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As Volunteers' Week comes to a close, Sea Cadets would like to thank its amazing 9,000 volunteers.

We offer land-based and water-based adventure for 10- to 18-year-olds – but without volunteers, this would not be possible. That is why we wanted to mark Volunteers’ Week 2017, which ran from 1 June to 7 June and recognised the thousands of people across the country helping out in their communities.

At Sea Cadets, volunteers put in 4.21 million hours between them every year. They receive full support, as well as training and an induction, with roles available in a variety of areas, from managing finances and budgets, fundraising for the unit and organising events, to teaching cadets first aid, navigation, drill, sailing, powerboating, kayaking and windsurfing.

Volunteers include those who have just left Sea Cadets aged 18, to people in their 80s and 90s – such as Colin Marshall. Colin, who turns 90 on 8 June, helps at Peterborough Unit, which he joined as a cadet in 1942. He is due to be featured on BBC Look East on the same day.

The unit’s chairman, Andy Tannock, said: “He has been a role model for both adults and cadets alike and has a great knowledge of all of his subjects, the Sea Cadet Corps and the local history of Peterborough.

“Colin attends most parade evenings and he attends every civic parade in uniform. He is very proud of his association with the unit and the affiliation with Peterborough.

“We are very proud of him and feel that Colin deserves recognition for his hard work, commitment and loyalty to the Sea Cadet Corps, and the city of Peterborough.”

The naming and commissioning of TS City of London took place on Saturday 3 June at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club in Falmouth, following a £400,000 fundraising appeal.

The yacht – a Rustler 42 –  can take up to six cadets, along with a skipper and mate. Young people from Falmouth and Penryn Sea Cadets Unit and Torpoint Sea Cadets Unit were present at the commissioning, along with Lord and Lady Mountevans, who lent their support to last year’s Lord Mayor’s Appeal, for which Sea Cadets was a joint charity partner. 

Sea Cadets’ CEO, Martin Coles, said: “We are delighted to launch our new yacht, TS City of London, which will allow us to get even more young people out to sea, boosting their confidence and self-belief.

“I would like to thank everyone who attended the naming and commissioning, and in particular Lord and Lady Mountevans, whose support during last year’s Lord Mayor’s Appeal was instrumental in raising the £400,000 needed to fund this fantastic asset.”

Sea Cadets is fundraising for a second yacht and has so far raised £225,000. If you would like to donate, visit: www.sea-cadets.org/donate or call 020 7654 7018.

Rickmansworth and Watford Sea Cadets volunteer Nina Guppy won the Most Flexible Volunteer Award at an inaugural prize-giving.

To mark its first anniversary, #TeamHerts Volunteering held an awards celebration to recognise and reward the achievements of volunteers and charities across the county.

Nina was selected by the judges for giving her time to her unit as an events assistant. She is also training to qualify as an instructor in paddlesport, sailing and expedition leadership.

The Chairman of Rickmansworth and Watford Sea Cadets, Fabian Hiscock, who put Nina forward for the award, said: "Her extraordinary flexibility and willingness to take on new challenges has provided an astonishing demonstration of selfless and highly effective volunteering, and has had a major influence over the working of our Sea Cadets unit."

The award coincides with Volunteers' Week, which runs until 7 June. Sea Cadets is marking the event to recognise its 9,000 volunteers.

Congratulations to our amazing Vitality 10,000 runners, who took the the capital on Bank Holiday Monday to raise money for Sea Cadets.

The 10k race was the first in a series of challenge events this year and next year that will raise money for the charity.

Sea Cadets' runners included family-of-three Robin, Linda and Charlie, and Middlehill Activity Centre volunteer Charlotte.

There are still places available in some of our challenge events, including the Royal Parks Half-Marathon and the Snowdon Triple Challenge. Fundraisers, who will need to raise a minimum amount, will be supported every step of the way. To find out more and register your interest, visit http://www.sea-cadets.org/events

Marine Society and Sea Cadets would like to wish good luck to all those who are taking their exams.

We aim to be the leading maritime charity for youth development and lifelong learning, and many associated with the charity will be sitting SATs, GCSEs and A-Levels.

Marine Society offers tailored learning programmes to seafarers, with qualifications such as GCSEs and A-Levels available. Cadets, meanwhile, will also be taking these exams, as well as SATs.

GCSE exams got under way this week, while A-Levels will be taken later this summer.

You can find out more about the programmes and qualifications Marine Society offers here: http://www.marine-society.org/education-hub