Sea cadets unit closure fear over £50k repair bill

A sea cadets unit says its future is under threat after being told it needs more than £50,000 to repair its headquarter's roof.

Volunteers at the Wallsend site, in North Tyneside, said they feared they could be forced to close if the money cannot be found, putting an end to activities for young people.

The organisation has supported youngsters in the town for more than 80 years, offering activities including seamanship, first aid and marine engineering.

Officer in charge Michelle Robson said: "If we don't get the roof fixed, it means that we could potentially have to close, which means that cadets in the future would not get the opportunities we've got going on right now."

Liam, 16, said Wallsend Sea Cadets was much more than a place to learn new skills and it had given him the chance to build confidence.

"I like how you can meet loads of different people and how many friends you can make," he said.

The unit is one of the few in the country to own its own building and it does not receive central funding for its upkeep.

Michelle Robson said if they had to close it would be "devastating".

Chairman Craig Warkman said he had seen first-hand how the organisation helped people grow in confidence.

"I've seen young people come through Wallsend Sea Cadets who might have started off with us really shy," he said.

"Through the activities they can get involved in and the friends they make here, they turn into some really confident young adults."

Fifteen-year-old Chloe said the unit offered experiences many young people would not otherwise have.

"We get a lot of opportunities to do different things that you can't do outside of Sea Cadets, for example being able to drive a boat or even go on to a boat for a week," she said.

Asked what she would be doing if she did not attend the unit, she said: "Probably sat on my bed."

Volunteers are now looking at ways to raise the funds needed to fix the building.

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