St John Ambulance Edlington badgers & cadets celebrate an outstanding year at annual awards night
St John Ambulance Edlington proudly celebrated an incredible year of youth achievement at its Annual Awards Night, recognising the dedication, skills, and service of its Badgers and Cadets throughout 2025.
The evening highlighted the inspiring commitment of young people who together contributed thousands of hours to their community, mastered lifesaving skills, and represented Edlington with pride.
A Year of Remarkable Achievement
Throughout 2025, the Edlington unit achieved:
- 3,742 voluntary hours contributed
- 900 members of the public trained in lifesaving skills
- Including Edlington 5-year-old Badgers confidently demonstrating first aid to the public
- £6,508.93 raised through fundraising efforts
- 7 new Badgers and 19 new Cadets welcomed into the unit
- 38 Badger Subject Certificates presented
- 45 Cadet Subject Certificates presented
- 7 Badger Stage Awards
- 6 Cadet Stage Awards
- 4 Cadet Hours Awards
Highlights of the evening was the presentation of the Grand Prior Award, the highest honour a Cadet can achieve, to Hannah Galliers. The celebration also featured the presentation of four Super Badger Awards—the top award for a Badger—to Poppy Dearnley, Poppy Wainwright, Jakub Garbacik, and Erin Oakley, all presented by Ben Shackleton MStJ, County Commissioner for South & West Yorkshire.
- St John Ambulance Mayor’s Cadet (Edlington) 2026 – Maya Stawkowska, presented by Deputy Mayor of Edlington Robert Reid
- Cadet of the Year (Edlington) – Lily-Mae Harper, presented by Becki Minshull, Deputy County Commissioner.
- Achievement Cadet – Sofie Wilson, presented by Michelle Hartley MStJ, County Youth Lead
- Badger of the Year (Edlington) – Poppy Smith and Poppy Wainwright
- Both also received Special Awards for notable achievements within their schools
- Achievement Badger – Charlie Keable-Price, presented by Ben Shackleton MStJ, County Commissioner
- ‘Follow Me’ Badgers Awards for Erin Oakley and Poppy Wainwright presented by Callie Cunningham, Regional Cadet of Year.
The awards celebrated dedication, compassion, and growth—qualities at the heart of St John Ambulance’s youth programmes.
Julie Slyde OStJ, Network Lead, said:
“2025 was an exceptionally busy and rewarding year for our Edlington Badgers, Cadets, and Adult volunteers, and we couldn’t be prouder of all they have accomplished. As we look ahead to 2026, we’re excited to embrace new opportunities and challenges together. A huge congratulations to every young person who received an award — your dedication, enthusiasm, and commitment to helping others continue to make Edlington a safer and stronger community.”