Yorkshire Cadet wins prestigious Duke of Westminster's Award

Army Cadet, Company Sergeant Major Nikki Morgan, from Hull, has been awarded the prestigious Duke of Westminster's Award for her Cadet service, outstanding performance and achievements.

Nikki, who is eighteen, and a member of the Band detachment in Hull, has been an Army cadet for five years and has recently completed her A level examinations at Hymers College in Hull where she sat six A levels. She intends to read Medicine at Keele University commencing in October 2009.

To win the award Nikki had to complete several tasks, one of which was the completion of a Double BTEC award, in both Public Services and Music, both of which she took with Distinctions. In addition she attended a selection held at Easter 2009 from which fifteen cadets were selected to attend from the original 200+ bids. From the fifteen who attended the selection weekend, five were nominated to win the final awards. She attended the presentation of awards which was held at the Cavalry and Guards Club, in Piccadilly, London on Wednesday 24 June 2009 and the main award was to have been presented by the Duke of Westminster. Unfortunately he was taken ill and Admiral Lord West of Spithead, stood in for him.

She was speechless when the results were announced and she was declared the winner; being presented with the astounding trophy, which regrettably she was not allowed to keep, together with a cheque for £500, which she intends to use to assist her through university.

Together with the other winners she has recently been on a trip of a lifetime to South Africa, where the Cadets spent three weeks on an expedition where they carried out an environmental awareness course in Kwa Zulu Natal and lent a hand on a cultural project working with and teaching orphaned children. The trip also allowed time for the Cadets to explore the Zulu War battlefields at Rorkes Drift and Isandhlwana, together with a Ranger Course, plus time on a safari.                                                                                                             

Colonel David Fuller, Commandant, Humberside and South Yorkshire Army Cadet Force, congratulated Nikki on her achievement and said he was absolutely delighted for her and it shows just what Cadets can achieve. With the application Nikki has shown, together with the training she has received from her dedicated and enthusiastic instructors in Humberside and South Yorkshire Army Cadet Force, it proves that the youngsters of today can and will achieve great heights, given the opportunity. Nikki thoroughly enjoyed the expedition and found that the experience was a life-changing one.  

Find out more about the Duke of Westminster Award and CVQO. 

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