St John Ambulance has started a new group for the charity’s youngest first aid volunteers in the area.

The Norton Radstock Badger Sett is for children aged seven to ten and the group meets weekly at the St John Hall on Radstock Road.

The new group is the brainchild of nineteen-year-old Courtney Perrett, a nursery worker who volunteers with St John Ambulance, having previously been a Cadet – the charity’s group for ten to seventeen-year-olds.

“I started the Badger group from scratch,” said Courtney, “handing out leaflets and putting up posters around the local area. Shops in the High Street were great – they were really supportive, asking for more information on the new Sett so they could pass it on.”

Meanwhile, Norton Radstock Cadets took leaflets home with them to hand out at their schools and amongst their families and friends.

As the Sett’s Manager, Courtney is supported by her mum and a Cadet friend’s mum, whose daughter is among the new Badgers.

Now, the twelve children have completed their Badger Welcome Paw and received their uniforms, with a welcome event held last Thursday, 28th January.

The youngsters are currently busy on their Healthy Badger subject, with First Aid Badger to come after Easter and Creative Badger later in the year.

For more information on St John Ambulance’s work,including how to become a volunteer and details of training for the public, schools and businesses, visit: www.sja.org.uk or call: 08700 10 49 50.