Every year dozens of ships arrive at the port of Plymouth. The seafarers onboard will come from the four corners of the earth; the Philippines, Syria, Ukraine on what is perhaps their first visit to Britain. They will be away from family and loved ones for many months, often isolated and fatigued.

Hannah Forrest (24), a recent psychology graduate from the University of Plymouth, is one of the Stella Maris-Apostleship of the Sea volunteers that are a friend for them.

Dawn Wilkinson has committed every Sunday for the last 16 years to the St Monica’s Impact Group in Flixton, Manchester. She has helped enable hundreds of young people from the primary school to stay connected to the parish and to their primary friends, as well as walk a journey of faith and action together. The first generation of this young group are now well into their twenties and still think fondly of their time in the group.

Anthony Crich, 15, is someone who decides quietly to ‘do things’, working away in the background, never in the spotlight. Anthony is a role model in his local community of East Durham.

Harry Wale, 18, volunteers twice a week at a charity called The Brick in Wigan supporting people who are homeless, in poverty or facing debt. As its name suggests, it provides a safe, solid building block for people in crisis to begin to construct a new life and become valuable members of society.

St John Vianney’s is a Catholic special school in the North West and the pupils that attend have moderate learning difficulties and complex needs. Over the last two years, Leland, Isaac and Leon have been instrumental in the school’s Caritas team. The group have supported charities by gathering donations of food, clothing, toiletries and cash (giving up their lunch breaks in the process). They have made an effort to walk in others’ shoes, even sharing a meal with asylum seekers at their school. Their willingness to help out has set them apart.

Samuel Wilson is a positive witness to the Gospel through his words and actions, and is a role model across the Dewsbury deanery. Samuel welcomes all opportunities including training Altar Servers, leading Worship music and reads in school and the parishes, just a few examples to demonstrate his leadership and excellent communication skills to all ages on a daily basis. Samuel has embraced the opportunity to co-ordinate mission teams delivering assemblies to all year groups for CAFOD, Aid to The Church in Need and Missio. 

Ashton Baker is an 11-year-old girl who is Chair of her school’s Chaplaincy Team and has been appointed ambassador for her school due to her attitude and commitment to living Christian values. In her role as ambassador, Ashton heard about street children in the Philippines and researched money spent on Easter Eggs for the pupils. She gave a presentation and all 425 pupils voted to donate the money to those living in poverty in the Philippines!

Saint John Bosco College is in the midst of Battersea’s tower-block estates. A group of enthusiastic and hard-working year 7s established the very first school gardening club, meeting weekly after school. The young gardeners took a small otherwise ignored patch of playground, and with commitment, passion and a great deal of industry and imag

Annalia Rathoor is an 11-year-old environmentalist with big dreams. She was nominated for a Barbara Ward: Caring for the Environment Award at the Celebrating Young People Awards for her recent efforts at school litter-picking, banning plastic and for her innovative animal safety campaigns. She was also one of the lead members of her Eco Team to help renew her schools Green Flag Award.

Aaron founded and continues to run a project called Help Manchester which encourages young people locally to support day centres that feed and shelter homeless people each day. Recently, Aaron helped a refugee with no friends or family in the UK whom he and a friend met in the library. Acting as a friend, Aaron has given the man invaluable physical and emotional support. The legal advice secured and donations of clothing have been vital. Aaron studies Computing, and has set up a computing project, Console Code for underprivileged young people in North Manchester. Aaron had to pitch his idea to a panel of judges who decided it was worthy of funding

Carmel has been ministering to the young people of Coventry for nearly 20 years, welcoming up to 45 young people a week. Beyond the weekly volunteering, she leads young people to Lourdes and World Youth Day. Social Action is also close to her heart: She takes aid young adults to the refugee camp in Calais. She organises trips to the food bank and homeless shelter, and delivers Christmas cards with young people to the elderly and sick in the parish. Carmel is there for her young people. She supported young people through depression, attempted suicide, and criminal behaviour. She has accompanied them to police stations when they make mistakes and she’s at their school play when they have a starring role. 

Jacinta has come a long way since her childhood in an orphanage in China. She is passionate about improving the lives of others. Jacinta has been instrumental in transforming the mindset of her peers over the years. 

The students are deeply committed to and involved with students who are struggling. As well as being a regular presence around the school, they give up their lunch breaks to set-up an ‘open door’ for students who just wish to to talk with someone. 

The Youth Catholic Council of St Edward’s parish have thrown a spotlight on the issue of rough sleeping. The group started as a few young people trying to highlight the needs of the homeless and rough sleepers to the parish. 

The students at St Gregory's Catholic Science College, Harrow, have been instrumental in supporting 150 guests on Sunday afternoons at Ealing Soup kitchen. The pupils have committed hundreds of hours volunteering their time helping out those who are vulnerable and in need of very fundamental assistance.

Niamh has been part of her school’s Faith in Action group for five years, tirelessly attending weekly meetings and supporting events. She is also part of the Lourdes group, joining the fundraising to ensure all the pupils get there.

Kelsea is a carer to her mum and younger sister, working hard without any complaint. And Kelsea spends most of her spare time working to help others in her volunteering work in the community. 

The Eco Committee raise awareness and produce positive environmental outcomes throughout their school. After completing a whole school environmental review, they implemented a large number of initiatives and eco campaigns. 

Joab is passionate about the environment, and leads his school in their work to tread more lightly on the earth. Joab is deaf, and uses his experiences to make others understand their gifts and responsibilities. He also helps students at a local special school to get to grips with their environmental responsibilities too. 

As an active member of our Eco Group, Matthew has planted hundreds of trees around Fleetwood. Matthew recently helped to plant an orchard at school to save the local bee population. 

Hannah and Zoe have shown huge zeal, promoting peace and solidarity amongst young people in Newcastle for over 5 years. Each week they meet with a group of around 30 students - from different religions and backgrounds - to think about how to promote peace and solidarity. The organised a recent conference on welcoming refugees. 

Ella is currently the youngest member of the 'Young Peace Journalists'. Ella chose the refugee crisis as her focus and built her own links with various agencies to make contact with refugees. Ella has a natural presence of a peacemaker, she is confident yet full of humility, a young lady mature beyond her years.

Anna is a Peer Mentor for year 7 students with behaviour issues and secondary school transitions. She supports the younger students who have anger problems or just need someone to listen. 

Jonathan has always strived to uphold the dignity of his fellow students and committed to helping others know that they can make a difference. He is a dedicated campaigner, raising awareness of youth mental health issues as well as building youth involvement in democracy. 

 Lucien and Georges work quietly and humbly in the background, standing up for the rights and justice of their fellow young people. They reach out and befriend other young adults in their deprived inner city area of Birmingham. 

The young people at St Thomas of Canterbury YCW Group have real zeal for social justice and promoting the dignity of others. They represent the voice of young people on the Parish Council and are supporting the local primary school in a social action campaign. 

Adam and Angel are ‘unsung heroes’. They have significant caring roles in their own families but use their experiences to promote the needs of other young carers by mentoring, raising awareness, advising the local NHS, and lobbying MPs. 

Since he was nine years old Alex has spent five hours a day caring for his mum, nan and granddad by cooking meals, cleaning, changing dressings and more. He spends his limited spare time raising awareness of other young carers, for example by organising a Young Carers Week in his college. 

Ethan is 13 and his physical challenges haven’t deterred him from helping others. Ethan's social action and extraordinary commitment helped raise awareness of the plight of refugee families in London.