John was appointed a Knight Commander in November 2022 and has provided leadership, oversight and direction for the whole of the St John organisation in Guernsey, including both the St John Guernsey charity and the Ambulance and Rescue Service. During his time in office, John shared his enthusiasm, vision and drive to lead the organisation into a new era, conducting a comprehensive review of its structure and core services. As a figure head for St John in Guernsey John also utilised his vast business and government experience to build and strengthen relationships with key stake holders, particularly the States of Guernsey.
In his ceremonial role as Knight Commander, John represented Guernsey at events in the UK and presided over various St John ceremonies and presentations locally. In July this year John was presented to His Majesty King Charles III, Sovereign Head of the Order of St John, during the Royal visit to Guernsey.
CEO of the St John Guernsey charity, Heather Langlois said: “John Hollis is a remarkable individual whose passion, commitment and drive are at the heart of everything he does, and his ability to inspire teams, support ideas and lead change are skills that the Charity will benefit from for years to come. John perfectly embodies the Charity’s values of Humanity, Excellence, Accountability, Responsiveness and Teamwork, and during his time as Knight Commander he has ensured a more sustainable future for the Charity. It will forever be one of my greatest privileges to have had the opportunity to learn from and work alongside John and on behalf of the St John Guernsey Charity I would like to thank him for his service. This organisation is stronger because of his leadership.”
CEO of the St John Ambulance and Rescue Service, Mark Mapp said: “The entire ambulance team will miss John, whose extensive support for the service has provided us with stability, transparency, and sustainability. Before becoming our leader, John worked in various sectors of government, where he undertook a comprehensive review of the ambulance service and, as part of the review, considered the broader urgent and emergency care healthcare system. His report was innovative, and many solutions to today’s healthcare challenges lie within his work and recommendations. John has been a strategic motivator and a driving force behind transformative changes, and his legacy will continue to inspire us all.”
Prior to be appointed as Knight Commander, John had previously served as the Chairman of the boards of St John Guernsey and St John Ambulance and Rescue Service. He came to St John following a long and successful career in international business and government adviser, having previously been a non-states member of Treasury & Resources and the States Trading Supervisory Board.
The process of recruiting a new Knight or Dame Commander will begin in the next few weeks.
This follows an original donation of fifty teddies donated in 2023 and this year the Lions Club is making a donation of one hundred teddies.
The teddy bears, wearing traditional blue Guernseys which are embroidered with the Lions Club logo and individually wrapped for hygiene purposes, will be kept on the ambulances for clinicians to give to young children who need extra comfort or distractions following an illness or injury. Young patients will be able to keep the bears and take them home after they leave the care of the ambulance service.
The idea came from former Guernsey Lion Sheila Cunningham who had seen an article in the national Lions magazine where some Lion clubs in the UK had completed a similar project.
Paul Allaway, Youth Chair of the Lions Club of Guernsey said “We are pleased to be able to continue to support this community initiative and we hope that the teddies will not be used very often but when they are we trust that it will bring some comfort to the affected child in addition to the care provided by the clinicians from Ambulance and Rescue team.”
Sonia Guille, Paramedic Station Officer added: “We are really grateful to the Lions Club for their continued support and we’re delighted they’ve decided to donate another hundred teddy bears. The feedback from ambulance crews to the original initiative has been very positive. When a child is unwell or has hurt themselves, we do all we can to reassure them and put them at ease. We’ve seen the difference the Guernsey bears have made to children, by giving them a distraction or providing comfort. This all helps reduce anxiety and can make the child’s treatment and experience much less stressful.”
Similar charity teddy bear schemes have operated in children’s hospitals and ambulance services in other countries and have proved popular and successful.
International Paramedics Day is held on 8th July and is hosted by the UK’s College of Paramedics to honour the dedication and impact of paramedics, first responders and community volunteers around the world.
Chief Executive of the College of Paramedics, Tracy Nicholls OBE said: “Every day, paramedics, first responders and community volunteers make a difference to their patients’ lives with the care, compassion and clinical capability they demonstrate.
“But the difference our profession makes across the globe is not solely confined to the vital care and treatment we provide. In clinical practice, research, education and leadership, paramedics and their healthcare organisations are driving forward the development of our profession, both here in the UK and internationally for the betterment of treatment strategies, patient outcomes, colleagues’ health and wellbeing, continued learning and our next generation of clinicians. For these reasons and more, let us all come together on July 8 and proudly tell the world the difference we make and the positive impact we have.”
International Paramedics Day was first organised by the College of Paramedics in 2022 in response to the tremendous personal sacrifices and life-saving efforts made by all those working in pre-hospital emergency care during the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. The day is celebrated every year on July 8 because this marks the anniversary of the birth of Dominique Jean Larrey, the French military doctor who became Napoleon Bonaparte’s chief surgeon of the Grand Armee and the man often referred to as the ‘father of modern-day ambulance services’.
Police officers who were first on scene made their way down the cliff path to give immediate first aid before the arrival of paramedics. Multiple ambulance resources, including a paramedic double crewed ambulance and an operational commander were deployed to the incident.
The ambulance crew gained access to the casualty with the assistance of Guernsey Police and Fire and Rescue Service. The person was given initial care and treatment at the scene before the volunteer cliff rescue team assisted with the safe extrication of the casualty to the cliff top. The patient was then transferred by ambulance to hospital.
Mark Mapp began his career with Guernsey’s ambulance service in 1998, starting in the non-emergency division before moving to the emergency team as an Emergency Medical Technician. He trained further to become a paramedic, trainer, and acting Sub Officer.
Mark also spent eight years working in various roles at Health and Social Care (HSC) while continuing part-time with the Ambulance Service. He contributed to numerous projects within the Ambulance Service until his full return in 2019. Later that year, he was appointed Chief Ambulance Officer.
Mark’s leadership style has had a remarkable impact on the ambulance service. Under his guidance, the service successfully navigated the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. He has been instrumental in the development of the service as part of Health and Social Care’s (HSC) Partnership of Purpose, with a focus on enhancing patient care, improving quality, and ensuring financial stability.
Mark’s connection with St John Guernsey began at just 15 when he joined as a Cadet. There, he acquired vital first aid and teamwork skills, quickly excelling in local and UK Ambulance Aid competitions. During his student years studying Engineering at Portsmouth, Mark continued his dedication by volunteering with the St John adult sections there.
Upon returning to Guernsey, Mark rejoined the St John charity, taking on various senior volunteer roles. He also contributed significantly to the Volunteer Ambulance Reserve, applying his expertise and leadership to support and enhance the local ambulance service.
Today, Mark continues to be a registered paramedic and although his main role is the strategic oversight and development of the ambulance service, he remains operational and from time to time works with frontline crews responding to medical emergencies. As well as serving as Chief Ambulance Officer, Mark is also a volunteer Community First Responder and sits on the board of the St John charity. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of St John in 2023.
Outside his ambulance work, Mark played a key role in establishing the 24-hour Public Access Defibrillator scheme in 2013 and creating the Community Resuscitation Development Officer role while volunteering as Chair of the Cardiac Action Group.
Furthermore, he is an Advanced Life Support instructor with the Resuscitation Council UK, delivering training in ALS, ILS, PILS and NILS, locally, across the UK, and even in Europe.
Mark’s career has been marked by his invaluable contributions to the healthcare sector. He has served with the NHS’s East of England Ambulance Service and Guernsey’s health service, gaining a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the health care sector. He remains an active member of the College of Paramedics and is committed to supporting the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) and The Ambulance Staff Charity (TASC).
Mark expressed his gratitude, saying, “It is an incredible honour to have been nominated for the King’s Ambulance Medal, and I am extremely humbled to receive this award. I am proud to have been a paramedic for over 20 years and fortunate to have worked with so many dedicated individuals committed to delivering care and compassion to islanders in their time of need. Guernsey truly has a remarkable team within the ambulance and health care service, making a difference in people’s lives every day. I am also proud of my long-standing association with St John, where my ambulance career really began, and I hope this award reflects that as well.”
When asked about his reaction to the nomination, Mark said, “It was completely unexpected, and I had to look a number of times at the notification to believe it. I was truly shocked and speechless. It’s tough because you can’t share the news immediately. I don’t know who nominated me, but I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported and encouraged me over the years.”
The King’s Ambulance Medal (KAM) was established by Royal Warrant in 2011, originally named the Queen’s Ambulance Medal. This prestigious award recognises those who have demonstrated exceptional service and dedication in the field of emergency medical care. The medal is awarded to members of the NHS ambulance service or their equivalents across the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.
Recipients of the KAM have shown outstanding devotion to duty, whether through frontline response, management, or support roles, contributing significantly to patient care and the overall effectiveness of ambulance services. The introduction of this medal serves to honour the recipient for excellence in a profession that is vital to public
A doubled crewed ambulance was dispatched to the Lihou headland just after one o’clock, with an incident officer deployed in the ambulance Land Rover shortly afterwards. The first crew on scene made their way on foot to the patient, who was on the causeway and was in the care of the warden of Lihou House, who is a trained first aider.
The patient was assessed and treated by paramedics and transported back to Guernsey in the Land Rover before being transferred to a waiting ambulance and conveyed to the Emergency Department at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.
This was one of 25 cases for Ambulance and Rescue in a 24 hour period, with 17 of those cases occurring between midday and seven o’clock on Thursday evening.
The Flying Christine III is a purpose-built marine ambulance, originally constructed in 1994 with a 30 year design life, but following boat surveys and operational reviews the board of St John Ambulance and Rescue Service decided to extend the life of the vessel by investing in a programme of improvements.
The two phase project will help to ensure the boat can continue to provide a lifeline service for the Bailiwick and meet operational needs of the service for another 10 years. Work includes repainting and cleaning, removal and serving of the engine, upgrading the mechanics and electrics, improvements to the deck hatches, updating clinical area and enhanced infection control standards. Phase 2 is scheduled to start at the end of 2024.
The seven volunteers, who come from a variety of backgrounds, are equipped with an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) and other medical and first aid equipment, so they can respond to life-threatening medical calls in their immediate vicinity, in a similar way to Community First Responders in Guernsey. In the future, the team will be deployed for critical and major incidents in Alderney to provide additional resilience for the ambulance service.
The introduction of the Alderney Emergency Responders follows a successful recruitment campaign and a period of on-island training by staff from Guernsey’s Ambulance and Rescue service, which took on responsibility for ambulance provision in Alderney in April 2023. Ambulance and Rescue now employs four full time paid Emergency Ambulance Crew who work on a rota basis ensuring 24/7 operational cover.
Chief Executive Officer of Guernsey’s Ambulance and Rescue service, Mark Mapp explained: “The initiative is part of our ongoing commitment to Alderney and is part a wider phased strategy to develop resilience for the island. It builds on the establishment of the new ambulance service, which became operational in April last year. I am delighted to welcome the new volunteer Emergency Responders to the team. They have all demonstrated a desire to make a difference in their community, and with their training, new skills and equipment they will be a valuable asset to the island.”
The St John Guernsey charity will be familiar to many by the light green uniform wearing volunteers providing first aid cover at many local events, the Community Library, First Aid in Schools programme, Badger & Cadet programmes and St John Training Services Guernsey who you may have done your workplace first aid training with.
A team of five runners are raising funds for the St John Guernsey charity’s youth section by taking part in the forthcoming Mourant relay at this year’s Sure Guernsey Marathon on Sunday 14th April.
Deputies Al Brouard and Heidi Soulsby, who both took part in last year’s relay event, will again don a St John Runners team jersey and are this year being joined by new teammates J.P Nicolle, Tony Manning and Luke Penney. The new teammates are representatives from Utmost International’s Guernsey office and running on behalf of St John as part of a recently formed charity partnership.
Leon Steyn, CEO of Utmost International Guernsey said, “We are proud to announce that we have chosen St John Ambulance Guernsey as our Charity of the Year. This decision underscores our unwavering commitment to supporting causes that resonate with our core values. St John, with its rich history and humanitarian focus, particularly in healthcare and emergency services, aligns perfectly with our business.
In partnering with St John, we aim to make a positive impact on the well-being of our wider community. We look forward to supporting the St John team at numerous events throughout the year including Guernsey Together, The West and North Shows and Seafront Sunday and look forward to welcoming St John Cadets at our Community Fun Day in August. St John offers such a vital service to the island and we hope together, we can create a brighter future.”
The team is hoping to raise £5000 towards the St John youth service which operates a number of programmes including Badgers, Cadets and First-Aid in Schools.
Deputy Al Brouard, President of the States of Guernsey Committee for Health and Social Care, is running this year for the second time and said, “After running for St John in last year’s relay, I was delighted to be asked to join the team again this year. St John has long been an organisation in Guernsey that has supported our island’s healthcare sector. Badgers and Cadets of today can be tomorrow’s ambulance personnel, doctors, nurses and healthcare workers generally, all greatly benefiting and strengthening our community as a whole”
The Mourant Relay Race gets underway from South Esplanade at 9.30am Sunday 14th April.
Donations towards the team’s fundraising can be made by calling in at the St John office in the Rohais, or online via Giving.gg by clicking here You can find out more about the team by clicking here
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