Current and former volunteers from St John Ambulance’s City of Bath unit have celebrated 135 years of service in the city at a special event.
The Lord-Lieutenant cuts the 135th anniversary cake | Photo © Tom Astill
The unit is among the oldest in the country still in existence.
Eighty visitors were present for the celebration event, held on 23rd May at the unit’s HQ at Weirside Court.
They included Mohammed Saddiq, His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Somerset; Andrew and Mel Taylor, from the Bath Half Marathon, an event which the volunteers have supported for many years; and David Medlock, whose Medlock Charitable Trust was a principal funder of the unit’s headquarters.
Past leaders of the unit also participated, including the current unit manager and four former unit managers and divisional superintendents.
The celebration was also well attended by current and past volunteers of all ages including many Cadets and their parents.
During the evening, awards were presented including certificates for around 20 young volunteers.
A further seven Cadets were enrolled to begin their volunteering journey with St John, and a new Cadet Corporal, Kay Wirick, received her rank slides.
The adult volunteers were also given various awards including service hours certificates, four Coronation Medals and a 10-year service medal. The unit event lead, Thamira Joy Valentine, received a District Manager’s Commendation for service in the local area.
With a very active Cadet group based at the unit, with many young volunteers training to be the next generation of lifesavers, it fell to Cadet Amelia Douthwaite to act as Master of Ceremonies for the evening, introducing the various elements of the event, first aid demonstrations and a special video of the history of the unit.
Ruth Foreman, City of Bath unit manager, who was recently admitted to the Order of St John in recognition of her service to the charity, said: “I cannot even estimate the number of patients our volunteers will have helped over 135 years, nor the number of lives that will have been saved due to their skills and prompt intervention.
“It was wonderful to see current and old friends at our special event and we are very grateful to our VIP guests for sparing the time to come and celebrate with us.
“Here’s to the next century of service for the City of Bath unit.”
