Liz Johnson first got involved in the youth sections of St John in September 2005 after her own children saw an advert for Badgers and Cadets. When Liz enquired she discovered that there was a shortage of adult helpers and that there was a waiting list which her children would have to join unless St John could recruit more youth leaders. Liz quickly volunteered to help out on a temporary basis, which not only meant her own children could start but the waiting list could also be cleared.
At her final Badger meeting Liz was presented with a card and gift from the Badgers and fellow volunteers.
Liz said: “The thing I will miss the most is the children. It has been heart warming watching the Badgers learning and developing life skills and working up to Cadets and in some cases then moving on to full time careers with the ambulance service or in other areas of healthcare.”
Marcia Bale, St John Community Support Officer said: “Liz has dedicated so many hours to our St John Badgers over the years. She has been ever present and always full of enthusiasm, supporting our young people and helping them develop skills for life. She has had such a positive influence on many young people and she will missed by the young people and by the other leaders.”
Learning first aid with St John has also proved valuable and made a difference to people’s lives as both Liz and her children have put their skills into practice when faced with medical emergencies.
“I am proud to say my own young people have been able to use the first aid skills and knowledge they gained from St John in real life situations,” Liz added.
Although Liz has stood down from her weekly commitment as a Badger leader she has offered to help occasionally when other adult leaders are unavailable. Liz briefly came out of retirement last week to help with the Remembrance Sunday parade.
In 2021 Liz was invested as Members of the Order of St John at the ceremony at the Priory Church of St John in Clerkenwell.
Representatives from St John Ambulance Guernsey have taken part in events in London and Guernsey to remember those who have lost their lives or been injured in conflict.
Paramedic Station Officer Sonia Guille represented Guernsey’s Emergency Ambulance Service as part of the Civilian Services Contingent for the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in Whitehall on Sunday morning. The Civilian Services Contingent is made up of nominated representatives from various agencies including the Police, Fire, Ambulance and Prison Services, St John Ambulance and the British Red Cross.
Meanwhile in Guernsey, the Chief Ambulance Officer, Mark Mapp laid a wreath on behalf of the Emergency Ambulance Service at the Smith Street War Memorial in St Peter Port during the Bailiwick Act of Remembrance.
Long serving volunteer Millie Sarre and Kelsea Bougourd represent the first aid and adult sections of St John and placed a wreath on the granite steps of the memorial on behalf of the charity. Matilda Shell and Alicia Cathcart place a poppy wreath on behalf of the St John Badgers and Cadets.
St John Ambulance Guernsey volunteers were also on duty at the ceremony to provide first aid cover for participants and the public.
On 11th November, to mark Armistice Day personnel from all sections of the organisation, marked the national two minutes silence at the St John headquarters at the Rohias.
Once again, two ambulances have been displaying large poppies as a mark of respect.
In the exercise the passenger boat Sark Venture posed as a stricken cruise ship and scenario was that a fire had started in a cabin and initial attempts to contain the fire had been unsuccessful, meaning the whole boat had to be evacuated.
The St John marine ambulance Flying Christine III, the St Peter Port lifeboat Spirit of Guernsey, and the Sea Fisheries patrol vessel Leopardess were all involved in transferring the passangers to the harbour, with the Flying Christine responsible for the injured casualties.
More than fify people who had been aboard the boat were taken to ro-ro ramp where they were triaged and survivor clearance operations were carried out.
Chief Ambulance Officer Mark Mapp said: The excercise went very well. It was good to see different agencies working together with a joint plan to save lives. To deal with an emergency you need to have a good and solid planand it must be tested so it can be reviewed and amended accordingly. There’s nothing like doing it in practice to build resilience.”
The scenario was based on a case study of the cruise ship Star Princess, which caught fire in 2006 with 2,690 passengers and 1123 crew on-board, while sailing to Jamaica from Grand Cayman. 
The team, based at the Rohais, held a two day cake sale last Thursday and Friday and produced a fantastic spread of cakes and buns.
Sue Ahearne, Sue Girard, Wendy Le Tissier and Shiralee Le Page worked incredibly hard to pull this off with extra baking needed late on Thursday night.
Commercial manager Gina Gooding said: “Macmillan Cancer Support is close to many peoples hearts and I’m proud of the team for working hard to bake as many cakes as possible. Our next cake sale which is planned for December will be raising money for Les Bourgs Hospice.”
St John Ambulance Guernsey is launching a new Caring Caller project to help tackle loneliness and social isolation. The free telephone service will link trained volunteers, who have time to listen and chat, with older people who are living alone, feeling isolated or cut off from their community.
Caring Callers also offers a telephone check-in service for people who might benefit from a call, either on a regular basis, or on a temporary basis when normal support networks, such as friends and family are unavailable. The check-in service will also offer a safety net for anyone who cannot summon assistance in the normal way.
Once trained the Caring Caller volunteers will be matched with people with similar interests or shared experiences and will catch-up on a regular basis over the phone. The service not only aims to end loneliness but also to help improve well-being and other health issues among isolated, vulnerable or older adults.
The St John charity is launching the Caring Caller service together with an appeal for more volunteers to coincide with National Befrienders Week which runs from 1st – 7th November and celebrates the benefits of befriending and creating connections.
Heather Langlois, Chief Executive Officer said: “Even in a small island community, self-isolation may result in people in feeling disconnected or cut off from friends, family or the outside world. Just having someone ask you about your day can make all the difference to how you’re feeling and brighten up your day. Caring Caller is all about connecting people and helping to end loneliness. Similar projects operate in other parts of the world and have been shown to have a positive impact on individuals health and wellbeing, as well as reducing the demands on other services which people who are feeling lonely sometimes turn to when they don’t have anyone else to talk to.”
Kelly Marquis, Emergency Ambulance Service Paramedic Practitioner added: “We know that loneliness and isolation can impact on both mental and physical health. In my own experiences as a Paramedic Practitioner, I have met people who are on their own and who feel low or anxious or experience other mental or physical health related issues because of loneliness. The ‘Campaign to End Loneliness’ draws on research that suggests in some cases loneliness can be as harmful to physical health as smoking fifteen cigarettes a day. While the Caring Caller volunteers are not counsellors or healthcare professionals they may spot when someone is not well and be able to follow a welfare process to signpost them to other forms of appropriate care, if needed.”
Marica Bale, Community Support Officer at St John Ambulance Guernsey added: “We are looking for friendly, chatty people of all ages and from a variety of backgrounds, who have a positive outlook on life and who are happy to spend time talking to others. We will try and match people with similar interests, but the conversations could be wide ranging. Our volunteers will undergo training, induction and ongoing support.”
To find out more about the St John Caring Caller service or to volunteer as a Caring Caller call 01481 727129 or email Caring.Caller@stjohn.gg
Guernsey’s emergency services held a two-minutes silence at 09:00hrs on Wednesday 19th October to remember their colleagues from the blue light services who have been killed or injured during their work. Representatives from the police, fire, ambulance and coastguard will assemble at 08:50 hrs for a short ceremony, hosted by the Emergency Ambulance Service at the ambulance station on the Rohais.
Chief Ambulance Officer Mark Mapp said: “999 Day is an opportunity to reflect on the work and dedication of Guernsey’s blue light services and to thank them for the work they do all year round. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our ambulance crews for the excellent standard of care and compassion they give to our community, often working in challenging circumstances. I would also like to acknowledge our support staff, the Community First Responders and all the other St John volunteers who provide valuable assistance to the Emergency Ambulance Service, as well as the staff at the Joint Emergency Services Control Centre (JESCC) who are the unsung heroes of the blue light services. Their job is extremely diverse and can be extremely challenging, but they make a real difference to lives being saved by giving telephone advice before the arrival of an ambulance.”
Head of Bailiwick Law Enforcement Ruari Hardy said: “It is a privilege to be part of Guernsey’s blue light and Emergency Services and be part of a National 999 day and represent all my colleagues across Bailiwick Law Enforcement. The people of Guernsey should be very proud of those members of our community who put themselves forward to undertake this critical work as part of the wider public service and it is right we acknowledge those who have served and continue to do so.”
Chief Fire Officer, Jon Le Page said: “We welcome this opportunity join together with our fellow emergency service colleagues across the UK in recognising the hard work and dedication to duty of all staff (both paid and voluntary). They all have a common aim, which is to assist and protect members of our communities. Those in my charge at the Guernsey Fire & Rescue Service are no different and I am hugely grateful for the way in which they work collaboratively and tirelessly with staff from the other emergency services to make the response to calls for assistance from our community as effective as possible. I am very proud to be able to stand with my colleagues from the other emergency services today, as we observe two minutes’ silence in honour of those who have been killed or injured in the line of their duties across the country.
Harbour Master David Barker added: “I would like to commend all members of the emergency services after what has been another busy year in the Bailiwick. In particular I would like to thank the volunteers who crew our RNLI lifeboats, Channel Islands Air Search aircraft and the Flying Christine marine ambulance, all of whom do a fantastic job, often in very challenging circumstances.”
Emergency Services Day, also known as 999 Day, traditionally takes place on 9th September each year, however, it was postponed this year following the death of Her Majesty The Queen and the date for 2022 was rescheduled out of respect for the King and national mourning.
999 Day provides an opportunity to highlight the work of blue light services, encourage the responsible use of our emergency services and promote career and volunteer opportunities within the sector.
The emergency services are honoured to have the support of His Majesty The King and His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. The national day also has the support of the Governments of the UK, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
999 Day is also supported by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the National Fire Chiefs’ Council, Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, the NHS and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The Emergency Services Day flag will fly from the mast at the Guernsey police headquarters the fire station and the ambulance station.
Members of a new scheme will be able to make savings at a growing number of businesses across the Bailiwick as the St John Support & Save scheme is rolled out to the public from Monday 17th October 2022.
The initiative has been set up by the St John Ambulance Guernsey charity to raise vital funds for the charity’s voluntary activities which includes Event First Aid Volunteers, Badgers & Cadets, the Flying Christine III, Community Library, Cycle Response Unit, Ambulance Reserve, Community First Responders and the Caring Caller service.
Heather Langlois, Chief Executive of the St John charity said “We wanted to bring a further benefit to supporting a charity and St John in particular, those who join the scheme will make savings many times over and above what they have donated to become a member. The businesses who are onboard the scheme, receive additional customers and the St John charity receives a valuable boost to our fundraising – it really is a win for everyone. Our charity, like so many others at the moment, is struggling to raise funds in these difficult times, so the fact that you can get something back when you support our charity is something that we hope will be of great appeal and a fresh take on the more traditional type of fundraising”.
The Support & Save scheme has been in development for the past 6 months and was tested by members of the St John voluntary section. Janet Unitt, who volunteers as a St John Advanced First Aider and Community First Responder, was the first member of the scheme and said “Being a total fan of making a saving, I jumped at the chance to get my membership and take part in the trial, I’m sure that I will get plenty of use out of the card and knowing that it all starts with supporting a great charity, makes it even more worthwhile”.
The St John Ambulance Guernsey charity operates a variety of services to the benefit of the community and relies entirely on fundraising and making charges for our event first aid cover. Our Volunteers collectively provide thousands of hours of service each year to support our community in a multitude of ways, both at public events or behind the scenes.
St John Support & Save scheme memberships cost £25 and can be purchased online, via www.ambulance.gg or by calling in to the St John Healthcare shop in the Rohais.
The announcement comes following a review of ambulance provision and an extensive consultation period involving St John in Guernsey, the States of Alderney and States of Guernsey.
The Alderney ambulance service will operate as an extension of the Guernsey service, under the clinical governance framework and leadership of the St John Emergency Ambulance Service with training and development opportunities aligned to the Guernsey operation.
Recruitment for qualified or trainee ambulance clinicians in Alderney is due to begin immediately with the responsibility moving to St John from the start of 2023. The funding model for the service is based on the States of Alderney bearing the full costs of the operation.
Ian Carter, Chair of Policy and Finance Committee in Alderney said:
“The States of Alderney welcomes Guernsey Ambulance Service as its provider and is excited about the future of the Ambulance Service as we develop a more integrated resilient approach to healthcare services on the island. We would like to express our thanks to our current locum provider and our dedicated volunteers who have worked tirelessly to ensure no break in service over the past year.”
And Boyd Kelly, Chair of General Services Committee in Alderney added:
“This is a positive step in the history of the Ambulance Service and we would like to thank all the agencies involved in developing this solution. Over the last years, we have been indebted to the work of our volunteers in ensuring the continuity of the Ambulance Service.”
Guernsey’s Chief Ambulance Officer Mark Mapp said:
“St John Guernsey has been providing the Emergency Ambulance Service for 85 years, we have supported Alderney for several decades with mutual aid, and now the time is right to extend our assistance and expertise to our sister island. The operating model considers the most cost effective and clinically safe and sustainable approach for Alderney at this moment in time. By moving the operational oversight, management and clinical governance of AAS to Guernsey, Alderney will benefit from the decades of emergency ambulance experience and national professional links that St John has to offer. We look forward to working with the States of Alderney and the local community to deliver a professional ambulance service for the island, we are committed to supporting community growth and resilience, and it is hoped that the majority of operations will be underpinned by on island staff and volunteers.”
Deputy Mark Helyar, Policy & Resources Committee lead on matters relating to Bailiwick relationships, said:
“The commissioning of the St John Emergency Ambulance Service by the States of Alderney represents a further step in our collective efforts to develop a more resilient and sustainable model of care which supports the health and wellbeing of the Alderney community. The States of Guernsey continue to have very positive discussions on the broader future of health and care and it is encouraging to see agreements like this one for the provision of ambulance services being put in place, which will hopefully be reassuring for Alderney residents.”
The States of Alderney would like to thank ID Medical, the private ambulance provider, which has been running the ambulance service in Alderney on a temporary basis. The States of Alderney and the Guernsey’s Emergency Ambulance Service will work together to oversee the transfer of operations from the current provider to ensure a seamless transition for the Alderney community early next year. 
St John Emergency Ambulance Service has a long history of supporting Alderney through a memorandum of understanding as well as through education, training and leadership. In 2019 Guernsey’s ambulance service provided temporary cover at the request of the States of Alderney and has previously covered periods of leave in the island. St John has delivered the ambulance service for Guernsey since 1936 and today provides the service on behalf of the States of Guernsey through a grant from the Committee for Health & Social Care. The St John charity also provides the Flying Christine marine ambulance which has been serving all the islands of the Bailiwick for 70 years.
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A hard-hitting road safety presentation aimed at reducing speeding and careless driving on Guernsey’s roads is being delivered to secondary school students this week.
Licence to Kill is a tri-service initiative produced by Guernsey Fire & Rescue Service, Guernsey Police and Guernsey’s Emergency Ambulance Service, which shows students the devastating consequences of speeding, drinking alcohol, not wearing a seatbelt and using mobile phones whilst driving, known as the fatal four.
The sessions are being shown to Year 11 students, who will soon be behind the wheel and it features footage of local crashes as well as interviews with victims and their families.
Emergency Ambulance Service EMT Jim Cathcart said: “Road traffic incidents can be devasting, not just for those directly involved but for families and the wider community. Everyone’s life is important and we want our roads to be safer for everyone. The messages of Licence to Kill are simple – Don’t speed, don’t drive under the influence of drink or drugs, don’t use a mobile phone or text while driving and wear a seatbelt. We hope that this presentation will have a positive impact on the next generation of young drivers and on the safety of our roads.”
Roads Policing Unit officer Mat Du Port said: “Everyone needs to take road safety seriously. Very sadly in the past couple of years we have seen that serious road traffic collisions do happen in Guernsey and the results can be life changing or fatal. Every driver has a responsibility to themselves, everyone in their car and everyone they pass to act safely. Licence to Kill is a reminder that just because they’ve passed their driving test, they aren’t suddenly able to drive at speed, or when drunk or under the influence of drugs. It is a licence to drive – not a licence to kill.”
Fire & Rescue Service Crew Commander Gavin Robins said: “The Licence to Kill message is hard-hitting because we not only want to raise awareness of the consequences of dangerous driving, but also change attitudes. We don’t want to meet any of these students the next time we attend a road traffic collision. As the first responders who attend crashes in Guernsey we know first-hand how people are affected both with the physical injuries as well as the impact they have on people’s mental health and wellbeing, so while the message of this presentation is hard hitting we are empathetic to people’s feelings and we do encourage young people to talk about the issues after the presentation.”
St John Ambulance Guernsey is delighted to be working with Guernsey FC again to promote lifesaving CPR as part international “Restart A Heart Day” on Sunday 16th October.
St John Ambulance Guernsey is delighted to be working with Guernsey FC again to promote lifesaving CPR as part international “Restart A Heart Day” on Sunday 16th October.
St John event first aid volunteers and St John Community First Responders will be at Footes Lane for the match against Uxbridge (KO 1300) demonstrating how to do CPR and use an AED when someone collapses and stops breathing. There will be opportunities for fans to get hands on before the match, at half time and after the full-time whistle.
St John Communications Officer Jim Cathcart said: “Anyone can be affected by a sudden cardiac arrest at any time and for every minute without intervention, the person’s chances of survival reduce significantly. CPR is a simple but life-saving skill and there are people in Guernsey today who would not be here if someone had not known what to do. Everyone in our community, has a role to play in the chain of survival, whether it’s by calling 999, doing chest compressions, locating a defibrillator, or by telling others what to do. Restart a Heart Day is about giving people the skills and confidence to help deliver simple but life-saving treatment.”
GFC director Nic Legg added: “CPR is something everyone should know. No-one wants to find themselves in that situation, but knowing what to do in an emergency can be the difference between a life saved and a life lost. Last year we had CPR and AED lessons with St John Training Services as part of our pre-season training, so we are delighted to be working with St John again this year and are grateful to the St John volunteers who have given their time to pass on their skills to our stewards, players and fans. We are also fortunate to have our own portable defibrillator pitch-side, purchased from St John after our training, thanks to generous support of three local companies. There is also a public access defibrillator at Footes Lane, unveiled by former Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba back in 2013.”
Guernsey FC has also given free admission to the match against Uxbridge to all St John volunteers and Emergency Ambulance Service crews to thank them for their service to the community.
Restart A Heart week is an annual initiative led by the Resuscitation Council UK, in partnership with other charities and ambulance services. In Guernsey Restart A Heart week is supported by the Guernsey Cardiac Action Group, the Emergency Ambulance Service, St John Training Services and St John Ambulance volunteers.
Steve Ford, Head of Emergency Planning and Support at the Emergency Ambulance Service added: “In Guernsey we have been working hard to improve cardiac arrest survival rates. The Cardiac Action Group has provided basic training for thousands of islanders, we have a network of public access defibrillators, we have St John Community First Responders and a team of co-responders, and the 999 call takers at JESCC give CPR advice over the phone – but there is still more to do and the more people who have the skills and the confidence to do CPR and use an AED the better.”
According to the Resuscitation Council UK when someone has a cardiac arrest, performing immediate CPR can help double their chance of survival in some cases. Around 80% of out-of hospital cardiac arrest occur in the home, highlighting the potential benefit of family members being trained in CPR. Defibrillation within 3–5 minutes can produce survival rates as high as 50%–70%. The chance of surviving a cardiac arrest is tripled when an AED is available via a public-access defibrillation programme.
St John volunteers will also be assisting the Cardiac Action Group at their community-based sessions during the week leading up to Restart A Heart Day.
St John Training Services provides a full range of first aid courses for individuals and businesses. Contact info@stjohntraining.gg
