This year, St John Ambulance Cymru is celebrating 100 years of Cadets in Wales. The celebrations kicked off at St John Ambulance Cymru’s Maesteg Division, the location of Wales’ first ever St John Ambulance Cymru Cadet group.
The St John Ambulance Cymru Cadet programme not only aims to teach the young people of Wales vital first aid skills required to save a life, but it also provides young people with wider skills which they can take into their professional and personal lives.
Since the first Cadet Division was formed in Maesteg on 12th March 1923, the Cadet programme has given young people across Wales a chance to give back to their communities by being there for people in times of need.
The celebrations took place earlier this month at the Division’s hall in Maesteg town centre. Attendees looked through the various historical artifacts on display, from vintage first aid kits to letters and photographs of Cadets in the past. Sir Paul Williams OBE, KStJ, DL, the Prior for Wales and 16-year-old Mali Stevenson, the St John Ambulance Cymru National Cadet of the Year, both spoke at the reception. Both reflected on the history of the Cadet programme and its importance today.
Mali spoke about her experiences being a Cadet; “being a St John Ambulance Cymru Cadet has massively helped to increase my confidence and communication skills. I have had the privilege of meeting many other young people as part of my journey, and wouldn’t be the person I am today without my experiences with them.”
“We can all be thankful to everyone here today, and across the whole country, who have allowed the Cadet community to flourish and expand over the past 100 years”
“You have all made being a Cadet such a rewarding experience and I’m sure I can speak for all Cadets when I say that we are very grateful for your efforts. St John Ambulance Cymru is a vital service and what this organisation does to inspire participation from young people is incredible.
National Cadet of the Year, Mali Stevenson
Kimberley Burns, Young People’s Development Officer for St John Ambulance Cymru helped to arrange the reception.
She said, “the event helped us to showcase the Division and thank our current volunteers for their dedication to our organisation.”
“Without the hard work of past and present volunteers, the Maesteg Cadet unit wouldn’t have been able to continue.
We’re so looking forward to the rest of our centenary year, celebrating the hard work of our adult volunteers, and the achievements of Cadets across Wales.”
The reception marked the start of a whole year of celebration for the Cadet centenary. To find out more about the Cadet programme, visit www.sjacymru.org.uk/cadets.
Some Masteg Division members at the reception.
Dathlu 100 mlynedd o Gadetiaid St John Ambulance Cymru
Eleni, mae St John Ambulance Cymru yn dathlu 100 mlynedd o Gadetiaid yng Nghymru. Dechreuodd y dathliadau yn Adran Maesteg St John Ambulance Cymru, lleoliad grŵp Cadetiaid St John Ambulance Cymru cyntaf erioed Cymru.
Mae rhaglen Cadetiaid St John Ambulance Cymru nid yn unig yn anelu at ddysgu sgiliau cymorth cyntaf hanfodol i bobl ifanc Cymru sydd eu hangen i achub bywyd, ond mae hefyd yn darparu sgiliau ehangach i bobl ifanc y gallant eu cymryd yn eu bywydau proffesiynol a phersonol.
Ers ffurfio Adran gyntaf y Cadetiaid ym Maesteg ar 12fed Mawrth 1923, mae rhaglen y Cadetiaid wedi rhoi cyfle i bobl ifanc ledled Cymru roi rhywbeth yn ôl i'w cymunedau drwy fod yno i bobl ar adegau o angen.
Cynhaliwyd y dathliadau yn gynharach y mis hwn yn neuadd yr Adran yng nghanol tref Maesteg. Edrychodd y mynychwyr trwy'r arteffactau hanesyddol amrywiol a arddangoswyd, o hen gitiau cymorth cyntaf i lythyrau a ffotograffau o Gadetiaid y gorffennol. Siaradodd Syr Paul Williams OBE, KStJ, DL, Prior Cymru a Mali Stevenson, 16 oed, Cadet Cenedlaethol y Flwyddyn St John Ambulance Cymru, yn y derbyniad. Myfyriodd y ddau ar hanes rhaglen y Cadetiaid a'i phwysigrwydd heddiw.
Dwedodd Mali am ei phrofiadau fel Cadet; “Mae bod yn Gadet St John Ambulance Cymru wedi helpu’n aruthrol i gynyddu fy hyder a fy sgiliau cyfathrebu. Rwyf wedi cael y fraint o gwrdd â llawer o bobl ifanc eraill fel rhan o’m taith, ac ni fyddai’r person ydw i heddiw heb fy mhrofiadau gyda nhw.”
“Gallwn ni i gyd fod yn ddiolchgar i bawb yma heddiw, ac ar draws y wlad gyfan, sydd wedi caniatáu i gymuned y Cadetiaid ffynnu ac ehangu dros y 100 mlynedd diwethaf”
“Rydych chi i gyd wedi gwneud bod yn Gadét yn brofiad gwerth chweil ac rwy’n siŵr y gallaf siarad ar ran yr holl Gadetiaid pan ddywedaf ein bod yn ddiolchgar iawn am eich ymdrechion. Mae St John Ambulance Cymru yn wasanaeth hanfodol ac mae'r hyn y mae'r sefydliad hwn yn ei wneud i ysbrydoli cyfranogiad gan bobl ifanc yn anhygoel.
Helpodd Kimberley Burns, Swyddog Datblygu Pobl Ifanc St John Ambulance Cymru i drefnu’r derbyniad.
Meddai, “Fe wnaeth y digwyddiad ein helpu i arddangos yr Is-adran a diolch i’n gwirfoddolwyr presennol am eu hymroddiad i’n mudiad.”
“Heb waith caled gwirfoddolwyr y gorffennol a’r presennol, ni fyddai uned Cadetiaid Maesteg wedi gallu parhau.
Rydyn ni’n edrych ymlaen yn fawr at weddill blwyddyn ein canmlwyddiant, i ddathlu gwaith caled ein gwirfoddolwyr sy’n oedolion, a llwyddiannau Cadetiaid ledled Cymru.”
Roedd y derbyniad yn nodi dechrau blwyddyn gyfan o ddathlu canmlwyddiant y Cadetiaid. I ddarganfod mwy am y rhaglen Cadetiaid, ewch i www.sjacymru.org.uk/cadets.
