Local Charity Special - TS Broadsword 75th Anniversary Open day this Saturday - come along

T.S. Broadsword was founded as Hendon Sea Cadets in 1941 by Mr. Howard Farrow and Lt. Cdr. Louis Flateau, RNVR. The unit paraded in Algernon Road school hall, transporting all their equipment to and fro from local garages in a large barrow that took 6 cadets to push. 

In 1966 the unit moved to new headquarters in Cool Oak Lane adjacent to the Welsh Harp.  The unit soon outgrow the building and a programme of rebuilding and extending has continued ever since.  The headquarters building is regularly used for weekend courses with as many as 60 cadets and staff attending.  It also runs a lunch club for the local community.

In 1991 Hendon Unit left the Sea Cadet Corps and reformed as T.S. Broadsword, Sea Training Corps, an independent youth organisation.  T.S. Broadsword is a voluntary organisation for boys and girls to teach them life skills and self-discipline, as well as seamanship, sailing, navy history and life at sea.

All the staff are unpaid, giving up 2 or 3 nights a weeks, plus weekends.  The current C.O. and another member of staff were cadets together in the 1958.  Several members of staff have over 20 years’ service. In 2003 the London Borough of Barnet formally adopted T.S.  Broadsword as its youth organisation, the only such adoption in 62 years. Many of the children we are involved with come from very troubled backgrounds and we are able to engage with them and hopefully turn out young men and women who society can be proud of, but more importantly these individuals can be proud of themselves.  One of the most pleasurable things we see is our able bodied cadets looking out for those less fortunate than themselves.  The staff encourage cadets to take part in as many activities, courses, and competitions as possible, so that they reach their full potential and gain the most of the opportunities and experiences available.

The cadets regularly attend various parades, providing both band and Guard of Honour for civic dignitaries and events. The cadets attend camps throughout UK and abroad and next year there will be a USA camp. On the 9^th July 2016, TS Broadsword, is celebrating its 75^th anniversary since formation and 25^th anniversary since becoming an independent Sea Training Corps. There will be a fate from 11am to 4pm, everyone is most welcome.  There will be demonstrations by bands from all over the UK, shooting gallery, climbing wall, tours of the unit, BBQ, face painting, fire engine, police car, and lots more 

More About TS Broadsword

Background:

Hendon Unit aka T.S. Broadsword S.T.C. (Broadsword) has been in existence and the London Borough of Barnet’s Unit for 75 years, since its establishment in 1941.

The Unit has been and continues to be a completely self-funded voluntary group and run by volunteers from within the community.

Broadsword caters for both boys and girls from the age of 7 years to 19 years, there is no upper age limit as many cadets go on to become staff at the Unit, this is unique to our Unit.

We are open to any one irrespective of colour, creed, ethnicity, religion, ability/disability and sexuality. Some of the children at the unit have mental health and learning difficulties, some more severe than others, and we have some with physical disabilities, including wheelchair bound children and adults. A number of the children in the Unit come from deprived backgrounds, there are also bereaved children who have lost parents and siblings, children who live with guardians and who are under contact orders. We support all our children and enhance their lives by instilling                     self-confidence, self-discipline, resourcefulness and self-reliance. This in turns has a very positive impact on parents and guardians and thus a number of them have joined the Unit Committee.

The aims and objectives of the Unit are to produce better citizens who will learn respect of persons and property through the medium of Royal Naval Routines and Traditions.  In addition, the children are taught skills necessary and desirable for full participation in everyday life.

What ts Broadsword  do:

·         Broadsword supports the London Borough of Barnet’s Holocaust Memorial Day event each year and has done so for many years

·         Supports the Borough Armed Forces Day Parade in strength on a yearly basis

·         Represents the Borough at the St Georges Day Parade in Whitehall on a yearly basis

·         Has represented the Borough at extremely short notice at the central London New Year’s Day Parade (this has been done on more than 4 occasions), this parade is Europe’s largest New Year’s Day Parade.

Remembrance Sunday:

for 6 weeks prior to the Boroughs Event – Broadsword commences the training of the local

·         Brownies

·         Police Cadets

·         Air Cadets

·         We also work with a choir from the local school in preparation of the service

·         We order the Poppy Wreaths for the local groups and churches and distribute them all prior to Remembrance Day

·         Organisation of the Police and Permits for the event

·         Organise the Press Releases and advertising for the community as a whole

·         Organisation and payment for the Public Address Systems

·         Organisation of ambulance cover

·         and any other ancillary services

·         We also provide both bands from within our unit

After the Remembrance Day Ceremony Broadsword has the honour of hosting the Borough Remembrance Sunday Memorial Dinner in the presence of the Mayor, Mayoress, councillors, dignitaries and VIPs as well as many local people, we have at least 100 people in attendance on a yearly basis.

Mayors, their deputies and councillors always attend our activities and support the unit and have done so for the past 75 years, we host St Georges Day events, Swearing in Ceremonies for the cadets, Drill Displays and Band Displays etc

Night Exercises at the Unit:

this is a very stimulating activity for the cadets and the local Police are very supportive of this we also have other units which join us for this activity.

Intercommunity Groups Football Competition:

·         (90 children/cadets) Broadsword cadets, Police Cadets, Air Cadets and Sea cadets.

·         Hold and host Advancement Boards/Promotion Boards for its cadets and staff which has numerous external examiners from the Royal Navy/MOD. We also host a semi-formal dinner for all attendees

·         The Unit hosts both local and units from around the country for its activities, we have had units’ form Kent, Portsmouth, Liverpool, Gloucester, Worcestershire, Essex etc.

TS Broadsword in the Community:

As well as being a Cadet Unit it is an Integral part of the community and enhances the lives of many, the Unit is used for:

·         Daytime Training for Ambulance Personnel, Paramedics, Ambulance Technicians and ancillary staff

·         Over 60s Lunchtime club for the local community, a huge success with great feedback

·         Allotment users and their committee (from the allotment opposite) use the Unit for their AGM, other meetings and get together

·         The Unit opens its doors for the local community to take advantage of the fundraising car boot sales, it also hosts various fairs and events

·         Local community groups have evening events such as Race Night, Quiz night etc

Broadsword is open on a daily basis and at present is going through an extensive building programme to make the Unit more accessible and to enhance the facilities for both the disabled and able bodied. We are installing a lift to make it easier for the disabled and those less mobile.

Broadsword is very much at the heart of the community, everyone who comes to our unit is given a warm welcome, the running of the Unit is open and transparent.

Since its inception many cadets have gone on to join the military and serve their country in both times of peace and war.

Over the past 75 years many people/cadets have come and gone but they always remember the grounding they received through T.S. Broadsword S.T.C.