Updated 11/01/10

Thank you for your interest in the Marine Society and Sea Cadets charity, in particular the Tyne Tees Branch.  We hope our pages are interesting as well as informative, however if you have any further enquiries please do not hesitate to contact us. 

What is the MSSC

The MSSC is a charity formed in 2004 from a merger of The Marine Society and the Sea Cadet Association (formerly Navy League). It exists to offer seafarers and prospective seafarers a range of services to enhance their well-being. Its main activities are:

For Seafarers –Education and Welfare

Libraries – Libraries are provided for 350 ships around the world.

College of the Sea - Distance learning for seafarers studying for GCSE or Degree courses (in partnership with the Open University)

For Young People – The Sea Cadets

The MSSC is the governing charity of the Sea Cadet Corps which is the largest maritime-based national voluntary youth organisation. The MSSC recognises the huge potential young people offer but also the pressures many face growing up in Britain’s 21st Century, especially in inner city areas, which can leave young people feeling frustrated, alone and isolated. The Sea Cadets offers active challenges that help develop social skills and a respect for others. Most North East Units are in inner city areas and provide much needed structure to the lives of young people many of whom live in single parent families.

The Sea Cadets is Britain’s largest maritime-based voluntary youth organisation involving 15,000 young people in 400 Units across the UK.

Unlike the Army and Air equivalents, the Sea Cadets is not wholly funded by the MOD. The Royal Navy supports the Sea Cadets with training equipment and uniforms but each Unit must find and maintain its own Headquarters and meet other running costs. In order to do this each Unit must continually raise funds and is thus a charity in its own right.

Nationally some 45% of cadets come from single parent families and 25% have learning difficulties.  The Units give much needed structure to their lives and the staff provide positive role models in an environment where people matter.