The first eight Sea Rangers in the UK had their graduation ceremony in Port Talbot, it was wonderful to attend and be given a guided tour of the ship they’ll be working on.

The Sea Ranger Service offers 18 to 29 year olds the chance to protect the seas by undertaking vital work to conserve Britain’s oceans. Recruitment started in January then 30 candidates were put through their paces in a rigorous bootcamp before being whittled down to the final eight. They’ll now start a programme of surveys in the Celtic Sea monitoring sea birds and other marine animals. After being employed as full-time Sea Rangers for six months they’ll then be supported into work.

This is a wonderful opportunity, bringing green jobs to the area and giving young people the chance to learn crucial skills for green careers, and I’m delighted to have helped this brilliant project get started in Port Talbot.