WE recently celebrated Armed Forces Week, which is an important part of recognising the vital role our Armed Forces play in defending our country and keeping us safe.

It is an opportunity to honour our serving personnel, reservists, and veterans, and to acknowledge the incredible sacrifices they, and their families, make. While we recognise this commitment all year round, Armed Forces Week gives us a valuable chance to come together as a community for a grand show of support.

In South East Cornwall, we care deeply about these sacrifices. Recruits begin their careers at HMS Raleigh, we have great organisations such as China Fleet Country Club and the various Royal British Legion branches, and we have many veterans across our area. The Armed Forces are truly part of the fabric of our communities.

While I was up in Westminster, I attended events organised by Help for Heroes and a Defence Showcase. Being able to speak with colleagues, serving personnel and veterans about the incredible work our Armed Forces do was a real highlight. Closer to home, I also attended Plymouth Armed Forces Day, which was a brilliant display of our communities coming together in a great demonstration of support. There really was something for everyone, from the spectacular parades to the live music.

I also nominated China Fleet Country Club in Saltash to receive a letter from the Secretary of State for Defence, Dan Jarvis MBE MP, to thank them for their incredible work in organising their Armed Forces Day flag-raising ceremony. China Fleet Country Club does fantastic work year-round to support Royal Navy and Marines personnel and their families, and it was an honour to nominate them to receive recognition from the Secretary of State for this brilliant work.

More widely, I attended another Passing Out Parade at HMS Raleigh recently. It was a privilege to be part of the celebrations and to see first-hand the hard work of recruits being acknowledged. South East Cornwall has long supported recruits at HMS Raleigh, and I am proud to see that tradition continue.

I also want to thank all the personnel and volunteers at HMS Raleigh for all the work that they do to support recruits throughout their training. People like Terry Whitty, who has recently been awarded a British Empire Medal in The King’s Birthday Honours for his years of dedication as Lead Mentor in the Royal Naval Association's Mentoring Programme. His mentorship has played a crucial role during their training and has made a lasting difference in the lives of many. I find his service deeply inspiring, as I’m sure many across South East Cornwall do too.

This Armed Forces Week was another powerful opportunity to thank our Armed Forces for their bravery and sacrifice. Supporting our local Armed Forces community remains a priority for me as South East Cornwall’s MP, and I’ll continue to recognise the brilliant work that organisations and individuals in our area do to support our military personnel.