VISIONARY YOUTH ENGAGEMENT

"I joined the Liverpool ambulance service in September 1972. This was after a difficult childhood in which my mum died young which led me to run away to sea at the age of 15. That did not work out and I came home; I was alone, frightened and depressed with no real prospects. When I was accepted as an ambulance cadet I quickly realised that I did not just have a job, I had a true purpose in life, goals to aim for and I felt I was part of a caring family"

Steve Clarke

The Chief Ambulance Officer Albert Guinney introduced the first ambulance cadet scheme in 1964, as a result of a challenge by local M.P. Bessie Braddock who asked him what he was doing to assist the school leavers of Liverpool.

What began in 1964 was truly a visionary youth engagement programme.

The first squad of cadets (A) began in the January of 1964 and the last squad (the second B squad) passed out September 1993. Over this length of time the cadet scheme was embraced by three ambulance services; the City of Liverpool, Mersey Metropolitan Ambulance Service and Mersey Regional Ambulance Service.

Over three hundred young men and women have donned either the purple or green cadet epaulette and hat band. Some have gone on to be senior officers in ambulance services around the country, some have stayed “on the road” being part of the ambulance crew.

Cadets

Mr Carter Inspecting the Squad

L and M Squads

Cadet Squad

Cadets at Belmont

B Squad (2nd) 1991

Squad

Squad

Cadet of the Year

The Cadet of the Year trophy was awarded by the Chief Ambulance Officer on behalf of the Cadet Training Officers to the Cadet who had shown the highest standards of professionalism and team spirit throughout their cadetship.

1966 – Keith Goodall

1967 – Phil Scott

1968 – Phil Jones

1969 – All of G squad

1970 – Dave Kenyon

1971 – Jack Reppion

1972 – Bob Jameson

1975 – Alan Kennedy

1976 – John Jennings

1979 – Ray Lunt

1981 – Stuart Ryall

1983 – Kieran Byrne