Significant year ahead for us
2022 is a significant year for St John Ambulance, especially as it is the centenary of the foundation of our Cadet section – our 10 to 17-year-old volunteers.
With the order for the charity to start admitting young people given in
March 1922, we have a full programme of activity lined up this year to celebrate this landmark.
Today, our Cadets play a major role in the charity and their contribution is to be applauded.
Our young people regularly tell us how enjoyable their time as a Cadet is and many of them who volunteer with us are motivated to pursue medical or nursing degrees at university and to go into a career in healthcare.
Even if they don’t plan on becoming a healthcare professional, there are many other great life skills they can take from Cadets such as confidence, lifelong friendships and a positive impact on wellbeing.
The benefits of learning first aid simply cannot be understated.
In West Sussex, Natalya Jacquet has been selected as our District Cadet of the Year for 2022.
I’d like to pass on my congratulations to her for this well-deserved recognition and wish her every success in this important role.
Natalya will have a number of responsibilities during the year, not least representing all other Cadets in the county at many events and other special occasions.
In June we are delighted to be able to return to St Paul’s Cathedral to celebrate St John’s Day.
Natalya will play a key role at the celebrations in London, where the weekend will have a strong focus on everything that our young volunteers contribute to the charity.
As one of the largest volunteering organisations in the country, we have a number of opportunities for people to join us locally and give some time to help us further our core first aid mission.
As well as roles working with our young people, we have vacancies in support of the ongoing NHS vaccination programme and also as first aiders and support team members.
Full details can be found via our website at www.sja.org.uk/ cadets
I would encourage everyone reading this letter to ask us about opportunities across West Sussex and consider making 2022 the year they volunteer with us. MARTIN HOUGHTON-BROWN Chief executive St John Ambulance St John’s Lane, London