Loughor girl named St John Ambulance Cymru’s Badger of the Year

An 11-year-old from Swansea has been named St John Ambulance Cymru’s Badger of the Year, after demonstrating her passion, confidence, and knowledge for first aid and helping others.

Maddie Carey – who’s part of the charity in Loughor alongside her mother, Hannah Davies, and siblings Alan (15), Isabelle (12), Liam (10), and Lacey (9) – was thrilled to win the award, which was presented to her at the organisation’s National Youth Awards in February.

The Badger, Cadet and Young Adult of the Year awards are open to St John Ambulance Cymru’s young volunteers between the ages of 5-25, who compete against each other to be in with a chance of receiving a title.

Hannah said:

“Maddie was shaking when she found out, she was so excited. She’s worked really hard over the last 12 months and I’m so proud of her.

“It’s been such a tough year for Maddie not being able to go to Badgers or see her friends, but she’s kept herself busy doing projects at home.”

While her division has been closed during the pandemic, Maddie has big plans for when it reopens, and can’t wait to get started in her new role championing the voices of children at the charity.

“She’s got loads of ideas and keeps asking when things are opening back up.

“I think she’ll get a lot out of it, as well as making a difference for everyone else,” said Hannah.

Maddie’s main motivation for wanting to join the charity and learn lifesaving first aid skills started with her desire to help people, a quality that she one day hopes to turn into a career.

“She loves the idea of being able to help those in need and can see how the things she’s learning could help with that.

“Since joining Badgers she’s become more and more interested in medicine and now wants to become a paramedic when she grows up,” Hannah added.

St John Ambulance Cymru Youth Development Officer, Kimberley Burns said:

“Young people like Maddie have shown an incredible amount of resilience and dedication to their local communities.

“Maddie’s a great role model for Badgers across Wales. She loves learning new things and meeting new people, and since becoming a Badger has grown to become such a confident, caring and compassionate person – we’re incredibly proud of her.”

Each year, winners of the National Youth Awards go on to become Youth Ambassadors and the voice for the charity’s future lifesavers attending prestigious events across Wales, representing the current experiences and issues facing children and young people today.