Cadet at Buckingham Palace

Seventeen-year-old first aider Charlotte Sefton, with St John Ambulance Hampshire, was invited to Buckingham Palace to meet the Princess Royal.

Havant student at Buckingham Palace

Charlotte, who is the Cadet of the Year for St John Ambulance Hampshire, represented the county at a special reception.

She joined the first aid charity at school when she was 11 and is now studying at Havant College.

She said: ‘I feel really honoured to be able to represent St John at Buckingham Palace. I have met Princess Anne before, but not as Hampshire’s Cadet of the Year.’

Charlotte, from Southsea, added; ‘I joined St John because I wanted to further my knowledge of first aid. I love it because although we learn, we also have fun and I’ve made loads of great friends. My baby sister can’t wait to join!’

As a St John Ambulance Cadet, Charlotte is able to go out on duty as a qualified first aider. ‘I have loved going to football duties at Fratton Park as well as duties at the Guildhall, where I saw the comedian Omid Djalali last month.

‘I have used my first aid skills a lot in real-life situations – once I helped a girl who had alcohol poisoning.’

Charlotte is studying AS levels in Biology, Chemistry, Maths and French.