Teenager wins top award at ceremony.

A TEENAGER from Hackney has scooped the top prize in a London-wide ceremony to reward the best police cadets in the capital.

Sharna Giordania, 18, of Stoke Newington, took home the Metropolitan Volunteer Police Cadet of the year at The Great Hall in Kensington on Sunday November 21.

Sharna, who also won the Presence and Performance award for 17-19-year-olds, was handed her prize by Kit Malthouse, the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Commander Steve Rodhouse.

“It was great to win it. I was especially proud because my Mum and Nan were there to see me go up on stage to get the award,” the teenager said.

The event celebrated the achievement of cadets and their leaders from across London with awards from ‘The Jack Petchey Foundation’.

Hackney Cadets were award winners in four out of the six individual categories.

The Hackney Cadet winners were Zakariya Ahmed, 16, for the Safer Neighbourhoods, 14–16, award, Junaid Mulla, 17, for the Presence and Performance, 14–16, award and Nida Dyer, 16, for the Best Recruit, 14-16, award.

PC Paul Piper, received a Jack Petchy leaders awards.

If you live or are schooled in the London Borough of Hackney and are between 14 and 21, you are eligible to join Hackney Volunteer Police Cadets. For further information please contact Jill DiMartino on 07900 651 687 or e-mail jill.dimartino@met.police.uk