still’ is made. The cadets then turned out for inspection by Commander Blythe, before gathering to hear about his time in the Navy – from what life is really like onboard a submarine, to running operations from underground bunkers, and advising the Ministry of Defence.
As a child, Commander Blythe joined The Boys’ Brigade, which he credits with making a significant impact on his life:
“The Boys’ Brigade gave me structure, life skills, a sense of commitment and belonging. I feel very strongly that we as a country must invest more in our youth. Organisations like the cadets, the scouts, the guides, they give young people self-discipline, self-confidence, teamwork and leadership skills.
“The time and effort the volunteers give to running these organisations deserves more recognition. They are voluntarily providing our young people with a framework for life. Spending time with the Whitehaven Sea Cadets has given me great confidence in our young people’s futures.”
Stuart McCourt joined Whitehaven Sea Cadets as a teenager and has since dedicated 30 years to the charity as a volunteer. He was present for Commander Blythe’s visit and commented:
“I was wholeheartedly impressed with how at ease Paul made the cadets feel and how he engaged them all with his presentation. Paul left a lasting impression and his contribution to the cadets is as valued as the much-appreciated donation that Delkia has made towards our unit refurbishment.”
This donation is the latest initiative in Delkia’s social impact work to make a positive contribution to its local community. Earlier this year, the company donated £1,000 to the mental health charity Growing Well and £2,000 to support STEM learning in nine Cumbria primary schools. For more information about Delkia’s work, visit delkia.co.uk
Whitehaven Sea Cadets is a charity run entirely by a small team of volunteers, who are continuing to fundraise for the refurbishment of their new unit. To find out more and make your own donation, visit sea-cadets.org/whitehaven
