POOLE teenager Harrison Moors has been named St John Ambulance’s West Region Cadet of the Year for 2017.

The 16 year old triumphed in the two day contest, which saw the best of the first aid charity’s young volunteers from across the country take part in some tough tasks to win prestigious regional and national titles.

As a volunteer with St John Ambulance’s Wallisdown Cadets, Harrison will now represent St John Ambulance Cadets at a number of events throughout the south west and west Midlands over the coming year.

"Winning the competition to become the region’s Cadet of the Year means a lot to me,’ said Harrison, who attends St Edward’s School in Oakdale.

"I want to share the experiences I’ve had, and show our charity’s young volunteers the amazing possibilities and opportunities our organisation has to offer, but also to encourage them to achieve their best."

Designed to stretch the cadets’ abilities, the competition included a wide range of subjects from first aid to communication, team work, presentation skills and working with the media.

"I love being part of St John Ambulance, because of the opportunities to help people and make a difference, but most importantly because of the friends I’ve made and the amazing people I have met."

Wallisdown Cadets’ volunteer manager, Vicky Packer said: "Harrison is an inspirational young person and a great role model to the other young people at our unit. He works very hard at our weekly unit meetings and has come a long way in a short space of time as he only joined St John Ambulance two years ago – this has shown our other cadets that anything is possible.

St John Ambulance Cadets are aged 10 to 17 and besides first aid they learn a huge range of other important life skills as they work towards their Grand Prior award, the highest award a cadet can achieve.

If you would like to know more about St John Ambulance’s youth programmes, or would like to join, call 08700 10 49 50 or visit www.sja.org.uk/young-people