St John celebrates 125 years of serving Kiwis

St John Media release

St John celebrates 125 years of serving New Zealanders

On Friday 30 April 2010, St John marks the 125th anniversary of the day it was founded in New Zealand.

From humble beginnings providing ambulance services on wheeled stretchers and small first aid classes in local communities, St John has grown to become one of the largest civilian service organisations in the country.

The St John Ambulance Association was formed following a community meeting in Merivale, Christchurch on 30 April 1885, to meet the community need to provide its own ambulance and first aid services.  The organisation rapidly spread and grew throughout New Zealand.

The St John Ambulance Association ran regular lectures in first aid, while St John Ambulance Brigade members attended sports matches and other events, providing first aid at the scene.

The first St John ambulances were stretchers on trolleys pushed along the road and known as hand-wheeled litters.  Horse-drawn carriages were introduced as ambulances in 1895, with the first brought over from England.  The first motor ambulance is understood to have been acquired in 1915 in Timaru.  By 1920, St John had fully embraced the motorised age.  Today St John runs a fleet of ambulances equipped with the latest medical technology.

St John now provides ambulance services to 85% of New Zealand’s population, first aid training to more than 55,000 people a year and community services nationwide.  St John remains committed to its volunteer ethos, with about 8,000 volunteers working alongside about 2,000 paid staff.

To celebrate the 125 year anniversary of St John, a range of community activities are being held nationwide, including an exhibition with visual and interactive displays at Canterbury Museum, St John: 125 Years, open until 29 August.

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