St John Ambulance cadet Hannah James and the Isle of Man Sea Cadet Corps have been recognised in the Tynwald Day 2021 Best Turned Out awards.

The awards are designed to recognise the vital contribution made by the military, not only to the Tynwald Day ceremony but also to the island’s history and heritage.

Seventeen-year-old Hannah, who won the Best Turned Out Individual award, said said she was delighted to have received such an unexpected honour, adding: ’It’s a very proud occasion to be on parade on Tynwald Day, especially this year when we were in the presence of Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal.

’This year was first time St John Ambulance has won a Best Turned Out award.’

Queen Elizabeth II High School student Hannah added that she hoped to apply the skills she had learned with the organisation to pursuing a career in physiotherapy and rehabilitation.

St John Ambulance Isle of Man commanding officer Martin Benson said that Hannah was an ’exceptional’ cadet who had been on water duty at the Tynwald Day ceremony but then had stepped in magnificently at short notice to serve as standard bearer after a member fell ill.

Receiving the Best Turned Out Unit award on behalf of the Isle of Man Sea Cadet Corps, sublieutenant Jamie Ward, aged 25, said: ’The 2021 Royal Tynwald Day was the first major event we had attended since 2019, because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

’The island’s cadet corps are quite competitive so we’re extremely pleased to have won this award, which is a great morale booster for all of us.’

The President of Tynwald, Laurence Skelly MLC, said: ’Creating these awards was very important as a means to recognise the vital contribution made by the military, not only to the Tynwald Day ceremony but also to the island’s history and heritage.’

Presenting the Best Turned Out Unit award he said that the Sea Cadets had done ’a superb job’ which reflected the island’s role as a proud sea-faring nation.

He went on to congratulate Hannah on her ’tremendous performance’ and said: ’St John Ambulance is highly revered and greatly respected.

’Hannah and her fellow cadets are "unsung heroes" providing an extremely valuable service to the island.’