Young sea cadets in Maldon have become the grateful recipients of a new minibus this month, thanks to a generous donation from the Maldon Rotary Club.

Maldon and District Sea Cadets can now use the minibus to enable its members to easily attend naval college together in London each week, after the rotary club donated £16,000 to fund it.

James Howard, a member of Maldon Rotary Club, said: "It was a long-term project.

"Maldon Sea Cadets is a fantastic organisation that around 100 youngsters attend."

The organisation offers a range of activities to young people, including sailing, windsurfing, powerboating, rock climbing, camping and music.

It also enables its members to gain different qualifications that they can take with them to help with applying for jobs.

The organisation is one of many supported by the Maldon Rotary Club.

James said: "We raise money, we distribute money and then we help in the community where we can and when we're asked.

"We're inclusive of everybody."

A member of the club has this week started at the Plume School, on Fambridge Road, to help children with reading difficulties.

"We go into the Plume to help out with job interviews and projects they do - we're on hand for anything they want us to do," James added.

Having continued to support residents since the beginning of the pandemic, the club is now preparing to enter its "busiest" period as winter approaches.

From next month, it will be selling tickets to its fireworks display in Promenade Park, which will take place on Saturday, 6 November.

It will then hold a street collection in December to raise money for charity - in 2019, the club's street collection raised around £500 for St Peter's Hospital.

Also in December, the club will be arranging for Santa to visit the town in his sleigh, which usually raises around £5000 for various causes.

These upcoming festive events are set to continue the club's busy calendar, which has been disrupted but not halted by the pandemic.

The club usually holds a one-day plant sale annually but, this year, it extended the sale to ten weeks - from May through to the end of July - so that it could raise even more money.

In total, it raised over £1200 through the plant sale.

James said: "Every month we're doing something - you don't have to do anything, you can just come to the meetings - but everyone joins in and helps."

He added: "Anybody who has been involved in rotary during the pandemic as a volunteer has got a lot out of it.

"It has brought the community together."

The club is currently short on members, and is urging residents to join and get involved in any way they can to help it continue to bring the community together.

James said: "When I joined rotary, I thought it would be a good thing to do when I retire - it keeps you active and it gives you a reason to get out of bed and do things."

The group meets on Tuesdays at 7.30pm at the Queens Head on the Hythe in Maldon.

To get in touch with the club, you can visit its Facebook page via the link here and its website using the link here.