Chichester College students relish royal meeting

Two health & social care students met His Majesty The King at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) headquarters this week.

It was the moment of a lifetime for two Chichester College students, as they enjoyed the opportunity to rub shoulders with royalty.

They were in London on Tuesday (11 March) as part of a special event to mark the relaunch of the Royal College of Nursing Prince of Wales Nursing Cadet scheme, now the Royal College of Nursing King’s Nursing Cadets.

Fatoumatta Ceesay and Ethan Evans took part in the first cadet scheme at the college last year, and were invited to take part in the event in London having impressed with their hard work and dedication.

But they were in for a surprise, with the arrival of His Majesty – whose attendance had been kept secret until the cadets arrived in London.

Fatoumatta, an international student from the Gambia, said: “I felt very fortunate to be in the same building with such a historic figure. We were really surprised.

“We were given the protocols on how to address him, and then we were separated into two groups – I was in the second group where we sat in a circle and the King sat in the middle. We explained why we had decided to study adult nursing, for me personally, I think it’s such a fulfilling job.”

Ethan was among a group of cadets who were giving demonstrations of some of the lifesaving techniques the cadets have learnt. He revealed: “Meeting the King was not something I was expecting, and it was an experience I’d never had before.

“I’m sure everyone at the event was glad to have such an opportunity. It was very nice seeing him and I feel very honoured to have shaken his hand.”

His Majesty, who is the patron of the RCN, has supported the nursing cadet programme since it was created in 2019, with more than 1,100 young people having completed or currently undertaking the programme.

The cadetship launched at Chichester College in 2024, with the first cohort – including Fatoumatta and Ethan – completing their programme over the summer.

Fatoumatta shared: “I’ve applied to three universities and got three offers to study adult nursing in September, and the programme definitely helped me to just expand my knowledge and see my options.”

Harry Ranton, Project Co-ordinator for RCN King’s Nursing Cadets, said: “It was wonderful to see Fatoumatta and Ethan at this special event, which truly showcased the positive impact of the King’s Nursing Cadets scheme.

“Their experience reflects the dedication and passion of the entire Chichester College cohort, whose hard work and enthusiasm have made the programme such a success. We’re proud of every cadet and excited to see the bright futures ahead of them in healthcare.”

Helen Loftus, Principal at Chichester College, added: “We were all very excited to hear about Fatoumatta and Ethan’s experience with the RCN this week – a real once in a lifetime opportunity for them!

“Our work with the RCN is something we are incredibly proud of. We know there is a very real need for more young people to enter nursing and health professions, and the cadet programme is giving them that valuable introduction and inspiration.”