A WAREHAM girl has been named St John Ambulance’s regional cadet of the year for the south west. 

Mollie Drakeford, 16, was selected from 35 of the charity’s cadets who had won district competitions to earn their place at the 2024 national final on Saturday and Sunday, March 16 and 17. 

The cadet programme plays a huge role in developing the next generations of health professionals, volunteers and lifesavers.  

Last year more than 2,000 young Cadets provided 55,000 hours of lifesaving first aid and care alongside adult St John volunteers. 

Mollie is a volunteer at St John’s Dorchester Cadet unit and has already passed courses including cadet leader and three subjects for the Grand Prior Award, the highest award available to St John cadets. 

Bournemouth Echo: Mollie Drakeford, 16

She supports younger cadets during first aid scenarios to help them gain this essential knowledge and has also supported Badgers in their sessions.  

Outside St John, Mollie enjoys watching musical theatre, including Hamilton and Six, and is also into studio photography, taking images that show individualism in a person and how everyone is different in their own way. 

She is studying photography as one of her GCSEs and loves to take photos wherever she goes. 

Mollie said: “Being selected as St John’s regional cadet of the year for the south west genuinely means the world to me.  

“I am very passionate about St John, and I view the organisation as my second home and my second family. 

“St John has brought me from a place where I was quiet and shy to a place where I feel like I belong and can be myself. 

“I would love to show cadets how this charity can change you and make you find your place in life, just as I did. I’m very proud to be here and I look forward to the year to come. 

“My aims for the next 12 months are to strengthen communication within the districts and regions, so Cadets and even Badgers know about the wider community involved with St John.” 

St John Ambulance chief commissioner Ann Cable said: “Mollie has shown determination, wide-ranging knowledge and exceptional ability throughout this selection event and thoroughly deserves her title as regional cadet of the year. 

“I’d like to congratulate her for such an impressive performance over the weekend and I look forward to seeing the positive impact she will make in the region as the voice of all the other Cadets there. Well done.”