Three past and present Wanaka St John cadets -  Lily Wilson, Isla Gellatly and Nikita Sinclair - have been presented with Grand Priors Awards.

A Grand Prior Award is the highest youth award available with St John.

It is reserved for cadets who have completed at least 12 St John ‘badges’ - which can range from civil defence to fire safety and leadership programmes - and 100 hours of community service. 

“Wanaka St John is very proud of their achievements,” Wānaka St John divisional manager Tina Simmonds said.

Lily has also been selected as the 2024 Cadet of the Year - the first time a Wānaka cadet has received this award. 

She is also the Wānaka cadet leader and Central Otago Cadet of the Year, and she has been selected for the South Island representative squad for national competitions in April next year.

The local St John has run its youth programme for 14 years and 16 cadets have received a Grand Prior Award.

Wānaka Area St John Committee chair Dell Taylor credited Tina with doing a “fantastic” job with Wānaka St John Youth.

“The group has produced many talented youngsters who have won an amazing array of prizes, but, more importantly, have gone on to contribute greatly to the community,” Dell said.

This was the result of the skills learned in St John Youth, she said.

“We really appreciate the work Tina and her team do.”

PHOTO: Supplied