Hove Sea Cadet Unit has been serving the local community for more than 60 years.

Since its formation, thousands of young people have passed through and gained valuable experiences that have set them up for adulthood.

Hundreds of cadets have gone on to serve proudly in the Armed Forces and its reserves. Many others went on to serve in the Merchant Navy, the RNLI, HM Coast Guards, HM Customs and all three emergency services.

As Argus readers will recall, the unit suffered a serious setback with the closure and disposal of HMS Sussex where the unit was located with the Royal Naval Reserve until the late 1990s.

This resulted in the unit losing its own boating facilities.

However, I am pleased to inform readers that Hove Sea Cadet Unit is on the way back up with help from Travis Perkins and Shoreham Port Authority.

Travis Perkins has kindly allowed the unit to reuse the old boating station at the bottom of Boundary Road in Portslade. It was originally used by the unit until the mid-sixties.

This means cadets now have boating facilities on their doorstep once again and the commanding officer reports the amount of boating hours in the unit has risen considerably already and cadet numbers are starting to increase.

A lot of work still needs to be done to make the boating station fully operational and this is where I am appealing to local business and ex-cadets for both financial and practical help.

If readers are able to make a donation of any size or offer time to help form a working party please contact the appeals director, Paul Heward, on 01273 592091.

-Paul Heward, Hove & Adur Sea Cadet Unit