A GROUP of army cadets from Barnard Castle School have been presented with national awards for coming to the aid of an elderly resident.
Cadets Heather Brown, Esme Gembler, Angel Bloomfield and Eve Proud were walking into Barnard Castle town centre from school when they heard someone calling for “help”.
The pupils turned to find a man who had fallen over behind a stone wall near his house. Two of girls went back to the school to get help, while the other pair remained with the man, who had been on the ground for 30 minutes in the freezing cold.
They kept him warm by offering their jackets, checking that he had no obvious injuries before helping him to stand.
By this time the two girls who had run back to school for help appeared with the school nurse who gave him the all clear. The cadets helped him walk back to his home 20 metres away.
For their efforts, the girls were each awarded the National Praiseworthy Action Certificate.
The cadets have all passed basic first aid, and during lockdown, they completed an eight-week online St John’s Ambulance first aid course.
The girls said they were “extremely proud” of being able to help the man and believe their cadet training allowed them to help in a calm and confident way.
