Heckington student named St John Ambulance Regional Cadet of the Year
St John Ambulance has selected a 17-year-old student from Lincolnshire as its 2026 Regional Cadet of the Year as the competition marks its 40th anniversary.
Martha Davies, 17, from Heckington has been named St John Ambulance’s Regional Cadet of the Year for the East Midlands, following a demanding national competition which tested her first aid knowledge, leadership and communication skills. Martha Davies was selected to represent the East Midlands region after being chosen from more than 35 of St John Ambulance’s most outstanding cadets from across the country, all of whom had already won county competitions to earn their place at the national final.
The competition, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, took place between February 27 and March 1 at Ingestre Hall near Stafford, and brought together young volunteers from across the country for a weekend of challenging assessments designed to test their first aid skills, leadership and commitment to volunteering.
During the competition, cadets took part in a series of exercises including first aid scenarios, teamwork and problem-solving tasks, presentations, interviews and group discussions, all assessed by an experienced panel of judges. Many of the challenges were based on real life situations cadets may encounter.
Martha is currently studying for a BA(Hons) in Art and Humanities at The Open University. She volunteers at the Sleaford SJA cadet unit.
She has been widely recognised for her achievements, including being a Westminster Award finalist (2025), winning the Lincs and Notts ‘Unity’ Award (2025), being named St John Ambulance Lincs and Notts Cadet of the Year (2025–2026), and being an Alumni youth board member of the National Saturday Club (2024-2026).
Reflecting on her achievement, Martha felt honoured to have been selected and said: “I have been a cadet for seven years and it has helped me grow not only as a volunteer, but as a person - equipping me with first aid skills that save lives, teaching me vital leadership skills, building my confidence, and finding lifelong friends.
“Over the coming year I will be working closely with the other seven Regional Cadets of the Year, and our National Cadet of the Year, Emily. Together, we will be the voice of young people in St John Ambulance. Within the East Midlands I will be shining a spotlight on the young people who give so much to the charity and working with them to equip them with the skills to lead St John Ambulance into the future.”
Many of the competitors have already used their first aid skills in real emergencies, including Martha. In 2024, a family member fell and fractured their arm badly while on a day out. She described this as the most serious situation she had faced.
Martha’s kept them calm, putting their arm in a sling to keep it in place, and monitoring them. The break was serious, and they ended up needing surgery to reconnect the shattered bone. The hospital said that without Martha’s efforts it would have been even harder to restore in surgery.
Shona Dunn CB, Chief Executive of St John Ambulance, said: “The cadets demonstrated not only outstanding first aid ability, but also leadership, teamwork and a genuine commitment to helping others. They represent the very best of St John Ambulance, and I have no doubt they will continue to make a real difference in their communities and beyond.”
The National Cadet of the Year, supported by a team of eight Regional Cadets of the Year, acts as an ambassador, representing young volunteers at events and royal engagements, supporting youth involvement and championing the importance of first aid and volunteering.