Sea Cadets from London, Kent and Essex had an amazing opportunity to tour casualty ship RFA Argus at the start of Seafarers Awareness Week (24-30 June), the annual campaign coordinated by maritime charity Seafarers UK.

One-hundred young people and volunteers from Sea Cadets units in Beckenham and Penge, Bexley and Lewisham, Orpington, Southwark, Sutton, Chelmsford, Maldon and District and Thurrock visited the vessel moored at Greenwich on Monday 26 June.

Argus is the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s ‘Primary Casualty Receiving Ship’ and those on board enjoyed a tour of all areas of the ship, including the bridge, flight deck and armoury, as well as learning about her role in delivering cutting-edge medical treatment while afloat.

The outing was one of a number of events promoted by Seafarers UK to mark Seafarers Awareness Week, which aims to raise public awareness of the UK’s ongoing dependence on seafarers and the contribution they make to the UK as an island nation. The week’s two themes this year are ‘Maritime Jobs at Sea and Ashore’ and ‘Sea Ports for Prosperity’.