May 18, 2023
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Three cadets from 1st Battalion The Highlanders ACF attended the 10th Annual Scottish First Aid Awards at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow.
The annual event organised by St Andrew’s First Aid saw LCpl Jay Pybus (16), LCpl Ennis Cotterill-Stirling (14) and Cdt Heather Mowat (14) named as finalists for having used their First Aid skills at incidents in their local communities over the past year.
The cadets were three of 66 finalists shortlisted for awards across nine categories, with each finalist being worthy of recognition from outstanding bravery in the pursuit of saving lives as well as exceptional examples of first aid intervention by members of the public. The event on 31 March was hosted by actor, comedian and writer, Sanjeev Kohli, who is better know as shopkeeper Navid Harrid from Still Game.
LCpl Pybus (pictured above with his dad), from Elgin Detachment, received his nomination for performing First Aid on a fellow cadet who was suffering from heat exhaustion during a break in training on a Company Weekend. Jay helped take the cadet into their accommodation to bed them down and place wet towels on their forehead along with rehydrating the cadet.
LCpl Cotterill-Stirling, from Dingwall Detachment, received his nomination for performing First Aid on a fellow cadet during Annual Camp in the summer. He was mountain biking with his cadre when one of his fellow cadets fell off their bike sustaining facial injuries. Ennis was the first person on the scene who cleaned the injured area, applying a dressing and reassuring the casualty.
Cdt Heather Mowat, from Lerwick Detachment, received her nomination for her part in an incident at the Cunningsburgh Show where she saw a young boy hit in the head with a car door – which was opened by a gust of wind. Heather went to the family to offer help and check for injuries and give reassurance.
Five cadets from the Battalion were named as finalists, Cdt Zara Laws (14) and LCpl Duncan Brown (16), from Elgin Detachment, were also shortlisted but were unable to attend the awards due to other commitments.
LCpl Brown was nominated for being involved in the same incident as LCpl Pybus and Cdt Laws was nominated for two separate incidents. The first was in the summer where she came across a member of the public who was unresponsive, Zara performed initial First Aid to ensure the casualty was responsive and contacted an ambulance. Zara’s second incident was in October where she found her mother at home struggling to breathe property, she contacted an ambulance and stayed with her mum at the hospital as well as keeping her siblings informed.
None of the cadets were named overall winners, however, as finalists they all received a St Andrew’s First Aid Certificate. All of them should all be very proud of what they have achieved and know the difference they have made to the lives of others.
