Links Of Interest!!!!

Sea Cadet Corps!!!!!

The Sea Cadet is about young people learning about the Navy and the kind of work they do but in a very disciplined way and I mean very disciplined. I joined the SCC (Sea Cadet Corps) at the age of thirteen having no clue what this organisation was about however as my brother joined the week before and told me a few things he had learnt I decided that it would be a good idea to join and see for myself. The Captain of the SCC for my unit is called Paul Caroll  whose children went to the same secondary as my brother so when I first arrived although I was a little nervous it helped that I did already know a few people, I remember when I first walked into unit seeing members in there smart uniform made me feel so scruffy in my jean's and top however just by looking at them all I knew that I was going to be part of something special. The first few weeks were weird as I remember because I had to learn a few skills such as time keeping and I know you might be thinking that is such an easy thing to do but at the SCC if you were a minute late when they summoned for you- you could have ended up scrubbing the toilet with a toothbrush!, might sound a bit harsh but people learnt to be on time for majority of things after learning that lesson I have to say I was lucky as I never had to do that thank god. As I said up above The Sea Cadet was like being in the navy you learnt majority of skill's they learnt and basically done everything they done except actually going to war, many of my friends after getting a taster of being in the SCC left to actually join the navy or army as they had enjoyed the whole experience as a youngster, in fact if I did not love performing arts so much I would have probably joined the Navy with the skill's that I have acquired from being in the SCC. 

Getting my uniform was a big achievement, you in the SCC in order to gain your uniform you had to pass a test in fact in order to move up in ranks you had to do various test. The ranks were:

Junior Cadet

Cadet

Able Cadet

Leading Hand Cadet

Probational Petty Officer

Petty Officer

Adult Officers include:

Midshipman

Sub Lieutenant

Lieutenant

Lieutenant Commander

Commander

I managed to gain up to Petty Officer which was very nerve racking but exhilarating at the same time, the thing I remember most about cadets is all the course I had attended such as First Aid, Power Boating, Sailing, Communications, Shooting, Drill, where I am actually qualified to do or teach these subjects. I loved all the fun surrounding the competitions like the Boating competition's on a warm sunny day where all different units that are in the North London District get together and compete against each other, I remember when waiting to compete once our unit had a water fight with edgeware unit even the officers would get involved and have fun, at the end of the competition if you had done well then you would receive a medal such as bronze, silver or gold, best female cadet, best male cadet etc, if it was an District competition and your team managed to get through you could be on your way to Area ( which is the equivalent to semi-final in an ordinary competition) and then from Area you would go to Nationals this is where you could play teams from all over England.

My favourite subject at cadets was Drill I loved all the uniform you had to wear and how everyone would be so sharp and on point with their rifles when given a command, in the SCC there is a massive competition for Drill where you compete and have to have certain moves in your Drill routine, this is very hard to pass however our unit came third when we entered with my brother being in command. Another big thing in the cadets was Traf Guard where for a whole weekend you would have to compete against each other in order to gain a spot on the in the squad to represent the SCC for when the Sea Lord came down this takes place in Trafalgar square for all to see but you have to be the best and the weekend is so tiring carrying a rifle al the time marching up and down and doing various moves with the heavy rifle but my god does it all look sharp when you look at it I managed to get in the squad four times whilst I was at cadets unfortunately you can only compete until you are 22 years of age. In cadets we often got asked to be part of the Lord Mayor's Show that happens every year in London( this is a massive parade that happens throughout London in honour of the Lord Mayor) this was fun meeting different people from different groups like dancers or a dog show etc, we are also asked to represent Remembrance Sunday this is another parade that happens in Whitehall at the Cenotaph where we have to march down in our best uniform and our Commanding Officer of or area would lay a reef. This is a very special feeling being involved in something as precious as this where it is being televised so no mistakes allowed. Cadets gives you a great opportunity of learning new skills that you can use in everyday life and gives you the opportunity to meet new people as well as doing all the fun things like parades and competitions, you can join from the age of 10-18 or as an adult you can volunteer to be part of something in fact all adult officers are volunteers, this is a good worthy organisation that keeps kids off the street and teaches them something productive, there a few benefits such as the qualifications that I earned can still be used now and I got to meet the Queen for her Jubilee a few years ago, I also met Prince Philip because I had done my Duke of Edinburgh training and managed to gain awards.

If I you know anyone who is interested in this kind of activity then please encourage them to join as the opportunities are great I would do it all over again if I had the chance!!!!.

Just a Few Snaps:

Me with the marine boys

Me meeting the Queen

Trafalgar Guard

www.seacadetcorps.co.uk

Musical Theatre!!!!!!!!

I am a massive fan of musical Theatre I think that it wonderful how music and dance have been brought to life through the stage. The very first musical that my parents took my brother and I to see was Joesph and his amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, when sitting getting ready to watch this show I thought to my self how will they be able to portray what happened in the bible on stage in such a small area ( I think I was only 7 then) but when the showing started I could not believe what I had just seen it was absolutely amazing the presence all the actors had on the stage and the chemistry that came across was fantastic, I could not believe how the set itself was made all the colours, the  props it was like I was actually there in that era, they had got everything right. I felt that the singing that went with the play just brought it all to life and it was then that I thought I wanted to do something like this when I was older. After seeing that I begged my mum for singing lesson, unfortunately she could afford to send me as I was already dancing 6 nights a week as well as fitting karate piano and guitar lessons and then later on Sea Cadets and drum lessons, so I think its fair to say that my mum was right lol. My brother and I asked our parents to take us to see it again and since that time we have both been hooked on Musical Theatre.

The next play we did go and see was Jesus Christ Superstar again it exceeded my expectations as I was still young I did think how will they fit that whole story into just two hours, but they did and the music was great, hearing a live orchestra really bought the atmosphere together and I really thought that I was back in those times seeing be lived right infront of me. I think the thing for me that really stands out in musically theatre is how accurate they can get the set,props and even characters to be exactly how they are in the film/books. I sometimes feel overwhelmed when going to the theatre as I really just want to be part of the whole production and I want it to last all night. Something else that amazes me is how these actors remember all them lines from beginning to end for two hours every night I mean sometimes I get given a script with only to lines and I go blank let alone a whole script infront of hundreds.

We have been to see Joseph and his amazing Technicolour Dream Coat x2, Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease x2, Beauty and The Beast, Les Misarble x7, Sound of Music,  Lion King, Dirty Dancing, Billy Eliot, Wicked. Everytime we do go to see a theatre production we have to see Les Mis before we see the next showing of whatever we go and see, my mum is french and she loves this play especially the music, I have to say that the melodies from these songs are beautiful they make me want to compose even to try and compose for an orchestra( a challenge and a half I think!) because nothing can beat the sound of live music with beautiful melodies being played right infront of, if I have seen the film of one of the plays I really feel like I could play a character because I have the music the set and the props to bring it all to life. My favourite Musical is Lion King, I think that the cast of this play have really worked and researched this play well because as we all know Lion King is all animal animated so to see actors on stage moving professionally but as an animal is magically because they actually move exactly like how the animals would move, from a way the head turns to jumping or running so sharply, the bright bold colours really make you feel as though you were in Africa the music is good but for me I would how they can move there body as an animal so perfect is incredible.