Community Spirit
In the challenging situation that we all currently find ourselves facing, a little community work can go a long way to lifting spirits and improving life for those around us. The efforts of Cadet Lance Corporal Madison Chaplin have certainly not gone unnoticed by those in her village.
"The village and myself are very lucky to have Madison carry out this work for us in Seven Sisters as we all take a lot of pride in the appearance of the whole village, but most certainly our war memorial statue. Her professionalism and pride in what she did, for someone so young, is commendable. Madison is a credit to her family and the village of Seven Sisters. We are very lucky to have such an extremely talented and motivated young lady living here: I have no doubt that she will go on to do some fantastic things in her life and I would certainly wish her success in whatever she decides to do."
Councillor Steve Hunt
Cadet Lance Corporal Madison Chaplin
Madison, however, got so much out of the work that she committed a considerable amount of extra time to the project, often volunteering for over three hours a week. She collected and disposed of numerous amount of rubbish that accumulated, which had either been left or blown around the area. Her dedication to maintaining the overall appearance of the memorial to respect the lives that had been lost in conflict was second to none. Madison's hard work was noticed and commented on by many members of the Seven Sisters community, who felt compelled to pass on their comments and thoughts to their local County Borough Councillor. After the period of Remembrance, Madison continued to make sure that any poppy wreaths were always in their correct place.
Balancing this volunteering work with government restrictions and guidelines was challenging at times but Madison showed foresight and maturity in her decisions, understanding the complexities of what was required and following procedures to ensure that she did not put anyone, including her family, at harm.
Madison has certainly shown a maturity and empathy beyond her years, and we are very proud to have her as a Gwent & Powys cadet.
