I was very excited to be invited to meet first aid volunteers from Wales’ leading first aid charity at their hub today. During the day, volunteers from St John Ambulance Cymru shared their personal stories about the impact the charity has had during the past eighteen months.
I also saw vehicles that have been used to transport patients to and from hospital and I was also given my very own CPR demonstration, highlighting the lifesaving first aid training the charity gives people in communities across Wales.
On my visit, St John Ambulance Cymru, Chief Executive Officer, Helen Smith, said:
“We were delighted to welcome Sarah and share the amazing achievements of our St John people during one of the most challenging situations we’ve faced in over a century of serving Welsh communities.
“Our mission is to enhance the health and wellbeing of communities in Wales, and the determination, passion and resilience of our volunteers as well as our behind-the-scenes teams, has been outstanding. It was fantastic to share our story and our impact with Sarah today.”
With a background in nursing, it was really enjoyable to learn more about the work of St John Ambulance Cymru and to be able to refresh my own skills at the same time! Hearing more about the great work that has been done over the past year, which has been particularly tough, was also incredibly uplifting. Most importantly, I was pleased to be able to thank and celebrate the volunteers too – they have all done an outstanding job, despite such adversity.”
The charity has provided vital support in local communities through their pharmacy delivery programme, which ran through the first wave of the pandemic, as well as caring for patients at Wales’ field hospitals. Their patient transport service was upskilled and adapted to enhance their frontline activity supporting the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust, freeing up vital ambulances for emergency calls.
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