Crawley cadet awarded prestigious Grand Prior Award at Sussex Awards Evening
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Eleanor Richardson, from Crawley, West Sussex, has been awarded the Grand Prior Award, the highest honour available to a St John Ambulance Cadet.
The award was presented at the St John Ambulance Sussex Awards Evening held at the Charmandean Centre, Worthing, on 7 October 2026.
Sixteen-year-old Eleanor, who attends Lingfield College and is currently studying A-levels in biology, psychology and maths, has been a member of St John Ambulance since the age of 12 and has served as an operational cadet since she was 14. A member of Crawley Cadet Unit, Eleanor currently holds the rank of Corporal and has recently completed the CL1 course.
Throughout her time with St John Ambulance, Eleanor has volunteered at a wide range of events, including rugby, hockey and football matches, festivals and community events. Alongside developing valuable first aid skills, she has also completed her Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Bronze and Silver awards through St John Ambulance and is currently working towards her Gold Award.
Eleanor hopes to pursue a career in medicine and plans to study for a medical degree after completing her education.
When asked what she would say to someone thinking about joining St John Ambulance Cadets, she said “Go for it! You learn some excellent life skills and you can help other people.”
Jane Bennett, Youth Leader at Crawley Cadet Group, said “Eleanor Richardson is one of the Cadet Non-Commissioned Officers at Crawley Group. Eleanor joined St John Cadets four years ago when she was twelve. She has worked very hard at every task and course that she does within St John and is always well turned out in her uniform, being clean, tidy, having polished shoes and all the correct badges in the right places.
“Eleanor has deservedly completed both her Grand Prior Award and her Silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award recently. Eleanor is very reliable attending as many weekly meetings as possible and not letting people down if she says she will attend any type of event or course. She will also help new and less experienced Cadets. We are all very proud to have Eleanor within our Cadet Group.”
The Grand Prior Award is the highest award a St John Ambulance Cadet can achieve, recognising years of dedication, training and personal development. To earn the award, cadets must successfully complete a comprehensive programme of subjects and activities, demonstrating commitment to volunteering, leadership and first aid excellence.
St John Ambulance Cadets operate across England, enabling young people aged 10 to 17 to learn lifesaving first aid skills, develop confidence and support their communities through volunteering. More information about the St John Ambulance Cadet and Badger programmes can be found on our website at https://www.sja.org.uk/get-involved/young-people/.