Rye cadets visit HMS Illustrious

The seven cadets, aged from 10 to 18, went on Tuesday morning, at HM Naval Base Portsmouth at 9am where they were taken by coach to the ship.

While onboard, the cadets got a real feel of what it would be like to live and work on board a working vessel. Cadets took part in fire fighting, damage control, marine engineering, first aid and sea survival exercises.

Kieran Baker, aged 15, from Rye, said: “We had an excellent day, the fire fighting and first aid was excellent.”

The officer in charge of Rye Sea Cadets, Chief Petty Officer Steve Smith, said: “We like to get our cadets taking part in as many activities as possible. We’ve had a very busy summer and this was the icing on the cake. I’d just like to thank the Commanding Officer of HMS Illustrious and the ships crew for their hospitality.”

Rye Sea Cadets are now recruiting for new cadets, staff members and supporters to join their small team of volunteers.