Two cadets and Sea Cadets volunteers have been recognised for their outstanding service in this year's Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
They are to receive national awards for their part in supporting their communities and workplaces during a difficult 2020, four of them for actions during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Many continue to play a vital role in keeping essential services running as key workers during the pandemic, such as within the NHS and other public services. Each has helped Sea Cadets adapt, innovate and emerge through these troubled times with resilience, often using new technology to ensure our cadets remain engaged.
Cadet Challenger BEM
For voluntary service in support of young people, maintaining morale and cohesion of North West Area Sea Cadets. He is the first known example of one of our beneficiaries, a cadet being honoured by a national award
Suzanne Sweeney OBE
For services to Neo-natal provision in the NHS and to youth services provision through Sea Cadets
Gareth Davies MBE
For services to young people and the local community through Sea Cadets
Nicole Geraghty MBE
For services to essential engineering with Southern Water and voluntary service with the Sea Cadet Youth Development Charity during COVID-19
Liz Stephens MBE
For Services to Sea Cadets in the North West of England
Oliver Chambers MBE
For voluntary service to young people and the community in Birmingham
Michelle Welsh MBE
For services to Sea Cadets
Toni Salmon BEM
For services to the community.
As Commanding Office at Forest of Dean Sea Cadets, she has led virtual activity and made regular weekly calls to cadets’ families to check on their welfare. Toni also works as a food delivery worker working up to 60 hours, across seven days a week.
Gemma Lewis BEM
For services to the NHS and to the community through Sea Cadets
Nurse at Royal Gwent Hospital in front line against Covid-19 as well as being Commanding Officer at Newport Sea Cadets, leading Zoom sessions straight after 12 hour shifts.
Cadet Hayward
For voluntary service in the community in the county of Essex.
2nd cadet working hard with Brentwood’s Covid-19 Mutual Aid group and the Royal Naval Association, making hot meals and delivering them to those in need. When she joined Brentwood Sea Cadets four years ago, she suffered from agoraphobia and refused to leave the house, in the wake of cyber and physical bullying.
Sea Cadets is a growing uniformed youth charity, with 15,000 cadets spread over 400 locations across the UK. 9000 volunteers deliver a stimulating programme for young people from a variety of different backgrounds ages 9 to 18, helping to shape the lives of young people by helping them develop essential life skills whilst engaging in enjoyable activities many with a nautical theme.
Captain Phil Russell RN, Captain Sea Cadets, said, “It is incredibly gratifying for a charity our size to see so many recognised in such numbers, clearly demonstrating the commitment and dedication of our amazing volunteers whose passion and commitment to their local communities has been unwavering during this pandemic."
"On behalf of the entire Marine Society and Sea Cadets Charity I send hearty congratulations to all seven recipients. Recognising that many more of our 9,000 volunteers and 15,000 cadets are equally dedicated to supporting their communities, they are great exemplars of the unique Sea Cadets values and ethos which have helped make a difference to so many young lives.”
