Adapted from Woking News & Mail Online                          24th January 2007

Listen to Radio broadcast of Duke of York's visit to TS Dianthus

Woking Sea Cadets’ move to a new centre in Goldsworth Park got the royal seal of approval from His Royal Highness Prince Andrew the Duke of York. A bugle blast heralded the Duke’s visit to the cadets’ existing HQ in Westfield Avenue. Able cadets Ben Fraser, James Rickworth, Alice Catcher and Katie O’loughlan, ordinary cadet Rosie Baker and cadet Kieran Comer formed the six-strong guard who presented arms to the Duke as he entered.

The Duke took time to talk to some of the cadets before starting an hour-long private tour of the site with commanding officer of the Woking cadets, Lieutenant John Bray, and various assembled dignitaries.

After the tour, Prince Andrew, who spent 22 years flying helicopters in the Navy, spoke to a packed hall of the HQ about the value of the Sea Cadets Corps, of which he is Admiral.

His Royal Highness likened the Sea Cadets Corps to a three-legged stool with the cadets, the staff and commanding officer and the cadets’ parents being the legs. He commented: “A successful unit depends on all three legs working together, because if one leg doesn’t work, we all know what happens: it falls down.

The Sea Cadets are expected to begin the move to their new base on the shores of Goldsworth Lake shortly. Cadet Comer said: “I’m really looking forward to it. It’s going to be really good because it’s going to be right next to the lake and we will be able to go sailing a lot more.”

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