Local Face: Denise Horn
Denise Horn was born in Halton Hospital and lived a busy life in Wendover until she went to the University of Hertfordshire in 1997. But she still serves her native county. She spent her early years at Monday Club, (still on Monday afternoons but now Wendover Parent and Toddlers) and Memorial Hall Playgroup, (now Wendover pre-school). Then came the usual route of John Hampden County First (now Infant) and Wendover Middle (now Junior) Schools.
At 7, Denise joined 2nd Wendover Brownies, which was an ideal induction into the movement, and by 10 she had progressed to 2nd Wendover Guides and also became a St John Cadet, completing the Essentials of First Aid Certificate.
Whilst a Guide, she became a Patrol Leader and gained her Baden Powell Award as well as becoming a Pack Leader with 2nd Wendover Brownies. When Denise moved to Rangers at the age of 14, she continued at Brownies, now as a Young Leader. Whenever Denise returns from studies she continues to help at Brownies and in August returned fresh from her 13th Pack Holiday, where she was cook for the second time.
In the St John Ambulance Brigade Denise gained her Grand Prior Award at 16 and was selected to apply to become the St John Ambulance Lord Lieutenant’s cadet for 1996-7. This post is for one year and involves attending events alongside the Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, the Queen’s Representative in the county. Denise was appointed and was fortunate enough to attend the visit of the Duke of Kent to stoke Mandeville Burns unit in September 1996, touring the hospital in the VIP party! She was also selected, with two other girls, to attend the Grand Prior Reception with HRH the Princess Royal in London. This was for cadets from around the country who had received their Grand Prior Award.
During her time with the cadets, Denise earned promotion to corporal, sergeant then cadet leader, helping with running the division, when Wendover was experiencing difficulty. She recruited adult leaders, giving 500 hours of public duty including pop concerts, Football Matches, Horse Events, Leicester Square on New Year’s Eve, Wendover carnival, Notting Hill carnival and many others.
At 17, Denise left the cadets and joined the Adult Division gaining the Ambulance Aid and Care Certificates. She was one of the first in Bucks St John to learn how to use an AED (automated external defibrillator). She is now a member of the Buckinghamshire operational Support Team, which provides equipment at large duties. She is also a member of her University St John and the Hertfordshire Emergency Planning Group. Denise’s cadet years spanned her secondary school education which yielded 10 GCSE’S at 16 and A-levels in Biology, Chemistry and Maths as well as GCSE Latin at 18. Whilst at AHS she also completed her Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award after several challenging expeditions, which included the use of her skills. Denise’s Guide and Cadets voluntary work fulfilled her community service requirement at AHS so she chose to work at Leonard Pulham House as a part time Care Assistant to increase her patient contact skills and during university vacations she still works there.
She is now in her third and final year taking a BSc (Hons) degree in Physiotherapy. Denise also races for the University Ski Club and trains once a week. Denise has found university great fun and hard work but it is even harder to face reality and start looking for a job!