MTMS Group Chairman Malcolm Prentice with the Chesterfield Sea Cadets
Young Derbyshire sea cadets have been given a welcome boost to help with training after a generous donation from a Midlands rail maintenance firm.
The Chesterfield Sea Cadets, also known as the Training Ship Danae, has been presented with a £750 cheque from Moira-based MTMS, which will be used to help with its training costs, particularly sailing and rowing.
Malcolm Prentice, MTMS group chairman, paid the cadets a visit to find out more about the young people and what they have learned. The cheque also underlines the company’s continuing support to armed service cadets.
He said: “It was a pleasure for MTMS to support the youth of Chesterfield and be part of the community. I was delighted to be invited to meet the cadets and see the quality of the young people and the committed instructors hard at work.
“The cadets offer so many opportunities and experiences to young people as they learn more about the armed services and develop new life skills.
“We need to show our support to these organisations to help them continue their work supporting the cadets.
“At MTMS we will do all we can to support young people and give them every opportunity we can.”
The Chesterfield Sea Cadets teach young people teamwork, respect, loyalty, self-confidence, commitment, self-discipline, honesty and how to be the best version of themselves.
It current has 25 to 30 cadets parading twice a week, between the ages of 10 and 18.
The group offers everything from sailing, windsurfing and powerboating to rock climbing and camping.
Liz Thompson, chair of the Unit Management Team at the Chesterfield Sea Cadets, said: “It was an unexpected donation and shows the support that cadets enjoy in the business community across Derbyshire.
“We are delighted with the support we have received from MTMS and would like to thank Malcolm and the team for this donation. It will be a big help with covering training costs for our young people.”
Lieutenant Nik Undy said it was a “wonderful donation” to help with the training costs.
MTMS currently services and maintains rolling stock and specialist equipment, as well as carrying a broad range of infrastructure projects, at more than a half of the UK’s rail depots, with its central location in Moira helping it to serve customers as far afield as Penzance and Aberdeen.
MTMS serves familiar names in mainline rail such as Govia ThamesLink Railway, Arriva and Siemens.
MTMS advertises itself as a pro-military employer and has been awarded Silver Defence Employer Recognition status for its commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, which is a nationwide pledge to acknowledge and understand the need to treat current and former members of the Armed Forces and their families with fairness and respect.
