St John Cadet’s delight at meeting the Princess Royal

A St John Ambulance Cadet from Great Yarmouth who assisted in the treatment of a man who had suffered a cardiac arrest met the Princess Royal, patron of St John Ambulance, at the charity’s recent annual Young Achievers’ Reception in London.

Susan Hart was among nine young people from the East of England invited to the reception at Buckingham Palace last month, acknowledging their hard work and commitment to the charity.

The event honoured St John Ambulance Badgers, Cadets, and young carers who have all made outstanding contributions during their time as young volunteers with the organisation.

Susan, 16, is a volunteer at the Gorleston Combined Cadet unit and was nominated as a Young Achiever due to her actions assisting two adult volunteers with a cardiac arrest incident on

Gorleston beach. While on duty at an event at the Pavilion Theatre, the first aiders were called to assist the man, who was being given cardio-pulmonary resuscitation by members of the local yacht club. Once the first aiders had taken over, Susan assisted with tasks including gathering information about the man and talking to bystanders.

She also waited for the ambulance and assisted the crew by carrying equipment, holding the drip and helping transfer the patient into the ambulance to be taken to hospital.

In the past, Susan has treated a range of other injuries while on first aid duties. She now assists with running the weekly Badger sett meetings, including group activities and working with individual Badgers on tasks.

Each young person was given the honour of meeting the Princess Royal – who has the official title of Commandant in Chief, Youth for St John Ambulance – and the opportunity to discuss their experiences as a volunteer during the reception.