A host of dignitaries came together to celebrate the opening parade of a new and unusual Royal Marines Combined Cadet Force (CCF) made up of two North East schools.

The second most senior Royal Marine in the country, Brigadier Richard Spencer OBE, was joined by the Mayor of Newcastle, the Deputy Mayor of Gateshead and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, amongst other dignitaries, as he presided over the opening parade by cadets from Dame Allan’s Schools, Newcastle, and St Thomas More School, Gateshead.

The Royal Marines Corps of Drums played at the ceremony in which the cadets, who make up the only Royal Marines contingent in the North East, were inspected by Brigadier Spencer.

The CCF offers young people a broad range of challenging, exciting, adventurous and educational activities. The aim is to enable the development of personal responsibility, leadership and self-discipline and whilst there are over 350 contingents across the UK, this one is particularly special.

The majority of CCF contingents are formed in one school which may then invite students from another school to join it as a partner. This section has been set up as part of the Cadet Expansion Programme, funded by Libor fines, which was launched by the Prime Minister in 2012. However, this North East contingent was set up from scratch by both schools, Dame Allan’s not having had a cadet unit since 1959 and St Thomas More never having had one. In addition, Royal Marines CCF contingents are rare and this is the only one in the North East, offering its 30 cadets an insight into the elite amphibious corps.

Diya Varghese, 15, a cadet from Dame Allan’s said: ‘I feel really privileged to be a part of the Royal Marines CCF. I see myself as a leader so it’s brilliant to be able to develop my leadership skills. There are so many opportunities as a cadet, I’m really looking forward to making the most of the opportunity!’

Proud parents also attended the opening parade, which took place at Dame Allan’s. It included formal drill by the cadets, an inspection by Brigadier Spencer, raising the CCF flag and the unveiling a commemorative plaque.

Brigadier Spencer also presented each of the cadets with a badge to commemorate the importance of the collaboration between the two schools and, as he addressed the audience said: ‘I would like to commend the drive, enthusiasm and support which this Royal Marines CCF has shown. It is the first time an independent school and state school have set up a joint CCF RM and it will offer cadets some brilliant opportunities. The CCF can change young people’s lives for the better. They will learn about self-discipline, resilience, leadership and many more valuable life lessons. The cadets here are as much a part of the Royal Marines family as those serving. It is a privilege to launch this contingent.’

Following the parade the cadets then showcased their skills in leadership, teamwork and problem-solving in a variety of ‘stances’ which guests were able to tour.

Joel Brown, 17, a St Thomas More cadet said: ‘I am considering a career in the military so the CCF is a brilliant opportunity for me to develop my skills and see if it’s something that I want to pursue. It has been an exciting day and I’m really proud of how well we all did as a contingent.’

Captain Phil Wildsmith, Contingent Commander, said: ‘We decided to launch a Royal Marines CCF as it builds on the strong outdoor extra-curricular programme at both schools. We felt it would give our cadets a unique experience and it has been a delight to see how far our 30 cadets have come in this short space of time.’

Dr John Hind, Principal at Dame Allan’s Schools echoed this, saying: ‘We are delighted to have worked together with St Thomas More to launch this CCF contingent which will have a hugely positive impact on those cadets who choose to be a part of it. Dame Allan’s had cadet force units over 100 years ago, and I am thrilled to be able to offer it to our students again. Most importantly, what today shows is that partnership and understanding are the keys to success. This cadet contingent shows partnership between state and independent schools, an Anglican School and a Catholic School and a Newcastle and Gateshead School. We are very proud.’

Mr Jonathan Parkinson, Head of St Thomas More School said: ‘It has been a pleasure to see all of the cadets doing so well today, and throughout their training. This is a fantastic initiative through which our students can develop a range of skills.’