Natwest International Island Games Guernsey 2023 Hailed a Great Success

St John Guernsey volunteers & staff from Ambulance & Rescue worked together to provide medical and first aid cover across the event.

St John volunteers from across the world including St John Wales, St John Australia, St John Gibraltar, St John England, joined the St John Guernsey volunteers and staff from St John Ambulance & Rescue, to provide first aid cover over the course of the week-long event.  In a number of incidents, 67 patients consisting of both competitors and spectators directly involved with the games were treated.

“Without a doubt, the Guernsey Island Games is the largest event that St John Ambulance Guernsey has covered in recent years.  The level of planning was extensive and several years in the making” said Phil Ozanne, Community Operations Manager for the St John charity “I am also very pleased that several of our St John Ambulance colleagues from across the world, gave up their own time to join us in Guernsey and provide their services and skills to complement those of our Guernsey volunteers.  There has been a real team spirit across the board and many of our Guernsey volunteers in particular, stepped up to take on additional responsibilities and tasks above and beyond those of their normal duties. I’m immensely proud of all of them”

In preparation for the games, several thousand hours were spent in training sessions and on planning.  More than 60 volunteers and members of staff from St John, provided in excess of 1,887 duty hours over 22 separate events.  St John provided 8 vehicles, numerous temporary structures, pop-up treatment first-aid posts and several tons of specialist medical equipment.  The emergency ambulance service also attended seven cases involving Island Games team members, five of which were at sporting events and two were at team accommodation.

John Hollis, Knight Commander of St John Guernsey said “What a fantastic and friendly Island Games in Guernsey, based on reactions from competitors, visitors and locals alike. Obviously, such events simply cannot take place without the considerable efforts and expertise of St John volunteers and professionals.  Just as St John Guernsey provided substantial support a few years ago to Gibraltar when the Island Games took place there, we also benefitted from substantial support from our international colleagues and we give them our heartfelt thanks for it.”

Dean de la Mare Head of Operations for the Emergency Ambulance & Rescue said:  “The Island Games was a fantastic week for Guernsey. As part of our preparations for the Games a number of specific response plans were drawn up and additional staff were brought in to provide cover for some of the sporting events. The Games passed without serious incident and I am pleased that our contingency plans were not needed.  During this time the service also continued to provide the emergency and urgent pre-hospital care for the island. I would like to thank the crews who were on duty and the St John volunteers, including those who traveled from other countries, who also provided additional support during the week.”

St John Guernsey wishes to sincerly thank all of the volunteers & staff members.  We would also like to extend our gratitude to the employers of our volunteers, as many have given our volunteers time off from work, so that they were able to volunteer their time for the games.