A ROYAL date at Buckingham Palace is on the calendar for one Leigh teenager while another Leigh man has just returned from a engagement with Prince Charles. Super St John Ambulance cadet Rachel Stessl, aged 16, of Clifton Road, Pennington, is getting ready for a trip to the Palace to meet Princess Anne after being named the top cadet in Greater Manchester.

And Audrey Bent rubbed shoulders with The Prince of Wales as a volunteer with the Abbeyfield Society, which provides accommodation for elderly people.

Rachel is heading down to Buckingham Palace on Wednesday with two other cadets from Bury and Whitefield.

She said she was excited but not at all nervous about meeting Her Royal Highness face to face.

The Wigan and Leigh College student said: "I am very excited about that. It's going to be the opportunity of a lifetime. My mum is absolutely thrilled for me."

She added: "I think you have to curtsy but I really don't know. I haven't been practising. I'll just have to wait and see what happens."

To scoop the prestigious title of Greater Manchester County Cadet of the Year, she had to show superb first aid and organisational skills.

Rachel competed in the national finals in January to become the UK St John Ambulance cadet of the year but was pipped at the post.

A cadet for seven years, Rachel has picked up scores of badges and certificates to show that she can keep cool and give people help and first aid in emergency situations.

She wants to be a medical secretary and is seen regularly at football and rugby matches at Hilton Park with St John Ambulance.

Meanwhile, a royal reception with the Prince of Wales saw Audrey Bent, a volunteer with the Leigh Abbeyfield Society, at St James Palace last month.

Mrs Bent joined more than three hundred volunteers attending the Abbeyfield Society reception to mark 2001 as the year of the volunteer.

She heard the royal patron of the society the Prince of Wales speaking of the many challenges facing volunteers with Abbeyfield and the need to maintain independence for older people.

The society has sheltered accommodation houses in Bond Street in Leigh.