Mrs Marion Smailes
Marion joined Folkestone Nursing Cadet Division as
Marion Taylor and became a Grand Prior Cadet having reached
the National Finals of the St John Competitions in 1954.
More than 50 years later, Marion has remained
active working with both adults and youth to support the cause of
St John Ambulance.
As a young Girl Guide looking to obtain her first aid badge and
her sick nurse badge, Marion took a training course with St John
Ambulance.
'Having done that I thought "Ooh, I'm enjoying
this," and I decided to join,' Marion said.
Over the course of her time volunteering with St John Ambulance,
Marion went on to become Cadet Officer for the Division in 1963, a
position she held for six years, until she became Divisional
Superintendent in 1993. Thirty years later she became a Brigade
Member with the Adult Division.
During the period 1965 to 1992 the Division gained 63
Grand Prior Cadets thanks to the combined hard work and
dedication of their leaders including Marion.
It became customary for each girl to be given a
celebration dinner in the Folkestone Headquarters
to celebrate their award and to make the presentation and an
Honours Board was introduced for Grand Prior Cadets.
Competition training was always on the agenda at Folkestone with
much success, the Division had two teams at National Finals in the
same year.
A family affair
Marion married in 1960 and had three daughters, they all became
Grand Prior Cadets at Folkestone.
'From a very young age (my daughters) were dragged along as
patients at competition practices,' said Marion. 'From there the
girls all got involved, with the eldest daughter continuing
through to the Adult Division.'
The eldest daughter had two children a boy and a girl, they
both became Grand Prior Cadets at Folkestone as the Division was
now a Combined Cadet Division.
Marion's grandson trained as a nurse in London
and works with St John London District, having been special
attendant to a former Commander in Chief at the London
Marathons.
The dedication continues
Marion meanwhile, continues to work with the adults, supporting
public duties and looking after former St John members who are
elderly or disabled.
She has also, until recently, supported the Cadet
Division with training and her former Division continue the
tradition of winning places at National Finals.
Every few years, Marion arranges a reunion for her
former cadets and many travel miles to be present and to
spend time with the scrapbooks detailing varied cadet
activities.
Three generations of this family have
supported St John at Folkestone and have helped to develop the
Division's special history.