More than a dozen military people from across Gwent have been recognised for their work.

The efforts of 14 exceptional individuals, including nine cadets, have been celebrated by the county's representative of the King - the Lord Lieutenant of Gwent.

The honoured individuals include five who received the prestigious Lord-Lieutenant’s Certificate of Merit.

The awards were bestowed by Brigadier Robert Aitken CBE CStJ at a distinctive ceremony held at the Chapman VC House, Cwmbran, on April 11.

Among the distinguished recipients were Chief Petty Officer Robert Evans of HMS CAMBRIA; Staff Cadet Regimental Sergeant Major Ehsan Iqbal of Gwent and Powys Army Cadet Force; Pilot Officer Sarah Louise Beach and Warrant Officer Joanna Holley, both of No 1 Welsh Wing RAF Air Cadets, and Major Stephen John who serves as the Schools Cadet Expansion Officer for RFCA for Wales.

The celebration also marked the achievements of the Lord-Lieutenant’s five cadets.

These five promising youth spent their time highlighting their memorable experiences as cadets for the 90 attendees at the ceremony.

The distinguished cadets were Cadet Regimental Sergeant Major Ciara Bannon, Cadet Company Sergeant Major Deiniol Hughes, Cadet Sergeant Major Thomas Morgan, Cadet Sergeant Alexander Lee, and Cadet Sergeant Sophy Cadman.

Their admirable roles included their attendance at several official engagements alongside the Brigadier.

They were selected for the prestigious Lord-Lieutenant’s cadet role after their successful nominations by cadet group leaders and the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association for Wales.

They proudly follow in the footsteps of their 2022/23 predecessors, who were awarded the Lord-Lieutenant’s Certificate and Badge. They were Sgt Maj Iqbal, Cadet Sargeant Major Olivia Armstrong and Combined Cadet Force and Cadet Warrant Officer Deighton Davies.

Additionally, Lieutenant (SCC) Benjamin Yuille RMR of the Torfaen Sea Cadets and Royal Marine Cadets was conferred with the Cadet Forces Medal for long service.

He was honoured with the Cadet Forces Medal for his 12 years of unwavering service.

Almost 5,000 cadets in Wales work diligently with local communities and charities while participating in practical activities, and receive a wealth of skills and qualifications.

These activities are guided by 1,850 volunteering adult instructors and civilian assistants who generously donate their spare time on weeknights and weekends.

The award ceremony was meticulously organised by the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association (RFCA) for Wales, an organisation with more than a century's experience in supporting the Armed Forces.