Tuesday, February 7 marked an unforgettable day for young achievers at St John’s Ambulance from across England and Wales, as a select few were cordially invited to Buckingham Palace in recognition of their dedication and commitment.  

Early Tuesday morning, the Badgers and Cadets (accompanied by Rhys Probert and Jessica Bogunovic) made their way to London, where they were honoured at a reception in St John’s Chapel. From there, two coaches arrived to transport the guests to Buckingham Palace to meet Princess Anne.  

This did not come without its challenges, however – as explained by Young People Development Officer for Wales and volunteer DOIC of the Abergavenny division in St John’s Ambulance, Rhys Probert.  

“The wrong coach came”, Rhys recalled “we had one double decker bus, which could not take us into the Palace grounds because it didn’t fit! So, everyone had to get off the bus and walk through the gates of Buckingham Palace.

All the kids were walking by the tourists who were taking pictures of them in their uniforms... I do not think it truly sunk in where they were and what was happening until the kids walked under the arch... Everyone went silent! It was a very special moment.” 

Attending this special event were five representatives from Gwent, including Abergavenny locals: Alfie and Tyler. Both boys have been a part of St John’s Ambulance since they were five years old and have recently accomplished their Super Badger Award; progressing onto the Cadets. 

To attain the Super Badger Award, Badgers must complete nine of the themed Badger subjects. This covers a wide range of topics and activities, from first aid to communication skills, to healthy living and Cymraeg. The programme strives to support children through their learning and development journey. 

What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that Alfie and Tyler are the first Badgers to obtain Super Badger status in Abergavenny for twenty years; the last person being Rhys Probert. Upon Alfie and Tyler’s accomplishment, Rhys said: “We are really proud of both Alfie and Tyler in Abergavenny provision, they represented the community and organisation well when they met Princess Anne.” 

Rhys described the Princess to be gracious, commenting that she spent most of her time with the Badgers and Cadets. “She made sure to chat with everyone” Rhys said, “you could see how interested she was in what they had to say and what they have done for their community.”  

Rhys and members at St John’s Ambulance welcome anyone and everyone who would like to get involved in the organisation moving forward. There are three groups: Badgers (aged 5-11), Cadets (aged 11-18) and adults (aged 18+). All groups learn key skills that benefit both themselves and the community. The adults also get involved in events, delivering first aid; one example being the Harry Styles concert in Cardiff this upcoming June.