St John Ambulance Gloucestershire

MEDIA RELEASE
29 March, 2012

Gloucestershire Cadet is recognised at Buckingham Palace

St John Ambulance Cadet Freya Hart from Gloucestershire had a date with royalty yesterday (28 March) after being invited to Buckingham Palace to celebrate her achievements in completing the charitys Grand Prior award.

The 17-year-old, who lives in Chalford, near Stroud, was recognised by HRH The Princess Royal for completing the award, which is the highest a St John Ambulance Cadet can achieve. She must have shown at least three years of sustained effort studying 24 different subjects including first aid, communication and working in the community. Freya, a music technology student at Stroud College, joined the towns St John Ambulance Cadet Unit in 2005. As well as working towards her Grand Prior award, Freya has been trained in first aid and used her skills several times to treat minor injuries. Yesterdays visit was a family affair for Freya, whose mum Wendi is leader of Stroud Cadets and accompanied her daughter to the Palace.
Freya said she was pleased to have been chosen to meet Her Royal Highness: I feel greatly honoured to have gone to Buckingham Palace and to meet The Princess Royal and represent my cadet division and county. Being a St John Ambulance cadet has increased my confidence in all areas of my life. Now that I have finished my Grand Prior I am helping the other cadets and would like to be involved with teaching cadets. As well as first aid, during my time in St John Ambulance I have learnt about subjects from fire prevention and animal welfare through to DIY and complimentary therapies. I have helped to teach first aid skills in local schools and have volunteered at local duties such as Gatcombe Horse Trials where I have treated casualties.

St John Ambulance Gloucestershire

MEDIA RELEASE
Wendy Human, Head of Youth said: We believe that all young people should have the chance to learn first aid. Freya has worked hard and shown her dedication to St John Ambulance. The Palace reception is a perfect way to recognise her achievements.

Approximately 84 young people were invited to the Palace to represent St John Ambulance from across the country. For details on becoming a St John Ambulance Cadet or youth leader in your area call 01452 858220 or visit www.sja.org.uk
ENDS To find out more about this story or to interview a spokesperson please contact Chloe Moorhead, County Fundraising and Media Manager on 07854 891151 or

chloe.moorhead@glos.sja.org.uk
Notes to editors

<!--[endif]-->As the nations leading first aid charity, St John Ambulance believes that nobody
should die because they needed first aid and didnt get it. Yet every year, up to 150,000* people die in situations where first aid could have given them a chance to live. St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so that they can be the difference. *Using death registration data from the Office of National Statistics, 2008 (for England and Wales), April 2010.