Ultimate award for St John cadets

A trio from Hato Hone St John’s Waimea Youth Division have pulsed to the ultimate award cadets can obtain behind recognition for bravery.

Corporal Caleb Hunter, 16, sergeant Ayla Turner, 16, and outgoing cadet leader, Olivia Cross, 18, were presented with their Grand Prior Awards on 1 February by Richmond-based Commander of the Order of St John, Tracy Simonsen, and district youth manager Tania Armstrong.

Each cadet had to complete a caregivers, communication, community awareness, first aid, marching and St John history and services course, along with six optional badges and 100 hours of community service within four years to qualify for the award.

The recipients’ optional badges included water safety, Māoritanga, home technology, environment, health, faith, animal care, camping, hobbies and civil defence.

Olivia, who will soon depart Waimea Youth Division for university study in Christchurch, says she was “very excited” to achieve the Grand Prior after her seven-year cadet service.

“I was really interested in learning first aid and other life skills, and I just found St John to be very good for doing a wide variety of things and I knew that Grand Prior was something that you aim towards in the programme,” she says. “Most badges I completed through my division, each term we do a different badge, and some of them I was fortunate to go to camps for.”

Olivia says her community service included volunteering at Richmond Bridge Club and Henley School and fundraising at events.

Ayla says she was “ecstatic” to complete her award.

“I have worked really hard for the award and it’s an award that’s really valued in St John and you carry it with you through your uniform up to the highest ranks,” she says.

“With St John I would love to go on and be a youth leader, I’m passionate about the programme and I love the opportunities that it gives to our rangatahi and tamariki.”

The trio will travel to Government House in October for their Grand Prior badge and parchment presentation by Governor-General, Dame Cindy Kiro.