When my brother and nephew asked if I wanted to run the Madrid Marathon with them a few months ago I decided I would take them up on the challenge. Initially I thought the achievement of completing the marathon in the Spanish heat would be enough to keep me motivated but as my training has gone on I realised I may need some additional motivation to spur me on for the last few miles so I decided to try and raise some funds for a great local charity. Newburn Sea Cadets is a Registered Charity (522095) based in Newcastle Upon Tyne and is part of the National Sea Cadet organisation. They give opportunities for local children from age 10 to 18 to grow and develop in a safe environment. The children are given a variety of opportunities ranging from basic catering and first aid up to gaining power boat licences and studying marine engineering. Being able to engage in these activities also allows the children to gain skills such as leadership and teamwork, problem solving and self discipline. The children typically attend twice per week and frequently have the opportunity to attend weekend courses. The unit is run entirely by volunteers and is funded by charitable donations to try and keep the costs to a minimum so that all children from any background have an equal opportunity to participate.
I feel that it is really important to invest in our future generations by giving them the opportunity to gain valuable life skills and appreciate the importance of being part of a community.