St John Ambulance volunteers praised

As St John Ambulance’s County President for South and West Yorkshire, I would like to take the opportunity of Volunteers Week 1-7 June to thank all our charity’s volunteers who work tirelessly in local communities, supporting patients and their families through some of their hardest and most vulnerable times.

Across the country, they give close to a million hours every year to support the public at events.

That’s over 100 years worth of hours given humbly and without expectation of praise.

I am sure many of your readers will have good reason to join me in thanking our volunteers for their medical care.

Some may even owe their lives to these unsung heroes.

In addition to our frontline first aid providers, St John’s impact would not be possible without all the support teams who work quietly in the background away from the spotlight.

So I would like to take this moment to celebrate the part those volunteers in support roles across our organisation play in making it possible.

I am also grateful to our young people and their leaders, plus other volunteers such as advocates and first responders, along with the teams of volunteer managers. All these people should be thanked for their family spirit, kindness and dedication.

And for representing the values that have been the foundation of St John throughout its 900 years of history.

We should thank them, not just in Volunteers Week but every week.

Ed Anderson

County President, South & West Yorkshire St John Ambulance, Thorner, Leeds