Sea Cadets
Some people think young people spend most of their time scrolling through their phones. Well, you don’t see any of that at Sea Cadets; instead, you witness youngsters embracing opportunities to have real-life adventures.
Led by a dedicated team of adult volunteers under the command of Captain Craig Leonard, some 40 young people aged 10–18 meet once or twice weekly (Tuesdays and Fridays, 7–9pm) to learn self-reliance, leadership and practical skills, first aid, catering, how to handle weapons responsibly and pride in self-discipline.
Captain Leonard brings over 30 years of combined service in the Royal Marines and Police, supported by a committed staff team who give their time to help young people grow in confidence, resilience and teamwork.
You have probably passed their headquarters, an asymmetric building on the south side of the London Road, just off Chestnut Avenue. Based in High Wycombe since 1937, Sea Cadets are the inclusive youth arm of the Royal Navy. Boys and girls are lent uniforms to wear, as well as all equipment needed.
The unit owns four boats, used on the river at Cookham. The cadets are seen on parade twice a year, at Mayor Weighing in May and on Remembrance Sunday in November. Highlights include marching drills, boating, team games and, of course, giant pizza nights!
New recruits are always welcome. It costs £10-£20 per month, based on age. Check out sea-cadets.org/highwycombe or call 01494 450887 to arrange a visit. It might open the door to an extraordinary career.
BNU Product & Furniture Design
Are you sitting on a chair while reading this? Have a look at it and see it properly – the shape, the colour, the materials, the way it fits together. Is it comfortable? All these aspects of design, and many more, are taught on a very special course taught at Buckinghamshire New University: BSc (Hons) Product and Furniture Design. Course leader, Scott Harper, gave me a guided tour and the lowdown about this innovative degree.
Scott has worked between the furniture and construction industries, and he has masses of contacts with employers and industry leaders. The course is designed to produce graduates with the right experience to make them highly employable. They acquire a wide spectrum of skills, from traditional woodwork to mastering hi tech CAD and CAM suites. I saw the most remarkable technology that uses 3-d printing to make a chair that looks and feels like real wood. There are also industry-standard machines for weaving, printing and laser cutting fabrics. Anything is possible here!
This course is ideal for people with good ideas who want to turn them into a profitable business. For more information, visit bucks.ac.uk and search under the Courses heading.
