THURROCK Volunteer Police Cadets visited the mayors parlour.

The group visited the parlour of Cathy Kent and Tunde Ojetola, Thurrock deputy mayor.

As the Thurrock unit is newly established the Mayor and Deputy Mayor were keen to introduce themselves and to find out from the team what they do and the events they have been involved in.

The cadets introduced the Volunteer Police Cadet scheme to the mayor and told the her about the work they carry out in the community, their future plans and charity events.

The cadets had the opportunity to put questions to the mayor and deputy mayor in order to find out about their roles and the work of the council and councillors.

The Volunteer Police Cadets (VPC) is a uniformed voluntary youth organisation, supported by the Police, and open to young people aged 13 to 18 from across the UK’s diverse communities, irrespective of their background or financial circumstances, and including those vulnerable to crime or social exclusion.

Thurrock Unit leader Sgt Lee Stannard said: "We would like to thank the Mayor and deputy for hosting us. It was a pleasure to meet them and learn about their roles. The cadets really enjoyed the visit and were grateful to be able to talk about the cadet programme and the work they do within the community”.

Cathy Kent said: "I’m delighted the Police have set up this project and am really pleased to see its early popularity. It is important people, especially young people, feel connected to the police and this is a good way to start.

"The Fire Service have a brilliant cadet programme which has been running for a number of years – I know Essex police project will share the same success and I encourage everybody to have a look online about how they can get involved either with this, or the Active Citizen project.”

Tunde Ojetola said: "I'm proud to witness the work and commitment of the Cadets. They are pioneers and role models to other young people. I'm pleased that many of them aspire to continue to become Specials or full police officers. I wish them all the best."

Following on from the success of their first intake, the Thurrock Unit is on the lookout for young people aged between 13-18 years old to join a second intake in November. The aim is to prepare young people for their future by providing varied activities and opportunities to develop qualifications, enhance interpersonal skills and confidence, and achieve a sense of pride through supporting community policing.