A young police cadet has been presented with an award from the man she hopes will be her future boss.
Chloe Warnes is the 300th cadet to have enrolled in the Northumbria Police Cadets Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme and has just achieved her bronze award.
Chief Constable Steve Ashman visited her school, Bede Academy, in Blyth, to present Chloe with a certificate in assembly.
The 16-year-old, of Blyth, wants to study law prior to starting a career in the police force. She said: “I have always been interested in joining the police and I wanted to do something that would give me some experience.
“The cadet scheme gives you an insight into what the police deal with. It’s unbelievable how many friends you make, the experience you gain from it and the different activities you get to do.”
Chloe attends the cadet scheme once a week and has trained in first aid, crime prevention, marching, fitness and other aspects of the award.
Chief Constable Ashman said: “Chloe was the first in her cohort to complete the bronze award and she has gone on to work towards the silver award, so she’s not just taking part, she’s doing very well.”
After listening to the assembly theme of determination, he added: “The emphasis on ‘character counts’ at Bede Academy is a wonderful ethos.
“As someone who leads a large organisation, what we look for in people is not always what they have in terms of exams. One of the biggest things we look for is what they have inside. Have they got character and determination? It’s really important.”
A growing number of students at Bede Academy are following the wider Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.
Vice principal Steve Nelson added: “It is an extremely worthwhile programme that aligns perfectly with our ethos of character counts and developing students through personal challenge and public service.”