BRIDPORT sea cadets are hosting the Trafalgar day parade on Sunday October 25 after nearly folding this year.

The organisation was on the brink of collapse at the beginning of the year with very little money and debts.

But thanks to Barry Woodhouse and other naval friends who joined a new management team the future looks bright for the Bridport Unit T.S. Keppel.

But the team wants more members to join the 12 on its books.

Mr Woodhouse said: "We are desperately trying to persuade children to stop playing with their computers and come out and play with boats instead.

"We have a rowing boat on West Bay weir and various other boats and we have done some quite adventurous things this year."

The cadets have recently been to the Yeovilton Air Museum, there have been trips on the Weymouth lifeboat and one cadet sailed from Poole to Dieppe, Cadets have visited TS Royalist, the Marine Society and the sea cadets' new square rigger, the Weymouth Lifeboat, Fleet Air Arm Museum and have been on a weekend camping.

They have a Trinity 500 rowing boat which has been in use during the summer evenings on the river above West Bay. Some weekends cadets have had instruction on the Champ motor boat training them to achieve RYA certificates.

Mr Woodhouse added: "A truly strong team with the brilliant hard working unit’s instructors and some very generous donors have made it possible for the closure to be turned into a success story.

"We have ten on the books and two more are joining but we are desperately keen to get some more."

Mr Woodhouse said the future looks rosy with projected sailing courses in Portland Harbour as well as regular activities.

He added: "It is interesting to note that 24 per cent of the Royal Navy’s recruits have previously been Sea Cadets.

"We now have a solid foundation having passed our annual inspection and officially had the threat of closure lifted. We would welcome new cadets 10-18 year olds also staff to train the cadets. Naturally any financial help is always most welcome. We have to raise all our own finance as a stand alone charity.

Meanwhile they cadets are gearing up for their parade when they will lead 200 other cadets from the Somerset and Dorset regions.

Around 200 Somerset & Dorset Sea Cadets, led by the Bridport Unit T.S. Keppel, will march with their band through Bridport departing West Allington at 11.40 up West Street to attend church at St. Mary’s, South Street, at 12pm

Afterwards, at 1pm, the Sea Cadets will march along South Street and then via West Street to the bus station.

At Bucky Doo Square their salute will be taken by Dorset’s Vice Lord Lieutenant James Gibson Fleming Esq DL Captain Sea Cadets, Captain Phil Russell Royal Navy and Bridport Mayor Sandra Brown.

They are hoping for big crowds to cheer on the cadets and hopefully raise some much-needed funds at the same time.