Sea Cadets (TS Tartar)

For about two years now I've been going to North Finchley's Sea Cadet Hall (TS Tartar). I can't say I was seen there every Wednesday and Friday or every district activity (in fact I would go as far to say quite the contrary!); but I have been enough to see the wonderful opportunities it can provide to a teen.

The name sea cadets makes you automatically assume everything about the service is connected to water. Inevitably, the wet substance is a major part of Sea Cadets, but there are certain 'dry land' activities e.g. 5 a side football.

Sea Cadets is not only about sports and activities. It aims to improve discipline for its young people using some techniques of the navy. New entries and juniors can join from the age of ten, at the age of twelve you become a full cadet and work your way through ordinary cadet, able cadet and, eventually, leading cadet.

Sea Cadets offer a wide range of opportunities for a low price. Find out more at: http://seacadets.ms-sc.org/

A Little Piece of Ground by Elizabeth Laird

'A Little Piece of Ground'

Karim Aboudi has a list of the things he wants to do in his life. One of them is to destroy the Israeli tanks that block the street. Karim can no longer play football or see his friends. All he can do is wait until the curfew ends. With his older brother doing anything to annoying him and Karim not be being able to go outside he's is ready to go crazy.

When the curfew ends, Karim is delighted! He and his new friend Hopper find a piece of wasteland to play football on. But the tanks and the guns come back and Karim is trapped in the wasteland…

This book taught me that even in the worst situations, you can survive.

I would recommend this book to any teenager, girl or boy.

First published at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/childrens-books-site/2011/oct/10/a-little-piece-of-ground-elizabeth-laird-review?INTCMP=SRCH