Theale Cadet chosen as youth champion

Tilehurst teenager Natalie Denehy has been chosen to join a national St John Ambulance team charged with championing the role of young people within the charity.

Ambassador

Natalie, a member of Berkshire's Theale Division, has been appointed to the charity’s National Youth Assembly Lead Team, which consists of eight young people aged 14-25 from all over the country.

Her new role will involve extensive travel, representing young St John Ambulance volunteers and organising various youth participation events such as the National Cadet Conference.

She will identify appropriate young people to sit on national working groups and committees and will act as an adviser to the youth section based at the charity's national HQ.

Last year Natalie was St John Ambulance Berkshire's Cadet of the Year and was chosen as one of the country's top three Cadets by a national judging panel.

As County Cadet of the Year and the UK's Deputy Cadet of the Year she was an ambassador for the charity at numerous prestigious events including a garden party at Buckingham Palace hosted by HRH the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Natalie has been a St John Ambulance Cadet since 2005 and says the experience has inspired her to pursue her dreams of a career in medicine. She has just finished her A levels at Reading's Kendrick School where she studied Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English Literature and Critical Thinking. She is now anxiously awaiting her results and hopes to go to medical school in October.

Natalie said she'd like to see more young people joining St John Ambulance which has given her a wealth of fun and adventure as well as invaluable life saving skills.

 

'I'd recommend the organisation to all young people,' she said. 'It's an opportunity to get involved in something really worthwhile and although St John Ambulance is best known for first aid, we do take part in many other adventurous and creative activities

'A real highlight of my time in St John Ambulance was going to the International Youth Festival in New Zealand in January. It was a fantastic opportunity to meet like minded people from all over the world who are members of St John Ambulance. Seeing how influential the organisation is on a global scale inspired me to get involved at a national level.'

One of Natalie's first assignments in her new role will be helping to run a 'Dragon's Den' style way of Cadets bidding for funding for youth events in their area.