30 Million Reasons to Thank St John Volunteers

30 Million Reasons to Thank St John Volunteers

The contribution they make to New Zealanders’ health and wellbeing is priceless, but St John estimates its 9,447 volunteers contribute more than $30 million dollars in value each year to its ambulance service and community health programmes.

St John is marking National Volunteer Week (19-25 June) with events and celebrations that recognise the talent and dedication of volunteers throughout the country. This year St John Day (June 24) also falls within Volunteer Week.

Chief Executive Peter Bradley says: “On behalf of St John, I want to thank our volunteers for their commitment, care, drive and passion. They make a positive difference in their communities, and we simply could not deliver our emergency services or community health programmes without them.”

National Volunteer Week 2016 is a call to action to ‘make time’ for volunteering and the benefits it brings to communities. It is a theme that resonates strongly with St John volunteers, who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, caring for others.

The snapshot below of 24 hours in the life of St John’s volunteers shows the depth and breadth of their extraordinary contribution.

The 15 volunteers featured range from volunteer ambulance officers responding to 111 calls in the early hours of the morning; to FEDs (Friends of the Emergency Department) providing comfort and support to patients and their families in hospital; to the volunteers providing medical services on the side lines of school sports; to the Area Committee members who support and guide the work St John does in local communities.

St John thanks its volunteers for making time - Kia Ora mō tāu whai wā.

Last year thanks to St John’s 9,447 volunteers:

• 7,174 community events were provided with medical services

• 1,189 Area Committee members supported local communities

• 1,200 people received regular phone calls from one of our Caring Callers

• 279 therapy pets supported the emotional wellbeing of people in hospitals and rest homes

• 63,996 trips were made by Health Shuttle volunteers taking people to health related appointments

• 2,928 Ambulance Volunteers helped towards the 366,375 emergency incidents that were attended by ambulance crews

• 834 Friends of the Emergency Department and Hospital Friends volunteers helped patient families and loved ones in Emergency Departments and hospital wards across the country

• 1,091 Youth Leaders made a positive impact on the lives of our 6,555 young penguins and cadets

• 70 volunteers in governance roles helped shape the future of St John

-ENDS-

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