16-year-old named cadet of year
Sixteen-year-old Sophy Ansell has been
named St John Ambulance Cadet of the Year for Hampshire.
The Year 11 pupil from Wykeham House School,
Fareham, became a cadet three years ago and is the only student
first aider in her year.
She has already used her skills to treat a
friend's broken fingers and looked after another friend who had an
asthma attack during a D of E climb up Butser Hill.
Working towards a dream
It gives you a lot of skills that you wouldn’t necessarily know otherwise and you can use them in so many different places.
Sophy Ansell
Cadet of the Year, Hampshire
Ansell is studying for 11 GCSE subjects and
believes being proficient in first aid will go some way towards
realising her dream of becoming a doctor.
'It's really good for my CV because I want to
go into medicine and hopefully become a paediatric consultant,
which would involve my love of children and my love of medicine as
well,' she said.
She believes other young people should learn
first aid and join an organisation like St John
Ambulance.
'It gives you a lot of skills that you
wouldn’t necessarily know otherwise and you can use them in so many
different places – they can come in handy whenever, you just never
know,' she said.
Support from
county
Pat Bethel, Head of Youth for St John Ambulance Hampshire, said
Ansell was a great example of a dedicated volunteer who believes in
the difference first aid can make to saving
someone's life.
'She is a great ambassador for St John
Ambulance and having worked with her on a Leadership course last
weekend I know she has a bright future in both our organisation and
her chosen career. She is exactly the kind of person we are looking
for to lead Cadets in the county,' she said.
National Cadet of the Year competition
The National Cadet of the Year competition
takes place in Wiltshire (11-13 February) when Cadets from across
the country will battle it out to win the coveted overall national
cadet award.
The national competition will be sponsored by
PGL, the leading provider of school trips and children’s activity
holidays.
Research has found that each year up to
150,000 people die in situations where first aid could have given
them a chance to live, and that’s a frightening statistic.
St John Ambulance can teach you how to save
someone's life but being a member also helps you develop leadership
and other skills that can be used in everyday life.