Sea Cadets Gravesend

29/10/2026

Our annual awards night is a chance to look back over the past year and celebrate the achievements, commitment and hard work of our cadets at Gravesend Sea Cadets.

From developing new skills and gaining qualifications to taking on challenges, supporting one another and making the most of the opportunities available, our cadets have plenty to be proud of. ⚓️

The evening is all about recognising their progress, celebrating their successes and acknowledging the effort they put into being part of our unit throughout the year.

A huge congratulations to all our award winners, and well done to every cadet for everything you have achieved. You should all be proud of how far you’ve come!

A special thank you to Dr Bhargawa Vasudaven, Deputy Lieutenant for Kent; Mrs Rosemary Dymond, our Unit President; and Cdr Ian Dunkley, our Unit Vice President, for joining us on the evening and presenting the awards to our cadets.

Here’s to another year of new challenges, great opportunities and achievements! 💙⚓️

13/10/2026

On Sunday 11th October, over 300 Sea Cadets from across West Kent formed up on Community Square in Gravesend for the West Kent District Sea Cadets Trafalgar Day Parade hosted by T.S. Lennox, Gravesend Sea Cadets.

After an inspection by Cllr Baljit Hayre, Deputy Mayor of Gravesham, and other VIPs the parade marched off to the beat of the drum from the District Sea Cadet Band, including members from Gravesend Unit who have only re-formed their band in the last six months.

Other Cadets from the Unit formed part of the unarmed guard and our Junior Sea Cadets joined others from around the district. After a short march through Gravesend Town Centre, they arrived at St. George’s Church where a service was led by the Unit Chaplain, Rev’d Nigel Bourne. The Cadets enjoyed singing a new song written by the Chaplain about Trafalgar to the tune of Sing Hosanna.

On completion of the church service the Cadets marched back through Gravesend Town Centre with the Deputy Mayor and other VIPs, escorted by Commander Ian Dunkley RD RNR, West Kent District Chairman and Gravesend Unit Vice Chairman, taking the salute outside Munns in Windmill Street.

After the parade Cadet 1st Class Rudden-Vine said “I felt very smart and proud to be on parade in my hometown”. OC Smallcorn said she “appreciated the opportunity to take part in such a parade”

03/10/2026

28/09/2026

On Saturday there was a unit collaboration day for practice with some cadets who will be in the band for the Trafalgar Day parade on October 11th, this year being hosted by Gravesend Unit. Some novice bandies, who have yet to do their first public parade, were learning alongside their more experienced counterparts. Thank you to the all the adult volunteers who attended too as without your input the cadets would not have had this opportunity.

19/09/2026

Yesterday a group of our Cadets and Adult Volunteers had the amazing opportunity to visit HMS Prince of Wales in Portsmouth.

We had a tour of the ship and took part in several activities on board including STEM, rock climbing, VR experience and much more!

It was a great opportunity for Cadets to see first hand what the Royal Navy experience and hopefully inspire some of them to join when they are older.

05/09/2026

Today we attended the Chalk Village Gardeners Club Autumn Show.

Cadets delivered a STEM activity for the children, although many adults were also interested!

They also helped Paul ‘The Woodman’ sell his wooden items and the bird boxes which the Cadets made earlier this summer.

We also had Cadets helping serve the teas and coffees to the visitors.

A great afternoon had by all!

28/08/2026

⚓ COULD YOU HELP SHAPE THE NEXT GENERATION? ⚓

At Sea Cadets Gravesend we’re looking for enthusiastic adults to join our volunteer team and work with our Junior Sea Cadets, aged 10–12.

💙 You could be the person who helps a young cadet find their confidence, discover a new skill or simply believe in themselves a little more.

If you’re a teacher, teaching assistant, parent or simply someone who enjoys working with children, this could be the perfect opportunity to get involved and make a real difference.

Our Junior Sea Cadets have their own dedicated programme of activities, designed to help them learn, develop and have fun — and we’re looking for great adults to help us deliver it.

🌊 No previous experience is needed. What really matters is enthusiasm, patience and a willingness to get involved.

📅 Wednesdays | 7:15pm–9:30pm
📍 North Kent College, Gravesend

🌟 Give a little time. Make a big difference. Help a young person thrive.

📧 [email protected]
Get in touch to find out more about volunteering with Sea Cadets Gravesend.

12/08/2026

What a lovely evening seeing our Sea Cadet family come together at Windmill Hill in Gravesend to watch the solar eclipse! 🌒✨

It was fantastic to see so many of our parents joining their cadets and sharing this special experience together.

Thank you to everyone who came along and made it such a lovely evening. ⚓️🌅

04/08/2026

On Sunday 19 July, eight of our Cadets and two CFAVs had the incredible opportunity to spend 5 days aboard TSB Blue Mermaid, an engineless Thames Sailing Barge operated by the Sea-Change Sailing Trust.

Life on board is very much hands-on! From hoisting sails and climbing the rigging to cooking meals and keeping everyone's tea mugs topped up, every Cadet played a vital role in keeping the barge running. It was a fantastic chance to step outside their comfort zones, work as a team and experience traditional sailing at its very best.

Experiences like this are about so much more than sailing. Our Cadets returned home with greater confidence, new practical skills, stronger teamwork and leadership abilities and memories that will stay with them for years to come.

A huge thank you to the The Ulysses Trust, the Port of London Authority and The Royal Thames Yacht Club Charitable Trust, whose generous funding made this amazing opportunity possible. Your support helps us continue to provide life-changing experiences for our young people.

01/08/2026

On Wednesday we supported the kent.policeuk Summer Safety Community Day at Gravesend Prom

The Cadets were talking to the public about being safe on the water - wearing buoyancy aids and taking the right precautions when going boating with their families.

One Cadet spotted that PD Barker wasn’t being very safe on the Paddleboard so offered him a BA!