CADETS at Dame Allan’s Schools have been paid a special visit by the Lord-Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, Mrs Susan Winfield, CVO, OBE. 

During an inspection of the Royal Marines Contingent, four cadets – Oscar Mitchell, Sophie Thornton, Sam Turner and Toby Dent – were presented with promotional stripes on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen.

Mrs Winfield was accompanied on her visit by Year 13 pupil and Cadet Sergeant James Taylor, who last year was chosen to serve as a Lord-Lieutenant Cadet having displayed an exemplary devotion to duty in the RM Cadets.

Contingent Commander, Captain Phil Wildsmith, said it was a “great honour” to welcome the Lord-Lieutenant to Dame Allan’s Schools.

“Mrs Winfield made four promotions during her inspection of our parade, to cadets who have shown leadership and the Commando Spirit we prize so highly in RM Cadets,” said Mr Wildsmith, Head of Boys’ School.

“It was a memorable moment for each of these pupils to receive their promotion stripes from the Queen’s representative in Tyne and Wear.”

Mrs Winfield, from Sunderland, who was appointed as Lord-Lieutenant in 2015 and retires from the role later this month, also gave a talk to a group of keen historians in Year 7 at Dame Allan’s Girls School.

Elaine Fiddaman, Head of Girls’ School, said: “We arranged a Q&A session and the girls asked some fascinating questions about Mrs Winfield’s role as the first female Lord-Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear.

“They learnt how incredibly honoured Mrs Winfield feels to represent the Queen in the region and how much she enjoys meeting such a variety of interesting and wonderful people in the local communities. She even joined in to sing happy birthday to one of our pupils, Willow, who turned 12 that day!”  

Mrs Winfield said: “I very much enjoyed my visit to the Schools, both talking to the cadets about their many different experiences and challenges, followed by talking to the Year 7 historians about the history of the lieutenancy and the wide ranging nature of the current role.”