As one of the world' largest finanCIal Institutions, our sense of duty and re ponsibiltty to h e community we serve will lead to an invo lvement with over 1000 (hMitle t h is year In falt, \\c rcceivc thousand requests for donever) each one of them Indlvldu ,lll) con'>ldt:rcd b) uson partllul.lfment
Our donations MC normall) rc\tnucd to n.:glstered chari tiCS ' peclal considerJtIon IS gl\ cn to those hosc \\ ork I In thc field of edul ,ltlOn, m<.:JICInc anJ Lonser atlon \\'e arc equ ,dl), conccrned \\ Ith Imprm Ing the qualtty of the II\e5 of )oung people anJ those \\ ho arc aged , hanJlcappeJ or JlsaJvantagd
I n fact, b), 1985 as In prevIous year Barel.!) s \\as Ilst<.:d In the Charities Aid FoundatIon as one of the largest corporate donors to ch a rity In t h e K and now contrIbutes over (1 7 millton
H owever , chantable donations make up on I) one or thc man)
areas in which Ba rday II1vo ve Itself With the community
A a matte r of policy, we annua ll y contribute a percentagc of our profits to a wide ranging programme dcslgned to help the community at large
We ac h ieve this through sccondment of scnlor staff, support fo r job creation, sponso r ship or youth actlvlticc; ,lI1J the lrt , and a t local leve l t hr oug h finanCIal support and ,1ctIVC personal pa rt icipation.
In fact, in 1988 we expect to pend we ll ove r 1..' 7 mi ll ion on commu nit y se rvices a lone o you cou ld say th at a t Barclays we believe t hat c ha rity begins In t h e ban k as wel l as a t h ome.
CONTRIBUTIONS
Contribut ons to the SI John World are always welcome They should be typed , treble line spaced on one Side of paper only (if in longhand please print names of people places , etc) and sent to the editorial address below If pOSSible supply a phone number for the writer Matenal can vary from a paragraph to a 5,000 word article - but It should all have some connection with St John and ItS work Photographs should be glossy black and white pnnts or good quality colour prints , or transparencies If photographs are to be returned , write on the back RETURN and name and address
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Pnce 90p a copy £12 50 per annum
EDITOR
no. 6
• Badger Adventures
• Feed the Birds
• Badger Board
• Christmas around the World
• Thi ngs to Remember
• Safeway Colour and Work Book Compet iti on
• Badgers at the Motor Show
• "Brockwood " Rev iews
• How to make a Christmas Cracker
• Bad gers ' Letter s
SAFEWAY
This issue of Badger Buzzz is being produced with the help of Safeway The national assistance that Safeway have recently announced they are giving to St John Ambulance , means that you are certain to receive your c opies of Badger Buzzz regularly throughout 1989
£250,000 support for SJA from Safeway
Food retailing giant Safeway has announced £250 ,000 of support for the St John Ambulance Brigade over the next two years St John will be the company s major national community project through to the end of 1990
In addition to the Safeway cash donation of a quarter of a million pounds , it is expected that up to a further £250 ,000 will be collected through local activities involving staff and customers
Safeway has decided to support St John during a period o f cha nge and development. The money will fund a variety of
Demand
Safeway Cha rman A lis ta r G rant s aid : ' W e are s u re
FEED THE BI
Suitable bird table food
Animal fats - good for t its , robins , woodpeckers Suet. Bacon rinds (short pieces), Chicken carcass (try hanging It from a tree). Cheese. Hard-balled egg
Ice you
feeding the birds )u must keep It up otherwise mark the beginning of a cl o s e a s so c iation b e tw ee n St Joh n1ey will suffer Ambulance and our s elves for th e b e n efit of th e co mmu ni ty .' Iso don't forget to leave
Fru it - for thrushes Fresh or dned
Bernes of all sorts
Any
Seeds - Mixed (I e Swoop, from shops). Hemp. Millet. Maize. Corn. r---------Sunflower
Here is one of the entries that has won a free frisbee It IS from Claire Broad Rockport School, Cralgavad' Holywood, County Down'
IN'I'.) l\'J''''J)IN
SWEDEN
The celebrations In Sweden last from 13 December to 13 January To end their Christmas meal, "rice pOrridge" IS served ThiS IS a rice pudding With a Single almond inSide whoever finds the almond will be married Within the follOWing year
NO RW4Y
"Christmas buck" IS practised by children, who dress up In outlandish costumes and go from house to house asking for treats
The week before Christmas the children dress up and VISit houses asking for small gifts After midnight mass, families gather together to share huge homemade doughnuts called "rlngl!" and hot chocolate
ITALY
Twenty four hours before Christmas Eve a strict fast observed and IS followed b celebration meal in which "panettone", a light mllane cake, IS served On 6 Janua Befana, a kind Witch, flies down the chimneys With presents
SPAIN
Children don't receive their presents until the night of 6 January when they leave shoes on the balconies In hope that the Wise Men w, fill them With gifts
AUSTRALIA
Christmas IS in the middle the summer In Australia sc most families spend the d on the beach
10 £25 SAFEWAY VOUCHERS AND OVER 500 BADGER COLOUR AND WORK BOOKS TO BE WON
InSide thiS Issue of Badger Buzzz you will have found a separate sheet of paper full of draWings To win your very own copy of thiS super book read on very carefully
Your Set Leaders will have a copy at the book and all you have to do IS to try and find the "B" we have hidden In each picture (In addition to the one on Badger's dungarees)
When you think you have found the right one, take a pen and draw a circle around the correct place on the smaller picture on the sheet we have proVided (Do not
do It on your Leader's book because then It will not be so much fun for all the other Badgers who want to use It ) Repeat thiS until you have put one Circle on all the 30 draWings Then, fill III your name, address and Badger Set name and tell us which IS your faVOUrite picture In the book and why (No more than 20 words. please) Please send your entries to Sarah Hams, Dept GDPl Manor House, 120 Kingston Road, London SW19 1LY by 31 January 1989
If yours is one of the best 10 correct entries to be chosen by the Judges on 1 February 1989 then you Will win a £25 voucher for your Set Leader to spend In your local Safeway store PLUS a Colour
and Work Bool< for yourself The next 500 correct entries drawn will win a Colour and Work Book
It was a very nice morning at the Motor Show I really liked getting Terry Wogan's autograph, seeing all the famous people and seeing Alain Prost give the cheque for £1,300 to Rebecca I also liked it when I got a chance to go In a racing car I also liked It when I sawall the people taking pictures and I wanted to get my picture in the paper and I did In the end We got a big folder full With lots of stuff - it had a picture of Alain Prost In It. One of the people who took our photo was dutch Kirsty Levasseur
Rebecca Tabberer (8), Thomas Walnwnght (9). Paul Lancett (7 and Klrsty Levasseur (7) from the Wildwood Set Badgers, Soil hull, West Midlands
THinGS TO REMEMBER
Make sure that you send your letter to Santa In plenty of til" and remember to give him some Idea of what you would as he has a lot o f people to choose presents fori Remembe r t o leave some food for Santa, some millce pH w il l always go down a treat and a hot drink or some punch
(Don't forget to leave something for Rudolf as well, a CriSP red apple for examp le l )
The time Just after Christmas and before the New Year IS an Ideal time to send thank you le tt ers to all your friends al' rela t ions
Dear Badger Buzzz,
I liked thiS book because I like stones about animals espeCially Badgers I also liked the lovely pictures My faVOUrite IS the ou t Side of Bertie's thatched cottage
Love from Ruth Atkinson Age 7, Sid cup Set
ThiS IS a book about a badger called Bert e Brock who lives In a house that a roya l person had previously hidden In I
won't tell you any more of the story. you will have to read It yourself It IS a very good book because of the e cellent pictures by Patricia Hubbard
The story IS very good and held my attention throughout It IS well written because the words flowed together nicely All In all It was a very good book I can recommend thiS book to all children undel nine years of age - not Just badgersll
Kevin Latter Age 9, Sidcup Set
You will need:
1 shee t of greaseproof paper 15cm x 30cm
1 sheet of crepe paper
15cm x 30cm
3 card t ubes 4cm x llcm glue string novelties (paper hat. toy and motto)
1. Make two strips of glue (one tube distance apart) down the greaseproof paper and stick the crepe paper over t he top
2 Roll t he paper around the three tubes laid end to end and secure with glue
3 Place the novelties inside the middle
tu b e an d then tie the string around the cracker where t h e tubes meet
4. Leave for an hour and then remove t he string and outer tubes
from BADGER
BADGER DIARY
In each issue of Badger Buzzz we should like to publish one or two of your letters. Please write to me and tell me what you and your Set have been up to recently. Have a Happ'y Christmas.
51 JOHN ® RLD
E
We
1500 ent
we have
t Com p et
Look out for th e
rs in the next issue of Badge r Bu zzz. Dear ofi' (J..bolJ...t. 5 love.l.) ";:)0-.1 w (""t, ; ".j how we.. d.o t o 0-.. s ,.... v..o.
to a combination of economic and social factors Brigade membership has been declining s t eadily for a number of ye ars. The aim of the ENERGY Programme is to halt this downward trend. It is part of a long-term regeneration programme which st arted with the highly successful launch of the B adgers and continued with the Cadet Action Pack. This new initiative will help propel the organisation through the 1990s and into the 21 st century The main objective is to enable us to absorb a broader spectrum of talent by attracting people with diHerent managerial, administrative and technical skills as well as eliminating the confusion that surrounds the current joining requirements. It is designed to make the promotion of Cadets much easier, to provide further opportunities to exis t ing members and to help retention of new members which in the past has always been a problem FIRST AID
ENERGY TRANSPORT
COMMUNICATION
The ENERGY concept will allow new recruits to come through their basic induction training and then to use their own personal ENERGY to speCialise
The Induction Course Will enable potential recruits to become members of St John Ambulance Within seven weeks of first attendance at the DIVISion. Each of the five sessions (on First Aid. Care and St John organisation) is designed to stand alone and can be taugh t in any order by diVISional personnel (a holder of an Instructor's Certifica te is needed for he First Aid section). Members then have the option of receiving training in various specialisations (First Aid, Care, Transport and Communication). By completing training modules in these areas ndividuals can choose their own development and progression within the organisa ion.
T raining modules within these areas are detailed as follows :
FIRST AID
SJA First Aid Certificate (Stalutory)
Home/Community First Aid
Casualty Handling
CARE
Indirect Care (care In Ihe community)
Direct Care (nursing)
TRANSPORT
Vehicle Maintenance
Ambulance Training (for dnvers attendants , public duty)
COMMUNICATION
Technical Skills (radios, computers. telephones)
Written Communication (administration, reports , forms)
External Communication (to Include fundraiSing, PR and marketing)
Verbal Communication (counselling. meetings telephone technique , dealing With people)
To put thiS scheme together and to make It work we need your help NOW We need to harness your varying talents for the appropnate developments Any voluntary contributions of knowledge , skill. Ideas or practical help will be enthusiastically received If you know anyone who has a contribution to make please get In touch through your Commissioner. We are also seeking trial DiVisions to validate some of the materials
THE ENERGY PROGRAMMETOGETHER WE CAN APPROACH THE FUTURE WITH CONFIDENCE
The C- n-C writes
For a conSiderable number of years there has been mounting anxiety about the decreasing membership of the Bngade. All of us know that the demands made on our time are forever Increasing and With so many leisure pursUits available to the public, to say nothing of other factors, It would seem reasonable to assume that these demands will not lessen Whatever our role in St John there comes a time for all of us when we have to say 'I am sorry I can do no more '. It IS obVIOUS that If we increase the membership by both recruiting and retaining more of those who are already within our ranks , we shall go a long way to solving our predicament.
It was with these thoughts in mind that we took a long hard look at the method of entry Into the Brigade and the opportunities that are available to eXisting members to increase their skills and therefore maintain their interest. Whatever the final outcome we all agreed for those of us who do public duty the standard must Improve and, similarly individual skills should be deployed to the best advantage
From all the thoughts and discussions that took place, the ENERGY Programme was
our new magazine
I am delighted to introduce St John World the new monthly magazine for the whole of the Order of St John St John World will contain items of Interest and concern to first-alders and all associated with the Order , as well as news and reports of local , national and International events from around the world Copies of the Brigade newsletter, Viewpoint, the ASSOCiation newsletter ,
members Will have the opportunity to contribute to the scheme and take part in trials of some of the teaching modules In the Awareness Week In June. we shall publicise the scheme to the public at large FollOWing that, counties Will have the opportunity to start the proJect. can well understand that certain aspects of the Programme may cause some anxiety and that change at any time can be unpalatable However, hope we will not let such Issues cloud the main purpose of the ENERGY Programme and that we shall give the Programme a fair trial, so that we can all benefit. There IS no magic answer - the eHorts of us all are reqUired
John Sunderland Commissioner-in-Chief
Major-General Michael J. H. Walsh CB DSO DL
It was recently announced that Major-General Walsh IS to succeed Sir John Paul as Director Overseas Relations , St John Ambulance, early In 1989
A Yorkshlreman by birth , Michael Walsh was educated at Sedbergh and joined the King's Royal Rifle Corps (60th Rifles) as a Rifleman at York in 1945 After a distinguished military career he retired from the Army as a Major-General hiS last appointment being Director Army Training In 1981
For the past seven years he has held the appointment of Chief Scout of the United Kingdom On standing down from the exciling and rewarding Job With young people he offered hiS services to St John General Walsh and hiS Wife have lived In many Commonwealth countries and are well qualified to carry on the excellent work that Sir John Paul has undertaken for the past seven and a half years We welcome them to the Headquarters'Team
emergency aid . Save a Life
Background to the campaign - Medical Consensus
T he Royal Society of Medicine (RSM) hosted a meeting in 1984 to consider the feasibility of teaching the United Kingdom lay public cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and emergency first aid. Overseas evidence of success is impressive. In Scandinavia children are taught first aid in junior school. A recent Oslo study reported a 36% survival rate in 631 victims of heart attack treated with CPR by lay people ; only 8% survived when resuscitation was delayed until the ambulance arrived. 1 In the United States, where about 20% of the adult population has received training in CPR , several studies correlate resuscitation and survival up to discharge from hospital with early emergency aid The skills of resuscitation quickly decline,2 but reports show that emergency aid is effective if given in approximately the correct manner.3,4 Four hundred survivors of cardiac arrest in King County, Washington showed no adverse consequences attributable to CPR .s In 1985, in addition to first aid courses run by the Voluntary Aid Societies , training in emergency resuscitation for the lay public was available in about 20 centres throughout England. The well-known Heartguard scheme in Brighton which trained 25,000 people between 1978 and 1984 had reported saving at least 26 lives - 16 principally due to intervention by a member of the general public. 6 The author 's scheme in Wakefield taught 5,000 people in its first year and it is estimated that one life is saved per year for every 1,000 citizens trained.? These results persuaded the RSM to support a public emergency aid training programme. Dr Andrew Raffle chaired a co-ordinating committee which included members from the RSM, DHSS , the BBC , the (then) Health Education Council (HEC), the Voluntary Aid Societies and he Resuscitation Council (UK). Professional support was given by the Royal Colleges and affiliated societies. Generous grant aid came from many sources, in particular the British Heart Foundation, the Chest, Heart and Stroke Association, DHSS and the Laerdal Foundation for Acute Medicine. The Save a Life campaign was launched in September 1986
Cur ri c u l um
A pproved instructors from the British Red Cross Society, St John Ambulance, 5t Andrew's Ambulance Association , the Royal Life Saving Society, the Police and Armed Forces and existing Health Service schemes provided training using manikins. One class, lasting no more than 2112 hours, and with an optimal student/instructor ratio
4
A campaign for mass education in emergency aid
by A. K. Marsden, FRCSEd
Consultant in Accident and Emergency Medicine , Pinderfields
General Hospital , Wakefield , West Yorkshire WF1 4DG
of 6 1 was offered The session focused upon the need for emergency aid, priorities getting help, airway management , the recovery position for unconscious patients , artificial ventilation by the expired air method, and one-rescuer CPR in the adult. Choking , bleeding, near-drowning, traffic accident management, and emergency aid in children were Included when time and local interest permitted. The practical techniques were taught according to the 4th edition of First Aidthe joint manual of the Voluntary Aid Societies 8
Public awareness
The BBC Continuing Education Department produced SIX short films on the rudiments of emergency aid. Opening the Airway , Unconsciousness , Breath ing (a Near Drowning) Cardiac Arrest , Heart Attack and Choking. Viewers were invited to send for an information leaflet or attend a Save a Life class This pattern fitted well into successful models of health education using television
People who attended Save a Life classes received a booklet designed by
STOP PRESS
A high court judge completely vindicated members of Bedfordshire St John Ambulance Brigade after an action brought by Sean Cattley a casualty at a motor cycle scramble in 1984
The judge found that Brigade members had acted properly and according to their training in their treatment of Mr Cattley. If a volunteer carries out his first aid duties in accordance with the first aid manual and with ordinary skill, he cannot be held to be negligent.
This is the first time that a case has been brought against the Brigade for negligence
the H EC and modelled on the ResuscItation Council's Resuscitation for the Citizen. This won a ' Plain English' Award in 1986 Class attendance cards , posters for local use and a newsletter for instructors and local co-ordinators completed the publicity package. BBC Enterprises marketed the Save a Life video and a book written for instructors. 9 A computer-aided learning programme has been wntten for the BBC mlcrocomputer. 10
Campaign organisation
For the campaign to be successful, many dedicated local co-ordlnators had to be recruited They - education and health promotion officers, doctors , nurses first aid class organisers etc - formed the link between the training public and Penny Webb, the Campaign Director , and her staff at the R5M Briefing meetings took place round the UK Broadcasting Support Services mailed leaflets about local classes to viewers who wrote In. The campaign office handled enquiries and public relations and dlstnbuted campaign support matenals
Results
The Save a Life campaign afforded a major opportunity to evaluate how a media-based health education promotion could Impart knowledge and practical skills to a huge public audience A system of tracking was built Into the organisation and detailed analyses of aspects of the campaign were made by BBC Broadcasting Research. The interim summary of research findings was produced by Karen Day of BBC Broadcasting Research supported by a grant from the Laerda l Foundation for Acute MediCine Results are quoted With their kind permission Progress of the campaign
The first Save a Life broadcasts took place between October 1986 and February 1987 on early Sunday evenings midWednesday afternoons and late Tuesday nights The audience varied between 1 2 and 6 5 million viewers Twenty-eight million people , 54°:0 of the UK population , watched at least three minutes of one of the programmes. The audiences vaned on different days , but the ' audience apprecIation index was surpriSingly high.
In December 1986 nearly half the UK population was aware of the campaign and 7% could spontaneously name it. The television programmes were the main source of this awareness , followed by articles in local magazines and newspapers
The same type of people sent for the leaflet as attended classes. By January 1988 , 125,000 had attended a Save a Life class Seventy per cent of the respondents were female, with a predominance of middle classes (ABC1) Less than 20 % were housewives ; 65% had no first aid training , suggesting that the campaign had reached the target audience
Continued on p.25
The Specialist Vehicle Builders
People keep coming to us for something special ThiS IS not a Single success story - we can tell you many
For the success of Pilcher - Greene as a company can be clearly seen and accurately measured by the success In service of the many different speclalpurpose vehicles we build and supply
People keep coming to us for 'something speCial'
And that's exactly what they get.
We have been successful pioneers in the development of specially built vehicles , that are deSigned and equipped for various specific tasks, for well over sixty years now
By taking and adapting the rugged and well -t ried basic chassis of the world's finest vehicle builders, PilcherGreene have built their own success on
I AMBULANCES I AMBULANCE
the careful attention to detail reqUired in creating purpose -made products to meet demanding specifications or fulfil special roles
So successful have these Pil cher-Greene specials' become , that we regularly - turn some out as 'standard' vehicles in a h ghly successful range that offers Wide choice to our customers - in many different areas of human activ ity But we're ready to bUild to your specification - if you have something speCial in mind
Sk ilful engineering and craftsmanship, unique bodywork design , great care and attention to meeting performance needs - these are the hallmarks of our success in the creation of vehicles that will match the specific demands of their operators - during a long, reliable, and highly cost-effective service life
J arrow Cadets and Badgers were highly delighted when HRH The Pr incess Royal chose their Divis ion for a visit during her recent tour of Tyne and Wear. At the Division s Albert Road HQ , Her Royal Highness watched Bad gers making preparations for their Halloween party With them were Cadet Leader Andrew Lamb , who repre-
Malco l m Ru therford on
Gamesmanship
Children are great levellers , always worth listening to That is why the Rutherford household was little affected by the great egg crisis We had cut down on egg consumption , on the children s advice , some months before Edwina Currie raised the panic signal. One should not assume , however, that children are always right. Our own lot, for example , are displaying a distressing streak of what can be only described as author tarian liberalism. The subject in question is compulsory games and discipline in schools.
The middle daughter , who is at boarding school, has complained that one of her friends was obliged to do a cross country run in stockinged feet because she had turned up without her running shoes The elder and younger daughter , who are at day schools and face no such rigours, immediately took her side. They said t was 'primitive, oldfashioned and insensitive to treat a girl like that. It was an illustration of public school , Victorian values that should have gone down with the Titanic, if not before , they claimed The elder daughter is threatening to write to the Head Mist ress concerned demanding that the Games Mistress be sacked
6
My own react ion was much milder gave the Games Mistress the benefit of the doubt on the grounds that it seemed unlikely that she would compel a girl to run stockingfooted across broken glass : the surface must have been quite easy. I also said that at least it would teach the girl not to forget her running shoes again , though might have been wrong on both counts
The incident took me back to two episodes: one at school, the other at university At Oxford in the 1950s undergraduates were supposed to be in College by midnight , but it was a rule that was made to be broken A window on the second floor was always left open If you climbed up a drainpipe , you could get in quite easily. The drainpipes were surrounded by spikes, but you simply used the non-sharp parts of the spikes as footholds. Any fool could do i ; indeed it was part of the Oxford education It was the Dean of an Oxford College who persuaded me that the system was barbaric and eventually changed the practice He was woken up in the middle of the night because an undergraduate had sat on the sharp end of a spike and had to be taken to hospital gushing with blood Nowadays it is possible
Royal Visit To Jarrow Cadets
The Princess Royal, with D S Irene Grey and 010 Yvonne Ord watches Jarrow cadets practising first aid and casualty simulation (Photo' Shields Gazette)
sen ted Northumbria at the National Cadet Leader of the Year competition In London , and Nursing Member Shirley Ellison
DI S Irene Grey and 0 /0 Yvonne Ord , and two other cadet leaders, Colin Campbell and Peter Emmerson , were presented to Her Royal Highne ss as she watched cadets dOing casualty simulation and practising first aid and communication with the partially deaf
The Princess Royal later presented Grand Prior certificates to Jennifer Turnbull , Colin Campbell , Paula Fin ch and Sandra Swales
to have a key to a ground floor entrance If someone wants to stay out la te That was a necessary and liberal reform
At school we had compulsory bOXing, at least for the first three years We wer e taught , as so often in bOXing schools , by a master whose other occupation was religious instruction. My only qualm about It then was concern for the boys who should obViously never have been put in a ring Box ing I rather enjoyed After I le ft , the school abolished it altogether : you can no longer even volunteer for It. At first I regretted that deCision, but I have come to think that it was probably wise Boxing can be a cruel and dangerous sport Still , liberal reform can be carried too far It would be a huge leap to say that the reason why Brita in does so badly in so many in ternational sporting events is that the schools have given up compulsory games, but there are two points. Games are not sufficiently encouraged and, where they are, there is a tendency to crash-coach the selected fewsay in tennis or lacrosse - rather than to seek to bring in the whole school. More people should be made to play and given a wider choice For , to paraphrase Oscar Wilde , if a game 's worth play in g , it's worth playing badly So up with Games Mistress or Master , and less free choice to the girls or boys who want to opt out altogether. They might regret it later
8
our hospital .
To Jerusalem by horse
I can't see myself getting on a horse for a while,' said James Nash when he recently completed his marathon trek on horseback across the Middle East to the St John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem.
James, a chartered surveyor and esquire of the Order, set out last March from Istanbul to follow the route taken by the first crusaders nearly a thousand years ago through Turkey, Syria and Jordan to the Holy City
Seven months on those dusty roads and tracks certainly brought adventure 'The journey began with two months of unrelieved disaster,' said James. His Turkish groom turned out to be rather unstable, so James spent much of the time on his own and found the isolation a challenge.
Main problem
But the main problem was finding horses equal to trekking through the difficult terrain. His first horses were thoroughbreds and quite unsuitable. So others were hired or bought. But one
bolted and disappeared ; another was stolen; and a third continually kicked its stablemate James too suffered a badly bruised jaw and broken teeth - from one of his horses
Eventually, James luck was in and he found a horse which enjoyed travelling. And so they pushed on together , often sleeping side-by-side under the stars , and sharing breakfast - of watermelon! This horse took James all the way to the Jordanian border , including 200 miles of mountainous region where much of the time James had to walk with his horse
Later , and with another horse , James acquired a gypsy-type caravan , wh ch made living conditions on this often desert trek more bearable
The people he met along the routeJames can get by in both Turkish and Arabic - were wonderfully kind In his own words , he often experienced almost suffocating hospitality ' from villagers
But not so from administrators along the route Visas were a problem - but then perhaps laws regarding horse riders
Aeromedical Study Day
(L to R) Lord Westbu ry, Dr Harry Baker (chairman , Aeromedical Profe ssion al Panel and Assis tant Surgeon -if/ - Chief), Andrew Johnson (Director AA Travel Servic e). AAJSJA ALERT SERVICE
After a gap of 21 months enforced by the major changes in the organisation of the St John Aeromedical services, 96 aeromedical attendants and guests gathered at the Basingstoke Hilton Hotel on November 5 for a study day Enthusiasm for the service seemed to be undiminished since the inauguration of the new ANSt John Alert as reported in the October Review
The presumed glamour of the 'Hilton' was somewhat belied, but the venue was certainly much more salubrious than the usual out-of-town university campus. And one wonders how many delegates watched the available in-house adult videos - at £4.45! On the prev ious evening, professional panel members were privileged to be entertained by the AA hierarchy at their nearby travel service headquarters and inspected the efficient operations room We met Miss Sara Reid (Chief Medical Assistant Officer) , Peter Horne (Five Star Service Manager) and Andrew Johnson (Travel Service supremo), a convinced supporter of the ethos of St John.
STJOH.::....:;o N _ W 9 RLD
crossing national boundaries hardly exist. Mounted locals wouldn 't bother with such things And the delay at the crossing of the River Jordan to the West Bank and the St John Ophthalmic Hospital was eventually lifted - and James caravan finally came across the bridge to be welcomed by the British Consul , people from the Hospita l and , of course , a man from The Times
When James reached the Hospital he was overwhelmed by the reception awaiting him This was his first visit and he was very impressed by the warmth and dedication of the staff H s seven-month , 1,350-mile journey by horse had certainly been worth while
So far James has raised in excess of £42 ,000 in sponsorship for the Hospital
His goal s the £85 ,000 required to endow a bed so fund-raising continues And If you would like to playa part in thiS wonderful effort of James ', please send a contr ibution to the Hospitaller James Nash Trek , 1 Grosvenor Crescent , London SW1X 7EF
What is James gOing to do now? ' Put my behind firmly on a chair ,' he says , ' and drink a lot of champagne .' And then think about writing a book He certainly shouldn 't be short of materia l.
James Nash would be delighted to visit counties to talk about his experiences
Anyone Interested shou d contact HQ PR Department.
The day began with an introduction by Dr Harry Baker , chairman of the Professional Panel. Mr Johnson welcomed the participants to the new image service , pointing out how well it was going and explaining the difficulty of recruiting suitable staff in an area of high employment and expensive housing. Alert has been very busy ; non AA companies had joined and new business was confidently expected Sara surveyed the first two months , detailing the complex process of monitoring cases before repatriation ; 26 air ambulance cases and 53 escortedone by a doctor! The morning session then divided: new attendants attended a briefing and introductory seminar which included equipment carried ; experienced attendants had sessions of refereeing and medical advising
Time zones
In the afternoon Dr Waterhouse gave an extended talk on Circadian Rhythmsabout a day and how different time zone transits affect us , though there seems to be no certain remedy for this il l. The
Concorde advertisement 'Gets you there in better shape ' had to be withdrawn as untrue Concorde just gets you there faster Dr Sandra Mooney , of British Airways , the medic in charge of facilities for incapaCitated passengers , gave a brilliant , witty talk on Fit to Fly ', which was very enlightening The day s work ended with an open session
Participants had various worries : insurance cover seemed to top the list , but study days confidentiality and various medico-legal problems were also aired. The traditional dinner in the evening was well attended and thoroughly enjoyed
Presentations were made to the four retiring St John HQ aeromedical operators
How nice it was to see them again , old and trusted friends , mainly settled in their new lives now At the dinner were Lord and Lady Westbury , whose family had reason to thank the service recently (a relative returned from Malta)
It was a good get-together Here s to next year and the future of a great, unique service
Norman Paros
The Long Journey
Everywhere chIldren peered out at the stranger who passed by on horseback
James Nash (above) passes through a TurkIsh vtflage And ( be low he arer used a caravan
£85,000 bed endowed
The lord Prior, lord Grey of Naunton, received a cheque on behalf of the Ophthalmic Hospital for £85.000 from the ladies' Guild President, HRH The Princess Alice , to endow a bed at the Hospital. The magnificent sum was raised largely by the 'Gift of Sight' luncheon attended by Queen Noor AI Hussein of Jordan and HRH The Princess Alice last summer
The Lord Prior receives the cheque from HRH The Princes s Alice Sir Stephen Miller. the Hospltaller (righ ) and Lady Miller (left)
For Badgers
Honda (UK) Ltd donated £1 ,295 to St John Ambulance at the 1988 Motor Show In Birmingham on October 18 There to receive the cheque from celebnty guests were St John Badgers : Thomas Wainwright, Paul lancett , Klrsty Levasseur and Rebecca Tabberer from Sollhull, West Midlands
The money was raised by a sweepstake held at the British Grand PriX at Silverstone In July last year and will go towards Badger funds.
The four lucky Badgers from Wildwood Set received the cheque from racing driver Alain Prost (above nght) and met TV 's Terry Wogan and Cliff Mitchelmore They also had the chance to Sit at the wheel of the formula one racing car on the Honda stand and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of their day looking at the vast range of cars on display at the Motor Show
New ambulance for ...
Tesco Stores chairman Ian MaclaUrin handed over a new £25 000 ambulance to Barnet Division on November 1 It was received by the chairman of the Centenary Appeal , lord Westbury , and london District Commissioner, John Gerrard Tesco customers throughout the country gave the money for the vehicle when SJA members collected nationwide at Tesco Stores. The ambulance , fully equipped With stretchers and resuscitation equipment, will be used at local events such as the Barnet Football Club as well as at major events in london
Barnet's 0 10 Ron CUrtiS and Transport Officer Ron oann receive the new ambulance from Tesco chairman, Ian MacLaUrin
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The man who arranged his own heart delivery
ER IC JAMES, SJA Commander, North Yo r ks hire, writes: Early 1986 after recovering from the trauma of a heart transplant ope rat io n performed on October 11 , 1985 , I bega n g v ing ta lk s aga in about t he wo rk of St John Ambu ance
In the latter part of the yea r I gave a ta lk to the lad es o Panna & Dist ri ct (Harrogate ) Fri ends of St John , who for many years had ra sed many thousands of pounds on ou r behalf. I rea ll y wanted t he newer members to know about every aspect of St John , so natu ra ll y I told t hem of ea c h sect on o t he o rgan sat on , ncl uding the work of the A ir W in g When I spoke o f the exce lle nt and essent a work of the A ir W ng , I re ated my own experience For I was ab e to te ll t he m how I arranged the transportat on of my own donor heart
In January 1985 I was to ld that afte r f ive heart attacks my c ond t ion was ve ry serious and I had less than 12 months to li ve Fortunately on the same day at t he Freeman Hosp ita l, Newcast le upon Tyne , a heart transp lant surgeon (Chr is McGregor) commenced work and he w as asked to exam ne me fo r the poss ibi li ty o f a transp ant. He sa id t was poss ib le but operat ons of that nature were only ca rried out at Papworth and Haref ie d He also sa d that he expected to start heart transplants in Newcastle prov ded he could rece ive the co-operation of t he va ri ous organ sations or assoc at ons invo ved By Apr il, Chris McGregor had suff ic ient staff and equipment to commence heart trans -
plant a on s. Obv io usly as p art of his pre pa rat on s Ch ris had contacted the UK T rans pl ant Co -o rd in ation Uni t for donor organ s and they in tu rn had co ntacted the A ir W ng of St John By sheer co inci den ce he St J o hn A ir W ng ( Pat Bow en) co nt act ed t he St Jo hn Headquarte rs No rt h Yor k shir e and they on hea ring th e word s 'heart transplant' mm ed iate ly pass ed the calion to me.
T he conve rsa t ion went something like th s :
A ir Wing Can you help us, please? We h ave been ask ed to p re p are for the transp antat ion of vi al o rg a ns to the Freeman Hosp ta l, New cas t le. Co uld you tell us whe re it s , w here t he nearest ciVil or m ili tary a irport is, and is there adequate a nd ing spa c e for a helicopter?
you're not piloting or navigating the plane because t he "poor chap " waiting for a transplant is me!'
Si ence. Then : Air Wing 'Go od God! You mean in he w hole coun t ry I rang the one man waiting for a heart transplant in Newcastle? I can't believe it!'
A s I said , I eventually received my transplant in October 1985 and the Air Wing played a Vital role In transporting my new heart.
The ladies of Pannal & District loved the story, so much that at a cocktail party In July 1986 they gave me £550 for a Resusci-Anne for our local Brigade unit and was later told that they had pursuaded two local businessmen to offer their private planes (With pilots) free to the Air Wing That IS St John
StJohn World County and Division News January 1989
1988 St John National Raffle Winners
Eric James (looking very fit) , SJA Commander N. Yorks and retired Police Deputy Chief Constable
I k new the area well and gave full deta ls
A ir W ing ' M any t hanks. You have been very he pful. I knew our local St John would be a b le to help, but I must say you c erta inly ha v e your finger on the pulse
Me When y o u s ay "Vital organs" may I ask w hi ch ?'
A ir Wing ' He a rt ; th e re IS some poor chap who w ill d e soon u nless he ge t s a new heart .'
Me (wonder ing if shou d t ell him w ho t he 'poor chap wa s) 'A s a matter of interes t , why ring me n North Yor kshire?'
A r W i ng We ll, New cas t le is in North York s hir e , isn t it ?'
Me No , it' s 60 m il es nort h of us. In the Tyne and Wea r Dist rict and I on ly hope
In September 1988, I again attended a Pannal & District cocktail party In aid of St John and to my utter amazement I was presented with a cheque for £2,450 for the Air Wing! A truly magnificent donation from such a small body of ladles devoted to the work of St John The chairman , Pippa Green , said : 'You told us of the excellent work of the Air Wing and how they save lives and we will never forget the way they saved your life.' With a wry smile, she added 'I bet they now know where Newcastle IS .'
I am sure they do There have been 86 transplants (heart/lungs) at the Freeman Hospital Newcastle , in the last three years , thanks to the skills of the doctors and nurses And, I can say With a deep sense of pride, having been a member of St John for 37 years to the very eXistence of St John Air Wing
As one of the few people who have actually benefited from the work of the Air Wing I say with a sincere and heartfelt thanks to Pat Bowen and all hiS staff A nd to all at the Air W ing Flight Control Centre , the volunteer pilots , the AViation A uthorities , the RAF the Royal Navy and the US Air Force - who all make an invaluable contribution They are truly a LIFE SAVING section of St John
Pat Bo w en , Chief Controller of the St John Amb ulance A ir W ing , received a marvellous ackno w edgement of his work when he w as pronounced an ' Unsung Hero' by th e Celebrities' Guild of Great Britain at t heir ball in Nov ember He met various w ell-kno w n pe rsonalities, including film p ro du cer Jo hn S chlesinger w ho presented hi m w ith a te lep hone pager for the A ir W ng 's use
Mr Bowen s a id he w as deli gh te d to rece ive t he awar d o n b eh al f of t he dozen or s o voluntee r A ir Win g cont ro ll ers w ho p lay s uc h a v t al be h nd-the-sce n es role
lia isi ng w it h ai rp o rt s, pilots and UK Transplant to e nsure that the vital missions tra ns po rting do nor organs for transplant ru n s mooth ly
Avon
The fir t Avon Badger Challenge Da} competition \ as held at Avon HQ on Nov 5 Eleven team of IX Badgers each competed in fir t aid, home nuring, afety and hobbie The overall winning team \Va Clutton Badger who were prewith a trophy donated by Major John Greener, SJA Commander for Avon until his retirement la t year Cup 'Were also donated by Woodspnng , Bri tol and North and Eastern Areas.
Beds
Kemp ton Quad Dlvi ion held a 20-mile pon ored cycle ride dunng September which raised £700 for divi ional fund Some rider hadn't been on a bike for year and were a little dubiou about ridmg 20 mile, 0 the divi ional ambulance followed, but there were no problems. Two riders. one ex-armv. took the wrong route and added three mile to the journey. But all riders \\-ere home \-\Ithin 21/4 hour
Cambs
Clutton Badgers, Avon, receive the first Avon Badger Challenge Day trophy from Major John Greener.
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
the flame , re cue of the ca ualtie commenced. The RAF medical team was a i ted by oldiers landed by helicopter, who were also to eek out. the terrorists re ponsible for the missile attack. The exerci e wa wa tched by a party of NATO enior officer, as well a ob erver from the tatutory ervices and SJA.
Once a casualty clearing centre had been established the London Ambulance Service, upported by three Whi ky Alpha vehicle controlled by Blue Major, ferried medical team from Hillingdon and Mount Vernon hospital to the scene. It may have been a practice but the chao was reali tiC. By 8.30 all the ca ualtie had been tran ported 10 a 'sort' of priority to Hillingdon Hospital.
To all who parricipatedca ualtie, ambulance crew, make-up and observers - thank you. Not only can Northolt continue as an operational airfield for another year, but our ability to co-operate with other service wa clearly demonstrated.
London, Western
Triple
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
Newark
At Newark Divi ion's annual in pection, DIS Peter Smith was presented with the Long Service Medal. Peter is the youngest superintendent in the life of the Division (formed 1912) and the Smith family i proud to include Peter's father, wife and two sons as SJA members.
Staffs
Stoke-on-Trent SJA pre ident Ken Green organised a collection in pub and club throughout the Potteries for local leukaemia victim Deni e Morse and her famLly ""hen they deCided to bring Chn tma forward to early November after Denise had been told b\ doctor he had only a fev. weeks to live. The family had taken out a £1,000 bank loan to help pay for a part} and present for her hu band and three children.
Ken and hi helper collected £2,678 to ohe the Mor e family's problem
St Ives
Merseyside
40 casualties (half of whom were local SJA members). At 6.30 precisely, 7,000 gallons of aviatio n fuel (defective no doubt) was set on fire to simulate a crashing aircraft after a missile attack.
As the RAF Airport Fire Service, assisted by 10 appliances from London Fire B rigade, swiftly extinguished
At St Ives, Cornwall, carnival. 'Nursing Members', we're told, helping out at the cadet float.
M aghull Badger of the Year is (above) 10-year-old Laura Molloy - her prize is this cuddly badger. Laura's mother and brother are in SJA. (Below) At the SJ rededica ion service at Uverpool Cathedral. Bishop David Sheppard, with (L to R) Col. R. H. Jones, SJA Commander; Wg Cdr Kenneth Stoddart, Lord Ueutenant; Clifford Cook, chairman SJ Council; and Terry Baldwin, Area Commissioner. (Pho o Geoff Roberts).
Surrey
Brigade regulations state that any application for being exc used from the annual inspect ion sh ould be by letter to the inspecting officer. A parent of a new cadet wrote:
D ear Sir, Sorry Geoff is late, b u t we've had friends round and did n 't realise the time. Also Geoff h asn't got a uniform for St Jo h n's. He's a bit worried about being fined or omething. A lso h is black shoes are too sm a ll , so he's had to wear white o n es. Sorry. So there.
Warwick
the newest cadets was involved in the 8-minute tests for 25 competitors.
The cup went to one of the youngest cadets, Clare Evans, who did very well to score the highest marks, especially against the older cadets. The Division's president also presented each competitor with a small plaque as a memento of when the competition teamElizabeth, Hazel, Nicola and Michele Mills (who all retire from the team as they're over 16), plus DIS Judith Morrisbecame the judges.
Supplies Update
Warwick Town DiVISIon received this new tent to use on public duties from the Warwick Uons Club
Watford
After their annual inspection, members of Watford & Bu hey Nur ing Division made a pri e presentation of a cake to Div. Supt. Mr J. Crea ey to mark her 40 years' ervlce to St John.
The cake was decorated 10 icing with a picture of St John' Gate.
West Midlands
Ha lesowen Nur ing Cadet Division's competition team were the judge of an annual fir t aid competition they've organi ed for the Divi ion, the winner of whic h will receive a trophy preented cadet Susan Orgil\' parents In memory of her grandfa t her, a SJA member. Everyone auxilianc , parents, president, ea ualties Union, the superintendent, and
New Cadet Division
The recently formed Patchway Nursing Cadet Division, Avon, boasted 14 cadets at thelf recent enrolment. And don't they look smart all in new pullovers and showing off new trophies? Area Commissioner Mrs Nora Ford and
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GENERATORS
DESCRIPTION OF PRODUCTS/SERVICES SUPPUED OR MANUFACTURED
Two Weeks at the RN Hospital, Devonporl
Male Orthopaedic)
This was a very busy ward and nearly all o f the beds were occupied I helped turn a Striker Bed which is for fractured spines (A board is placed over the patient and secured the bed turns the patient right over so he can lie on hiS front ups ide down , for a change of pos ition .) also gave a bed bath I made beds and was shown how to take the blood pressure
Sun d ay July 3 (C2) Used a bath with a seat that tilts Helped put an elderly man into an electric chair which moves up and down! Today I took a gentleman to the X-ray department for X- rays on his replacement hip Looked around the treatment room and saw several unusual items such as the I.V tray , which is used for testing blood
M o n d ay J uly 4 (C2)
see this as
5t John Fellowship
A v ery happy New Year to all our members worldwide The first new branch in 1989 is in So uth and West Yorkshire. This county now lea ds the field wit h seven branches. Congrat u ati o ns! Barnsley & District Branch Contact:
Changed several beds Answered the phone while sister was on rounds with the doctors put on some melolin dressings I filled in several
T he A n nu al General Meeting 198 9
Notice is hereby given that the sixth Annual General Meeting of the St John Fellowship will take place at Renold Building, University of Manchester Institute of Science & Technology (UMIST) on
Wednesday , May 31 1989, at 2.15 pm
admittance forms for patients I had to admit and took blood pressure temperature and pulses and filled in the cardex In the afternoon I spent a couple of hours in the pharmacy and the stores I saw the never-ending supply of tablets capsules and liquids
Tuesday July 5 ( O perating Theatre)
Watched the procedure in the anaesthetic room before the patient is wheeled into the theatre
Here they let me put a venflon needle into a vein in the back of the hand , and then drugs are Injected straight through the cap on the venflon Into the vein
Everywhere In these premises one had to wear clogs , overal l, disposable cap and mask
I watched several knee operations where a fibril rod was put in the knee to see if there are any deformities
In the afternoon I went downstairs to another operating theatre where watched severa people have the r teeth taken out under anaesthetiC
I decided to stay later that afternoon as tw o
Wednesday July 6 (OT)
Watched more knee operation s and the remov al of the patella
Thursday July 7 (Male Medical Ward)
Items for the Agenda should reach me by March 10 1989 ---=-ST-=--JOHN
Took temperature and pulse Went throug h report of patients With sister Watched th e removal of IVI (intra venous injection) drip
Friday July 8 (Male Medical W ard)
We were looking for problems With the kidneys At noon , I went and thanked Matron for my stay and handed her my reports It was a shame had to go home
Alison Gay ( Miss) St Blazey and Par Div , Cornwa ll Details will be forwarded separately to branches 31 Malvern Court
At the
Badger Jennie Eave s (right) with Badgers of Newca stle Set who gave a display of traditional Irish
(RIght) Mr and Mrs John Sunderland vIsited the G,ants Causeway before leavIng the province.
C-in-C visits the Province
STJOHN W 9 RLD
(RIght) The C-in-C with Ta nta Flanagan at the Autumn Training Day held at Craigavon Area Hospital
The C-tn-C WIth Antrim Area personnel at St John House Ballymena
C-in-C's visit
The C-in-C , John Sunderland , made a thought provoking and challenging visit to Northern Ireland in early October
At the invitation of Dr Betty NiCholl , District Commissioner , Mr Sunderland, accompanied by his wife, commenced his official engagements, having inspected the HQ Transport Ambulance Station at Purdysburn Hosp ital, at the new HQ of the NI District located at Erne , Purdysburn Hospital.
At dinner that evening With NI District staff, the C-in-C referred in a speech to : In an age when the traditional family unit is breaking up , he endorsed the need for preserving , promoting and fostering the family image of St John, where security, guidance , care and understanding are valuable facets vital to self preservation
Family image
This dedication to nurturing the 'family' image was continued when the Commissioner-in-Chief , accompanied by Dr Nicholl, visited the Wallace Outdoor Pursuits Centre at Bryansford , Newcast le, Co Down, early on Saturday morning In a full programme of events that included a forest trail, death slide and orienteering, Mr ?underland was not only favourably Impressed by the facilities available but suggested that ambulance and nursing cadets from across the water should avail themselves of the opportunity to sample the hospitality of N Ireland at one of its famous landmarks-The Mountains of Mourne.
It was Significant that perhaps the highlight of the C-in-C 's visit was to officially recognise and commend those St John personnel who in the face of the bomb attack on the RUC stand at the
Royal Ulster Agricultural Show at Balmoral in May, continued to carry out their public duty In the 'Service of Mankind' with both courage and determination , despite the threat of death to themselves
Mr Sunderland presented Letters of Commendation in the presence of the Mayor of Craigavon at the Autumn Training Day , held in the Southern Area College of Nursing at Craigavon Area Hospital.
The city of Londonderry was Mr and Mrs Sunderland s next port of call, where the recently renovated St John Ambulance HQ in Hawkin Street was offiCially opened and dedicated
Always one to capitalise on an opportunity , Mr Sunderland ensured that the Badgers, the future of the organisation , were singled out for mention and featured prominently in the event.
Sunday, October 9 , saw the provinceWide tour end, when the C-In-C and his wife , after visiting the Giant's Causeway, lunched with Antrim Area personnel at St John House, Ballymena
Chief Badger Leader ' s visit
A fortnight before the C-in-C's visit Miss Jennie Eaves , Chief Badger Leader, made a three-day fact-finding tour of the province
The purpose of her visit, arranged by Northern Ireland District , was twofold Firstly to address Brigade personnel on the proposed new regulations for Adult Entry, and secondly , to conduct a Badger Workshop for leaders.
It was With interest and optimism that the Energy (adult entry scheme) proposals were received and Brigade personnel welcomed the initiative to supplement the recruitment drive for the third tier of the
organisat on Such a concept can only enhance the quality , expertise and skill within the organisation and attract others from without.
As the pioneer of the Badge r movement it was appropriate that the second phase of her Itinerary included visits to three Badger sets ; Rockport , Coney Burrow and Newcastle She was not only entertained with traditional Irish music and dancing , but had the opportunity to assess the success of her training programme
The tour concluded on September 26 , when Miss Eaves presented a comprehensive Badger workshop at Belvoir Park Hospital , Belfast
Annual Cadet Day
The chief guest at the St John Ambulance Annual Cadet Day at Crawfordsburn Country Park on October 1 was the Mayor of North Down, Councillor Donald Heyes Hosted and organised by Down Area under the leadership of Area Staff Officer MIss Marie Jamison and assisted by Miss Dorrie Duff, Divisional Pres ident Dufferin N/NC , Mr Heyes witnessed the 250 cadets from all over the province participate in a range of social, phYSical and educational activities, including abseiling, canoeing, It's-a-Knockout and 5-a-side football, concluding with a disco.
Mr Marvin Gowdy , NI District Staff Officer for Cadets, was delighted with the response In his concluding remarks the Mayor praised the efforts of all concerned and drew attention to the objectives of fostering and engendering well-being and community spirit among Northern Ireland's 10-16-year-old boy and girl cadets Long may that spirit of adventure, endeavour and achievement remain with our cadets
(Above) The C-in-C (back) and Or Betty Nicholl , District Commissioner (front centre) at the new District HQ
(Left)
Badger Workshop for Leaders Chief
Dancing
Cadet Help and Informatio n Pages Raising Extra Cash
Hello and welcome to CHIPS , which is to be written for St John members with Cadets in mind. As well as covering the latest cadet news and views from all the divisions , we will be covering many issues and viewpoints dealing with the leadership of young people.
To bring regional interest to CHIPS , I wou ld be most grateful to receive any articles , photographs or news from your county or division.
Special features over the next twe lve months will include Camp 89 reports ; Best Camp Food Awards, visits to your division , and a 'getting to know you' section geared , in a lighthearted manner, to meeting the people at Headquarte rs.
That's Entertainment
With the arrival of mega-charities like Great Ormond Street Hospital , Smile for Jamaica, Children in Need, Live Aid, etc, th e raising of money to support our div sions will be more difficult to achieve Sponsorship is, or has been, virtually done to death and it takes a very ingenious idea to make it attractive as a way of bringing in funds.
There are the usual jumble, car-boot and nearly-new sales but, with the Consumer Protection legislation sales of this type are more fraught with problems than before.
What then is the answer?
To obtain a reasonable amount of success in most projects publicity is needed, and if publicity can be obtained free of charge so much the better Therefore it is up to you to give a venture publicity and novelty value to attract the
local press, and at the same time publicise St John Ambulance Cadets.
Here are a few ideas, some tried and tested, to consider.
Baked Bean Race
Two contestants are provided with a paper plate of cold baked beans , a cocktail stick and , perhaps a bib of some sort. At a given Signal, they have to eat as many baked beans as possible - one at a time and by using the cocktail stick - in the space of either 30 seconds or one minute.
Each contestant is monitored by someone counting the number consumed and, eventually , a grand winner can be declared
The competition can be run on a knockout baSIS , as the totals increase, until there IS a grand final In which a valuable prize can be won Each entrant pays a nominal
entry fee The secret of speedy eating IS In the amount of juice around the beans The more
Hypermarket Trolleys
Some large hypermarkets , Savacentre for example , rely on their shopping trolleys being returned to the shop by customers. A problem for such stores is the number of trolleys which have to be retrieved from car parks etc
the bone, they can give a brief description of which fractures could occur and by which common injury.
Keys
Ask a volunteer to sit on a chair in the middle of the hall and be blindfolded. Place a large set of keys under the chair.
PreSIdent of the Nursmg Cadets, opened the FaIr and the old Burgh/ey fife engme was a hit WIth both cadets and vIsItors.
The aim of the game is for the rest of the diVISion to retrieve the keys Without the blindfolded sitter pOinting at them If they are pOinted at, they must immediately sn down The winner sits on the chair for the next game
Co d e of Chivalry mime
DiVide the diviSion into groups and the n allocate each line of the Cadet Code oj Chivalry to a group. Each group has te mime their line to the others, whilst the others have to guess It.
Chips News
they can expect from their stay at the parks.
The 12 regional guides present information on more than 500 parks throughout the UK This lists their amenities as well as the new grading system , which shows the overall quali ty and also places emphasis on service and cleanliness, which is carried out by independent tourist board exp ert s. Th e guides are available, free, fro m the Bri tish Holi d ay and Home Parks ASS OCiatio n Lt d ., Chichester House, 31 Par k Ro ad, Gl o ucester, Glos GL 1 1 LG. A g reat deal of young people, probably of the older members of your Cadet DIVIS ion , w ill now be feeling the impact of t he to s to p 16- and 17-year-olds c ai ming benefit.
From Septemb er 1988 , most sch o ol leave rs wil receive no income su p port if
they have no job to go to And under the new rules , many young people who study part-time while claiming benefit will no longer be able to do so
To receive any Income, 16- and 17-yearolds without Jobs and out of full-time education will have to join the Youth Training Scheme for up to two years of vocational training The Government has guaranteed a place in the scheme for all under 18year-olds who want one
The removal of benefit from this group of young people, effectively making the YTS compulsory, was a controversial decision, and the debate between the Government and those concerned for opportunities for young people will certainly continue, but the fact is that many of this year's school leavers will have to find a YTS place in order to secure an income
To help our cadets understand the scheme and choose a suitable placement, the National Youth Bureau has produced
' Make the Best of YTS leaflet for 16- and 17-year-olds
Illustrated with lively cartoons, the leaflet explains how to find a place on the YT S , what to expect and where young people can go for help. The leaflets are available from the Bureau at £1 for 25 , single copies free The National Youth Bureau has also produced a more detailed briefing paper, which superintendents may find useful, which explains the basic facts and the implications of recen changes.
For a briefing pa p er and poster send £1 to the Bureau Sales De partment , National Youth Bureau, 17-23 Albion Street, Leicester, Leiss, LE 1 6G D.
Please send any sug ge stions, photographs, news and comments to CHI PS, St John World , Wood Cottage, High Corner , Sutley, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 3Q F
A t Stockport and Cheadle Quad Division Area President Mr A. Walmsley (centre) pre
Cadet of he Year shield to Sarah Chandley, DIS J. Chow (left).
An Autumn Fair held by Stamford Ambulance and Nursing Cadet Divisions raIsed r250 for their funds Lady VIctoria Leatham,
surprise from cadets Vicki MIllar and Tara Coutanche for Divisional Nursing Officer Mrs Kay who retired recently after 21 years WIth Fareham Cadet Division.
courtesy The News Portsmouth ).
Badgers
Badgers of Northern Ireland enJoy their annua y Fun Day (their second) In Londonderry ou
in the Grand PriorY Church
Order
Philip Southwell (Essex)
The Rt Hon The Lord Tollemache DL (Suffolk)
Associate Commander (Brother)
Datuk Ang Lai Soon (Malaysia)
Officer Theodore Mark At1lee BA, CEng, MIMechE (Leics)
Major William Mitchell Clarke, BEM RGN (RAMC) lieut-Colonel Mark David Conroy. MB, BCh BAO, FRCGP DObst RCOG , DCH(RAMC)
Robin William Eversfleld (London)
Sidney Galsson Gill (London Transport)
Joan, Mrs Gladders (Cleveland)
Joyce. Mrs Gorin, SRN (Devon)
Colonel Ian Robert Haywood, MB, BS. FRCS (Min of Def)
John Herbert Hewit1 (Derbys)
Gwenyth lilian Mrs Hodgson (N Yorks)
John Thomas Mulrooney (Lancs Police)
John Robert Nolan (Lancs Police)
Brigadier Hugh Shuter Platt. TO OHP , MD BS BSc (Min of Def)
Colin Reeder (London)
Hazel Faith Lady Roberts (London)
Barry John Frederick Theobald (London)
John Henry Thornton (Norfolk)
John Edmund Trott (London)
lieut-Colonel Christopher Raymond Winfield, MA M,BCh, MRCP , DCH (RAMC)
Serving Brother or Serving Sister Vivienne, Mrs Adams (Gtr Manchester)
Norman Anderson (Derbys)
Jack Angel (Hants)
Alan Edward Bacon (London)
The Revd William Baldwin , SEN, RMN (Gtr Manchester)
Joyce, Miss Barnes , BSc, SRN (S & w Yorks)
Malcolm Bent (Cornwall)
Barbara Mary, Mrs Berry (Merseyside)
Conrad Bull (British Rail)
William Harry Bullock (Herefs & Worcs)
Gladys Edna , Mrs Burton (Notts)
Lucilla MIss Butler MA FRCS (London)
Nicholas Martin Carr (Met Police)
Sidney Alfred Cave (British Rail)
STJOHN (o RLD
A man injured at a motor cycle scramble last year sent his thanks and best Wishes to St John Ambulance Brigade member Geoffrey Martin who received the prestigious Order of St John Live Saving Medal in Silver at the recent Investiture.
The incident occurred at a motor cycle scramble at Kidds Hill House Farm , Coleman's Hatch in Sussex on 19 April 1987 , where Geoffrey Martin and other members of Uckfield Combined DiviSion were on duty
A rider had landed badly at the top of a fifteen foot embankment and went over his handlebars so Geoffrey accompanied by two others crossed the track to reach him Just as it was decided that It was not immediately possible to move the casualty who had sustained a broken Wrist , a second rider took the same jump and crashed through the rope barrier Seeing the out of control motor cycle coming towards him
Geoffrey Martin pulled the casualty close to his own body and bent forward to take the full impact of the machine on his left Side. The bike went right over him and he fractured three ribs but his casualty received no further Injury
Although unable to attend the ceremony, the casualty, Gary West of Mldhurst In Sussex , was delighted to hear of the award and sent his 'c ongratulations and thanks to Geoffrey on his special day '.
Leonard Hugh Caven (S & W Yorks)
Ivy Mrs Challis BA (W Midlands)
Frank Chandler (London)
Clifford Harry William Chivers (S & W Yorks)
Janie Elisabeth. Mrs Clark SRN ONC. OHNC (Notts)
Dorothy Mrs Clarke (Lancs)
Richard Henry James Clarke (SJA HO)
Monica Joan Mrs Cornwell (London)
Phyllis Ellen Mrs Crane, SRN SCM (N Yorks)
Douglas David Cremer , JP (Herts)
Melvyn George Daubney (Essex)
Beryl Ivy Mrs Eaton (Dorset)
Bessie Annie. Mrs Eldred (Surrey)
Robin Ian Wilson Fell (Met Police)
Dennis Alan Fenn (Northants)
Ernest Fern (Lelcs)
Mary Ann , Mrs Francis (Oxon)
Cynthia Ann MIss Frank (Cleveland)
Myrtle MIss Friester SEN (SJA HO)
John William Gavey (Jersey)
Mane PatriCia , Dr Gilbert (British Rail)
Gillian Adele MIss Gilbey (London)
Eileen Dorothy Mrs Greenwood (Hants)
Leslie Edward Harding (Leics)
Winifred Phyllis , Mrs Henn (London)
Winifred Florence Mrs Higam (Bucks)
Maureen , Mrs Hlndhaugh (Northumbria)
Margaret. Mrs Hollinhurst (Lancs)
Ethel Frances Evelyn , MIss Hook (Surrey)
Dorothy Mary , Mrs Houlston (Salop)
Robert Mark Jeffery (Met Police)
Margaret Shirley Mrs Jones (Cheshire)
lieut-Colonel Philip Geoffrey Jones , TO , DL (London)
Rita Marjorie Mrs Jones (W Midland s)
Leslie James Kempton (Herts )
Gladys , Mrs King. RFN (S & W Yorks)
William FrancIs Gosling Ledden (Cornwall)
Alfred William Lelghtell (Northumbria)
James Scott Middleton Low, MB , ChB (Humberslde)
Robert Boyes McKie (Notls)
John Maynard Metcalfe (N Yorks)
Keith John Miller (London Transport)
Derek Moody (Nolts)
Philip Ian Moon (NailS)
Pauline Ada Mrs Morrell (S taffs)
James Edward Morris (Merseyside)
Rose-Marie Eugenie , Mrs Munkenbeck (Norfolk)
Thomas Howden Murray (Surrey)
Raymond John Neville (Suffolk)
Anthony Edward Noms (Berks)
Constance Grace , Mrs Peasnell (North ants)
Graham Robert Pendry (Hants)
Irene Mary Maude Mrs Phillips (Herefs & Worcs )
Julia Margaret Dr Pole , BMedSc BM BS (Herefs 8 Worcs)
Hazel MIss Porter (Dorset)
Ernest Neal Polter (S & W Yorks)
ST JOHN
W(O LD
Betty Mary , Mrs Powell (London)
Peter David Reeves (Warwlcks)
John Rhodes (Surrey)
John Harvey Polmear Robert s (Bucks)
George Sankey (Cheshire)
Michael Arthur Shires (Lancs)
Dorothy Pamela Mrs Simmons (Bucks)
Douglas Smith (Hants)
Joan, Mrs Smith (Nolts)
Alan Theodore Smyth (Bntlsh Rail)
(Warwicks)
(Devon)
(London)
Suter (Avon)
(W Midlands)
(Bucks)
Save a Life (cont. from p.4)
Has the campaign influenced public knowledge of emergency first aid?
Pre-launch, three- and six-months post- aunch surveys were conducted to determine whether the campaign had affected the knowledge of emergency aid among the general pUbliC. There was an initial, but not sustained, increase in knowledge of the correct action to take In heart attack and choking emergencies
Respondents had learnt to place unconscious casualties In the recovery position and to use Heimlich s abdominal thrust for choking. This latter finding was of some embarrassment to the co-ordinating committee who had on the grounds of practicality , agreed to exclude the manoeuvre from the class curriculum The technique shown on teleVISion as an example of "what to do as a last resort' , was better remembered than other, less visual information Another important finding was a rise from 30% to 41 ° 0 in the number of people correctly aware that a longer (3-4 minutes) delay is compatible with successful resuscitation. Has it been worthwhile?
The extensive research programme has accrued a mass of data for further analysis , which should benefit future campaigns The final report is yet to be published
Twenty-four patients have been successfully resuscitated by Save a Life trainees The co-ordlnating committee knows of no cases of incompetent resuscitation resulting in Significant morbidity.
The organisational problems in the Save a Life campaign were colossal and rapid progress was hampered by the lack of money the necessary obsession with fund-raising Preliminary grant aid from central government as is now available from the Look after Heart! campaign would have made a big difference. Another difficulty was the necessity of ensuring adequate briefing and preparation of local groups well before the broadcast dates. A pyramidal structure of instructor training, as practised In the successful Swedish community programme in Gothenburg , would
have ensured a consistency of campaign policy and a uniformity of training standards.
The integration of health educators , educationalists , media experts , cliniCians and first aid lay teachers proved a faSCinating and worthwhi e experience TeleVision s role as an educational force was again demonstrated 1 Local enthUSiasm proved much more valuable than central publicity
The Save a Life campaign has made a smal impact on community awareness of emergency first aid and self help in the UK. It has shown the value of active citizen Involvement in the management of emergencies. Most importantly, t has pinpOinted a need for compulsory first aid education in schools Children are socially motivated and most receptive to the acquiSition of new With the review of the school core CUrriculum now in progress the t me IS right to conSider ItS InclUSion.
References Lund I. Skulberg A Cardiopulmonary reSUSCitation by lay people Lancet 1976 702-4
2 Glendon AI. McKenna SP Blaylock SS Hunt K Eva luating mass training In cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Br Med J 1987 294 11B2-11B3
DiVIsional Superintendent of Irchester Combined
In Northamptonshire
Schools Project
New presentation certificate
Seven pupils from A ll ertonsh ire Schoo l, North Yorkshire , gave a superb demonstration of the techniques used in the One , Two and Three Cross Award at the annual conference of the Federation of Master Bui ders in Harrogate during September The school is the first to be awarded the New Three Cross Award Specia Certificate , which was generous ly sponsored by the Federation of Master Builders Two hundred Federation delegates and their partners watched the schoolchildren 's demonstration and showed a great interest in the scheme A framed certificate was presented to both Allertonsh ire School and the Federat ion by Mr R Cumm ings, SJA County D irector , North Yorkshire The schoolchildren each received an appropriate cert ificate and badge Mr W Hilton , the Federation Director-General , sa d that desp ite a ll precautions taken by builders on wo rk sites, children still play in danger areas , and so he was delighted to help them acqu ir e the skills that could prevent loss of li fe , not only on building sites but everywhere - at home , at school or at play Kent
FUTURE EDITORIAL FEATURES
Pupils of Allertonshire School N. Yorks, with teachers Jacky Varty and Michael Holmes, with their Three Cross Award special certificate. (Right) Kent County Director Mr L. Ashman with Northfleet School pupils,
13 Having keen 3 Down (4-4). 16. Foot With fallen arches. (4). 18 Needed in dealing with potentially aggressive patient (4). 20 More drop In premonitory symptom of disease. (8). 21 Sex duo makes mass departure. (6). 22 Fibre conveying Impulses into a nerve cell (8 ). 24 Inflammatory ophthalmiC condition characterised by pain and photophob ia. (6). 25 Space between outer layer of meninges and Inner surface of vertebrae (8).26. Sweating (8 ). 27 Regard highly (6).
Down :
2 Ulcer situated slightly beyond the pylorus (8). 3 Faculty of vIsion (8) 4 A main vanatlon In feminine aspects of male personality (5). 5. Symptom experienced by a dizzy blonde? (15) 6 Allowed saliva to run from the corners of the mouth (7). 7. Condition In which it is painful to move back (8 ). 8 Front part of cranium with cusp in it. (8). 14 Its god IS Mars. (3). 15 The Image one has of oneself. (3). 16 Pyrexial. (8). 17 Dazed and dismayed by aids note (8). 18. Cut trade for lacrimal structure (4-4) 19 Surgically removed gonads (8). 20 ChroniC skin condition With Intense Itching (7). 23 Is In one vanatlon of unwanted sound (5)
Sample the action on a nonstop adventure weekend, try a new hobby, get away for a fun-filled Christma or imply tour the beautiful and hi toric Briti h country ide at your own pace. The YHA is a worldwide club that offer you the chance to combine adventure and leisure in a mix that uit you and to di cover thi country and others at prices which don't cost the earth. Comfortable accommodation, a relaxed informal atmosphere, plenty to do and lot of friendly face are all feature of Youth Ho tel
With a network of 260 Youth Hostel , YHA give you the freedom to travel throughout England and Wale ,each Youth Ho tel with its own unique character, ranging from a gho tly Norman ca tie and an elegant Georgian Man ion to an old hepherd 's hut. They're all part of the YHA. So, whether you want to visit the city or countryside, there's usually a Ho tel close by, and the price are remarkable, with a night' tay costing from just £1.70.
ACTION BREAKS
YHA offer all kind of action breaks - you could test your head for heights by trying a rocksports break or parachuting holiday , or perhaps a multi-water ports holiday would be more appealing. For tho e who prefer more gentle pur uit , numerou pecial interests breaks are on offer too. In fact, YHA gives you the chance to try such diverse activities as sub aqua, spinning and weaving, mountain biking and photography Whatever your interests, YHA is sure to have something for you.
The Activity Centres at Edale and Llangollen have recently undergone extensive refurbi hment , creating bright and imaginative dormitories and smaller rooms suitable for familie and group Friendly and experienced instructors will take pecial care of you, helping you gain confidence at new skill and ensuring that you enjoy every moment of your adventure holiday
Each Hostel offers its own special charm and the tempting lowcost meals and snacks will serve you well after a good day in the great outdoors. Vegetarians and tho e with special diets can al 0 be catered for as long as the Hostel concerned is informed in advance. However, if you'd rather make omething for yourself, there' alway a elfcatering kitchen , complete with all the utensils.
In order to keep run! co down and prices most Ho tels clo 'c f[ part of the day and the 'y asks that all membcrs t with ome of the clear up, usually omen routine such a washin1 or weeping a noor tend to be regarded a rather than a c hore and add to the friendly atmosphere found a Youth Ho tel Perhap s it is no urprise that Youth Ho tels ar popular.
Accommodation is in ingle se bunk - bedded or L mitories and all but the smalle t Hostel have common room!-" hca and hot hower
LOCAL GROUPS
If you like meeting people and getting out and about in the cou n ide, then you can join your local YHA Group . Local Gr( organi e regular ocial evening and weekend activitie and ye ure to get a warm welcome whether you al ready belong to the) or not.
COUNTRYSIDE ACTIVITIES
YHA offers you lhech to do some practical in the country ide, sue clearing out and resto opening up path and planting tre you'd like to put omel back into the counln what could be mor'e than with the YHA. In YHA i oneoftheleadingenvironmental group in Britain, he l to con erve Britain' unique land cape feature and wildlife
YHA Membership include thefollowing:
• Your free YHA Accommodation Guide full ofmformation a the Youth Ho tel network in England and Wale
• Your regular YHA Magazine
• Your own handy pocket ized map for easy reference
• Discounts on many touri t attractions and other travel ben t
• Di counts on the extensive range of item held at YHA Aove Shop.
• The chance to attend many exciting activity and leisure evenll at Hostels
• The opportunity to join a local group
• Admi ion to over 5000 Ho tel in 58 countrie
EXCLUSIVE FREE MEMBERSHIP OFFER
YHA ha s a super offer for Stjohn members. Until 30th September 1989, YHA will provide a free exclusive Guest Pas to all Stjohn mem who return the attached co upon This free Guest Pass will then enable you to s pend up to two ni g ht at any of the 260 Ho tels in Eng and Wale s. Once you have used your Guest Pass and obtained two Hostel 'e rnight stam ps, ju t return your Guest Pa with your name, adL and, if you're under the age of 16, the signature of a parent or guardian and YHA will send you a year' membership FREE.
Please note that:
• The free guest pass offer expires on 30-9-89
• All Gue st Pa sses are valid for 6 months only
• The free membership offer closes on 30-4-90
• When using eitherthe Gue t Pa orthe free membership nO! overnight fee apply.
• Children under the age of 12 wi hing to u se Youth Ho tel 0 be accompanied by a parent or guardian. ---------------------------------_
Please send me my FREE YHA (England and Wales) Guest Pass
CONTRIBUTIONS
Contributions to the SI John World are always welcome They should be typed treble line spaced , on one side of paper only (if In longhand please print names of people, places , etc) and sent to the editonal address below If pOSSible supply a phone number for the writer Material can vary from a paragraph to a 5 000 word article - but It should ali have some connection with St John and Its work Photographs should be glossy black and white prints or good quality colour prints or transparencies If photographs are to be returned wnte on the back RETURN and name and
SUBSCRIPTIONS
EDITOR
Rh odes - Stre et of the Knights.
O{
STJOHN 9 RLD
Sun holidays with a St John flavour
Dreams of relaxing on sun-kissed beaches , listening to ethnic music and enjoying palate-tempting Mediterranean dishes can help us survive the dreariest British winter
But the dreams can become reality - and you can enjoy a memorable family holiday with a St John flavour
The balmy islands of Rhodes , Malta and Cyprus and the Holy Land that is modern Israel have all played a key role in the history of the Order. All are superb holiday destinations, offering adventure and enjoyment for all ages and tastes
Whether you want to snorkel , visit spectacularcastles, disco the night away or laze around on the beach these venues with the St John connection could be the fulfilment of those winter dreams
All tastes? Why not try gefillte fish in
I Jerusalem , kleftiko in the Greek islands - or Cyprus - KoloSSI Castle, bUilt by the tasty spicy specialities in the popu lar Tu rkish John resort of Bodrum It too has historical i nks
Around the middle
with the Order.
' Kleftiko consists of large chunks of lamb Cmarinated with spices and vegetables and baked in a clay oven Delicious - especial-
when eaten in a taverna to the sound of
oca wine s Irnng orne 0 t e f, er or rnof, your taste buds
It was in the Holy Land that the Order was founded by a group of monastic brothers who cared for travel-weary pilgrims. And it was in 1113 that the Pope granted these brothers of the Hospital of St John recognition as an independent religious Order The Order developed a military role and Crusader castles remain in today's Israel. The work of the modern Order continues too , at the world-renowned Ophthalmic Hospital In Jerusalem The present building is in the Sheikh Jarrah district and its doors are open to all- regardless of race, creed or ability to -I Jay
\
""1 1000th Badger
rormed
in Carlisle To mark this significant point .' n the growth of the Badgers , it was decided hat the new Set should have a party a thousand feet above the city
So the RAF organised for a Chinook lelicopter to take the lucky Badgers from Jpperby Set on a special celebration trip -Iowever November 16 dawned cold and 'lloomy and the helicopter was fog-bound lnd unable to reach Carlisle " But to Carlisle Airport and pilot ;,teve York (pictured) of the Flight Centre the Badgers were not disappointed ey had a marvellous day and all were n for a flight to 1000ft in - not a lehcopter, but a light aeroplane.
Perhaps the most striking fortification IS Belvoir Castle. But it pays to check before visiting any castle in this part of the world
The knights of old chose their sites well and some of these fortresses are still used by the military
The impressive remains of Acre are also worth a visit. It was the last state to fall to the Saracens in 1291
Wandering around ancient monuments is not everyone s idea of an ideal summer holiday. No problem Israel has much more to offer in the shape of modern cosmopolitan cities, deserts , green valleys and superb beaches
And a great compromise is to combine a Holy Land tour of historic sites with a week at the beach
After the fall of Acre the Knights of St John retired to their Cyprus estates
Today you have to make a choice when following in their footsteps Cyprus is now a divided island with Turks in the north and Greek Cypriots in the south
A few miles from Limassol on the south coast is the huge Kolossi Castle, built by the Knights of StJohn It was from here that they administered large vineyards and sugar cane estates
It is not only through ancient buildings that you can still savour the St John connection in Cyprus The famous red dessert wine Commandaria - named after their headquarters - is still available
Cyprus, too , has so much more to offer than monuments. Snorkeling off its uncrowded beaches is a delight that young and old can share, exploring a faSCinating underwater world with its multi -coloured shoals of fish and the occasional- fortunately small - squid. In the north, the Kyrenia shipwreck museum is well worth a visit
Whether you choose a holiday in the north or south is a matter of personal taste Both
have many attractions, not least the traditional music, dancing and local dishes.
By 1310 the Knights of St John had established their headquarters on the island of Rhodes It became an important centre where travellers and pilgrims could rest , trade and see the many holy relics The Knights built a palace for their Grand Master a hospital and auberges or hostels for the different nationalities
Lindos Castle and the medieval fortified city are great attractions today, as are the fortifications on the island of Cos (also spelt Kos) a few hours away by boat.
Opposite Rhodes on Turkey's Aegean coast is Bodrum, another popular resort with St John links and a castle set in an attractive bay
During the 15th century Rhodes was frequently attacked by the Turks , and having survived a long siege in 1480 it fell 42 years later. The Knights were able to leave Rhodes and were given the island of Malta by King Charles V of Spain , the Holy Roman Emperor
Malta was the home of the Order for more than two centuries until Napoleon captured the island in 1798 Today it is still rich in St John buildings, including the Co-Cathedral , Conventual Church of the Order, the Grand Master's Palace - now the Maltese Parliament building - the hospital and the Auberge de Provence , now the National Museum of ArChaeology
It is not known as the island of sunshine and history for nothing.
When planning this year's holiday, you could do no better than follow the sun in the footsteps of the Knights and enjoy the St John connection
Further details on holiday destinations with historical connections with the Order will be published in the June edition of ST JOHN WORLD.
Grand Prior's Trophy
T
he culmination of months of hard work for first-aiders from all spheres of industry came on November 30 when the 1988 Grand Prior's Trophy Competition was held at the Pavilion Gardens in Buxton
Thirty three teams took part in the three categories of the final of the competition which is thought to be the largest in the world, with 3,500 teams comprising 18,000 first-aiders taking part in the eliminating competitions throughout the year.
Team honours went to the Lancashire Constabulary who represented the Police in the Men's Pairs competition, Northern Area British Gas in the Women's Pairs section and a Post Office team from Glasgow in the Open Pairs.
Hodgson of the Lancashire Constabulary in the Men's competition, Ms L. Austin of Northern Gas in the Women's competition, and in the Open competition Mr T. Mclaughlin of the Post Office's Glasgow team, Mr N. Casper of London Buses Ltd and Mrs P. Stammers of the Brigade's Chasetown Combined Division.
Highest scoring individuals were Mr P. casualties for the were provided by For the first time St John Ambulance took Brigade in Derbyshire , BR London Mld la' a stand at the annual Business SponsorRegion and the Staffordshire Police ship Link Exhibition at the Business Design
The Chief Commander, Major-Ge ne Centre , Islington , London N1 on Wednesday Peter Leuchars , who presented the pm' 30 and Thursday December 1 described the competition as ' the best e Grand Pr ior s competition I have atten de The exhibition gav e Headquarter s perHe remarked on the Impressive attend ar the to meet represend d I· ht d t h f 0 the docl tatlves from commercIal companIes who are an was e Ig e 0 ear r m "
As always the scenarios were very realistic and the sets impressive One of the most eye catching was the fairground scene where the women's pairs teams and the men's reserves competed They had to cope with a casualty who had been shot in the chest and a woman who had been accidently stabbed. The hard working stewards and d th t the standard of competitors 'l actl vely seekln g to sponsor FIve jUdgIng h a h th projects were IdentIfIed and put forward al was Ig er an ever They were : national product promotions w th The Chief Commander also thanke d the Badgers Regional Youth Development Mayor and the community of High Pea kOfficers , national development of the thewarmthandfriendlinessoftheirwelc Ql ENERGY programme , the remake of the - despite the torrential ra n on the nv Three Cross Award Scheme video and before the compet tion! special gala fundraising events During the
the Dagenham Diggers '
1988 Competition Results
led by their teacher Sue Ryder, combined to give a half-hour show The Badgers were accompanied by the inflatable Badger Bertie , Silly Willy (the clown who went to Jerusalem during The Great Party) and John Alford and Tina Mahon from the BBC TV s Grange Hill The
Donations
The
The
STJOHN STJOHN
The Chief Commander, Major General P Leuchars, wIth the winning teams team , open champions; British Gas Northern women s pairs and the LancashIre PolIce men s paIrs
" That this House applauds the Approved Code of Practice which followed the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 (Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974) and which requires that , even in low hazard industries , every employer of more than 150 people should ensure the onsite availability of a qualified first-aider ; believes the same requirement should apply to children in schools ; further recognises the value of teaching first or emergency aid in schools ; and applauds the initiative of the St John Ambulance in issuing its publication Emergency Aid in Schools , which , accompanied by a video , shows how children can be taught a basic course between the ages of six and twelve years so that they are competent in assessing emergency situations , restarting breathing and circulation , dealing with bleeding , shock and unconsciouness , especially resu:ting from drug or solvent abuse and burns and scalds , and so qualifying for the St John Ambulance Three Cross Emergency Aid Award."
tuition in SchOOltCadet
Presenting prizes from the AA , Andrew Johnson congratulated all the competitors saying that they had shown great strength of character and forecast that St John could look forward to a very sound future The Commissioner-in-Chief , John Sunderland
Director of Cadets and Training , who was d€lighted with the
petition , said : "Once again
John Cadets showed what they can offer to the community - shining examples of young people who not only want to do good but enjoy themselves and get a lot out of life."
Northern Ireland's Robert McMonagle, winner of the Cadet Leader of the Year competition with runners-up (left) Deborah Jupp, from Dorset , and Christina Castle from Lincolnshire
Participants from 30 counties at the 1988 competition held at Gilwell Park in December.
Meeting sculptor James Osborne.
-
Fine turnout at London club
T
he St John Ambulance Association
national dinner took place once again at the Naval & Military Club in Piccadilly during November. We were very lucky to have Viscount Tonypandy, former Speaker of the House of Commons, as our principal guest.
There was an enormous turnout of county directors, county commissioners and commanders, and people from the many in d ustries within the Association Among the oth e r distinguished guests were the Hospitaller of the Order, Sir Stephen Miller
a nd Lady Miller, The Baroness Blatch and Mr John B latch, Surgeon Vice Admiral Sir Godfrey Milton-Thompson KBE and Lady MiltonThompson, Sir Montague and Lady Levine , Maj o r-General and the : 10n Mrs Leuchars ,
Atthedinner(LtoR) : The Deputy Director-General
Zimbabwe Summit
Primary Health Care is theme of sixth regional seminar
Group Captain J.A.G. Siessor Secretary Overseas Relations
Perhaps not such a landmark on the contemporary scene as other 's ummit' meetings we hear of through the media, but in the world of St John an event of some significance by any standards Senior
MrMervyn Malcolm ; MrsAJ Blowers & DrAJB/Qr. of ?t J?hn Ambulance in (Assistant Director-General) and Commander of Surrey Lord Tonypandy ; Mrs Balchin ; the Direr eight African countries (It should have been General; the Revd Or P J Gal/oway (Asssistant Director-General) ten but more of that later) and a formidable
Major-General and Mrs M J H Walsh , Mrs Harold Phillips Mr Peter Spurrier and the Hon Mrs Spurriers , Mr M J. Malcolm and Mrs Malcolm , Professor and Mrs A R. Mellows , MrTimothy Everard CMG and Mrs Everard , Dr and Mrs C M White , Dr and Mrs A. J. Blowers , The Revd Dr P J. Galloway, Mr K. C Cooke, Mr and Mrs R Anelay We were also delighted to see such a large contingent from the Civil Aviation Authority led by Mr Arthur Weston
The Director-General in his speech told a number of heart-warming stories about Lord Tonypandy, and in a serious aside mentioned that there is in Britain an age group which will grow significantly by the end of this century: the over 55s. Many will be retiring
team from the UK met in Harare forfourdays from work much earlier at 55 and will be in early November to deliberate on proing forward to many years of healthy life blems, successes and future plans in and from this age group that St John Ambula around the African continent. For those who should be recruiting and to which we sh like to hear about a theme for such look for future instructors and other leal} meetings on this occasion the emphasis Lord Tonypandy spoke of the wond Ewas mainly on the development of Primary rewards which voluntary service brin gHealth Care projects in third world countries , those who take part in it. His speech was such as have already been launched in Zimreceived by everyone, and in the bara babwe, Malawi and Zambia, three of the wards it was clear that the Association countries attending Others represented ner is to be looked forward to as a reg were Ghana , Kenya , Mauritius , Swaziland , event. After the raffle, the net proceed Uganda with Zimbabwe acting as our hosts , which were given to the Hospitaller. having spent many months laying the founDirector-General presented a bouquedation for a rewarding and enjoyable week 's Mrs Lucy Waters , his P.A. at Headquar stay in what must be one of Africa's most who had handled much of the organisa beautiful cities. of the dinner
Gloucestershire
appeal
Excellent facilities
This was the sixth in the current senes of
tops £ 100 seminars which. sta rted in , ten years ago The prevIous one
T he Gloucestershire Centenary Appeal hasccln A!rlca was held in in 1981 (see to a close with a total of just over £100,000 May 1981) and with Harare we have exceeded the target by £40,000 now completed two rounds of the three The last special fundraising event was a geographical into which the world Evening held at Berkeley Castle by kind divides Itself. of Mr & Mrs John Berkeley on November 4 w t WhThe was held in Holiday Inn , raised £1,297. The evening took the form of a IT 0 very provided their excellent coninteresting illustrated talk on' Late Nineteenth Cference facIlity !ree of charge, together with tury Realism ' by Simon Taylor, followed by dir a handsome discount on rooms It was to with wine supplied by H E Mr Dimitar Zhuler, opened by the Ministerof Health, Bulgarian Ambassador The Celebration Jazz BBrigadier F. Muchemwa but he was unforplayed music in the New Orleans tradition du tunat ely. called away to an international dinner meeting In so was unable to attend. However the Chairman of Council and ComTaylor, Victonan Pmander SJA in Zimbabwe C I D H tmgs, John Harvey, the firm 's Cheltenham represent8Grainger deputis d d' 0 Major Nick Warry, county SJ appeals organise r. Minister :s e an rea out the Andrew White Sotheby 's WestCountryrepresenta ' f II d opening address. Thence 0 owe the customary series of reports from country present a fl HertfordshlreStJohnAmbulancehaSlustlaunchedanappealfor£250,000 to finance anewcou nl Which ff ' ,use u exerCise headquarters Hoslingtheappealiaunchon30JanuaryatGorhambury,StAlbans, were MISsBarba f e ectlvely sets the scene for the rest Cartland , Deputy County President , and Major General Sir George Burns 0 the seminar. Subsequent presentations,
all of which were of the highest order, and discussions focused our attention on the problem of AIDS in Africa and the role of St John in combating it, leadership training , recruitment to and retention of members in the Brigade, fund raising , management planning , an update on malaria , first aid teaching in schools , marketing courses and the everrecurring and vitally important topic of Primary Health Care , which offers such a wide scope for St John Ambulance organisations in many African countries and which was pioneered with spectacular success in a deprived suburb of Capetown.
Happily we were not restricted to the airconditioned confines of the Holiday Inn for the whole period and most of one day was spent out 'i n the field '; firstly to the Epworth Mission Project, an ambitious undertaking in a large settlement on the outskirts of Harare concerned with the provision of clean water and efficient sanitation The same afternoon we were taken to see the M'bane clinic in a suburb of Harare which turned out to be a veritable showpiece , a model of efficiency and cleanliness manned by dedicated staff with a devotion unsurpassed, one is tempted to suggest , in many so-called developed countries.
The only real disappointment to be recorded was, due to circumstances beyond their control, the inability of the delegates from two countries, Nigeria and Tanzania, to put in an appearance at the meeting. All three delegates concerned are gentlemen of great repute in the world of medicine and their contribution to the proceedings would have been of considerable value.
The social scene was far from neglected.
The evening before the seminar opened the
Chief Commander and D irector Overseas Relations hosted a small reception for all those involved and on another evening Colonel and Mrs Grainger generously entertained all delegates, plus a few of their wives , to a wine and cheese party at their home in Harare. Later in the week the Br igade staged an entertaining and instructive display planned with remarkable ingenuity, in their impressive National HQ building ; this began by depicting the history of the Order, performed entirely by cadets , and then followed a demonstration by the Br igade emergency rescue team ' dealing with the victims of a simulated road accident. Act Two of this production showed us these unfortunates after arrival in a hospital ward, wherein the Brigade nursing contingent d splayed their undoubted skills like true professionals This most agreeable evening was rounded off by a buffet supper in the Headquarters and a most moving and impromptu rendering of the Zimbabwe National Anthem by the St John Cadets
Value of sharing
In sum , a very worthwhile meeting which once again underlined the value of countries sharing , not only a common geographical environment but largely similar problems, getting together at regular intervals to discuss and to exchange views of mutual interest. And as on many previous occasions, none of this would have been possible without a generous grant received from the Commonwealth Foundation, whose support for these seminars we so greatly value
SJA Medical Conference
Unfortunately, the delegates from Nigeria and Tanzania were unable to attend the seminar.
Message from The retiring
C hief
C ommander
When you read this I shall have handed over to Dr Ellis my appointment as your Chief Commander. It was some twelve and a half years ago, on my retirement from the Army, that I was invited to join St John Ambulance for a trial period of six months to see if I likes the work. Few of you will be surprised when say that it took me only a few weeks to decide to make it my major work in retirement. Few of you, too, will be surprised when say that this period has seen some of the happiest years of my life.
It would be wrong if I did not admit to some considerable apprehension at the honour which was accorded to me when, shortly afterwards, I was made firstly Comissioner-in-Chief and later Chief Commander ;
an apprehension not so much as to whether
I could do the job, but whether , a stranger in Stjohn Ambulance , would be accepted as the head of what I knew was a very great and proud family. But I need not have worried
The last twelve years have underlined something I have always known: that one of the most rewarding things in life is to work with people you like and respect, and I want to thank you all most sincerely, not just for your friendship which I have valued immensely, but for your help, support, and cooperation in helping me to do alii have tried to do.
There are two thoughts I would leave with you which have been the main principles behind all my work over these years First ,
Ma lc o lm R utherford on
Civilising a City
The St Jo hn Wo rld sought and has been lucky enough to obtain a personal contribution for the next 12 months from Malcom RUlherford who has been forthe last several y ears A ssistant Editor of th e Financial Tim es. where he has also the r.ole of political columnist and diplomatic corres pondent Mr Rutherford has travelled widely and is interested in music , theaJre ballet and tennis, apart from his main line s of foreign affairs and politics He is married and has thre e daughters I f you live in London, or indeed anywhere in the vicinity, you must be aware that there is a problem that is steadily gettting worse and will continue to do so despite present measures being taken to reduce it. The problem is traffic.
Try taking a bus. The chances are that it will take up to 20 minutes to come. Probably three will come at once, for London buses have a tendency to hunt in packs They will then get stuck in another traffic jam
You might, if you can afford it, try a taxi, though you will have to find one first and it is quite likely that if you do, it will become stuck in the same traffic jam as the bus, so the extra cost is hardly worth it.
Thus you may switch to the underground, which is easier said than done. For a start, not everywhere in London is on the underground map, and certainly not as the crow flies. It is an antiquated system , built for a smaller city It is also unsafe, dirty, overcrowded and erratic in its service Yet more and more people flock into it for want of anything better
There are two other choices: you can walk or go by car. Both have snags. A lot of the distan c es in London are quite walkable by normal stan d ards. Yet walking in London is not a pl e as a nt experience because you have to devote so much attention to avoiding the 10
that if we are to continue in the future to ma tain the position in the country which 0 predecessors handed over to us we have become professionals ': professionals in ll way we look, in the way we teach and in ll way we carry out our duties To ma members of the public the word 'volunte conjures up an amateur We have to OVi come this by raising our standards eVI higher and , thanks to your efforts , I bel ie we are well on the way to doing so And \! second thought is simply that , whether l serve in the Association , the Brigade , or deed the Fellowship , we are all part of family of St John Ambulance and the c ordination of the different work in these thn parts of our family is essential to its fu te success
cannot emphasise too strongly hl delighted I am to be handing over II challenging and rewarding work to Herbert Ellis who , with his previous perience of working in St John Ambula n( is so well fitted to carry it out. If he rece ll· from you the same degree of support a friendship which I have received , he will starting some of the happiest years of his I wish both him and all of you continued sl cess in the fLiture
Super Badgers from Dover Castle
The first four Badger have won the top 'Super' Badger Award for outstanding work since the junior section of St John Ambulance was formed 22 months ago. There are now over 23,000 ix- to ten-year-old Badger throughout the country. The four. who all come from Kent's Dover Castle Badger Set, were presented with pottery badgers. certificates and badges by Mrs WlnslOn Churchill, the Badger Special Friend for Kent, at a ceremon) at the Maldstone St John headquarter on November 20 The 'Super' Badgers are Veronica Tutthill, Tina Hall, Martin Goldsack and Hazel Turner, all aged 10 All except Hazel are founder members of the Badgers. ha\ IngJolned In January 1987.
traffic It is even worse when it is raining And if you go by car, you only add to the traffic congestion including the parking congestion. That does not stop people using private cars , but many of them do so because they do not believe that the public transport system works Thus the traffic problem is compounded
If there were a simple solution to the problem , presumably the Government would have found it. There is not. But it is a big leap from saying that because there is no easy way out there is nothing much that can be done, except nibbling away at the edges
For example , you could ban all private cars in central London. Or you could set up a toll barrier around the place and make drivers pay heavily for the privilege of entering; such a system could be operated electronically It may come to that, but remember that tolls are scarcely egalitarian Some people would always be able to affort to pay and, if not, their companies would do it for them
The best way out is to try to look at transport in London as a whole : to try to reduce private traffic while at the same time improving other means of getting around It is very difficult to build new underground lines in London quickly because the geological structure means that they have to be laid very deep Yet because of the sheer
size of London the need for an underg rou is always going to be there So It wou ld good to see a plan for the underground a. should be working i n (say) 1995 : mod e' eHicient and safe , and capable of ge t! people quickly from one central po inl another It is quite wrong to say tha t Government cannot afford it. The pre sE Government has surplus tax revenues co The 'Super' Badgers ha\e completed the Badger course in AbsoIng out 0 ItS ears , and in time the sysl€ lut 1 E would pay for itself e y ve r) th lng, and hown
Meanwhile , there will have to be m( proticlenC) In a Wide of subdrastic action : like banning private tr a Jects, including aid, nursing, from some streets altogether That WOl canng for the Sick. animals, drama. allow the buses to get through and once tl musIC, road safety and the hI. tory of happened , more people would the r
Here are two other suggestions In sor ow t at t ey have put so much foreign cities there is a taxi system wh does not just take a single fare and bowl pi
everyone else half-empty : it picks up oth people as it goes along a central route , II a real mini-bus It is cheap and efficient B' should be introduced in London
The second suggestion is to bring
ST.JOHN The Royal Naval Hospital Stonehouse in Plymouth, and the Naval Hospital at Haslar in Gosport, Hampshire, have again allowed our members to take a two week course there in 1989. We al 0 have opportunities for courses at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Ely and the RAF Hospital in Wroughton.
Mrs
work into achieVing their Badger awards, they are looking forward to mo\ 109 on to see how they make out as t John Cadets
I-
the tram Not the old , noisy, cranking tram the past , but a modern , streamli ne lightweight rather silent affair that would r, d ay frequently and on time through some main London streets, East-West No rt
card featuring the Badgers and Christmas pudding (made with MacDougalls flour of cour e!). For each card coloured in one hour on 'Stir-up-Sunday',
New Collecting Envelopes
Super Badgers wan
Winston Churchill (L to R) Veronica TuNhill, Tina Hall, Martin Goldsack and Hazel Turner. (Photo: Dover Extra).
The C-in-C, John Sunderland, presents Grand Prior Awards to Beckenham nur· smgcadets.
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
the car and to call the emergency ervice.
aid dutie and was immensely proud of being a member of St John Ambulance. The photograph wa taken for Lord Tonypandy' mother. When Lord Tonypandy addre ed the 1988 SJA Pre ident's Conference at Church House, We tmin ter, he said it wa a matter of great pride to him to think that his brother had been in the service of St John, and that such service was in the great volunteer spirit of the Briti h people.
(Photo: Western Mail)
Bletchley Cadet Division (North Bucks) has received new equipment to expand its activities. The president, Fred Crackford, of Motivations Ltd, has given the Division a Black's Icelandic II tent. And they've also received eight lifejackets from Paul Thornton Allen, of Aardvent Design. Milton Keynes.
The equipment will enable the lads to start practising water safety with the divisional boat (photo above).
Bristol
Centre i proud that one of its members, Philip Lanca ter, an amateur radio operator and member of Chorley Division, helped at the scene of the Pan Am airl iner di a ter at Lockerbie on December 23 and 26. He acted a radio operator with a party searching for bodies and part of the aircraft.
Derby
He saw a woman lying acro the front seat of the car. He then noticed smoke coming from under the dashboard. A by tander shouted that flames were coming from the bonnet. 0/0 Gleave quickly organised bystander into a human chain and removed the ca uaJty to a safe place
z .... ary by donating £40,000 to charities in a year. It runs a hcaltharl aftercare service for 115 ,OG members and their families. Mike Draper, executive of the llf: profit - making organisation, hand t over the equipment to a delighted SJ president, Carol Hubbard.
Hon iton
Jersey
The Battle of Flowers is the culminating point of the summer's activities for tourists in Jersey. Last year there were about 30,000 visitors to the event and the local SJA had a variety of ailments to treat. Among
ARO UND TH E DIVISIO NS
O xo n
Some of Hardwick Oxon, Badgers who were at their parents evening at which everyone had a great flme.
The la test enrolment of lads by Area Comm iss io ner Mrs Nora Ford at B i shops t o n Ambulance Cadet D ivis ion.
Cardiff
Lord Tonypandy, fonner Speaker of the House of Commons, is seen in his Cardiff home with a photograph of his brother who was a Brigade member between the wars.
Lord Tonypandy's brother, who was a miner, performed regular first 12
The Secretary-General of the Order, Mr T J Everard (right) making a presentation to Mr John Hewitt, of the St John Council and County Financial Adviser. Centre is President of Council, M r P Hilton.
Greater Manchester
Divisional Officer Alan Gleave was driving his car along Tongue Moor Lane, Bolton, on a stormy night in 1986, when he saw a crowd on the pavement ahead. As he got closer he saw a wrecked car embedded in a tree. He stopped to help. He told a bystander to turn off the ignition of
DIO Alan Gleave - and his family (plus daughter Helene), all of whom are SJA members - receIves the certificate from Dr T K J Leese, county commIssIoner.
well clear of the car He was then told that the driver of the car had been found unhurt but in a state of shock
The Fire ServIce arrived and extinguIshed the burning car and helped with fir t aId until the ambulance arrived Alan helped tran fer the woman to the ambulance by stretcher.
In recognition of this act of bravery.
Divi ional Officer Cleave was awarded the Certificate of Honour.
The Greater Manchester cadet qUiz was won by the team from Droylsden (South East Area), and here they are as the captain receives the trophy from CSO (Cadets) Cathy Smythe.
Harold H ill
Harold Hill Romford DiVIsion , Essex, ha been gIven a complete first aid kit by The National Physiotherapy Service (photo below), which is celebrating its 40th anniver-
East Devon area preSIdent and retIre GP Dr Terry Glanvill went to t Armenia earthquake scene BritIsh International Rescue Coq (when he wears hIS SJ Worktng 24 hour shIfts In appalll cond It Ions of dust and debriS, the strong team which stayed in te r completed re cue work over ab ou hal f of the \Own of pltak and countrySIde around for up to mtles The town's populatIon been reduced from 50.000 to 25.0 in a few moments or terror Ais l the team were Okchampton D!\SI Graham Payne and teve Mam Minehead
Isl e of M an
Douglas No 1 Ambulance Divl bid a fond farewell to Its retir Supenntendent. Nomlan Moughl m November, when member) friends from allover the lsi
the patients was a clown (photo) who turned out to be one of our own member. Badger leader Su an Lewis.
As well as first aid coverage of the event from lOam to Ilpm. one diVIsion entered a publiCIty float.
Northumbri a
19 cadets and SIX leaders from the county went south for a week's holI day WIth SJA Orpington (London E Area) last August taying In members' homes, the viSItor., saw Just about everythmg (zoo maritIme museum, Tower of London museum'i. SJA NatIonal HQ. Thames Barner) tn and around Lon don dUring the week And everyone said Let's repeat it! Soon!
Portland. Dorset. Badgers took firt prize with theIr collage m the Portland Harve t Home competItIon 'ihowmg the local coa tllne made from materials collected on the foreshore
Chamber of Commerce award DaVId Nobbs began his nur ing career at SalIsbury Infirmary and the Old Manor as a cadet in 1955 and IS now ClInical Manager of the Department of PsychIatry of Old Age. A long-servIng and loyal member of St John Ambulance for 34 years. he was made Area Comml loner in 1985. and helped launch a ucce sful welfare dIVIsion whIch cares for people in their own homes Thl Salisbury pilot cherne has now been adopted nationally. While helping Ame bury DIviSIOn at nine succe sive Stonehenge FestIval. he delivered seven babIes. and one of them was named after hIm
The lads received their framed letters at a CIVIC reception (photo) at Bootie Town Hall from the Mayor of Sefton , Cllr Jenny Kemp, who is the recently appOinted president of Sefton Area
Staffs
The county's first cadets of the year are Samantha Gough, 16, of Cheadle CombinedCadet Division, and Matthew Myatt, 15, of Blythe Bridge Quad DiviSIOn
St Helens
Nursing Member Joanne Woolton, of St Helens Town Combined Division received her Grand Prior from the Merseyside Deputy Commissioner, Norman Pimblett. Al 0 in the photograph (below) IS Mrs B McCarthney, Area Staff Officer (Cadets) and Mr K Wagstaff, Deputy • rea Commissioner St Helens & k. .owsley.
David Nobbs receives Chamber of Commerce Cup.
Tyldesley
Hurt pr ide?
From the Mer eymart newspaper : 'It i 100 year ince the granting of a Royal charter to the Grand Priory of the Mot Vulnerable Order of the HospItal of St John of Jerusalem' - Daily Telegraph
was supplied by Nottingham' Gf Cars and ent off to coachbuilder Who did the re t.
And then Nottingham City Area Commissioner Fred Shaw collected the vehicle to hand it over - complete with red uphOlstery, tretcher C?t, five seats and all equipment - to hIS lads to get on with the job.
Northumbflan cadets and leaders who went to stay with SJA families In Kent for a week's holiday. Everyone said: 'More, please!' gathered at the I land's HQ to II tributes to Norman's work in StJ N ttBut it was Norman's \\ 0 Ing ham Dorothy. who leaked the best k secret of the Super' 40 years en SJA Nottingham have a new Renault - he joined St John so that he C(1 ambulance fully fitted out to theIr regularly see her, which evenlU requirements at a cost of just £500! led to their happy marriage. How? The £500 wa for additional Our photo (below) show fittings. The ambulance wa the President of No 1 Division. result of Radio Trent making the local Albert Phair (left), presenting SJA the main beneficiary in their man WIth a gift from the DIVislo 1987 Christma appeal. The vehicle Douglas, 10M, Superintendent Norman Moughtin receives a retirement gift from the Division's president, Albert Phair (right).
Sa lis bury
One man's un tinting commitment to the needs of the elderly and mentally frail has won hIm thIS year' altsbury Journal medal and
CongratulatIOn and well done to three Sefton Area cadet who have received letter of commendation from the C - m-C, John Sunderland
The) are: Cadet Sgt Robert Molloy and Andrew Settle (both of Maghull). and Stephen Trantor (Litherland)
The cadet receIved the commendatIons for outstandmg first aid at Goodl on Park In Februar) 1988. ""hen the) had to deal, in eight minute WIth five badly la hed football fan The cadet ' were alone and un upervised The police and local hospital ent glov.ing report about theIr action credIt to u all and SJ training
One of the 'Grand old Gentleman of Ty Ide Ie)'. Gtr Manche ter. and founder member of the Ty Ide Ie) DI\ I Ion dIed In hI 99th year la t May Mr Jo eph Blears. 'Joe', worked all hIS life in the coaJ mining indu try. and wa one of the original members of Tylde Ie) Di\1 Ion. He alway encouraged hi children to partlIpate In Brigade acti\ itie HI elder daughter Hilda wa a member of Tylde le) Nur Ing 01\ I ion before tran fernng to the RadclIffe Nur 109 On I ion. Hi younger daughter. Lilian. who joined a a Cadet. later became a Count) Staff Officer. Greater Manche ter. Until 90 years of age he attended many St John event , and remained an honoran member until hi death. Three ofh; grandchildren al 0 Joined the Brigade. and all gained their Grand Prior ward '. 13
Salisbury's
New Year's
Honours 1989
DBE for services to nursing Audrey Emerton SRN SCM RNT Chief Nursing Officer, National HO.
OBE for services to St John Ambulance
Brigade
Norman Pimblett
Deputy Commissioner, Merseyside.
Mrs Thelma Webb
former Deputy COmmissioner, Bedfordshire
MBE for services to St John Ambulance
Brigade
Norman Birnie'
District Staff Officer, Northern Ireland
BEM for services to St John Ambulance
Brigade
14
Lloyds Bank Chambers, Hustlergate
Bradford, West Yorkshire BD1 1PA
Tel: (0274) 308755 Fax: (0274) 732832 difference. This Area is 600 miles from the and is 500 miles long and 200 miles wide.
STOP PRESS
LOCKERBIE air disaster. See under Chorley news on page 12 for SJA members' involvement.
ARMENIA earthquake. See under Honiton on page 12 for SJA members' search for survivors
The caption for the picture on page 10 of January's Sf John World featuring the hand over of a cheque for £85,000 to the hospital from the Ladies' Guild wrongly described Lady Cathcart as Lady Miller Our apologies to Lady Cathcart and Lady Miller for this mistake.
READERS DIGEST
Did you see the article in January's Readers Digest on the St John Airwing entitled 'They fly the gift of life'?
But St John in Germany has become a part of the fabric of life for the British families of
the Armed Forces here and all sections of CLAPHAM JUNCTION rail dIsaster AS the Brigade are to be found within the seven member Alan Hughes, who was on om Divisions scattered around the garrison the trains , was reported as workIng WII doctor at the crash scene. We have btunable to trace him If anyone knows of h please ring our hotline on 01-235 5363
towns and RAF stations
While other organisations complain of lack of interest, Cadet Divisions flourish here and the Badgers have burst at the seams and cannot be contained
Adults are fortunate in having at their disposal the best trainers the Army and Air Force can provide and Nursing Members have been given the opportunity to train in Service hospitals and thus keep their handin. Recent terrorist action has stimulated Brigade members to train to cope with the results of such incidents under simulated conditions created by the Training Wing of the RAMC Officers and NCOs and we are now ready to play our part should we be needed
Located as we are we have the added advantage of being able to co-operate with our German counterparts , the Johanniter Unfall Hilfe and the Malteser Hilfe Dienst, a facility which is used to the full Language proves no handicap and friendships are strong and lasting
But it is not all hard work We enjoy camping in the Mosel Valley and in the hills of North Germany And we canoe on the rivers and sail on the lakes Come over and see us. You will be most welcome. We may be 600 miles away but our aims are the same as any other Area! Be seeing you
Watch out for Badgers ar Cadets on your
TV screen
On Friday, February 10 (BBC1 at 4 30 p Survival Challenge will feature a tea IT Cadets from London (Cadet teams 7i
Kent and Sussex competed in program r reatmg a casualty in the aftermath of ) an explOSIOn (Left) NIM Jill Williams and NIO broadcast at the end of January Claire Reed of Se D
The York Street Badger Set from Lont nne ager IVISlOn will be shown giving a first aid demonstra' on BBC TV's schools' programme 'Watd be broadcast on Tuesday, February ' 11am and Thursday, February 9 at 2p rn
Also look out for a new series of iT Emu's World featuring four St John Bao teams The series beginS on Wednesday March at 4 20pm and the Badgers invo are from the Salwarpe Set from Droitw Attleborough Set in Nuneaton, Whitne y from Oxfordshire and the Hutton Bad g from Weston Super Mare.
STJOHN W€O RL
A poll?
Letters in the Revlewover the last year from Divisions throughout the country voice considerable criticism of policies implemented at National Headquarters which affect the runn ng and recruitment to divisions The introduction of the First Aid at Work qualification for all members and the lowering of the retirement age caused much anger and correspondence. The strength of the Brigade comes from the willingness of individual members to attend public functions The ntroduction of regulations which mean additional spending from divisional funds on extra items of uniform , badges and further equipment is sometimes met with dismay The extra time needed to attend courses and to requalify is making members th i nk twice about continuing their membership And this also makes recruitment more difficult.
A poll was held recently to fi nd out how capable is the person in the home in dealing with certain first aid situations and it produced an interesting result. It could also prove beneficial to National HQ to ask members and officers their opinion of Brigade work , how recent policies have affected their undertakings and how strength can be improved. Let us bring a closer relationship between the committees who make the decisions and the members who undertake the work in the field
A poll should produce some interesting views and give an idea of Brigade morale
Keith Edwards , Super ntendent Battersea , London
The Chief Staff Officer writes : Headquarters aims to consult as widely as feasible before implementing any new ideas. Regular visits to counties ensure that the thoughts of members are taken Into account whenever change is contemplated
It is vital that lines of communication are kept open and of course constructive ideas and suggestions are always very welcome If you feel strongly about something specific , please make your thoughts known!
Student Nurses
Derek Kinsella writes (Nov Review) to complain about lack of intere st and recognition shown to stude nt nurses B efore doing so he should have read General Regulations of St John Ambulance
B ri g ade O course a student nurse is treated as an ordinary member until qualification, when B rigade Regulation 65A comes into force
W hat is an unqualified B rigade Nursing Officer?
Read Regulation 24 and 24E , also Appendix K , Promotion Examinations
Qualifications for Brigade personnel can be first aid , First Aid at Work , Caring for the Sick , and a re-examination of some sort every year in order to continue in the Brigade What other organisation requires this level of professionalism and what happens if you do not qualify after your student training Come now, Derek , walk before you run Charles H Harrold
Staff Officer Norw ch 16
Readers ' views and opinions , which should be sent to the Editor, although published are not necessarily endorsed by the Editor or the Order of 8t John and i ts foundat i ons
Although readers may s ign published letters with a pen name , writers must supply their name and address t o the Editor J Fa rr e ll
whole -heartedly agree with Derek Kinsella's letter (Nov RevIew) about the treatment of student nurses i n the Br i gade
The Brigade not only underestimates the advantages of student nurses but also ignores their usefulness Many If not all of them have served for many years as active members before embarking upon their training for the appropriate part of the nursing register Therefore they possess real first-aid experience In both voluntary first aid organisations and also In hospital wards and specialist departments. Thus, along With the ir academic training , they are in an Ideal situation to provide practical and theoretical training for their div isions.
J Far r e ll 2 n d ye a r Stude n t Nur se Guy 's Ho s p it al
The Chief Nursing Officer wr ites :
It is important that lines are maintained between student nurses and local diviSions In order that interest and enthusiasm IS retained by members of St John entering nurse training
It is obvIous that student nurses would not be free to give a regular commitment to a division because of their programme of studies and duties , but every opportunity should be given to students to join in the activities of the division and pOSSibly assist in training cadets
It is not appropriate for student nurses to be offered an appointment within the Brigade until completion of their training When appropriately qualified they can be appointed to Divisional Nursing Officer or 1 Star Officer
Fractured clavicle
I find our magazine interesting and informative, especially Block Busters and Do You Know Your Manuals? I use them in my first aid classes to give an extra point of interest. But must adm i I find the crossword rather difficult , but that 's probably me!
I am looking for clarification for the treatment of a fractured clavicle. The report on Brigade Finals (Oct Review) commenting on the Dewar Shield test No 1 the judge states : treatment of the clavicle was painful for the casualty, and in five or six cases the paddi ng was placed in position after the elevation sling had been applied .' Page III , First Aid
Manual 5th edition , states that the pad should\ positioned after the application of the elevalit sling In the 4th edition, we used to apply thepi before the sling
Would someone comment on this? seems to be some confusion
A. J. G. Colbourne
FAW instructor Barry
HQ St aff Officer to the Surgeon-in· Ch ief wr ites:
Only three members of the Bngade wrote that tt had spotted the error in the Brigade Finals Re p (October RevIew) dealing With the treatmen among other injuries, a fractured clavical in Dewar Shield No 1 indiVidual
Do you know your Manuals?
ion s on Car i ng f or th e S ick and th e 5 th ed iti o n
rs t A id Man u a l
Series 2 , Number 8
1. Before applying this type of dressing , what should you ascertain?
The treatment of such an injury, as the c respondents stated IS laid down correctly in' L--
latest editions of the St John Ambulance app ra, First Aid Manuals The correct treatment be
(1) GENTLY place the limb on the injured across the chest With fingertips almost rest lnc the oPPosite shoulder (2) SUPPORT the limb in an elevation slin' (3) PLACE soft padding between the upper and chest on the injured side (4) SECURE the 11mb to chest by apply m broad-fold bandage over the sling Tie knot InIT on uninjured side (5) REMOVE to hospital
The RevIew article showed that the treat rr was often rushed Yes , it IS true that the ele va sling had been applied prior to the paddlng bl placed In position. However what the article fa '--
2. Name three causes of asphyxia which may occur In this area
to show was the force with which the paddin g pushed Into POSition It clearly displayed lac care and conSideration of the casualty s OVt condition
The slings applied ranged from good to bi a total waste of time Many bandages had secured With granny knots, which slipped would have caused more pain Very few ( dldates applied the broad-fold bandage to Sel the arm to the chest, which would have prever movement and again unnecessary pain
While the treatment on the surface appea correct , one of the most Important aspects forgotten the care of the casualty as a WH ( PERSON, ratherthan as stated in the Original cle , an ina nimate object.
Brian Porter
Thanks, Super
On behalf of Lydd , New Romney and Combined Div ision I would like to wish superintendent, Mr W Sims , a very happy( ment from December 31 1988 And thank hlr all the duties he performed during his manyy of service to St John Mr Sims Joined the Dlvr as a cadet and was one of the very early members He is now a Serving Brother Wit: wife and friends, Mr Sims has also run a b evening for local people to raise funds
Lydd Division wishes him and his wife a l very best for the future
Divisional Secretary
N. J. Hawkins
Editor: As we all do here at St John W
3. Which procedures commence with the
BRUCE COLTMAN , Northumbria Police Centre
A
5. What would cause you to treat a casualty in thiS way?
9 This IS part of the treatment for which condition?
6. In treating shock, why should the casualty's head be kept low and to one side?
10 When treat in g hypotherm a where else can the hot water
Which side of this blanket is folded in first? A or B
7. For which condition is this part of the accepted treatment?
11. Injury to which limbs would prevent the use of this carry?
A n swers on page 22
hands in these positions?
8 .
fracture of the shin bone IS frequently what type of fracture?
bottle be placed?
Disabled Club
Jeanne Mercer (Mrs) Chief Welfare Officer
On November 12 I had the honour, together with my husband , and Dr and Mrs Colin Dawson of attending the Disabled Peoples Club's Peckham Christmas Party which was held at the Clapham Rehabilitation Centre. This was a superb venue for such an occasion , with all the modern facilities for people with disabilities, which helped to make the evening even more enjoyable.
The hall was suitably decorated and the tables were beautifully set with candles and festive flower arrangements in red and yellow. Around 70 members and their guests sat down to an excellent meal which was thoroughly enjoyed by all , followed by a cabaret and then ending with a camp-style sing-song.
The local St John Ambulance superintendent, Mr Les Beard, together with him members do a fantastic job helping the Disabled Peoples Club, of which Mrs Barbara Beard is the current chairman The help is given weekly at where the club normally
meets at Harvill Street Hall and the members thoroughly enjoy these Wednesday evening activities which have continued for over 25 years
The Christmas party is not the only highlight the club members look forward to During the summer the St John Division takes them to Eastbourne for the day where they receive hospitality from the Naval Comrades Association with whom they have a long established friendly relationship Some
I very much enjoyed the evening , Ie found all the club members so happy a appreciative of everything that was don e them It was a pleasure to meet them an c the Stjohn Ambulance members Inclu d Ambulance Cadet Simon Beard who Isa involved generally in helping with Care In Community
Easter Cards
Cadet Help and Information Page sBuy
Hello
with a new cover featuring the new design style for the Cadet movement. Com ing soo n The new Cadet Prayer Book , a new book en -
A Brief History of the Order of St Joh n , and a tutor's guide for the Knowledge of the Order proficiency subject. Also in the pipeline are pads of specially designed divisional record forms , including Evening Programme Planners , Camp Planners and Attendance Record Forms for use
Continuing with our theme from January, we look at the specific target of Buying a Minibus and its regulations once you have purchased one!
A new guide has been produced for voluntary organisations trying to raise money to buy a minibus It has been produced by the Ford Motor Company and covers topics such as staging fundraising events , forming committees and appointing a publicity officer. Money also needs to be raised to keep the vehicle maintained According to Ford s Managing Director : " If sufficient foresight is displayed during the initial stages , enough money can be raised to invest for the upkeep throughout its working life ." Ford also encourages its dealerships to give favourable terms on used vehicles , servicing and spare parts If a new bus is required , Ford can organise financing and sometimes a small amount of sponsorship
A Dozen Ways to Buy a New Minibus is available free , from Maggie Sweeting , Public and Government Affairs , Ford Motor Co , 1/86 Ford Central Office , Warley, Brentwood , Essex
Once you ' ve purchased your new minibus , you will unfortunately find that the law surrounding the use of minibuses is
with the Cadet Challenge Folder Details of product codes and prices Ie these new products will be published in SUI plies News as soon as they beco m available
London cadets visit Australia
The cadet team from Ru islip and Northwoo Combined Division who won the White Knc Cup at last year s Brigade Finals have returned from Australia where they con peted aginst eight teams in a first aid competition and came third
Marquiss , Wayne Smith , Rachal Harris( Ch· N and Claire who accor IpS ews panied by their DIvIsional Superlntend e Beryl Asquith , spent two at cad T ypew ntten notes for Car!ng for camp in Coolangatta , 70 miles fro the Slck preliminary level and Caring for Brisbane the Child were issued to all County Staff C?fflcers (Cadet) during 1987 The printed edition of these notes is now available in the Caring for the Sick Users Guide - available from St John Supplies by ordering product R00012 at £2.95 The new course manual for bot h C.aring for the Sick and Caring for the Child IS Caring for the Sick - Product R00010 at £4.95
Butlins Venture Week 1989
Aspecial discount has been arranged for St A mbulance divisions attending B utllns Pw llehi Centre, Snowdonia durIng the week May 1 to 5 1989 brochure gives the following " , des?nptlons of the weeks: 'Motivation
hlevement, discovery and f d ff
un In a er
complex and confusing, based as it is on a number of Acts and statutory instruments. Community Transport Services has now produced a handbook CTS Permit Legislation Guide, which contains the key legal documents , quoted in full , accompanied by
S e dg ley (below)
60 Wolverhampton members, including the Area Commissioner, went to see Cadet Jeremy Thomson , 12, of West Midlands' Sedgley Division , playing the role of Kurt in The Sound of Music at Wolverhampton s Grand Theatre
Despite suffering from dyslexia (word blindness), which makes it difficult for him to learn scripts, Jeremy is a seasoned trouper with parts in pantomime revue, Oliver and Hans Andersen.
an explanatory commentary Permit Legislation Guide costs £1 30 a copy, with reductions for bulk copies , and is available from Community Transport Service, 1a Oldham Street , Hyde , Cheshire , SK141LJ
His St John officers put themselves out at ex-
ent , stimulating environment - that , in a nutshell , is what School Venture Weeks are all about. The value of our popular residential weeks for youngsters in age groups of between 8 and 14 has long been appreciated Many schools recognise that these weeks make a significant contribution to children s development and education in areas which cannot often be covered in busy term timetables .'
The week has been discounted to £45 plus VAT, instead of their normal price of £53 plus VAT. Divisions requiring further details of these weeks should contact Gill Bennett at Butlins on 0442-876641.
St Johnalist
Finally to round up, a ' StJohnalist' of things that happen when you are already late for a duty
Barrow-in-Furness (Cumbrta) cadets (left) with thelrannual awo ac
(Helen Thackeray IS cadet of the year)
St John Fellowship: Round the Worl •• •Wish
T
his month is devoted to recent news from some branches overseas
Australia
In the State of Victoria there is a central committee to co-ordinate the formation of Fellowship branches and other activities
Western Suburbs Branch , Melbourne , has some 30 members and its chairman , Mr Frank O'Brien , has 60 years with St John
The central committee has planned a soc ial afternoon for Brigade officers and members to meet the Fellowship -a great dea Perth Branch , Western Australia , increased its numbers to 24 in 1988. They provided tea at the annual competitions and in November ran a bi-centennial walk to raise funds for St John
The Priory in Australia has issued guidelines forthe Fellowship under which it becomes the cornerstone of their Community Care Project.
Canada
There are now four Fellowship branches in Ontar io and one in Alberta at Calgary. Canadian branches are called chapters because the term 'branch' is used by the Association Durham Region Chapter at Oshawa , Ontar io would like to welcome any Fellowship members visiting the Toronto area (I can provide the address) The branch was invited to the Brigade annual review and dinner, and was mentioned by the Provincial Governor in her report
Weiland Chapter, Southern Ontario Area , has three members who were founder
By W. A. Potter
members of the Weiland Division in 1940 They have exchanged visits with Lincoln Corps Chapter, which now has 52 members. All Southern Ontario Chapters receive strong support from their Area headquarters
New Zealand
Christchurch branch only formed last June had 'recruited' 41 members by August. In New Zealand, as in Australia , the Fellowship is regarded as a major source of support to St John Ambulance in community service
South Africa
The branch in Johannesburg was formed in September 1988 and is fortunate in having strong support from Priory headquarters and the local Centre (equivalent to a County headquarters) It is hoped to form further branches at Cape Town and Durban.
West Indies
IwasgladtomeetamemberofPortofspayou
branch, Trinidad , when he Englal last year Mr Matthews also vIsited StanWi Branch, Essex It is hoped to form a secor
Branch at San Fernando , in the south
Trinidad, in due course
At the Fellowship Annual General Meetl
at Manchester on May 31 1989, we v, FOllow ing the last four years' successful welcome Mrs Ruth Donaldson, represen tJ Perth branch , W Australia I hope to he coverage, the First Aid Post Newfrom other overseas members who will quay's Town Beach was open again In 1988 with us at the AGM with 268 cases receiving attention during the
Sheila Puckle
National Secretary
St John Fellowship 31 Malvern Court
Onslow Square London SW7 3HY
season The response from Divisions wishing to help with the duty and take a holiday was better than ever and the hut was open from June 18 to mid-September Balham & Tooting 104 Division opened the season with DNO Josephine Brace , accompanied by two members of her Division , proDS Malvern Nursing Division arrived on July 2 for her fourth visit. This week coincided with the town's 1900 celebrations and she and
Do you know your manuals? (8) Answers her colleagues helped Newquay Division 's
1. That the casualty does not have a skin reaction to adhesive strapping
2 Tongue dropped back ; narrowed air passage ; Vomit at back of throat.
3. Checking mouth for foreign bodies; Expired air resuscitation.
4 B - shortest edge.
5. Ruptures of the ear drum; Fractures
11 of the skull To minimise danger of vomiting Fainting Open fracture Cramp of the foot muscles. Over the breastbone Upper limbs coverage of the events as well as the beach hut duty.
21 Secret ion of Islets of Langerhans (7)
23 Instrument for dilatat ion of an anatomical passage (6)
25 Superior n anatomy (5)
28 Unicellular plant from coal gas (4)
29 Structure often given a blow (4)
31 Order drug before the
to Crossword No. 1(89)
OS David Rees with DO Kate Warne and a group of members and cadets from Aldershot Division arrived for their first visit on July 9 and volunteered for a repeat visit later in theseason. As in previous years , Ken Perry from Pershore Quad Division supported by nursing members stayed for a fortnight.
London Transport Corps , represented by OS Keith Miller and DS Johnny Squires and wives Eimers End and Harrow
had a busy time for a fortnight in mid-August
Down and in early September also from London 1 Transport for the Injured detrac from the enVIronment (6) '.
2 When one was green due to d e Below) Gettmg a bit of fresh air. London Transport greens? (5.4) CSOs Bert and Gladys Willson
3 Computer-programming langua:(Rlght) In the sWim Cadet corporals Annette for a speech defect (4) Helen Cainey and Cadet Sarah Boyce,
Has a pen for vein of the leg (7 with DIS David Rees and 010 Kate Warne all from 6 Ant has many In disorganised
Finally, arriving on September 10, N/M Jackie Thorpe with ambulance members Simon Binks and Tony Baldwin , from Balham & Tooting Division , completed the cover for 1988 During the school holidays N/C Pippa Clarey, from Bridgwater Division , and AlC James Reed , of Newquay, turned out to assist.
The beach hut will be open during 1989 and as before the flat at Newquay s Ambulance Hall (2 bedrooms , living room , bathroom and WC) will be available free of
From Pershore, NIM Margaret Brock, and from Newquay, Cadet James Reed Getting to know each other n a hol day atmosphere charge to St John members to accommodate a maximum of six visitors Crockery and cutlery are provided but it will be necessary to bring sleeping bags There are only a few weeks available for the 1989 season , which will open on Saturday, June 17, with the last booking for Saturday, September9 So any groups of Stjohn qualified first-aiders or nurses wishing to come to Newquay for beach hut first aid duty plus a holiday should contact the Secretary, John Siocombe , 72 Bonython Road , Newquay, Cornwall TR7 3AL (telephone 0637-873840)
New Zealand SJmanon world tour
ANew Zealand ambulanceman on a world tour of ambulance services spent a few days with the unique St John Ambulance and Rescue Service in Guernsey.
Station Officer Barry Howell , who is responsible for training in the Christchurch Ambulance Service, won the first international scholarship sponsored by the New Zealand Institute of Ambulance Officers He was selected for a 3-month tour studying ambulance services in the USA, Germany, Switzerland, UK, Guernsey and Hong Kong
Before his visit, it was reported that he was looking forward to the Guernsey stage of his tour, for his service in New Zealand is operated by St John in a similar way to that in Guernsey
His stay coincided with the island hosting the World Offshore Powerboat Championships - which were held in New Zealand in 1986 - so he was able to join the crew of the ambulance/rescue launch Flying Christine II providing safety cover for these exciting races.
He also joined training sessions with the cliff rescue team and the inshore rescue boat crews, as well as witnessing the hyperbaric oxygen treatment of multiple sclero sis patients in the service's recompression centre.
He was particularly interested in the cliff rescue techniques , as many accidents in New Zealand occur in mountainous areas and ambulance staff have to use similar techniques to extricate patients. He also took a special interest in the recompression treatment, as this has proved successful in his home island in reducing brain damage in patients suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Explaining the St John connection, Mr Howell said that about 70% of the ambulance services in New Zealand are operated by St John, but like the Guernsey Service these are purely professional services staffed by paid, fully-qualified personnel, and are completely separate from the voluntary St John Ambulance.
The Order in New Zealand has three basic sections, he said, the Community Services division being equivalent to the voluntary SJA in Guernsey or the UK. This section uses grey and white colours.
The Tutorial Public Education section is the equivalent of our Association, performing the teaching function of the organisation.
The third arm is the Ambulance Services, which operates to a national countrywide professional standard. There is an agreed standard for training, for equipment and vehicle design, which is approved by the Minister of Health. While urban services are staffed by full-time professional ambulancemen, covering about 90% of the country's
ambulance work, some rural and remote areas have services staffed by part-time employees who can be backed up by the attendance of more experienced crews at short notice.
Mr Howell is trained to New Zealand 's paramedic standard , which means he can perform intubation, infusion , defibrillation and other operations. After studying the American paramedic and the UK ambulance service advanced training schemes, he was convinced that Guernsey's service could usefully investigate the adoption of New Zealand 's Intermediate Care standard, which involves intubation and the monitoring and defibrillation of patients.
Before arriving in Guernsey Mr Howell was in Germany with the ADAC helicopter and in Switzerland studying the Swiss Air Rescue Service Helicopters are used extensively in New Zealand , he said, to
MAJOR NATIONAL EVENTS
to the scene
accidents in remote or mountainous a' June and to evacuate patients to hospital.
-
the event of a large emergency
Before leaving for Hong Kong on hiS
back to New Zealand , Mr Howell said he
Ambulance Brigade found the world trip extremely stimu l,
at
John's College Hospital, Cambridge in aid of the St John and rewarding , and he had gained va iL
Hospital experience be the beginning of a regular internat' August
to
- Brigade Conference exchange
Cardiff Neil R Tucker, PRO
News from Scotland
Angus and Perth, the Order's two M branches in the local government region of Tayside, have both recently held successful fund-raising and recruitment events.
The second event was held in Me
Castle, the home of Mr and Mrs Ken
Murdoch, who also available to further the Order's WO
The first in the Angus branch took the form of a cocktail party held in the large dining room of Glamis Castle, graciously made available by Lady Mary, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorn. Glamis is the seat of the Strathmore family and was the Scottish home of the Queen Mother before she became Duchess of York. Apart from stimulating interest in the work of the Order generally, the object of the evening was to the area's general hospital in Dundeel
John Ball Jerusalem This event took the form
John Investiture operatic evening given by Mr R CroW, Janet Henderson, Miss Alison
and Mr M Marshall, with Mr H Neil asacpanist. Members and friends enjoyed a evening of music by Mozart March Magazin F t PUCCinI. 0" e ea ures
We congratulate both branches fo n - National worldwide soring two most enjoyable and wort h, C ed are - Resp ondlng to the need occasions a ets - Meeting Princess Royal
CONTRIBUTIONS
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EDITOR
'Potential welfare work is enormous'
a __
__
by the year 20C there will be ( million people Britain over 8! a by David McDine
-a massive increase over the next decade ::xpectations are higher too and although in he past the elderly were resigned to s itt ng 1t home they now want to go for out i ngs and lolidays
Not all of the work is with the elderly Much 3ffort is also put into helping younger Jhysically and mentally handicapped peoJle, often in specially organised clubs where adets enjoy helping to look after them
" So often you are deal ng with very loney people , especially the fra elderly w th no elations in the world It ' s sad , but the work most rewarding - as is any car i ng ," said rs Mercer
The potential amount of welfare work s ormous and as ever there are simply not enough people to do it all.
"People have only got a certain number of spare hours and we must not take away from the first-aiders - they need more help as well.
Afrail old lady n a wheelcha ir 9 " Everyone should try io recruit into St happily out of the w ndow of an OJohn people who are interested in care and tea shop watching the world go by Nould like to specialise in it rather than do -
" If we didn ' t take her and others like ng first aid work at race tracks and football outings they would be prisoners in T1atches," she added rooms all the time ," said Mrs Val Lo ng Mrs Mercer believes this will be easier Superintendent of Oxford s proposed new Energy programme Division or adult entry planned to start this year
Similar comments could be made al There will be a care section closely linking anywhere in the country - wh €'lursing and welfare. " After learning their members of St John Ambulance diw nitiallife saving first aid techniques they will are doing their often unsung caring woe able to choose the stream they want to go work in the community When Mrs Panto and I'm convinced there are a lot of Proud was appointed as Northumbr aDeople who wish to do welfare work County Welfare Officer she wanted.lc "We want to enlighten people about what out what members were already do and encourage them to help even if "One chap said he wasn t doin gJnly for a few hours in their own community welfare work, but I found out he was reg1 f they don t have to specialise in first aid as visiting and helping an old man who haNell care they will come ." fered a stroke ," said Mrs Proud Bu l! HOlidays, outings , clubs, shopping trips asked about it the St John man to ld 3nd like are regular highlights - some "That's not welfare work - that's just oprganlsed by St John divisions and some by up the street!" J!her as Mencap or the The Brigade has long been With help from Bngade members welfare work but in recent years the err perhaps the biggest - and least sis on it has grown Why? Chief - effort is neighbourly help Like Officer Mrs Jeanne Mercer explains : ooklng after old Joe up the street Yet it of the main reasons is that people are 1s all work done in the service of longer and the need is escalating." Sometimes it is done in uniform, By the year 2000 there will be not when those involved think a million people in Britain over the ageJnlform gives an institutionalised feel rather
than something ' normal '.
Mrs Mercer has herself been nvolved in welfare work w th St John Ambulance si nce her cadet days In the early '70s she was one of those who did patient care for the Ugandan Asians at West Mail ing in Kent after their expUlsion by Amin
Later n the Oxford area she helped more refugees - V etnamese Boat People She had also done hosp tal and nurs i ng home work and was a founder member of a club for the d sabled
Now as Ch ef Welfare Off icer she is heartened by what is being done countrywide . " D iv isions are doing marvellous work and although it's impossible to detail everyth ng that everyone s doing I would like to thank them all ." Oxford s Northway Division tied w i th Blythe in the Keith Joseph Cup compet it ion for spec i al projects " Our programme was aimed at enr i ch ing the ives of the elderly n our area and we adopted a warden controlled complex for the elderly n the village of Long Marston ," sa d Northway Super ntendent Mrs Longford
Enriching their lives means tak ing them to church , theatre - includ ing old time mus c hall - shopping , out to tea or for out i ngs around the beautiful Cotswolds
Throughout the summer the Div ision also takes people through the Social Serv ices to and from a West Country hol i day home , members run monthly bingo sess ions and help out an an Oxford geriatr c hospital on Sundays
One of the Division s main first aid tasks is duty at Oxford United football ground , but Mrs Longford believes welfare work is the most rewarding " You get apprec i at on whereas on first aid duty, say at a motorcycle scramble , you have to stand n the mud watching and those you help are not pleased because they ve fallen off! "
Welfare work can be uplifting too Mrs Longford recalls the time she complained to her husband of having aching legs after a day s first aid duty " Next day I had a welfare duty and the first man I collected had no legs at all but he was still very jolly and grateful ." It can have its funny moments too " We take one old lady shopping and every week she buys a big box of bran flakes and some toilet rolls. We tell her she must be our most regular customer! " said Mrs Longford.
" Sometimes we sing with them on the way home We are not just St John people to them now We have become friends ."
In the capital , London District Community Welfare Officer Gladys Horne says most of the welfare work is done on a one-to-one basis
" London is a special case and the prime objective is providing first aid for the many major events, but nevertheless a lot is done for the physically and mentally handicapped and the elderly and we run medical comforts depots ."
The work crosses aH racial boundaries and in many areas cadets are particularly active helping the elderly in nursing homes and
geriatric hospitals and hospices
A member of the Marble Arch D v ision even records books for the blind Down n Wiltsh ire Mrs Frieda Cox is Superintendent of the Highworth Div is on which went into welfare work in a b g way eight years ago in the Year of the Disabled " We wanted to do someth i ng pract ical nstead of just collecting a lot of money and not knowing what happened to it so we formed a White Cross Club ." It caters for the mentally and phYS ically hand capped and it is popular with cadets who use t as a recreat ion night. Members of the Divis on are also heav ily nvolved as founders of a group called The Contact , which provides aid for the elderly in the event of a cold weather emergency
Once a week St John members help bring the housebound to the club for lunch and the D v is on also operates a nursing loan serv ce lend ing out everything from wheelcha i rs to commodes The cadets enjoy adopt ing a granny or granpa and members of the Division s t w ith the sick to give car ng relatives a break
But Mrs Cox , who was 20 years a distr ict nurse , says care must be taken not to usurp the role of community nurses , do the job of home helps or generally step on toes of the statutory serv ces " We should supplement what theydo - on request only." H ighworth D vis ion are past w inners of the Keith Joseph Cup for the r welfare work " But the real reward s the look on someone s face when you help them ," said Mrs Cox.
Up in Northumbria Mrs Proud is Nurs i ng Officer for Tyne Tees Televis ion as well as being the St John Ambulance County Welfare Off cer
She sees her role as twofold - to encourage the many div isions in the county in their community work and to look after the welfare of St John members themselves " We look after others very well but we have neglected ourselves We have got to look after our own people."
Now at their request she talks to members privately about their personal problemseverything from counselling one whose spouse had an alcohol problem to those suffering bereavement. Much excellent work is being done within the communityepitomised by Blythe Division with its awardwinning Operation Octopus , so named because it involved so many tentacles reaching out to help " It added up to an almost unbelievable contribution I' m proud of them and I would like to see more divisions doing what Blythe has done , but we really do need more people to get the welfare side off the ground ," said Mrs PrOUd
" People see St John Ambulance at football matches and theatres on first aid duty and that's the image they have They don t realise how much welfare work is done and those who do it are not the sort who brag and boast about it.
" But I'm sure more would join us if they knew more about this side of it." 3
STJOHN
if the worst happens . if the worst
A string of major both nal
Once
learnt and 'man-made, In thiS count ry abroad , have made headlines in the las f tt months never orgo en earthquake, the Clapham rail crash , th e Am plane - to name but a few - have aMoments after the Boei ng crashed on to ed us as a body of skilled carers to ref let an M1 embankment in January, our role former Grand Prior Cadet Ann Thomlinson Is there a way in which St Joh n from Pinner and her husband David were on bulance can help in disaster relief ?the scene Although the wreckage was dousquestion has been raised several timf ed in volatile fuel and in danger of exploding , the last few weeks We have the prac they left their car on the motorway and rushskills - precisely those required in thed to the plane to help. of alm ost any di s, Mrs Thomlinson a former member of out first-aid duty IS , after all , t Harrow Nursing Cadet Division who went on on In cas.e worst happens to train as a nurse , assisted with the rescue Iy relief IS a logical extenslor effort for almost three hours " There were a familiar .role lot of appalling injuries buttherewas an eerie
Disasters:
the role of 5t John Ambulance
An 'emergency' in Bexhill, Sussex, last year. A training exerci.se staged by of the Casualties Union for St John Ambulance and part-tIme fIremen. Convincingly made-up casualties are being helped to safety from a burning four-storey hotel where an unknown number of people were trapped. Working with breathing apparatus, firemen searched the smoke-filled building and St John Ambulance personnel gave fIrst aid. In a local newspaper interview, Divisional Officer Mary Read felt that they had not known what to expect when they were called to the scene, all those Involved came away better equipped to cope with the real thing. (Photos: Bexhill Observer)
In t hls country there IS alrea d silence with people simply wanting to know established procedure for St John Arwhat had happened and where they were ," to proVide to the eme rS said Mrs Thomlinson " I just kept telling when a disaster Lothem that it was all over and to keep calm ." DiStrict , for example , were put on sta n when the Clapham rail crash occurreo " She worked like a Trojan , setting up drips Leicester St John Ambulance wer eeverywhere ," said David Thomlinson , an ready to assist when the British Mlc LAS ambulance driver, adding : " I have been Boeing crashed on to the M1 earlier th is in the service for nearly 28 years but I have At the rail crash in Staffordshire in 19& never dealt with anything like this ." (Photo : John Ambulance played an importa nl Press Association) Having been called to assist by Emergency Planning Officer, arou nc
members and 13 ambulances were ,I scene of the accident , in which two inli trains collided , within 45 minutes ol lf quest being received Indeed most counties have a plan w.! out in the event of war in conjunctionW j statutory emergency services and the Cross Although there is officially no s role for St John Ambulance in peace this is being discussed at nat onal Ie course many counties train by simulated accident situations Such tra is vital ; all the team of experts - from service , police, ambulance service , C guards and volunteers such as Sr members - have the opportunity to together and to ensure that , should the happen , the emergency plan could be a Iy and efficiently executed Clearly a defined and disciplined procedure iso mount importance ; well ntentioneo aiders making their way accident scene could in fact rescue operation
However, several St John members used their skills to assist in recent disa Dr Terry Glanvill and Graham Payne Devon , formed part of the Interna Rescue Corps team which went to Ar m We are a worldwide organisation with t in 38 countries St John AmbUI members played a significant rt} assisting after the floods in Natal !n when a Singapore hotel collapsed In and when the hurricane hit JamaiCi year Perhaps now is the time to rel e whether St John Ambulance could me skilled, specially trained international. force' in the event of another catastrop
RRead Kipling lately?
udyard Kipling was probably at the height of his fame around the year 1900. He had just come back from India, his literary reputation having travelled ahead of him and was about to take London by storm. Fora time, hedid. Hewas introduced to almost everyone in the literary world who mattered Henry James was a friend. So was Robert Louis Stevenson. Oscar Wilde talked about him.
Kipling was also a popular figure. He was one of the first 'personalities' to be picked up and followed by the then developing popular press. If he was ill, newspapermen would be on his doorstep v:'aiting to tell the nation how he was getting on. He became as famous, or as infamous, for his opinions as for his writing The trouble was that, for a writer, he lived too long. (The same may be said of Wordsworth, who wrote all his best work he was young and went on producIn.g years after he had lost his genius.)
Kipling was born in 1865 and died in 1936 on almost the same day as George V, of he had become a friend. The coinof the death of the King meant that Kipling was given rather shorter obituaries than might otherwise have been expected.
But there was another point about him.
Kipling by then had long since gone out of fashion His opinions were remembered more than his verse and his stories, and those opinions were imperialist and racist. He had ceased to be in tune with the times.
Kipling had become a bit of an embarrassment.
He has remained an embarrasment to the literary world to this day. None of the critics have known quite how to deal with him. One is reminded of this by a new biography by Martin Seymour-Smith who claims that the key to Kipling is that he was a suppressed homosexual, and that this has been kept out of all previous writings about him. As a result, the book - which is otherwise quite learned - has attracted a certain amount of attention in the media.
before.
There is one very slight piece of supporting evidence for the Seymour-Smith theory that facts about Kipling have been previously held back. The first biography of Kipling by the second Lord Birkenhead (son of F E Smith) was not published until years after it was written because the Kipling family did not like it and may have censored it. The second, by Charles Carrington, was an 'official' biography and therefore not regarded as telling the full story.
Since then, however, there have been two rather approving books about Kipling by the novelists Sir Angus Wilson and Kingsley Amis. Only Seymour-Smith has revived what seems to me a problem peculiar to English intellectuals: namely, what do you say about someone whose writings, you have to admit, are very good, but with whose opinions you disagree profoundly?
The answer is very simple: you ignore the opinions and enjoy the writing. Rudyard Kipling probably contributed more phrases to the English language in the last 100 years than anyone else. He was a supreme master of rhyme , rhythm and conversational poetry. Just remember "An' they're hangin' Danny Drover in the mornin'," or "It was crawling and it stunk, But of all the drinks I've drunk " or even the lesser-known "I 'ate you grinning there Ah Gawd, I love you so!" No-one has ever written verse quite like Kipling. He was an utter professional: a popular poet, and so he should remain. I think he will. the scale of the Armenian earthquak!
ive lucky Badgers have been announced as winners of the Elastoplast competition to 0aV create a picture showing how First Aid Badger would use an Airstrip plaster on an anima friend. There was a marvellous response to the competition organised last summer with Smith and Nephew, the makers of Elastoplast. More than 3,000 Badgers from all over the f SI country entered! 0r
Special congratulations to: Katherine Donnelly, aged 6, of Leatherhead Set
Joanne Turner, aged 6, of Norwich Set
Alex Leah, aged 6, of Bungay Badger Set
Claire Littlewood, aged 8, of Fairfield Badger Set J h
James Catmore, aged 8, of Hoghton Badger Set.
All five winners received a Mickey Mouse writing kit and a travel first aid kit for themselves 0 n and a First Aid Kit for their Set.
St John Fellowship: the new chairman Cadels
Members of the St John Fellowship worldwide will be sorry to hear that Major General D. S. Gordon will be retiring as chairman at the Annual General Meeting on May 31 1989, having completed six years maximum laid down in the Fellowship Charter. As Commissioner-inChief from 1973 to 1978 General Gordon was exceptionally well known to Brigade members, so that he was a popular choice as the first chairman of the Fellowship. He has continued his deep concern for the welfare of the individual as the Fellowship developed at home and overseas, and has done more than I can say here to achieve our status as a branch of the Order today. Above all, he is loved by all members who have met him. We shall thank him at the AGM.
I am pleased to announce that with the approval of the Lord Prior, Major General P. R. Leuchars has kindly agreed to succeed General Gordon as chairman of the St John Fellowship General Leuchars succeeded General Gordon as Commissioner-in-Chief in 1978. As Chief Commander he authorised the formation of the St John Fellowship in 1983 and chaired our inaugural meeting He has kept closely in touch with our progress since and it was through his initiative that our AGM in Centenary Year took place at St James's Palace in the presence of HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
1988 Order Festival of Carols
S ir John Mills was the Fourth Reader at the Order s 1988 Festival of Carols held in the beautifully decorated Grand Priory Church on December 13, attended by the Lord Prior and Lady Grey and conducted by the Reverend John Llewellyn LVO, the Order ' s senior Officiating Chaplain
The marvellous singing of the Trinity Boys Choir, conducted by David Squibb the School's Director of Music , well justified its international renown.
The Cho ir, singing ' Once in Roval David's City', was led into the traditionally darkened church by a party of uniformed St John Cadets - carrying lighted candles - and 6
Badgers from London District. With everyone in position the lights came up, catching the many colours of the Priory and Commandery banners mounted high on the walls, and the ancient church was filled with the sound of Christmas music.
Sir John Mills 's Fourth Reading was 'The Shepherd's Tale' by James Kirkup, who now lives in Andorra Giving permission for his poem to be used, Professor Kirkup revealed an unexpected St John link by writing: "I always think of the members of your organ isation as my good shepherds, for they have come to my aid on two or three occasions, so I have a debt of gratitude to you that I am qlad to repay partly in this way."
As in previous years , the Order 's Festival of Carols was jointly organised by a committee drawn from the Order of St John Ceremonial Staff and the Order of St John Musical Society - the latter is sponsored by the National Westminster Bank Through
Late one February afternoon 120 St John Cadets gathered at Grosvenor Crescent full of anticipation for the evening ahead Crammed into the Conference Major General room, they were awaiting their briefing
P. R. Leuchars when an unexpected visitor The Duke of Gloucester, appeared! The Duke spent General Leuchars retired as Chief Com· several minutes talking to the cadets on his mander in January unscheduled call , One of those introduc31 Malvern Court, Onslow Square, ed was a delighted Camille O'Hara , from London SW7 3HY Lancashire , who told him about the division Sheila Puckle, National Secretary she belongs to in Skelmersdale
Recovering from the surprise, the cadets then boarded coaches outside Grosvenor Crescent for the short trip to the Palace.
Negotiating the narrow archway leading to inner quadrangle of the Palace proved qUite a challenge for the drivers and there was a hair-raising moment when one of the coaches appeared to get stuck! this rather unpromising start to the evening, all went well. Shepherded by footmen at every corner, the cadets were
At Buckingham Palace , cadets meet (above) The Princess Royal, and (nght) The Duke of Gloucester, Grand Prior of The Order of St John ushered into the Music Room and were quite over-awed by the magnificent chandeliers , ornate ceiling and wall-length mirrors
The Princess Royal was undertaking her fifth engagement of the day but spent an hour and a half with the cadets , talking to each in turn. Meanwhile soft drinks and delicate morsels were offered by a regiment of smart footmen
First to meet the Princess was Andrew Lamb, of Northumbria Lucky Andrew was renewing an acquaintanceship as he had met Her Royal Highness last October when she visited Jarrow Division's headquarters Juliette Regisford , from Northway Division , Oxford, told the Princess about her favourite duty at the local theatre and
Romance
SI John AmbuJance members have been iJ nth e air to several recent store-openings of Safeway, M' supermarket chain which has pledged ISS Cartland, who is presiding over the Hertfordworth of sponsorship to StJohn overthenex /tlcen for £250,000 to finance a new county training years Here St John Badgers from DerbYSre a tre, IS. here with Hertfordshire Badgers Benedict MacDonagh receive a cheque from Mr I Pye, ReglO na /O I ged 8 (right) and John Feeney aged 9 , at the appeal launch at tor of ?afeway, at/he opemng of a new St Albans , on January 31 1989 store In Belper at the end of last year. At the well-attended launch wer M f II th d ' t h COunt e ayors 0 a e IS ncts Wit In sales of tickets donations and the va1 12 MaJ'0 G y - a virtually unique occurrence. MISS Cartland and , , rene IS' G support of a number of sponsors, the gave ra Ir eorge Burns were hosting the event and each is raising an annually increasing a an address. It was revealed that the first donation towards funds of the Order ppeal has come from HM The Queen Mother
All too soon the once-in-a-lifetime visit was over and the cadets dispersed to return home - with quite a tale to tell!
motorcycle scrambles Gloucester cadet Paula Phelps spoke to the Princess about her ambition to be a nurse, while her friend Angela Parks admitted that first aid duties were her preference
association ' ST JOHN 5T JOHN . ______ VV __
Instructor Tutor courses
Instructor Tutor Courses were run recently in Newcastle and Chalfont St Giles for 28 county instructors.
The course was stressful and introduced a number of instructional methods which were new to St John, but they were well accepted and adapted. As these were the first courses of their kind it was anticipated that there would need to be some modifications and changes to the original syllabus
The useful and constructive criticisms were gratefully received and many of the ideas will be incorporated in the 1989 courses.
Those who attended were asked by letter to make comment and most replies expressed satisfaction with the tough week spent at the two Centres.
The purpose of these courses and the creation of an instructor tutor is twofold: To attempt to standardise and improve all train-
An instructor at
ing and teaching skills within St John Ambulance irrespective of subject matter taught. And to create a national team of top rate instructors who will maintain standards in both the Association and the Brigade It is realised that this is an ambitious undertaking and that much previous knowledge will need to be modified and quite possibly changed to meet the challenges of the 'here and now' St John Ambulance has already entered a period in its history where it is meeting with strong competition, particularly in the Association Where once there were only three other First Aid at Work teaching organisations , there
Schools Project
Anne Macleod, Schools Project Manager
Glebe Special School, Darlington , Co Durham, is a school for slow learners and maladjusted children aged up to 16 years. Nine pupils aged 14 to 16 (reading ages 9 to 12) spent an hour each week as part of a lif€ skills programme during the autumn term to learn Emergency Aid using the Three Cross Award video. Schoolteacher
Mrs Todd had extra assistance from two police constables who came to the school on their rest days. PC Jones and WPC Robinson, who are both St John first aid trained, said that by assisting the pupils to learn emergency aid they had managed to establish a very good relationship with them.
The pupils found the lessons very interesting and retained their concentration; the practical aspects particularly appealed to them
Mrs Todd said that the lessons made the pupils more aware of their surroundings: dialing 999 for assistance made them appreciate the importance of a telephone that has not been vandalized; the help they can give fellow pupils who suffer from epilepsy by using the recovery position; and for those who have parents with special needs, the help they can give at home using the emergency aid knowledge they have learned at school.
At Glebe Special School Darlington a pupil demonstrates the recovery position
are now over 800 and the number is grOIl yearly. It therefore becomes all the ffiI necessary for us to establish the hig possible standards of training if we are continue to be the largest issuer of Firsl, Certificates in the country
The Instructor Tutor Courses will prodL those highly qualified members of St Je Ambulance who will see that our stand a' meet all client requirements and who maintain our present supremacy in FAW a allied course training
Our future depends upon it.
M J. Malcolm
Deputy Director General
In the words of the producers , "This video has been made to fulfil the need for visual aids which was identified during Instructor Re-Assessments" Certainly it is one of the best first-aid training films available and, for the well-designed graphics and realistic instant portrayals , the in-house film unit of The Post Office , under the technical directorship of Ron Hodgson , is to be congratulated
There are six separate sequences , varying in length from 3'13 minutes to 9 minutes , each complete in itself, covering - in turn - asphyxia and mouth to mouth ventilation, the circulatory system and heart
learn all this physiology?) before getting down to the nitty-gritty of the management of a Post-Office worker with a heart attack This is the weakest of the six programmes for, among other things , it failed to clarify the difference between heart attack and cardiac arrest. Furthermore the exact detail of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation does not come up to the standard expected of a
Post Office
First Aid Video
A. K. Marsden
Deputy Chief Medical Officer
Association Branch
attack , wounds and bleeding , fractures , burns and scalds , and shock and the recovery position Each part is made up of dramatic sequences , animations and still photographs in an attempt to concentrate on the causes , effects and recognition of first aid conditions rather than their specific treatments The latter should be the prerogative of the qualified instructor in the form of practical training
Programme 1 nicely enumerates the types and causes of asphyxia and demonstrates mouth to mouth ventilation on a mechanic with a crushed chest. I thought that there was too much animation here for a first contact film - when you have only got six minutes it is a pity to waste a third of it describing gas exchange in the lungs It is the recognition and prompt management of apnoea which matters
In Programme 2 further time wasted describing the detailed circulation of blood through the heart (why do first-aiders have to
Schools nominated for Special One Cross Award certificate
london
Bishop Douglass School Finchley.
American Community School Hillingdon.
Northumbria
Whitley Bay Marden Bridge Middle School Whitley '
West Midlands Great Barr School Birmingham.
The school nurse worked extra hard with Elizabeth who had great difficulty in breathing out , but with determination Elizabeth mastered the skill of mouth to mouth resuscitation and was able to receive her certificate with the rest of the group Mrs Todd said many people think that children from their type of school are badly behaved and rebellious, but they are actually hard working youngsters trying to compete with more able children. Their needs are greater
than the normal child but because they not severely mentally or physically ha capped they get very little support from L side the school.
Nomlnated for Special Thre€ Cross Award Certificate
Health and personal developrTl cou rses are one of the few cou rses for they can gain certificates, and one of qualifications with which they school. The Three Cross Award fits Ide, into this course. conllnued at foot of
Northumbria
Bay Marden Bridge Middle School, It ey
teaching programme. Programmes 3 on wounds and bleeding , 4 on fractures and 5 on burns are very well and lavishly illustrated with case examples - some making skilful use of clinical material , others being
blatantly simulated Nevertheless a touch of realism here is useful. I thought that the danger of AIDS transmission from splattered blood was a little over-played and felt that the sight of the first-aiders going to the first aid box to get their gloves and aprons detracts from the immediacy of haemorrhage control by direct pressure on the bleeding pointbut this is a controversial area and the balance between sensitivity and overreaction is always difficult.
The last programme on shock was a little stylised and the recovery position by numbers sequence was obviously lifted straight from the training manual.
Altogether though this is a very useful contribution to the first-aid media At £25,00 the package is very good value and sure to do well I think it is important that the package must not be used on a stand alone basis (it was never meant to be) but as adjunctive material for the well prepared instructor and , preferably used in instalments for illustrating points , it can be thoroughly recommended
Supplies Update
helps stop bleeding and speeds healing on minor cuts and grazes. The buy-one-get-onefree offer expires on March 30, so order quickly to take advantage of it. The new St John Shop is open and there's already a brisk trade. Full details are in the latest Supplies News
Order
£3.25 For your convenience Class Regulations and Rules for Centres are now available direct from St John Supplies at £1 25 each. Order P12220 Rules for Centres, Order P12230 for Class Regulations. There's still a few remaining copies of St John in Focus the photographic history of St John. Originally £5.50 each, the last few are only £4 95 order P30006. Divisions preparing for 1989 Flag Days and House-to-House Collections will want to take advantage of the savings by ordering before April 1 Up
work in London District
West Midlands Great Barr School, Birmingham.
More than 50 junior boys of Queen Bizabeth s Grammar School , Blackburn passed the ir One Cross Award so giving the school the special certificate
The Tragedy of Cot Death
Each year there are 2,000 of these deaths in the UK, half the total infant deaths
The chances of a baby growing into a healthy adult have never been as good as they are today. However one baby in five hundred dies from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome' or cot death between the ages of one week and two years. Each year there are around 2,000 of these deaths in the United Kingdom, accounting for half the total number of infant deaths.
The cause of cot death is obscure ; in the majority of cases post-mortem evidence fails to reveal a significant cause. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is now internationally accepted as a natural, registrable cause of death
A typical case, according to the Foundation forthe Study of Infant Deaths, would be an apparently normal baby whose symptoms of illness (if any) appear trivial is put to bed, and a few minutes or hours later is found dead. The peak of incidence occurs in infants between two and five months of age and such deaths are more common during the winter among boys and babies of low birth weight.
A common reaction among grieving parents is to fear that they in some way were responsible as they search vainly for a reason for the death. Many of the children who are discovered to have stopped breathing could not have been revived However, parents' feelings of helplessness can be relieved by knowing the correct procedure for attempting resuscitation Being
Care in the Community
2. Seal lips around the baby s mouth a nose and puff gently into the lungs tWI' 3. Check the pulse If there is no the baby on a firm surface and sUpp head and neck by sliding one hand Un( back
familiar with infant resuscitation techniques would reassure parents even if they were unsuccessful , that they had done all they possibly could.
Dr David Zideman Assistant Surgeon in Chief , St John Ambulance, and leading authority on paediatric resuscitation , strongly supports the view that parents should be able to take positive action should the need arise : "All mothers should learn basic resuscitation techniques at their ante-natal classes."
The basic procedure (described fully on page 23 of the First Aid Manual , fifth edition) for infant resuscitation is as follows : If a baby is found unconscious and unresponsive and on examination it is determined to be neither breathing nor having a pulse (checked midway on the inside of the upper arm) , the following procedure for artificial respiration should be started and maintained until qualified medical help has taken over 1 Open the airway by tilting the head back a little
4 Using two fingers , press the chesto n' centre of the breastbone (one tinge breadth below a line joining the two n pies) to a depth of half to one inch at a of 100 times per minute After f ive co pressions , puff once into lungs The n' compressions and one breath
The 51 John Home Whitstable, Kent
I wonder how many people in the family of St John know that at Whitstable, Kent, the Brigade owns and manages their own private home for the elderly? This venture was started just after the war when the Whitstable Divisional nursing officer Sister Sharman SRN, together with two Brigade officers, Mrs Irene Papworth and Miss Gladys Pickford, saw a need for such accommodation. Today the need is more in evidence than ever before.
The matron, Mrs Pauline Mitchell SRN, and her staff, give care and comfort to 18 elderly residents in happy and lovely seaside surroundings. The sittingroom on the first floor has beautiful sea views towards the Isle of Sheppey, famous for its sunsets.
10
Mr and Mrs Stanley Norris (seated) Mr Norris , 89, has just received his inSignia of Officer Brother from Mrs Connie Jewiss , Deputy County Commissioner. The matron , Mrs Pauline Mitchell , is on the left
Among the residents are Mr and Mrs Stanley Norris. Recently, Mr Norris celebrated his 89th birthday, a day to celebrate with more than a birthday cake, as also on that day Mrs Connie Jewiss, the Deputy County Commissioner, was able to present Mr Norris with his inSignia of Officer Brother of the Order of St John. He had been too ill to attend the investiture at St John's Church, Clerkenwell.
5 Check pulse after one m inute and e, three minutes until the baby res po ne qualified medical help takes over, (Illustrations courtesy Laerdal Medical ThenewSJA lifeboat station that was opened by the Chief Commissioners for Wales
A new lifeboat station for the the tide Brigade in Wale Ferryside The 01\ Ision now operates a 16ft Marine Division, Dyfed, wa.c;open- 61n Avon Inflatable sportsboat ed last October by the Chief Com- powered b) a 40hp outboard missioner for Wales Dr D W Recognised as pan of the area" William on. The dedication ser- search and re cue service b) the vice of the building was conducted Coastguard. the bOa!' radiO u 'es the by the Rev L Felton vicar of St Zero EmcrgenC) Channel and (rev" David' Church, Fer;yside. member who live In Ferf)gare are b new 20ft x 30ft single storey on 2-t-hour call out shifts to covt:r a UI lng, has aluminium up and over Wide coastal area doors g'IVlng easy access to the sllp- The sef\ Ice worked In the 1987 way. A 75% grant for the building Carmarthen noods (which Included came from the Sports Council of bnnging a herd 01'25 cattle to safe!)): :Vale. The DIVIsion, the firt JA has helped the police search nvcrs tor Inshore re cue team In Wales, open- nmslng people In mid-\>,.inter: acIn 1967 to provide a first aid and companied tleets of young canoeists
Mr Norris, wno was awarded the BP Itfesaving ervice afloat for water- (the largcst of 170 youngsters): and 1975 by the Queen for services to 5t in the Towy Estuary. acts as afety boat to local sailmg Ambulance , has served over 60 years fl heir fir boat, a 10ft 6ins In clubs London District in the Service of C dinghy by the Avon The DIVISion is In fact based at the Enquiries regarding the St John 0 td of llanelli, on one occasIOn River Towy Yacht Club, Ferryside. t or reScued flv h 'ld Kent should be addressed to : The Ma r off h' e c I ren and a dog cut where they have full use of the club" John Home, 1 Gloucester Road , Tanke( w lie CoCkling on a ' andbank by amenttle. Whitstable, Kent CT5 2DS. __ ---...... Jeanne Mercer l! 4-HOUR NEWS HOTLINE 01·235 5363 I Chief Welfare Officer •
They are now looking for offers for It to Andre Pepper on 0248 354821 after 6.30pm.
Beeston
Receiving their Grand Pnor's badge from County Staff Officer Pat Balle) are (rtght) Janet Flavel, and (belo'W) Mr Angela Cooper. both of 'W hom
SJA members of Cambridgeshire giving diabetes tests to the public at a Cambridge shopping centre. Organised by the local Lions Club, the response was overwhelming.
(Photo: Cambridge Evening News).
Coventry
First-aiders from the Homefire plant in Coventry, who were winners oflast year's British Coal first aid competition, raised money for the city s Charity Snowball appeal byorganising a marathon stretcher-bearing run from Nuneaton to Coventry. The team hoped to raise £500 to help sick and disabled children in Coventry and Warwickshire. (Photo: Coventry Evening Telegraph)
Eastbourne
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
Eastbourne Cadet Sarah Hall, 13, from Polegate, has won two prizes in Sussex. After winning the eastern area competition, Sarah competed against the three other finalists to win the overall prize in Sussex. Superintendent Doreen Andrews said: "Sa rah has done really well coming first in both competitions." Eastbourne Cadets are particularly proud 12
of Sarah who is following in the foot tep of Ian Knight who la t year won the same county award (PhOTO: Evening Argus, Brighton)
photo above) with a s pecial dmmond Jubilee certificate. Mr Whitehcad, who joined the Brigade in 1954. said:
"When the Brigade WclS on g inall y <;et up here 60 years ago. there was no ambulance erv Ice to speak of and t
John provided an invaluable service."
Today the diviion ha<; 15 e nthusiasti c adult volunteers and 20 cadcts
(Phoro: Scarborough EI'elling
swimmers for two teams, above) and, cheered on by offie (Both are instructors and teachers relatives and other supporters, at with St John). end of the hour they announce, With some of the new certificate grand total of £190 for local char holders and the Mayor are Edward (Phoro Neil Tucker) Watts (seated Icft). Assistant District Commissioner Scouts. Mrs Berry (far left), and Mrs Duggan
Guildford
Deputy Area Commi ioner East Devon, George Coate and his wife Nursing Member Nan Coates, after being presented the Citizen of the Year Award by the president of the Exmouth Rotary Club, Ted Halliwell.
George, who ha been involved with St John for 33 years, is an Officer Brother. Nan Joined the Brigade 17 years ago. They not only work for St John but take members of the Exmouth Disabled Fellow hip on holidays, day outings and visits home. (Photo: Exmouth Journal)
Filey
Sixty years of service was celebrated by the Brigade in Filey, North Yorkshire, recently To mark the occasion, Area Commissioner John Morley presented Member-inCharge Michael Whitehead (left on
Kiss of ...
A colleague's seven-year-old daughter, arriving home after a first aid demonstration arranged by the St John Ambulance Brigade, announced that she could now perform 'mouth to mouth assassination'. - Daily Telegraph.
Meet D/S Wilham Stonebr dge, of Dursley and Camb Division, Gloucestershire, who was awarded the BEM in the New Year s Honours
Mr Stonebridge, who retired as a county council employee last July, IS a Serving Brother of the Order.
(Photo: The Citizen , Gloucester)
Guernsey
Members of Guern sey's St John Ambulance & Re cue Service spent one hour swimming non-stop for charity recently.
The Guernsey sWlmarathon has become such a popular event in the island's calendar that it IS now spread over three days, with teams of enthusiastic amateurs from clubs, business houses, factones and pubs all raising money for worthy causes. Organised jointly by the Lions Club and the Round Table, the target for the 1988 event was an Incredible £30,000 sponsorship.
The teams seek spen orship according to the number of lengths of a 25-metre swimming pool they complete in the hour, with members acting in a relay. Some relatives and friends of the Ambulance & Rescue staff volunteered to make up enough
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
hospital. He then made aurpn e viSIt to the King 's Lynn HQ (photo below) to thank Mrs Powell for sav109 my life' and pre sented her with a box of fruit as a small token of hIS appre c iation
Breckland, Norfolk , Badgers Donna Smith and Cheryl Stoker receive the Set;s Attendance Shield from Mr JohnM8)(fm, of the donorBAJCO Ltd, with Badger Leader Margaret Smith SRN (no relation). Mr Maxim is Mundford ambulance member
The Venture Scouts will now go on louse their new qualification to teach Scouts the Threc Cross Award
Gulldf i.)rd Cadets rccentl y he Scheme. as well as being able todeal mght exercise organiscd by a grolll with any emergency s ituat ion youngadultsandauxiliaric s. lls them elves (Photo : Sowh \...,as to give the cadets pract ical Argus). periences in mass situa t and a chance to use ambul a nce e ment they would nOI usually use The exercise WclS run by Ca(j except for the incident ofncer radio control. After much consl<X tion we decided again s t cadetsdr ing the vehlc.lcs. much to theirdi pointment The radio commu lli CI tion was excellent and cvervone ayhall Cadets Geo!' Kmght • and Bob Flemming With a resuscltatheir and thn ion mannequin bought from funds control The Itrst aid could ha\e receIved from lTV's Telethon Another better: East London cadet diviSion , Fairlop All JO all It \\.':}s very successfu l, and Hainault , also receIved £390 for fun a radIO (Photo : South Essex Guild ford cadets also stagl'l Recorder) mock gang fight recently to u cadets JO dealing with the casualt ______ Volunteers acted as victims 01 Jer fight and, to add realism. the II sey was hindered by the presence 01 -----=--------volunteer actJOg as an aggre' The appeals committee. \\.Ith help drunk The mCldent was organiseC from the St John MUSIcal SocIety. DIVI ' ional Officer Stevc Panth r arranged for the all-girl saxophone quartet The Fairer Sax' to give two performances on the Island on December 9 and 10 The sponsored e _ venlOgs were a great success
Fourteen Venture Scoul" andaG L Leader from Newport and Kin 9 , L were recently presented withF _ S ynn Aid at Work certificate by the M. 79of Newport, Councillor \ c year-old Mr Fredenck SmIth suflered head '. VeronIca Brydon h IOJufle , a fractured The training wa carried OUI umerus and scapula and broken ribs Keith Dunn, Chief Training ( lay unconscious in the road after ordinator for Wales, (seated rign' to knOCked dow? by a car. Thanks photo above), Gwent's StJohnTr p prompt aCtion of Mrs Julie ing Adviser, Mrs Cynthia NUrSing Member of the and the County's Deputy Gu s Lynn Division, Mr Smith Commi ioner, Mrs Margaret IV a e a good recovery after a pell JO
Two Badgers from Manche ter. Jennifer Brown (above left) and SlObhan Ashburn. both 9. thought of a novel way to raise money for the Brigade At a fair at Pilkington P.drk Centre, Whitefield, they charged 10 pence a time to gues ' thc birthday of their cuddly namesake (Photo : Man chesfer EI efllflg N e}. s)
North Norfolk
cvcn cadets re centl) spcnt a wt, l,;kend at Holt St John Hall on a tralOlng course deSigned to Improvc NCO skills Aged 11 to 14 the cadets undertook a Wide range of leade"hlp tasks and tackled vanous challenges
As a result of the weekend , there was promotion for Cadet Leaders RoblO Holmes and Shaun Kavanagh : ergeants]cremy WorthlOgton. POdul Sec kings and Anthony Rayment; and Corporal P..lUl Thompson
The course was such a success that A 0 Cadets Darleen Platlln IS plannlOg another later this ycar
Northumbria s cadet of the year Simon Gambl ng (left) of Sh remoor Combmed Cadet DiVISIOn , receives the award from County Comm i ssioner Gordon Crowther. With members of the DIVISIon
BIrthday gIrl, AnnMarie Blrthda) girL Ann-Marie Evans. from PI)mouth , celebrate her 8th birthday 10 Hyde Park
Ann-Mane wa one of 50 Badgers who vi Ited London dunng half-term la ,t October for a day which included VI iting St John' Gate. a boat trip on the RlverThame . a sight-seeing tour of London and lunch 10 Hyde Park
Badgers, their leaders and parents representlOg ten West Devon et travelled together to make thi a memorable day.
Cadets from Surrey are going on a coach and self-catenng holiday to Austria Augu t 4 to 14 Any cadet. particularly ex-Surrey, who would like
(Above) North Yorks Ouse Area received a mobIle first aid Untt from Rowntree MacIntosh and theIr employees last autumn Director Peter Blackburn (right) , Area Commiss i oner John Coward and the Rev John Walmsley who dedicated the Untt
(Above)
prise to all but a very few in Northern Ireland. However the 160 members of the Order and St John Ambulance including Cadets and Badgers, were at the HQ expecting to meet 'a senior member of the Order'.
The HQ was not scheduled to be ready for an official opening until the late spring so "'tremendous effort was put in by St John and staff at Purysburn Hospital before the visit - grass was cut, roads washed, new partitions painted, carpets laid, pictures hung
IEastender s co ll e ct for StJohn Watch out 'soap' fans for the new ambulance shaped collecting box on the bar of the Queen Vic of Eastenders. It has been in position since Christmas and should remain there at least until the end of this month 14
Two Badger Sets will battle for the honour of winning the EMU s World heat to be broadcast on Wednesday April 26 on lTV beginning at 4 20pm COMP ET ITION S
It has been announced that thiS year s Grand Prior s Trophy Competition will take place on November 30 More details to follow.
The Post Office National First Aid competition is to take place on October 19 and not November 19 as stated in the Major Events lising last month
HOSPI TA L UPDATE
The St John Ophthalmic Hospital continues to be affected by the intifada or upriSing of the Palestinian people in the West Bank
However the hospital has continued its work despite the difficulties caused by curfews , roadblocks, staff and patients sometimes unable to reach the hospital.
Last year more than 160 patients sustained such severe eye injUries that admission to hospital was required and the operating theatres were busier as a result.
A f ul l report on the ho s p i tal w ill feaM next month s Sf John Wo r ld ,
Lord Vesty's helicopter flies injured rider to hospital
On h s way by helicopter to the OrdE Chapter General meeting on Febru ary Lord Vestey, Chancellor of the Orde r, no ed a rid ng accident victim lying in a f ie ld helicopter landed and he and p i lot Cap'
Tommy Collins went to ass st The ca su had severe head Injuries and an ambu lar had been called. However it was una bll reach the accident scene , so accomp an by an ambulanceman the casualt y flown by helicopter to hospital In Oxforc
'Knock Knock'
Cadets from Northumbria will featur e BBC 1 programme Knock Knock ' be broadcast on Friday, March 10 at 4 30P·
Service Hospitals Trainir
Please note that those wishing to be e sidered for training courses at hospitals must be over 18 years of age
The Specialist Vehicle Builders
People keep coming to us for somet hing special. ThiS is not a Single success story - we can tell you many For the success of Pilcher - Greene as a company can be clearly seen and accurately measured by the success In service of the many different speclalpurpose vehicles we build and supply
People keep coming to us for 'something special'
And that's exactly what they get. We have been successful pioneers in the development of specially bUilt vehicles, that are designed and equipped for various specific tasks , for well over sixty years now.
By taking and adapting the rugged and well -tried basic chassis of the World's finest vehicle builders, PilcherGreene have built their own success on
Freight Rover
the careful attention to detail required In creating purpose - made products to meet demanding specifications or fulfil !1. special roles t So successful have these Pilcher - Greene 'specials ' become, that we regularly - turn some out as 'standard' vehicles in a highly successful range that offers wide choice to our customers - in many different areas of human activity But we're ready to build to your speCification - if you have something special in mind
Sk ilful engineering and craftsmanship, unique bodywork design, great care and attention to meeting performance needs - these are the hallmarks of our success in the creation of veh icles that will match the specific demands of their operators - during a long, reliable , and highly cost - effective serv ice life
Sherpa' 300 erie
on the wards ' .. Nursing inthe Navy
N/M Rosemary Hucklesby, Bath Division
Mo nday started in earnest with an 8.30am visi t to M atron , then a conducted tour of the ho sp ital. I was surprised how small this was and how com p act. A fter lunch work started an d t he next few days were sp ent working on w ard s, casualty and the operating theatre , on a w atc h bill rota.
On
of those t hat we re , most went home f o r the wee ke nd M y accommodat ion was rather a shoc k -a very large, almost naked room w it h a bed pa ck on the bed I was glad I had pac ked a few photographs and my rad io
How I joined ...
I must admit that I didn t come up ' through the ranks '. A few years ago I was asked if I would become Area Pres ident for East Berks, so I asked what t would entail exactly The answer was simplicity itself. You only need to stand on the platform occasionally and give out certificates .' I should have known better!
Since then I have :
BEEN INVEIGLED into giving lectures and examining in various Nursing Care courses
BEEN PERSUADED to do the occa -
O n t h e w ard s, bedmaking , bedbathing T PRs an d post operative care were the order of the d ay. In t he theatre I was able to watch ana esthet ics , operations and recovery The m ost interesting for me was Casualty, wh ch was ne arly always very hectic with new patients , fo llow ups and consultants clinics I spent valuable time in the resuscitation area , p laster room , treatment rooms , suturing , et c, i n theatre and taking patients to x-r ay
A toget her, the fortnight was very enoyable and worth while The staff , nursing a nd m edical , were very helpful and friendly, always willing to explain and discuss I WOUldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone I am sure all would find it beneficial n one w ay or another.
sional duty (tho ' not much persuad ng s needed for some duties n Eton and Windsor)
BECOME INVOLVED i n the Aeromedical Services , both fly ing and on East Berks ambulance miss ons to the Cont inent for patient repatr iat ion
TALKED about St John to many loc a l organisations (eg , Rotary, WI , etc)
ADMIRED the many members who started as Cadets and after several years are still giving unstinted serv ce to St John Do I sound a paragon? I hope not.
I can also make the tea
M F. Weller (M iss)
Tracey Parker, fro m M alvern , 'I recently took part in a first aid teaching day for Cubs from all over M alvern
So me 6 0 cubs from 13 packs had lesso ns in res usci ta t on , bandag ing a nd tr eat ng bu rns
Tracey is treating J a m ie H ea th.
(Photo : M ike Pollard)
,,' .;, ':. .,.' '. '. ' ,'" .
Unconsciousnes Do you know your Manuals?
Dr C. C
Molloy, Deputy Chief Medical Officer
First -aiders have asked why it necessary to change the teach ng in ll chapter Unconsciousness in the latest (5 edition of the Authorised First Aid Ma nu: Complaints had been made by instru CI! that students found the concept of consciousness in the (4th) edition oftheF Aid Manual difficult to grasp and th al stages from consc ousness to uncc sciousness (levels of responsiveness) We difficult to remember Hospital staff did r understand the Levels of Respons ive ne used by first -aiders and were therefo re r able to make the best use of the inform a sent by first-a iders w th the casual tY.l consciousness occurs when the act iv ty of the bra i n is i nterrupted
A clearer, simpler definit ion of c! sc iousness was i ntroduced based on ' awareness of the person of h mself and surroundings
Unconsc i ousness is tested i n m' hospitals throughout the world by us ing Glasgow Coma Scale of response of patient to st i muli such as sound , to uct pa i n Th i s response i s based on examinat i on of the eyes , look ing movements of different parts of the bod y,d listen ing to how the patient respond ec questioning The full Glasgow Coma Sc: was too comp icated for use by f rst -a id: and a simpl fied adaptation was mad e Note the time and response to following :
Eyes are they op en? d o they op en - on command?
d o th ey op en - n resp o nse to pam ? eg opmch ng S ba ck of hand do they rema n clo se d ?
Mov e me nt does the cas ualty move - on comman d ? -i n respon s e to p am ful s imula IOn? - make no es p onse?
S peech is re sp onse to ques tIO n and conversa ion normaF IS th e c asualty c on fu s ed ? does the casualty - us e ina pp rop ria te words ? - make n comprehen si bl e so unds? - make no response ?
A Voluntary A id Society observation d was designed in which these respon could be ticked off at ten minute or sa m' vals , and when combined with record in the pulse rate, and the respiratory rate these ten minute intervals , would givea CO plete picture of the progress of t h e from the beginning of the examinat ior recep t ion in the A&E Dept. This would bt va l ue to t h e surgeon who would be ab deci de wh eth er imme d iate operation sh Ob e u ndertaken or w hether he could attor. aw ait further progress
1. When load ng a casualty on to a pole and canvas stretcher and the casualty is lying on top of the canvas , you should pull towards the top f rst. (a) True (b) False
2 If the fore gn body is In the c o loured part of the eye you shou d ' (a) make no attempt to remove I (b) Encourage eye movement (c) Make some attempt to remove It
Series 2 , Number 9
BRUCE COLTMAN Northumbna Pol ce Centre
3. When treat i ng frost bite the affected area should be rewarmed (a) Rap dly (b) Fa irly qu ickly (e) Slowly
5 When exa m in ng the skull , name three s igns that you are check ing for 6 G ve seven s gns which can be obtained by touch
9 Wh ich prote n found i n blood s converted to help form
4 Having successfully opened the an way, What may happen?
7 W hen should a
10 What would cause you to support wounded abdom nal wall ?
11 When dealing w th a broken lower leg , on your own and the ambulance is mmnent how many bandages do you need to apply?
Answers on page 24
lOOmph boats .
S t John members in Guernsey had a busy time last year following the announcement that the World Offshore Powerboating Championships were to be held in waters around the island.
The St John Ambulance & Rescue Service in Guernsey is well-known forthe variety of rescue and ancillary services it provides in addition to the professional road ambulance service, and they and the voluntary Brigade members were aware that they would perform many hours of duty in a concentrated period
Over 150 powerboats were expected to converge on the small island, with up to 50 vessels competing for the Class I and II world titles These boats register twice the horsepower of a Formula I racing car, average 40 feetin length , and reach speeds in excess of 100 mph! Together they would present one of the most exhilarating, yet potentially dangerous, spectacles on water, and the professional service was asked to assist in co-ordinating the safety coverage over a course of 165 nautical miles!
As early as six months before the event , the crews of the Ambulance & Rescue launch Flying Christine /I began training with liferafts and experimenting with the evacuation of unconscious patients from the water on various types of stretcher Seminars were held, and meetings between the Service s chief officer, Michael Dene, and Divisional
150 powerboat come to race in Guernsey
And SJA moves in to pick up the pieces
Surgeon Dr John Toynton representing the race doctors, took place with race officials
With the accidents which took place recently in the United States, and last year's incident that cost the lives of Didier Pironi , Jean-Claude Guenard and Bernard Giroux , the world powerboat authorities were determined to minimise the risk
In addition , it was pointed out that with 30 TV channels, radio and newspapers from as far afield as New Zealand, the United States and Argentina covering the championships, every move made by the rescue authorities after an accident would be broadcast round the world
It was agreed that about 80 guard boats would be used to mark the course and keep spectator boats at bay. St John members attended seminars and the service's staff briefed crews on resuscitation techniques in the weeks before the event.
In addition to the guard boats there would be several first-response boats to respond to an accident. These would be manned either by St John volunteers or qualified nurses , and carry a diver on board They would deal with minor accidents and extract crews from overturned boats while awaiting the arrival of one of the three medical' boats
The latest safety trend in powerboating is the use of cockpit canopies, multi-point harnesses, and an oxygen supply for each crew member sufficient for about 15 minutes
small 'village ' was set up in the harbour area , similar to an Olympic village, where the massive powerboats on their equally im-
pressive trailers were parked Some Italian while waiting for extrication by a diver teams came complete with 14 spare
The medical boats were the RN Llilfe bo engines £30 million-worth of machinery was the St John Ambulance & Rescue Se rv assembled in the pits!
launch Flying Christine II , and the Guern Hospitality suites were set up , a large tent harbour workboat which has lifting and f housing a 400-seat restaurant was erected , fighting capabilities Each of these W OI. and a shopping mall , complete with have a doctor and a nurse on board in ao pedestrian walkways and potted shrubs was tion to medical or ambulance staff T established. were all equipped with an Ameri c, Iwasparticularly impressed with the press designed floating basket stretcher a r facilities. A special press centre for acsince it was decided that all casualties wo credited journalists, included telephones , be treated as having cervical injuries telex and fax machines , translating services , proved otherwise, the Ambulance Serl Word processors and typewriters for the exsupplied the boats with vertebrace extr ll pected 100 international journalists tion cervical collars A special radio station broadcasting on Just before the event the three boats ," FM , piped news through ' the press centre the help of an inshore lifeboat from the And the journalists's indispensable drugJohn Service's fleet, rehearsed the an endless supply of coffee - was available cedure for retrieving an unconscious pal1i all day. from the water by using the basket round the radio station by a broadand flotation collars. casting acquaintance , I learned that a Backing up the medical boats was a newsroom had been brought in, Sea King helicopter, which worked fror linked to IRN news , in addition to an outside temporary heliport set up at the harbou r,a br?a?cast commentary box a mile away! two patrol boats , HMS Fencer and Within minutes of the end of a race a video Hunter, which would also be on station " brought in from one of the five TV Royal Gemini inflatables. An and displayed direct from the lance, With a doctor on was c: mera onto a large monitor In seconds the at the harbour, and a Police motorcy. ntre was a mass of microDhone-thrusting escort to assist the ambulance throug h and cameramen, babbling away crowds from one part of the harbour to a of languages and attacking heliport and back typeWriters to beat deadlines.
At the beginning of the 10-day eve r The mobile first aid post operated by
Guernsey ' s St John was positioned at the entrance to the powerboat village ', and voluntary members were on duty every day until about 11 o'clock at night. Luckily only minor casualties were treated , but there was some initial confusion when some foreign competitors came in waving a letter and speaking an incomprehensible language Apparently they had recognised the word Post and couldn't understand why they couldn t buy any stamps there!
At sea
During each race the Flying Christine /I was at sea , and an ambulance was positioned at the harbour Voluntary members manned the first-response boats and the mobile first aid post and patrolled the village and spectator areas In addition , Chief Officer
Michael Dene was at Race Safety Control , where radio contact with all boats and aircraft was possible , and where, in case of accident, a computer was able to produce details of any boat, its design , cockpit type, number of crew, type of fuel, etc
To add to the intensive 10-day period, the Battle of Britain air display was held during the festivities, and a huge carnival parade of powerboat crews and competitors took place mid-week. The Flying Christine /I was at sea to cover the air display and Red Arrows ' performance , and voluntary members were kept busy patrolling the crowds who lined the parade route. The mobile first aid post even took part in the parade!
One problem I noticed was making oneself heard over the radio. With marching
bands, cheering crowds, loudspeaker commentary, singing and danCing powerboat crews (with suitably-clad girls!) and five or six helicopters clattering overhead , the noise was at time deafening!
At the end of the biggest and most ambitious world championship ever held , voluntary members had performed hundreds of hours of extra duty, some wallowing around for spells of three hours on a guard boat in a rough sea! Almost every member of the professional Ambulance & Rescue Service had worked extra hours , either in covering the championships or in maintaining the routine and emergency ambulance service
No serious accident occurred. Journalists had photographic evidence that Princess Caroline of Monaco and her family had turned up for the event , but there was no hard evidence that Don Johnson, of Miami Vice fame, had arrived (It was later confirmed that he had!) The winning crews had given press conferences, the coffee was running out, and the fax lines were going cold.
A day or two later a huge freighter arrived in the harbour to take some of the larger powerboats back to France, while Br itish competitors waited for their ferry to arrive, and St John members caught up on some much-needed sleep. The quiet holiday island off the coast of France was beginning to return to normal. At the Ambulance Station, however, a note was being made of the dates of the powerboat championships to be held in 1989.
Neil Tucker SJA PRO Guernsey
An entry from Monaco arrives
The Flying Christine /I was at sea as a medical boat for all of the races
Cadet Help and Information Page
Welcome to Marc , years of age who currently have orwould like
h is designed for Br igade members over 18 and another to develop responsibility for working with young people edition of CHIPS. This The aim of the training scheme is to
h I k t enhance the quality and effectiveness of month a.ve a 00 a youth work within St John Ambulance To communications a new this end the Will provide an
• .' Cadet Andrea Brant from opportunity to acquire and/or supplement training course from HO, Manchester with the knowledge of the organisation ; an underand aga 'ln the best 'In giant-sized teddy bear which had been raffled to Ch ips News. raise £70 for Brigade funds Andrea , aged 15
said : " We were very pleased to hear that the person who won our teddy is going to raffle it again " - this time in aid of the Heart Foundation.
(Photo : Enid Michael).
Communication
One of the many subjects that CHIPS will be dealing with in the next few editions is effective communications for Cadets We will not be covering the subject in detail as this is one of the topics included in Headquarters Training Programmes. We shall be covering small exercises that should help Cadets understand the importance of good , clear communication.
To understand communication , we need to investigate 'How do people learn?.'
Ask the Cadets : "Which is the most Important of the five senses , and if possible can they rate each sense as a
They will probably be very surprised to learn that the breakdown is as follows :
Taste, smell, touch............. 5%
We learn most through sight and hearing , though there are some jobs where taste , touch and smell are more important.
NEW STUDENT
Experience and research have proved that generally we remember ; 10% of what we read 20% of what we hear
30% of what we see 50% of what we see and hear
80% of what we say
90% of what we do
The most senses that are used the quicker the learning eg TV and cinema with sound are more powerful sources of learning than radio or silent film To touch and handle an object as well as see it and hear it makes learning about it easier The follOWing game is designed to establish that we remember more of what We see than what we hear
- then allow the Cadets one minu te record the tems
2. Hearing Test
- recite to the Cadets 15 unrelated ita Read to the group tWice , once 51!) then quite briskly
- allow one minute for group to rea items read
Then record both sets of marks fram e In just three years 17-year-old
, Lancs
standing of young people and their development ; and an appreciation of the issues that concern and confront them
The way the programme is planned will mean that trainee' youth leaders wilt be able to do most of the studying in their own time at home by using self-stUdy material.
Interested? For a leaflet and further information contact: Peter Crook , Cadet & Training Department
St John Ambulance HO , 1 Grosvenor Crescent , London SW1X 7EF.
Gone shopping
Cadet and compare Everyone Leader W nston Edwards has gained the Duke of Ed ina higher mark for the seeing test. burgh Aw,ard n bronze s ilver and gold W ins ton saId: " I Discuss the results with Cadets , an dc really en/oyed meeting the
I de by asking Which sense
c u ?'
1. Seeing Test - arrange 15 unrelated items in a drawer or on a card. - allow the Cadets one minute to view the items most Greater Manchester SJA Cadet escort for the Duke at the Although we have covered Just a 5 Brigade 's great party in Hyde Park in 1987." aspect of communications , please try to these ideas to broaden Cadets
of the subject. We will be covering Oi forms of learning and games in Apri l.
I welcome your comments and alre Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme tried and tested ideas on communicat iO' St John Ambulance , which is an operating Cadets authority for the Award Scheme , has the
. fOllowing items available from the Cadet and Tra ining Department, St John Ambulance Ha , 1 Grosvenor Crescent , London SW1X 7EF. Entry Packs
and Silver
Sussex hiS Preston or Caroline Stanley are on 01-235 5231 ext 253 for orders cer other enquiries about the scheme of a ne"'Young Peoples Challenge slOn
ed by the group of young people working together in the scheme , and an appropriate badge and certificate will be awarded on completion
Higher Education Links
The Links scheme , which is designed for students attending higher education , has two aims : to encourage existing members to remain in the organisation, and to recruit new members within the various establishments
Following
Action
Further
The Boys Brigade are holding this annual two-day back packing hike , covering 51 kilometres (32 miles) , in May The Waltham Walk takes place , oddly enough in Waltham Forest , Essex , and is interspersed with novel events to try your skills. This year it celebrates ts 20th anniversary and a bumper response is expected If you are interested, aged 15 to 20, can form a team of three , and are free on May 20/21 1989 - then contact Graham Farnfield on 01-5274532 , mentioning St John World CHIPS and he will send you an application form
This event is open to guys and gals and should be challenging as well as a lot of fun
With the prospect of an early Easter this month , it must be approaching CAMP time! Please let us have all your camp reports , food descriptions and any other camp info, and we'll do our best to print them
See you in April
Elsie Chapman on a special Christmas shopping
disabled with Cadets Louise Green
Celine Fox from Walthamstow
n ight was organised
Walthamstow Social Servic es
St John Ambulance members were among those escort ng the disabled (Photo : London & Essex Guardian Newspapers Ltd). The Waltham Walk
Magazine history
I was interested to learn that the Review was renamed the St John World in January
While researching the history of the Association and Brigade in Newark from 1877-1987 I found some pOints which may be of interest to your readers. My information is taken from The St JAA Annals of the Ambulance Department , compiled by Dr N Corbet Fletcher
July 15 1894. The journal First Aid was established by a Brigade Officer C Alan Palmer, and edited by Dr Heaton Howard for the first th ree years
April 20 1916. The proprietors of First Aid published an inset, The St John Ambulance Gazette, as the official medium of communication between the Ambulance Department of the Order and its supporters
June 201924. The journal First Aid became the efficial organ of the Order of St John and its Departments , when the proprietors placed all its pages at the Order s disposal in place of the inset allowed since April 1924
In June 1926, Assistant Commissioner Dr N Corbet Fletcher received from the readers of First Aid a handsome silver trophy 'i n appreciation of services to the Journal and the Ambulance movement' The trophy was accepted by the Brigade and awarded that year as the second prize in the Perrott Shield Competition
May 1 1928. The Order of St John published the first issue of its own monthly journal Chivalry under the editorship of Mr Peter Cheyney, the author, who remained as editor for thirteen years
The journal was renamed the St John Ambulance Gazette in January 1929, and in January 1950, The St John Review.
Thos H. Hollinghworth Newark, Notts.
32 years ago
Dr Graham's article (Nov Review) relating to his experiences over many years in the Brigade, brought memories flooding back He reminded me, to my absolute dismay, of the things I had done to casualties in applying the prescribed treatment of the era. To my sad knowledge two died (one from a broken neck and the other from heart failure), but with my current expertise they may have lived I still feel very guilty, but I did my best at the time Allow me a little further reminiscence; it will probably astound a few and perhaps amuse as well
In the 1940s there was a strict divisional hierarchy, headed by Madam Superintendent, or SIR, as the case may have been, down to the Corporal and us - us being the Ambulance Sisters as we were then called. never got to speaking with Madam Any comment I might have wished to make to her would have been via the bottom rung of the ladder She was held in absolute awe and when she bade us, or rather commanded us, while we were standing rigidly to attention in ranks, to learn our first aid and home nursing books by rote and practice, practice and practice again, and then start all 22
over again , one would not have dared do otherwise Her advice got me successfully through quite a few Brigade competitions, carried out in the manner described by Dr Graham 'HOLE' was written in chalk on the floorboards -I fell into more than one! Broken glass was bits of cut up paper with GLASS suitably inscribed, and there you were , kneeling up to your elbows in the stuff. All great fun and lots of imagination needed all round The only realistic prop can recall was a motorcycle , its engine roaring at full blast - in a hall - and neither I nor the everready bystander had any Idea how to turn it off and the place got full of fumes As said , great fun also recall a home nursing competition where, in the written paper, one was requested in inform the exam ner how to apply leeches, and then how to encourage them to disgorge their stomach contents after a hearty bloodsuck Drop 'em in salty water was part of the answer.
Under Madam 's rule learned that my shoe laces had to be barred and not crossed ; that the insteps of shoes had to be as highly pol ished as the uppers ; that my freshly starched white linen apron had to be one inch, no more no less, above the dress hem , which had to be 14 inches from the ground To prove the point , a ruler was always carried in the hand at the ready I wonder how we survived?
But for all that I willingly endured Madam gave me a life-time interest in first aid and I am glad to say that I kept fully up-dated with techniques - and still practice , practice , etc am also an FAW instructor with several years of teaching experience behind me , but in moments of frustration with a difficult class I wish could emulate Madam s teaching (brainwashing) technique First aid is so much more simple and effective these days , that feel quite a few people go away with the idea that once done it's done for ever, and don ' t consider that practice needs come into the scheme of things
This attitude has a tendency to crop up in divisions too, but those fortunate enough to have a good Divisional Surgeon should be able to reap the benefits as they will be in a position to ask why?, ratherthan just following the format of thou shalt do '. To understand why ' something occurs, or why a treatment is applied, makes for better understanding and interest, and this, coupled with a bit of Surgeon's encouragement to practise, practise and practise again can only be to the benefit of prospective casualties
I don't regret the passing of the figure of
Madam Superintendent' but I sometimes
St
dent Nurses
wish her enthusiastiC ghost would reappe;: U some meetings In reply to Derek Kinnella's letter (Nov Review) , On a final pOlnt ,. 1have been at lin Iwish to add the view of an Enrolled Nurse, one v: hy I am not now In ambulant, year post qualifi?ation I am glad that I am ve never really a satl sfac tory treated like an ordinary member of the Division In the back of mind stili cringe Wlth ho I also doubt if any first year learner nurse has at my days crashing around the town In aOO ore experience than a Brigade nursing shaker' Borough ambu lance the only tl, ed person on board Trained , did say? Alii I agree that we are no longer handmaidens say now IS that, goodness the dr to doctors and that once qualified are highly aspired to compet e In the Le Mans C lr trained in nursing - not first aid Having worktrophy My m emorles of those days are ed on A and E I was appalled at the first aid painful to must have equalled knowledge of 2nd and 3rd year learner nurses ag?ny of the Injur les suffered by the Most nurses receive only 20 minutes theory l?vln?ly tended with due regard to the InSlr and 10 minutes practical experience in first aid tlons of the day in the complete training (two to three years) you, Dr Graham, for methe Being treated in a favourable manner is one P?rtunlty to re-Ilve my St John life over a9: thing I most certainly do not get or want! With Eileen. Forrest (Mrs) regards to being treated as potential officers Superintendent from the moment of JOining the Brigade and TWlckenham having a specific badge I am more than happy to work as an AIM and let somebody else
P· have the headache of paperwork and organ is-
YJ ama game
ingtheDlvlslon
As for the badge well once again I am afraid
HaVing spent the day listening to som EI disagree A nurse in training IS not experienclectures to members of the Aerome ed enough to make vital decisions expected of SerVice, reminiscences and laughterwelf a tra ined nurse ; I still look to my officers and keynote at d lnner that evening , but noboo fellow members before making any decisions , pected the fire alarm to sound at 1 30am '" (even after ten years with St John Ambulance) after the majority of us had retired In short, I am happy to serve as an AIM until Back to bed within 15 minutes , andJusl lam promoted to Nurse 1 star, when I will try to Ing off when the fire alarm sounded aga be worthy of that rank After all I have said I am we for the staircase once more, m\ one year post qualification and still learning caught Slghh t of ":,,hO dhaf d obv lo new things both in first aid and nursing Just made a cuppa , an Ire or n( David Knight, EN(G) was not leaVing It! Salisbury
After 20 minutes standing in a freez lnl we wen,t gratefully back to our roomsfrom Glynn Reeve, DIS tll- yes, y?U ve guessed It - the alarm so. l must take First Year Student Nurse Kinsella to ed yet again 4am task over his letter (Nov Review)
Once again the Fire Brigade on a r While recognise that when trained h received a loud St John cheer, for another have a very useful Input to St John alarm for the Sick, really do feel that while now know the meaning of dress Infontralnlng his input must be as a member After all MISS M. Weller. 1e may not qualify, and in any case it does Aeromedical Service lOund though he feels wearing pips or a ;adge IS the be-and-end-all of a uniform
St J h d erhaps It would be better if he earned the o n ay espect his comrades by shOWing and pass-
We are not holding an ambulance rather than by Royal Windsor Safari Park this year, but lnS n ;' And IS all very well young blood glva simple St John Day ..g lews, In nursing as many other profesAn arena display is being planned there IS a lot to be said for experience hope will include something of intereSn k et us forget a qualification does not na e an officer everyone, public as well as members Finall .' there is no rally, any division or perso n1av t y, while talking rank, why do all nurses wishes to bring a vehicle or equipme'he e 0 a rank? Are not grey epaulets with special interest we shall be happy to disPlot coloured bar enough? And why Emergency displays and we adran for certificate holders, especially vanced trained? on safety are planned I WOuld add h ' After paying expenses we intend D' t at these views are shared by IVlslon In d ' donation to the Ophthalmic HOSP k.llynn R ' CUing trained nurses. Jerusalem, so if you join us at the safa li livision:f;e on Sept 2 1989 (a Saturday) not onlyW ialisbury upenntendent have a good inexpensive day out and pu St John Ambulance, but also help us to he Order s Hospital.
I ar y 1900 s
the Safan Park have b E. L. E. Hearne, :ame mulling through some books that Deputy Area Commissioner called The Home Doctor which Berkshire In the early 1900s The importance
Celebrity held by St John
almost sure to go and obtain some brandy, which is just what was wanted by the sufferer' We must not allow this to be given A little rough treatment is all that is required and if we can get a policeman to order him off , most probably we shall witness - as the writer frequently hasthe pretender get up very hurriedly and run his hardest to prevent arrest. There is no doubt that if we met such a scene as is pictured above, and any bystander should administer a dose of brandy neat or diluted with a little water recovery would be very rapid. In the light of this information , may we expect a few
Lifejackets
Surrey celebrrty Norman Wisdom got more than he bargained for when he VISIted St John Ambulance members in Epsom ( Photo Leatherhead AdvertIser)
of first aid was recognised even then and thought readers may be interested to hear what they had to say on the subject of insensibility
It IS of such common occurrence to find a person insensible , that it becomes the duty of anyone taking up seriously the subject of ' First Aid to the Injured to get a knowledge of the various causes to which insensibility is due
The first thing we have to do in meet ng a case of this nature is to find out the cause before attempting restoration In this chapter we shall endeavour to make plain the details by which anyone will be enabled to distinguish the illness which produces insensibility
In all cases , however, loosen the clothing at the neck and chest of the patient and remove any tight restrictions , such as braces, belts , or stays If any bystanders can give particulars, they may prove useful in to recognise the cause
There are a certain number of persons going about who will feign in sens ibility in order to enlist sympathy and monetary assistance In such cases there is generally some 'kin d friend' willing to receive any morsel of the latter we may be inclined to dispense. There is, however, no occasion to be duped in such matters , for we have only to lift the eyelid of the sufferer ' and touch the clear part of the eye and he will flinch from pain and turn the head to one side If he should be really insensible he will not exhibit any sensation of pain when the eye is touched If there should be a crowd standing round, their sympathies will be with the 'sufferer , and someone is
Medical Students
RECONDITIONED AMBULANCES
STJOHN
Is your bank doing as much for you as it could?
Does your bank respond to your needs as quickly as it might?
Or is it taking too long to make vital decisions?
If so, it could be time you started looking around for a better service. Look no further.
At The Royal Bank of Scotland we believe we can offer you that better service, because we're prepared to go out of our way to help you in any way we can. So why not come in and see us? We don't regard ourselves as just another b ank.
That's why we won't regard you as just another customer.
in Jerusalem '. : '.
Queen Noor AI Hussein of Jordan, President, Society of the St John Ophthalmic Hospital, writes: The dedicated staH, facilities and services of the 5t John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem are a heartening example of Anglo-Arab cooperation in the service of human needs and aspirations Today however, amidst the moving assertion of Identity by the Palestinians living under Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza, the provision of basic services and training in the fields of health and education has become an urgent national priority Therefore, the Hospital's work - including surgery, outpatient care, the training of Arab doctors and nurses , Outreach services through mobile clinics , professional seminars, and field research on preventive
medicine - has a very positive, direct and immediate impact on the future prospects of the Palestinian Arab s. Training and research carry this impact further afield in the Arab world.
It is for this reason - the very precise and effective provision of health and ophthalmic services to over 55,000 patients a year among an Arab population living in intolerable circumstances - that I attach great importance to my active, personal involvement in the Hospital through the Society of the St John Ophthalmic Hospital Jerusalem
Perhaps never since its establishment in 1882 has the work of the Hospital been so urgently needed , and so greatly appreciated.
Our
ospital
The
Outreach
Programme: gOing out to the people
Sir Stephen Miller, Hospitaller
In 1980 Dr Geoffrey Bisley FRCS , retired from service in Kenya where he had served for some 32 years to jOin St John Ophthalmic Hospital as Warden and Chief SUrgeon After a year ' s experience in Jerusalem he came to the conclusion that some form of Outreach programme which he had initiated in Kenya would be valuable 10 Our patients in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Although the West Bank is small (measur170 60 kms) travelling is difficult. a e terrain IS mountainous; many villages hre not served by paved roads so that inabltants have to travel several kilometres on tracks before reaching a proper Ighway ; and public transport is scarce as well as erratic The journey from Jenin (in the to Jerusalem may take up to four 1 Such factors prove a serious deterrent o t e seeking of early treatment.
In 1981 a preliminary survey was undertaken by Dr Walia Kani PhD , to elicit some statistical data about the villages and their inhabitants She found of the 429 villages in the West Bank , 321 were listed as having no piped water so the women have to gather their domestic water in pots which they carry on their heads as in olden times Many of the villages have no drainage , so flies are abundant ; and flies are a potent means of transferring infection, particularly from one child to the eyes of another The village precincts are dry and dusty and the homes which they share with their animals show signs of deterioration from lack of maintenance so that smells and dust are everywhere
The preliminary survey made it clear that there were a large number of children in need of ocular treatment , some of whom suffered from trachoma , one of the world s com-
man est causes of blindness It was also found that there was a large number of elderly individuals who were gradually losing their vision under the impression that this was due to old age and an act of God It was clearly necessary to let them know that modern surgery had much to offer in the way of restoration of sight.
In 1981 two vans were purchased with the Order s logo and the source of the gifts inscribed on them One van was given by Eyesight Universal of Canada and the other by the Arab Br itish Chamber of Commerce in London. These vans are equipped with modern ophthalmic instruments plus a generator for lighting The staff who make the visits consist of a surgeon , two nurses a technician and a driver On arrival in the village a room in the school or a private home is taken over for the day by previous arrangement and during the morning the children are examined. In the afternoon adults queue for examination
The Outreach programme was placed in the charge of Dr Lee Chumbley, an American consultant surgeon , and he was joined by Dr Ian Thompson from the UK
Together they did a survey of all the villages in the West Bank , examining 6099 individuals. They discovered pockets of trachoma and an Incidence of blindness which was surprisingly high Bl indness is six times more common in the West Bank than it is in a developed country such as the United Kingdom They also found far more cases of remediable blindness in the form of adults who suffered from cataract than had been antiCipated from the original preliminary investigation.
Since 1981 Dr Lee Chumbley has interested himself in the treatment of trachoma and has written an interesting analysis of the incidence of this disease in relation to geographical spread He was also interested in forms of treatment with a view to finding the most effective method applicable in the conditions of the Jordan basin and this formed the basis of a scientific paper published in one of the United Kingdom s ophthalmic journals. Another serious affliction discovered to be widespread was the form of vernal conjunctivitis which affects young people during the summer and produces red , weeping and irritable eyes This prevents the sufferers from reading or studying during the hot weather or indeed carrying out any form of outdoor work Thanks to the help of the pharmaceutical company, Fisons pic , drug trials were undertaken to find out which form of therapy was most effective and to outline a regime which would help these young people to cope with their disability
Three years later the team was joined by Sister Kaibni , who has undergone a course in Primary Health Care and the Prevention of Blindness at the University of London ; and she has co-operated with health workers in other disciplines of medicine with a view to teaching the young how to maintain the continued on page
The firstthing to establish when you begin a fundraising campaign is to identify for what exactly you are raising funds Identifying a single objective (eg a new headquarters , a new ambulance) can help focus on the amount needed to do the job and encourage ideas about who to approach
Depending on the project decided upon , you can set yourself further questions , such as : " Do we need cash or can we get what we want 'in-kind'?" Remember if you accept gifts in-kind you will then have to ask : " Do I need further funds to keep the item/project running? " You must also ask yourself whether the project is interesting enough to appeal to an outsider, the local commercial company They will not automatically see your needs as vital and will not only need to be persuaded of this fact but will also need to be convinced that what you are offering them in return for their financial support is worth their while.
For example, can the project bear their name? What publicity will their name receive if it is associated with the project? Can you offer a special event to announce the partnership? Can you offer the company's own staff direct involvement in the project? Will the project offer future scope for development? Will the project require further funding from the same source or will it be selfsustaining? This last question is very important as many companies like to feel that every penny they give is going to have a long, worthwhile effect on your work and they will not expect to see the project abandoned after a short period because of lack of planning.
Fundraising in
Your Neighbourhood
Liz Ganney, HQ Sponsorship and Promotions Manager
Once you have decided what the project is and how best to achieve the goal, you then need to do a little research into which companies to approach and whether they have a history of charity giving , by donation , giftsin-kind, sponsorship , or promotions. Research can take different forms, such as: lists of local companies in the ' Yellow Pages ', Thomson's Directory , local Chambers of Commerce , libraries. directories which show past charity support or sponsorship (possibly of other organisations, eg sports); some titles are Hollis PR and Public Relations Annual (sponsorship section) Hobson's The Sponsorship Yearbook, A Guide to Company Giving (one of a series published by The Directory of Social Change). All these are available in your local library. old newspaper clippings will give an indication of charity involvement by local companies. Available in libraries or from the local newspapers. your local newspaper may be able to give vital information on existing local companies and new companies entering the area New companies will often inform the newspaper in advance of their arrival in order to get publicity and make it easier when looking for staff.
Hello there!
I 'm John, known to all in Lowestoft as 'BIG JOHN'. Despite my size of 6ft 2in x 2ft8in, I am only 8 weeks old. The Lowestoft Ambulance Division adopted me when I was born and then used me to launch their appeal for £30,000 to buy two new ambulances
I am very happy with my new family; they take me everywhere with them and although I am very young, they make me work very hard. My Uncle, whom I live with, promises me even more work as the appeal progresses Oh dear, oh dear, it looks like no holidays for me this summer.
Every night my Uncle tells me a bedtime story and last night he told me the story of how I came into being. Perhaps you'd like to hear it.
As the Division's two ambulances are coming to the end of their useful lives, all of the members decided to support a project to raise the necessary cash to buy new ones.
The Division felt that perhaps they should
The company will expect you to present to lhem a well thought out business package, which highlights all the advantages they will gain if they join you in a financial partnership You must not expect it be dealt with on a 'worthy local cause' basis They have a budget, which in many cases is allocated a long time in advance, so it is best to make approaches at least 6 months before you actually need their support If you are offering
them a sponsorship opportunity be careful to ask for the marketing department's inLocal newspapers adVlse y Yolvement , otherwise they will just look at on whether your project IS newswon ' their charity budget (which is often much or not and what do to make I!. smaller) to see if they have already allocated If you can get publiCity for your prajt their annual donations it will make finding financial supp much easier, the newspaper can ev The St personnel at the mee tlng become your voice to the general put should be confident to.answer questions and business community alike and be well presented The literature they ask fellow Stjohn members about! take to substantiate their arguments should contacts, whether through wor k reflect this busi ness-like manner and not apfriends pear to be hastily (and cheaply) put together ask for the support of other local fUi A makes a mUCh greater imraising organisations eg , Warn e' pression If are used ; thiS range Institutes , Lions , Round Table from a por tfollo of clippings of do any of the local companies have your work In the communlty, a very obvious connection with your pro slide show a video (eg , the St John video (eg , construction companies for a For All the Right Reas ons) Do not , however, HQ building) make your more half an contact local public relatlo nt hour long, as they most likely o nly marketing / promotions agencies allocate an hour to you In their busy working they are always on the look out fOrl d€ day, and this will leave half an hour for you to for their clients persuade them that you are offering an opOnce you have deCided on the compa portunity which has great potential to to approach and you have a thorm enhance the image of company in the background knowledge of all of them , S' community for a long time to come to think about the actual meeting betw Do not give them promises without being you and the company personnel. You c() sure you can comply, or fulfil them Also , be meeting the company chairman or assure yourself that they are putting enough members of the marketing or public relab support into the project to warrant the departments. If someone has a acknowledgement. Don t sell yourself short , contact In the company they should be but don't put them off! And don t be afraid to volved in the approach try again six months later with a new project.
You may have to go to very many companies before you get any help; on the other hand you might find one company who is so generous you need not look elsewhere for support.
In addition to support from companies , there are the old tried and tested ways of raising money (eg , raffles , fun days, carnivals, competitions , sponsored events , street collections and collecting envelopes - new ones are available from Supplies Department)
Legacies
Local solicitors should be approached with copies of the leaflet produced by Headquarters called A Will to Help Others , which is a simple guide for those thinking of making a charitable bequest in their will. Libraries and Citizen Advice Bureaux may also appreciate copies , and supplies are available from the Marketing Department at 1 Grosvenor Crescent.
Trusts
Research local trusts at the library, who will keep a copy of The Directory of Grant Making Trusts published by the Charities Aid Foundation, 48 Pembury Road , Tonbridge, Kent TN9 2JD , telephone no. 0732771333
The Directory does not give information on very local trusts, and it may be that your local Councilor local Council for Voluntary Service have compiled a list of local charities
Secondments
A company may be happy to ' lend' you a member of staff on a part-time (or even fulltime) basis The 1983 Budget introduced tax concessions aimed to encourage companies to help charities in this way. Or the company may encourage members of its staff to become involved with local charities in their spare time
So if there is some specialist skill you require (marketing , accounting , surveying ,
Mee1Big John
delegate this project to just one person , money first. This the Division did by a local would be supported by a treasurer from half-marathon, jumble sales and sales of side the Division with knowledge of StJo toys plus a £1,000 donation from a local
The thinking behind this was that end bUSinessmen's dance (the businessmen meetings would be avoided just to disc having heard of the intention of the Division). day-to-dayaffairs, and, in general, thep local paper was kept informed of all and other decision makers prefer to deal ?'V,s,onal activities and were fully supportive one person who is able to give an immeO In the advertiSing of our events. After one decision without referring to a comm !tI a sum of just under £3,000 was The first task was to try and obta in available. The editor of the paper and his assistance of the local newspaper deputy were approached again, and were editor, however, could not at that time to at the end of the year a major appeal but would support eanng In mind that the editor would need he could acts and figures to support such an appeal , Local businessmen were quite hapr We collated as much information as possible talk to us but were committed to and presented them to the paper as a pack. charities who are also seeking finar The problem then was how to attract the assistance. The task seemed depres sl r of the town to the appeal. Something difthe only way would be to raise some (1 erent was required. Something connected
with first aid A crepe bandage came to mind.
A member s wife, acting as 'midwife', spent many hours making - me , or BIG JOHNa large 6ft plus bandage with a big smile.
Many people have now offered to organise events for the appeal. I always write or my Uncle rings them the same day that we are notified. And I always go to the event. I also write to those who send donations to the papers or deposit money in a special bank account that has been opened We also send them a certificate that we have produced (right)
Well, I'm getting tired and have to go to bed as I am going to a dance tomorrow night, when some ladies are going to present me with a cheque.
All the best my friends.
Big John
design, architecture , etc) you can try contacting local companies
If you would like a retired executive to help you , you can contact the Ret ired Executives Action Clearing House (REACH) , 89 Southwark Street , London SE1 OHD, who place executives with charities Whether they can find anyone for you will depend on where you are located and the sort of skills you require
The Directory of Social Change publishes a range of practical fund raising guides covering almost every aspect of the subject. A full publications list is available from The Directory of Social Change , Radius Works , Back Lane , London NW3, telephone no. 01-4358171
For further advice on fundraising contact St John Ambulance Headquarters Marketing Department.
First Aid for your finances
I n these times of high interest rates, you may need to administer first aid to your finances to pull through without scars or severe after effects
If you re having money trouble, talk to your bank manager, your financial GP as it were Better still , if you think you might be heading for trouble , make an appointment straightaway to see him or her. Don 't wait for the problem to get full blown - prevention is usually better than cure , as we all know. For instance, increased mortgage rates are causing a few headaches If they stay at continued overleaf
6
Mobile banks, similar in design to an ambulance were started in 1946 by The Royal Bank of Scotland thi s level, many people may find difficulty in making repayments In most cases, their bank manager will be able to dispel their anxiety by simply rescheduling the loan. And in every case, the bank manager will be g rateful t heir customers have asked to see them.
The same applies if you've been made redund a nt. There again, what at first seems a dreadful blow might turn out to be the push you need. Your bank manager will be able to help and advise you on starting your own business if your thoughts turn in this direction. You may need some guidance to sort throu g h the mass of information and assist ance schemes available.
Inertia is a great blight for many people when it comes to finances - they can t be bothered. But it makes just as much sense to look after your finances as it does to look after your health - you're less likely to become a casualty of whatever it is that's going around
For instance , where do you keep your money? Do you make it work for you? Does it earn interest? Do you transfer it between accounts to make sure you get the best rates of interest?
These days, many people have different accounts for different purposes. This is really just a sophisticated variation of the practice where people used different jamjars to save
for different things : one for the rent on e the gas or electricity, one for the holiday' so on
If you don t need to make lots withdrawals, then a deposit account Wo suit you Depending on the account , itml offer tiered rates of interest - the greater' balance, the higher the interest.
Most financial institutions now pay in ter on current account balances and ifyou st around you ll find anothervariable-a h interest cheque account - which f ll s gap between the two just mentioned H Interest cheque accounts pay higher rate' Interest than current accounts but re qL customers to have a minimum bala n which varies from £500 to £2 ,500
Plastic is very much a feature of ourt irr
Careful use of cred t cards can mea n have up to six weeks interest free cred t tr the time you pay for your purchase to ' pay by ' date on your statement.
If you haven t got the money to pa y something there s bound to be a loan te whether it's a personal loan , or for hom e provements and so on If for some your circumstances change , making ment of the loan difficult , don ' t delaY- I your bank manager immediately, befo re problem becomes an emergency Rea a· of St John World don't need to be rem lnL that while there are some things you can for yourselves , there are others that nf speCialist help as soon as possible ! (This article was provided by The Ro Bank of Scotland.)
Making the most of your mon e
choice available; the additional income that a charity can obtain by investing its short term cash wisely is considerable There are now a number of money market trust funds which offer rates of interest to smaller amounts of charitable money which are equivalent to those obtainable on large sums in the money market.
any problems I am always available to h you make the most of your money Director of ServJ(
St. John Ambulance
On Safari - Sep-t 2, 1989
M o st SJA treasurers will be aware of the enor m o us changes that we are seeing in B ri ta in's financial markets. Those of you who h a d '7 D ay' accounts will know that P hilli p s & D rew have withdrawn their sch e m e A lthough it is the stock market that has bee n hitting the headli n es, the world of c as h mana g ement has also seen some excitin g chan g es. A new age of competition has de veloped with banks and building societies offering an ever-growing range of in t erest bearing accounts. Treasurers of charita b le funds now find a bewildering
Some 250 of our treasurers have recently transferred to or begun to use the Charities Deposit Fund. Established in 1985 under a scheme of the Charity Commissioners, CDF is already very well established as an associate of the Charities Official Investment Fund which has been in operation for some thirty years. The Fund now has deposits in excess of £100m and is used by some three thousand separate charities who receive a good return on their deposits however small.
The rate of interest (which is paid quarterly without deduction of UK income tax) is published every day in the Financial Times, The Times and The Daily Telegraph The rate at the time of writing is 12.6% (equivalent Compound Annual Rate, 13 21%). You can open an account by telephoning Richard Coulson on 01-588-1815 or writing to The Charities Deposit Fund, St Alphage House, 2 Fore Street, London EC2Y SAO. If you have
ivisional treasurers will have just be: through the sometimes complex pr cedure of filling in the SJA 12 form reqUi annually by headquarters Perhaps following guidelines will help when theta has to be done next year. In 1986, the Receipts and Payments A count (Part 1) was simplified to make it ea s to complete and to enable information to recorded easily on the HO computer. Tr format means that all the information 1 need to put on the form - other than de a of any separate accou nts that you may ma tain - can be placed under one of tr printed headings.
continued on
Once again, following the success of previous years, we are inviting you, your families and friends to enjoy a fun-packed day at WINDSOR SAFAR I PARK This year there will be no Ambulanc.e Rally.
Normal admission prices will be £6.95 adults and £5.50 children, but ST JOHN AMBULANCE members and guests are offered the very special all inclusive price of £3.50 for both adults and children. (Children are 4-14 years, under 4 years admitted free of charge). This special rate only applies on a pre-book pre-payment basis.
Parties may be of any size.
In addition WINDSOR SAFAR I PARK undertakes to make a contribution of 25p per head towards ST JOHN AMB ULA NCE funds.
Windsor Safari Park is undergoing a change of image. We are creating an African experience for
trapped underground .
Rescue! All in a day's work, said Dad
Colliery manager Ernest Hardy Deputy Area
Commissioner Doncaste r. (Photo and sketch : Yorkshlfe Post)
My dad is very modest about it and sa id anyone in the same situation would have done the same
210 metres In, PIT MANAGER RESCUED TRAPPED MEN THROUGH NARROW OPENING
I am Julie Hardy, Cadet Leader of South and West Yorkshire , and belong to the New Edlington Nursing Cadet Div is on I don t know if my letter will get i nto St John World but I thought you may like to know about my dad
My dad is Ernest Hardy, Deputy Area Commissioner for Doncaster and Distr ict, South and West Yorkshire He has been involved with St John for the past 23 years and is a Serving Brother On January 13 (Black Friday to some) my dad had just made a v s it to the pit faces underground when a message came through to say that due to a fall ten men were trapped My dad went back down the pit to see what he could do The pit is High Moor Colliery, Killmarsh , Sheffield , where my dad is colliery manager The tunnel leading to a new face that was being developed had collapsed , cutting off the men s exit route
My dad risked his life by crawling through a four foot gap over 600 tons of fallen rubble to get within six feet of the shocked men
Reaching a solid wall of debris he shouted to tell the men they were working to get them out. The men were trapped 700feet underground
Standard procedure would have been first to secure supports to guard against any further danger of falls before going in My dad went over the rubble twice , once on his own and then with help. He defied the rules of safety to get the men out of the pit quickly
The first we knew about his bravery was on TV news later that night. To me my dad is a hero and am very proud of him and what he has done. I think his abilities to give first aid were uppermost in his mind when he dec ded to disregard safety and go in.
We are a St John family w ith some 77 years service between my Dad , Mum and sister Helen and myself
Julie Hardy
Julie Hardy
MINERS TRAPPED BY 600·TON CAVE IN
CadetJulie Hardy from Doncaster, aged 16, does indeed come from a family of St John first-aiders. Her father, Colliery Manager Ernest, is deputy Area Commissioner, her mother Lily joined St John Ambulance when she was seven, and sister Helen, aged 13, is also a Cadet. In fact, Julie's parents met through St John Mrs Hardy, who runs Edlington Nursing Cadet Division , says: "It makes us a very close family We all believe in what we are doing and get a great deal from it."
Naturally proud of her family's achievements - Julie represented her South and West Yorkshire at the Cadet Leader of the Year competition and went to the Buckingham Palace Cadet reception - Lily Hardy says her daughters started learning first aid when young. "When they were babies I had nobody to leave them with, so they went along to training sessions in their prams."
Divisional Accounts (continued
from p.6)
Please remember that all forms for this year ' s accounts must be returned to your County Treasurer before March 31 1990 London District produced a Divisional Treasurers' Guide in 1987 which , although now out of date in some minor respects , is an excellent reference book forthe recording of accounts. Divisional Treasurers can obtain copies from their County Secretaries
G.A. Butler Chief Accountant
Chief President writes ... T
he role of SJA presidents is fast chan ing and increasing , and has alreac developed into working presidents ', pa ticularly among county presidents I a ' delighted that the contribution of preside n is becoming accepted and appreciated the Association and the Br iga de
However, there are still many activities which their help is not being asked forort h€ are often omitted when new plans , sche mE or activities are discussed Presidents ha been appointed for about 45 years, ne ar half the life of the Brigade , and they shOu always be included as part of the team lt wc. a great step forward when the then Cht Commander, Major-General Leucha decided to include county presidents all Foundation Conference and I hope that the will also be invited to Commanders ', Dire! tors and Commissioners ' Conferen ce:
Although the presidents are non -execu ti they are all very much part of the team won ing for the organisation they represent. I find it exhilarating and rewarding tOSe the generous response that presidents hal given when they have been asked to he with new initiatives such as the Badgers ,( where a gap needs to be filled in d tferer areas in the county I hope we shall be use successfully to support the new Energy pn gramme , which is one of the most imports' schemes for the future of the Brigade
Call fIr an allbulanCB
Whether they see it as a special sort oj taxi or as a mobile l eU) w hen people caUJor an ambulance) they expect it to arrive on time and to cope Jully with their needs. At Wadham Stringer ) we encourage our cus tom ers to expect the same standards oj care and attention.
For over 65 years we ha ve been building ambulances for every conceivable application - both at home and over eas. 1t 'e appreciate that different cu tomer have diJJerent reqlllremenLs and difJerent budgets.
SAMARITAN
on a selection oj three base rans. ThlsJormula pTOl'ides plen£l' oj chOice at the same twze as mall1taming a /ugh degree oj landardisation to hold dou n costs and pTOl'lde compatibllz{}·.
MIAB PIONEER
cOIll 'entionaljleet oJG RP 1mbulances or to }eplace the cha sis cab u'lien requmd. Th e benefits oj ease oj repair and sen ice are al ai/able all both
Stringer
Gail Lindsay, a 15 yearold cadet instructor from Ballyclare , met the Duke of Gloucester on his recent visit to Northern Ireland to open their new headquarters "I was a bit nervous ," said Gail , who put the Duke 's arm in an elevation sling " But he was a very good patient."
The Grand Prior, accompanied by Tom King , Secretary of State for Northern
Message from the C-in-C, John Sunderland
A
s you are all aware, Safeway has adopted St John Ambulance as the ir major community project for the next two years Their generous prom ised support of £250 ,000 is enabling us to put much needed resources into develop ng many new initiatives across all aspects of Brigade activity,
However, a major part of our ' partnerShip with Safeway entails local liaison and we are anx ious to ensu re that the full potential is realised. It is env isaged that another £250 ,000 can be raised throughout the country through local level links between Stjohn and Safeway staff.
Some divisions have already come up with innovative fund raising ideas Safeway has over 200 outlets and Presto and Locost stores are also part icipat i ng in the scheme so there should be many opportunities to benefit.
Please, please DO NOT contact your local Safeway in the first instance, BUT talk with Hugh Witherow at National HQ when you have an idea Similarly when Safeway staff have ideas they wi II be communicated to you via St John. A successful partnership depends on both partners co-operating - please make the most of any opportunity that arises
John Sunderland Commissioner in Chief
Ireland Can he make
Ireland , was given an escorted tourol n building ; he watched first -aid demo nstr, tions , Badger and Cadet learn i ng at vities and met representative s fro mtr s ix areas n Ulster
After 27 years at War ng St ree t Belfast , the new headquarters IS Purdysburn Hosp tal , just outs ide Bella:
More Salewav suppa lor SI John
N
ot only have Safeway, the major high street supermarket chain , pledged £25 0,0 00 to St John Ambulance over the next two years , but it is hoped that as much again can be raised through local fundraising initiatives
A lready a number of donations and cheques have been received on behalf of St John as a result of the link-up Badgers have been involved in helping to open several new Safeway stores
then phone Hugh W therow at Na t on Headquarters on 01 -235 5231 He will [ able to ensure that you are put n tou ch w Safeway
Maratho n runne rs Safeway are field ng a team of ten run ne rs ra ise funds for St John at the Lo nd: Marathon All keen athletes , they come lr as far apart as Exete r, Leeds , Lytham StA nes and Wimbledon
Fund raising Duncan Rolls, aged 16, one of the members of Hampton Court and Eas t Molesey DIVision who took part in a 24 hour sponsored moutho-mo uth marathon last summer. with Resusci A nnie. The event meant a s eepless night for the division's members who resuscitated 'Annie' con/lnuously for 24 hours and raised an impressive £600 for divisional funds
Lady Hospitallers' Club
fhl'Lad:- Hn pltallc-r · Cluo loul1din 1l)20 I" 1111\\ npL'1l tll.i11 pa t !Ind prnel11 kmak 01 rkl: r of' thl' Brlgadc Till Liub \\ Illdl Il1CCI lIn till "1.'WIllJ SLltlirda) III L'\cr} Il1llnth.tt l:dIlina \lolllllhattl.'l1 HlIlI c. lilTh. Sirect. Llllldoll \\,1 at J pill prnmote rulnll al. "'lIl'ldl anu edlll:aIItHlal actl\ Itie" , An IntcrL tIIH! rrogralllrlll' (If' "pcah.cr" anu \ i ll" oecn arrangcu Ill(" thl' cllmin" \car For further il1lnrlll,IlHHl LIP'-
Miss Rosemary Bailey, former Chief Nursing Officer. who has just been elected preSident of the Lady Hospltallers' Club for 1989/90 pIIL atHlIllllr'm pkd e ulntdl't \11 " Hl'kn Grihok Hon 5cLTl'tun. I Highlllrl101' Clll"'l'. Lllnuon 1)1 Y-+QH Icl 01 )-+52
Kim N akhla (left) Sales Director for PolyLina , presents Colin Sm ith , Group F nancial Controller of Safeway, with a cheque for £500
Safeway and a supplier, PolyLina , recently got together to organise a squash tournament evening which raised £500 for St John
A mbulance Safeway apparently were beate n at squash but a we lcome cheque w as prese nted to Safeway's Colin Smith by Po lyLina
Safe way also trade as Presto and Locost , so if you have any of these stores in your area think of an nteresting fundraising idea and
The marathon is on Apr i 23 and St Ambulance will , of course , be a d cover along the route Every year 1,0: members , 32 ambulanc e and 60 to mob le units treat some 5,500 i nj ur es Th is year 95 runners are ra s ing fun ds support the work of St John , wh ch will be much in ev dence over the ent i re course the race Each runner s a iming to ra se £S( so if you are on the duty, a spectator or eVE watching on TV and see a runner 's vest w i our logo and slogan " Help us to keep he lp hand " - a shout of encou ragement wou be much appreciated!
but not ... Keeping quiet paid off for Plymouth's Salisbury Badgers who raised £110 from a half-hour's sponsored silence Half was spent on a theatre visit, the other half on a belated Chnstmas party In a Wimpy bar Here's Abbie Carter. and Nicola Hancock, both 8. (Photo Western Morning News)
in Victoria Square
SJA wa not to be left out of the celebrations and as can be een by the p h otograph (above) the image pre ented fitted the occa ion.
Fo ll owing the' tate procession' to t he Co un cil House, a massive firework di play took place and de pite the cold evening and enormous crowd there were few casualtie
AROUND THE DIVISIONS A
RO UND THE DIVISIONS
Chester
Winner of Che hire Constabulary's annual Inter- chools (SJA Three Cro sAward) FA competitionBishops (Bluecoat) School. Great Boughton - receive the shield from Julia Carrier. of Chester Chronicle's promotions, with PC Alan Johnson, school liaison. and WPC Gillian Jones. \.\. ho orgam ed the competition. (Photo belo\.\. )
Last December. Chester LlOn'i Club cho e A I M Stephen AshfiJrd. of Che ter Division, to repre ent them at the Lion Club of GB Youth Award From semi finals, Stephen went to the onh West Finals, which wa won b} a young lad) from Manche ter dOing voluntary work \.\. ith handicapped children.
'>Iuner Mrs Marlon Spencer haron Pullan was 10 the DI'vIslon\ 1988 ational Finals qUl/ team dnd Sharon Hancock In the 1987 iItlnnal Finals compct ilIOn tcam and led It in 1988. Both are continuing in the adults
hour,;. frolll Mr E R Eaton, Com ml""loner (Photo below)
blast Injuries thrown 111 for good measure FollOWing emergency aid on the spot, each was tran<.poncd to the school for further care and at tenllo n 0, it was nbvlou..,ly not a real incident but ,t was very realistic. It was a Brigade exercise on a maJor emergency, With many inlured people. and gave an excellent opportunlt) for workmg together
Londonderry
An exhibition to create publ icity for recrUitment, held at the Central Library, wa" organised hy orthland Cadet DIVISion Here (L to R) arc Richard Inclulr. lihrar) sen ICC ar -
uf';IFC,('1,)
Oxford
At a presentation evening, in the We'st Midlands HQ, Birmingham/ Sutton Area were proud to welcome Maj-Gen P R Leuchars, to what was to be hi last official engagement as Chief Commander, when he presented Dennis Smith, Deputy County Commissioner, with his warrant of appointment (photo above).
Stephen \'. a Cadet Leader \\ Ith Boughton (Blhop High School) Cadet Divllon before going to the adults on his 18th birthday last September.
Fermanagh
Mr S Hall, area comml <;ioner for Fermanagh and Tyrone, orthern Ireland. forthe last 41 2 years, received gifts (here from 0 S Mrs Amellll Moore. on behalf of the diVISions In the Area) at a farewell dlOner at Dungannon on January 18
Eddie Crossland. who retired as pre"ldent of the Ea"tern Training Centre after 46 years wllh the AssoLiatlon and Brigade wa" gJ\en a gold half-hunter b) colleague'i at a farewell dinner recently Here he I' \.\lth hi'> Wife. Shirley Eddie I'> no\.\ an honorary member (Photo : by cou rtes), The News Porhmouth )
Harborough
After much hard work, Bradford Metropolitan Area recently took delivery of three new ambulances.
They were dedicated by the Revd. David Langridge, seen here after the ceremony with the Commander, Neville Packett, and Area Commissio ner Tom McNish. (Photo: Area Surgeo n John Turner) 12
Folkestone
Three more Grand Prior's badges for Folkestone nursing cadets (L to R) Corporal Sharon Pullan, IS, Cadet Maria Doran 15 and Corporal Sharon Hancock, 16, who received their awards from Area Commi<; -
The Bishops School team receive the Cheshire Constabulary's inter-schools shield from Julia Carrier. (See Chester.)
Raising money for a replacement vehicle, Harborough (Llnc'» DIVI <;Ion celebrated the New Year 111 "tyle and raised £2,500 With a draw for whisky ranging from a giant 4.Slltre bottle (pictured) to a tiny miniature (Photo: Sal Lo Galbo).
Holywell
Nursing Cadet Susan Rutherford, of Holywell, Clwyd, received another cross to her Service Shield, for 1,200
Deput) Count) COl1lmi"sinner Dornth) presented the rthur 1cCloud )bleld for 01 0\" duties in the ye.lr to "" \1 r...<llhlcen Bahon or Hull Cen! 01\ Ision - Ii)) the ccnnd
rthur McCloud was a \cf) .lCUI memher \.\ htl \\<1" tragicall y killed [ an indu"trial accident some thret years ago lca\,1I1g a v\ idov. and children irs McCloud gave tlx "hlcld in hi" memor) to orthe r: Area Although \1r" Batson ",on year. at thL tllllC hc wa haul! a -.eriou" illne"" , rrnm ha'i no\\' recO\ered
Isle of W ig ht
The village of Godshdl thousands or vi"ltors during the hOI day "eLlson. but not one was therec' a dark February evening bedraggled youngster '>taggered 101 the "chool where Brigade and Cross member" from l'iland were gathered
He said a group of lads out hiklni had lo<,t their way and ended up In cul-de-sac Strtklng a match to l(l(ll at a map, there wa<; a huge exploslor with many II1lured Within minulethe village malO street wa'> full orane bulance" and the school had bee turned mto a casualty clearan(, "tatlon.
Meanwhile, at the scene oftheel plosion, the injured were dwgnose, by torchlight. InJuries ranged bru Ises to severe face and hand burn' from unconsciousness to hystefl! broken collar bones to senou bleeding, With a damaged
tlst. MrT A mallwooJ.,. AreJ ComMr C \\'ilbher. 01\ upt. Mr\C 'Wdlsher. Deputy Area Com nllSsioner. and MI"" L Heaney. Area Badger Leader.
Norfo lk
DaVid and Lucy Coveney, of Oxford City Quadrilateral Divl<;ion. received <I cheque for £1.000 from Telethon '88 - ITV\ 1988 fund raising spectacular
of Hustlergate. Bradford) was tested by a substantial claim, when a Brigade member in West Yorkshire lost his left leg It had to be amputated following a motor cycle aCCident on the way to a St John duty HapptJy It can be reported that within four weeks of the medical certificate bemg received a £50.000 cheque was forwarded to the claimant.
Obituar ies
Mrs Mary Glo\er Austin MBE. 106. the olde<;t member of the Order and of the Bngade in onhern Ireland. died last ()V ember Mrs AustinJoined the Bngade in 1940 and at the time of her death was PreSident of Londonderry "1ur"lng DI\ ISlon She was a Sen ing Sister.
RecrUiting exhlblflon in Londonderry Presenllng the cheque are Ho\\ard EllIOtt (left). marketing director of Hall" Brewery. and Dr Donald RlchJrd of Telethon Mnre than 130 Hall" pubs 111 O,ford"hire ralscd a total of £12.000
Maurice Carter, 51. Area Staff Ofticer. Ea tern I:.ssex Jomed Stanwa\ 01\ 1<;lon in 1961. 01\ ISlon;1 Superintendent 1970. ASO 1983 Ser\ 109 Brother Bronze Life Sav Ing Medal of the Order DlcLl <;uddenly on '\Imember I
Peter uedham, 60. DIVisional Superintendent, Cleethorpes Ambulance Cadet Dl v l<;lon 1977 to 1988 JOined Brigade In 1953 Sen Ing Brother Died July 26 1988
Leslie Sarson, 69. Area Commis'>Ioner. Cambridgeshire. Southern Area JOined the Brigade In 1939 RAMC Died sudden I) on Oc.toher 30 1988
Ernest James (jim) Small, 75. founder member Cheddar Ambulance DIVISion in 1932. DIVisional Superintendent from 1961 until hi<; retirement In 1978. Servmg Brother Died October 29 1988
E.\-\. Turner, 01\ lional Superintendent. Sherlngham DIVI.,lon. :\orfolk Jomed the Brigade in 1967 Sen Ing Brother.
Leonard William. former Superintendent, T\ nemouth Ambulance 01\ ISlon. Northumbria. and former mstruc.tor Bnll h Rail ( Torth Ea"t) Centre Died on February 2 after a short dine
The Charities Deposit Fund
• A high rate of intere t • \Vithdrawals on demand
• Quarterly gro intere t
• t\o minimum balance required :\lal1.1 ged In the CllY of Lond m under Chant\" Commissioners CIlF TrllSll'es art eXL mpted persons under the Financial :'t.:!TicL's Act 1YdJ.
County Commander Col 'Bob' K'night has been maLIc a Knight of the Order of St John the Order's seCond highest honour.
"It IS certamly an honour to be selected "h bl ,e said . "I feel most hum h e that I have been chosen " He Said e had been selected because of all the hard w k h h or t e Norfolk members ad PUt in.
"If they had' h I'- d n teen e hClcnt and their Job properly it wouldn't (Ph C COme my way at aIL" he said oto: Eastern Dad} Pres,,)
One tM Nur"e Antta mooth y dnd crgeant Richard WtllJ.,. hoth of t hes Quad 01\ '''Ion. marfll'J 111 December Best wI"he" fwm t John World!
Wes t Yorkshire
Recently the efficiency of the Bngade 1I1surancc pro\ Ided b} the t John bro"er!-> (Sydney P-ackett & nns Ltd.
Ambu Man® -your
Car winners can't drive-yet
The presentation of the Ford
in
ORGANISE YOUR OWN 'ACCIDENT' TO LAUNCH THE ENERGY PROGRAMME
By now many counties will have been visited by the ENERGY roadshow and heard how the programme is going to work
The Energy Programme will be publicly launched during St John Week We want to make an impact with this exciting scheme which will help to widen the appeal of membership of the Brigade
We would like every division to use the opportunity of the launch on Saturday, June 24, to recruit members by mounting a mock 'accident' in a public place - perhaps a shopping precinct or car park To make your accident realistic you could use a car bicycle or if space allows , a skateboard , and suitably made up 'casualties (Casualties Union have offered to help)
A dramatic event of this kind is certain to capture the interest of all passers-by Leaflets on what the Energy Programme has to offer are being produced and will be mailed to every division. Experience proves that talking enthusiastically about the organisation
and its work is the most effective way of encouraging others to join us!
Kids love fake wou nds - why not take the chance of speaking to parents and interesting them in becoming members while their children are made up
Every 'accident' can make a local news story which will help to publicise the Energy Programme and our need for recruits. If enough divisions organise their own accident , it could be national news
We will be sending hints on ' how to organise your own accident ' to every division during April. June 24 is a busy day - with many first-aid duties and the St Paul ' s Service - but we really hope you will take part in this event. If your division is too committed to mount an 'accident', why not contact neighbouring divisions and work something out between you? If you have problems or queries , please contact National HQ PR Department and we ll do our best to help
Vintage ambulance to be restored
A1929 Ford Model A' ambulance , which originally belonged to St John Ambulance in Devon , was discovered in a field near Axminster two years ago It is believed to be the oldest St John vehicle in existence , but the bodywork has deteriorated badly and considerable work is necessary to restore the engine and chassis
Liaising with Ford
BM A RC, an engineering company, has assigned apprentices to this restoration project, which they are undertaking at their Grantham works without charge to the O rder. They are liaising with t he Ford Motor Company to ensure that the ambulance is returned to its o r iginal condition W hen the work has been completed , the ambulance will be availa b le to attend events around the coun t ry to help with publicity and fundraising lt is hoped that the ambulance will have its first outing in the autumn
Public ity Campa igns
We have four nationally co-ordinated campaigns planned for this year all involving local , regional and national activity.
St John Week , June 23 to July 2 , will see the public launch of the Energy programme ; the accent therefore will be on adult recruiting
A national Safety Badger Week in July should be fun , and will help with getting even more of them And leaders too!
In September, the results of another St John first a id poll will be announced. This poll will cover first aid knowledge of parents relating to accidents affecting their children A leaflet on infant resuscitation will be available. The aim is to promote first aid courses
In the autumn , the Hospital will be the subject of national awareness campaign S t John members in the counties will be able to assist with this.
2.
Polls
The head of the arms control and disarmament agency in the Soviet Union came to Britain a few weeks ago to give some lectures, and he made a very interesting introductory remark. Until recently, he said, he and his colleagues in the military had felt themamong the most important people In the country Nowadays , nobody seemed to take much notice of them the people who mattered most in the Soviet Union today were economists and constitutional lawyers as Mr Gorbachev tried to press ahead with his reforms. There not enough of such people because In the old days nobody thought that needed to have original Ideas; they were simply planners, and planners at that. Anyone who POinted out that the plan did not work was persona non grata. Equally, there no need for constitutional lawyers, I ecause the constitution was more or ess set in concrete and you did not
challenge it.
There is a shortage of sociologists as well, because Stalin thought that sociology was a bourgeois science and practically banned it. The result was that nobody went around asking what other people thought. There was no testing of public opinion. And when sociology began to be allowed back a few years ago, the people could not understand it.
Secret police
For example, if somebody stopped the average Muscovite in the street and said: "Excuse me, I'm from the Moscow Insti. tute of Public Opinion Research and would like to ask you a few questions," the average Muscovite would probably have assumed that the questioner was from the secret police.
The man in the Moscow street would have been even more bewildered if the questioner had gone on: "Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the state of
the Soviet Union
" Or: ''I' m going to show you a few photographs of leading figures in the Communist Party Which one of them do you think should be the next leader? "
Those are the sort of questions that Gallup and other pulbic opinion polls ask in Britain every day. If you have never been asked yourself, it is simply because we have a population of over 55 million and you need a maximum of only 1,500 people to form a sample, so the chances of your being asked are quite small. But I can assure you that the polling does go on in a reputable way, and that the findings of the polls, give or take the odd percentage point, are a broadly accurate reflection of opinion at the time the poll was taken
Hello and welcome to the April edition of CHIPS, the column in St John World with cadets in mind This month we look at some new regulations concerning camping and also cover the Waltham Walk in detail , after briefly mentioning it in last month s CHIPS NEWS.
I hope all Superintendents have survived another April 1 with their Cadets! I'm sure that there are many tales of woe and embarrassment that might have happened to you. Please write and tell us of any particular funny incident. And leading on from this , CHIPS can now reveal that following the introduction of a book New Guidelines for Camping St John has been obliged to review how it goes about some of its outdoor activities , and CHIPS can now publish the new rules.
New guidelines for camp
T hese are effective from April 1
D eadWood
Because of the risk of fungal infections , all dead wood must in future be steam-sterilised before use , and handled with gloves until this has been carried out. The use of fungic ides to kill fungus is dangerous because they are poisonous to humans and other living things Cleanl
escape into the air of any offensive or injurio uS fumes
A temperature of not less than 16°C (60 .8°F) must be reached after the first meal of the day This provision must be fulfilled whether the dining area be open or not, and is irrespective of the time of year
No form of heat ing should every be taken int o tents (other than hot water bottles)
Latrines
Fo r hygiene purposes, the new guidelines re commend that the maximum time per occupant in anyone latrine should be 2.5 minutes. In certain circumstances this may be extended to 3 5 minutes, but only with the prior approval of the F iel d Officer Should Cadets need to exceed this time, they should move to another latrine Traditional (pit-type) la trines must comply with the temperature require ment given above , but those fitted wi th the Elsan type are excused
Afly count must be taken in each latrine at leas t 4 times per day, and must not exceed 13 per latrine Fl yswats must be provided in all latrines
Washing facilities
There must be sufficient washing facilities
The recommended amountofwaterto be used per person for washing IS :
Cadets (male) 11-13 years - 3.0 Iitres
Cadets (fe male) 11-13 years - 4.6litres
Cadets (male/female) 14-16 yrs - 2 6litres
Adults - 3 0 litres
Commandants - Subject to availability
For reasons of conservation , these amounts should not be exceeded by more than 10%
Each Cadet must have a bath or shower every three days , and may use up to double the above quantities of water.
There must be adequate facilities for the washing of dishes , etc The amount of water to be used varies according to the number in camp and type of meal being served The book states that the following should NOT be carried out:
(a) Hot water from boiled potatoes used for washing up or making tea
(b) Hot water from boiled eggs used for filling hot water bottles
Overcrowding
The cooking area must not be overcrowdeso as to cause the risk of injury to anyone
area
Containers for waste must be placed in a suitable contained area at least three metres from the cooking appliance , preferably facing in a NNE direction
Gadgets and dressers made from dead wood must have all the bark removed and be boiled for at least an hour before use Notice for making these gadgets should be given to the inspecting officer on form G OW available from Headquarters , wh ich should be completed at least 14 days prior to the camp
The space provided in the cooking/din,": area must be not less than 40 square feelo 400 cubic feet per person working n Iha area In tents , each occupant must havenc less than 30 square feet or 150 cubic fee:
One latrine must be provided for persons camping (but see provisions below
Temperature
Effective provision must be made in the di ning area for maintaining temperature , bu lnc method shall be used which results in Ihf
Australia Camp 1989
The Cadet Camp Australia 1989 was held from January 5 to 14 at Tallebugdera, Gold Coast, near Brisbane Of more than 300 cadets attending the camp, 15 came from Canada , seven from New Zealand, fourfrom Papua New Guinea , 12 from Malaysia, and six from the UK. The UK conting en l consisted of four cadets who participated in the Common· wealth Cadet Trophy, the female officer from their Division and Jim Bond, National HO's Director Cadets and Training (centre in photo, receiving a copy of the new Australian Cadel FA Manual from Joan Patterson, Australia's Chief Officerfor Cadets. With them is David Dutton, officer of the only Cade Division in Papua New Guinea).
Activities while in camp included visits to Sea World , Dream World, a river trip with opportunities for swimming , and other social activities. In addition the Australia Cadel Championships were held.
Who 's frightened of a horse? Romford cadets meet Harry the police horse
(Wolverhampton) Cadets
the
, had highest individual cadet score, with Mark Wilson , 14, Lee Gwillan , 14, Martine Bacon 14, and Supt Margaret Coomby. Next stop B irmingham HQ.
Chi p s News
Last month , CHIPS carried a small feature on the Waltham Walk which is organ is ed by Ihe Boys Brigade over the weekend May 20/21 in Waltham Forest , Essex Here are further details about this exciting event.
The Waltham Walk is a challenge expedilion open to teams of three, aged between 15 and 20 inclusive on August 31 1989, from any youth organisation These age limits must be strictly adhered to. Teams will need to be equipped with food and lightweight camping gear for a two day expedition through the Essex countryside , for which prior training is essential.
hTeams will walk between checkpoints undertake "i ncidents " ina Ive tests which vary enormously from cross··· cam Ing with ropes , to ?? Theywill pert oVernight. The expedition will be comlive and include an age-bonus allow-
ance , benefiting younger teams Overn ight camping facilities will be available on the Fr iday, May 19, evening for teams coming from far afield The pr zes include WW Boot to the Winning team 2nd and 3rd place trophies and other special prizes. A one-day ' pastmasters ' event for over 21-year-olds is also planned for this year on the Sunday The Waltham Walk will start at Willingdale and finish at Gilwell Park , Chingford , Essex , where prizes will be presented and a hot meal provided The entry fee to cover administrative costs , log books , camping fees and certificates is £10 per team Don 't delay
Contact M J Wilding , Mill End Cottage , Somerford Keynes , Cirencester, Glos GL7 6DU
Surprise Surprise
We hear of many entertainment person-
Noxious gases
It has been noted that the'undermentioned foods and their preparation can result in the emission of noxious gases into the atmosphere , which may cause harm or injury
(a) Beans
(b) The frying of fresh onions
(c) Certa in types of ravioli and spaghetti (d) Rhubarb, prunes , stewed apples and cabbage (especially if served dUring the same meal)
Work permits
Because of the introduction of work permits for schoolchildren , it has been necessary to curtail the cooking act ivities of Cadets
Cadets will not be allowed to cook or eat for per iods exceeding 13 hours at a time
Load carrying
The book prohibits the li ft ing , carrying or moving of a load so heavy as to be likely to cause injury to a member of the organ isation
CHIPS would like to recap that these guidelines are effective from APRIL 1!
alities who were in the St John Family at some t ime i n their life. Also successful and well-known people n i ndustry and commerce are known to have been n the Fam ily dur i ng the formative years
Have you had any such people in your Div sion? If so , CHIPS would like to hear from you , together with any photographs they may have
Please send them to the address at the bottom of the page
So ends another CHIPS We hope you enjoyed the Apr l 1 camping guidelines
April 1 Ha! - Ha ! - Ha! It's great to think that although we all take St John seriously, we can still laugh at ourselves. Or can we?
See you in May And keep the comments and suggestions coming to CHIPS , St John World , Wood Cottage , High Corner, Butley, Woodbridge , Suffolk IP12 30F. 19
Sedgley
took all
first-aid prizes In the Area competition Jeremy Thomson, 12 (left)
in the Grand Priory Church
Order Investiture
by the Lord Prior, February 16
Using Order letters after your name
People often as k why, when promoted o r adm tted i n the Order, is it that we a re not allowed to use letters afte r ou r name on correspondence , etc, to nd cate t he honour rece ived This s not ent i rely t ru e , because they can be used n refe r r i ng t o an occas ion or matter connected w th part icipat ion in the work of the Order, or in a b iographical publicat ion The use of them is , however, severely rest ri cted to these instances , as the statutes of th e Order clearly explain , add ng tha t membership of the Order ' shall not confer any rank , style , title , dignity, appellation or soc al precedence whatever '.
If any further proof were needed it is n the instructions approved by Her Majesty the Queen under the Royal Prerogative , ,by which the use of Order post nominal letters by members of the Order is not perm tted The Order has always loyally abided by the Royal wishes n th is matter and resisted the occasional requests to seek a change
Our Order is unusual in that membership implies not only recognition of past services (as other orders do) , but also dedication to the continuous and specific charitable works of St John These practical satisfactions count most.
Anthony Lee
Assistant-Secretary General
Commander lieut.-Colonel Kenneth George Allen (Herefs. & Worcs)
Joyce May Alice, Mrs BeckWith MBE ,RSCN (London)
William Donald Victor Burton , OBE LMSSA,MRCGP (Cambs.)
Dorothea Maianne, The Viscountess Chetwynd, MBE (Berks )
Douglas John Faulkner (Gloucs.)
Philip George Gollop (Avon)
Arthur Edward Chase Green , MBE ,TD,DL, FRICS (London)
John Colegate Holman , MD,MRCOG (North ants )
John Michael HUlns (London)
Edward Brian Lewis , MA MB,BChlr FFARCS DA (Kent)
Joyce Millicent , Mrs Noble, SRN ,SCM HV (London)
Victor William Phillips (London)
Major William Gordon Sykes Tozer (Berks )
Major Timothy Tufnell MC (Berks )
O fficer
Archibald David Aikman FRSA FSA(Scot) (Lancs )
Ruth , Miss Ashton (SJA HQ)
Michael John Beale (London)
Captain The Hon Edward Nicholas Beaumont
CVO ,DL (Berks )
Kenneth Harry Bennison (Cheshire)
Francis William Wigan Bernard , MA (Jersey)
Frank Stanley Heath Birch (London)
Mary Ann Florence , Mrs Blswell MBE JP (Beds
John Frederick Bolt MB BS DA (Guernsey)
Margaret Tearle , Mrs Brookfield (Jersey)
Anthony Richard Brocas Burrows (Suffolk)
Hugh Chambers (London)
Major John Raymond Clarke, FRCS (R A M C.)
Gerald Dawson Clarkson , QFSM ,BA (London)
Cyr James Cobb (Herts.)
Laurence Adr ian Coppel , BSc FCA (Notts )
Harold Robert Cowie,BA ,BD (Canada)
Elizabeth Lady Crof1on (Dorset)
Jean, Mrs Cunvin (London)
Joan , Mrs Darlington (Lancs )
James Frederick Lownes Denny (Berks )
Alan Dyer, QPM (Beds.)
The Very Revd Hugh Anthony Richard Edgell , AKC (Norfolk)
Jane, Mrs Few-Brown (Berks )
Yvonne Hotham Mrs Fox (Somerset)
Patricia Mary Mrs Gates, DL (Berks )
Jean Margaret Mrs Gillingham (Avon)
Geoffrey Arthur Gorham BA (Herts Constabulary)
Robert Howard Greenfield FCA (Bntish Gas)
Eric Wilson Gudger, BEM (British Rail)
The Revd James Harkness OBE,QHC,MA (London)
Leila Margaret M iss Hams (w. Midlands)
Frank Harvey (British Ra il)
Douglas Ernest Henderson (Surrey)
Samuel Derek Alfred Howard (Avon)
Francis Leo Jordan QPM (Kent Constabulary)
(Left) Sir Sigmund Sternberg , chairman of the Internl tional Council of Christians and Jews becomes an Office of the Order. (Above) Promoted Officer from Servm Brother is the Rev Hugh Edgell, vicar of Horning , No rfol' retained fireman, ex-SJA Area CommiSSIOner and authe of the book Champions of the Cross
Captain Victor Richard Law (London)
John Henry Leil iott (London)
Bnan James Manley (Merseyside)
Ernest Harold Marshall (Essex)
Thomas John Mullnder (Beds)
Andrew W illiam Murdoch (Hants )
Charles Graham OSWIn (London)
Margaret, Mrs Pegg (Beds)
Colin Clive Perks (Cheshire)
John Ph illiPS, CBE ,QC (London)
Roger John Phillipson (London)
Daniel Joseph Regan , MA,BS c (London)
Ronald Thomas Rowland (Dept Nat Savings)
Renee Rosemary, Mrs Rowles (Avon)
Roy Walter Leslie Scnbblns (London)
William Robert Stanmore , DSM ,SEN (Suffolk)
Elizabeth Knight, Mrs Thorn, SRN ,RSCN (Hants.)
Cyril Alfred TIppins , SRN (Avon)
W illia m Ian Tootell (Gtr Manchester)
Cella Elizabeth The Lady Vestey SRN (Gloucs)
Clinton George Walton (Derbys)
Alec Williams (Merseyslde)
Major The Hon Andrew Wlgram MVO (London)
Kathleen Josephine , Mrs W illis (Surrey)
Alastair Peter Morton Woodward (Dorset)
Associate Officer
Sir Sigmund Sternberg JP (London)
Serving Brother or Serving Sister
Derek Aspinall (Gt1. Manchester)
Peter DaVid Atkins (Staffs.)
Barry Anthony Biemans (Essex)
Ronald Biggs (Staffs F&R Service)
John William Bingham (E.S AC )
Gillian Catherine Mrs Black SRN ,RMN (Cheshire)
Victor Albert Enc Bodger (Cheshire)
Dennis George Brammer (Staffs. F&R Service)
Thomas Ewart Bater Caseley (E.S.A C )
Clarence Chadwick (E.S.A.C.)
Peter Alan Dlon (Notts
Reginald Thomas Durrant (E.S.AC )
Alexander Fleming (E S A C )
Ethel Jean , Dr Gilmour MB,ChB DPH (Oxon)
Raymond Harding (Notts
Roger Stuart Hardy (Derbys )
Peggy Primrose, Mrs Harrison (Cheshire)
Leslie Charles Hayward (London)
Ian Gordon Hulse (Staffs Police)
Albert William Klein (E S.A.C )
Richard Louis Manche , MD,BPharm MRCGP (Germany)
Edward Nicholson (Gtr Manchester)
Reginald James Ogley (S & W Yorks )
Maur ice Penfold (Kent Constabulary)
Gertrude Elsie , Mrs Sowerby (Oxon )
Monica Mary, Mrs Starling (Essex)
Siva Subramaniam , FCA (London)
StJohn Fellowship
Alexander Fleming and
with 100 years of (Above) Ernest Marshall , retired Insurance broker of
London Dlstnct , becomes an Officer. Epping Star)
Aubrey George SWinburne (London)
Mary Emily Mrs Thompson , RGN ,SCM (Lelcs .) DaVid Richard Williams BSc MB ChB MS c,CChem IGtr Manchester)
Our Hospital ( co nt. f ro m p 3 ) health oftheir eyes and recognise any small deviation so that early reporting may be encouraged.
The main cause of blindness in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip is fundamentally genetic and a result of cousin marriages Unfortu nately cousin marriages are popular in the world of Islam and to influence the universal adoption of this long-eng rained cus tom a programme of education is imperative. Not only eye problems occur from inbreeding but problems arise in the heart , the lungs and the brain Sister Kaibni works with other primary health workers and the World Health Organisation in trying to explain to young folk the risks involved in failIng in love with a cousin and producing a fami ly Esquire Mr H C Cottrell , Knight of Justice , presented hiS personal EsqU ire, Baron John Gunnar Knud Matt ia Dudley Sydow von Hoff to the Lord Pnor B ngadler WEI Forsythe-Jauch Knight of Grace presented hiS personal EsqUire FranC IS ForsytheJauch to the Lord Prior
The genetic aspect of blindness has been highlighted by one of our surgeons, Dr Jalili, who worked in the Gaza Strip for two years Hediscovered a completely new syndrome which affects both the eyes and the teeth, so th at affected children become blind early in fe as well as losing the substance of their molars and incisors This syndrome is entireIy genetic, has never been described before and. has been well documented in a large family of 300 people. It is a striking example danger of inbreeding but in the Gaza Strip, which houses three quarters of a million people in a tiny, squalid, overPopu lated area , it is difficult to avoid such a SitUatio n where there is no possible chance afemigration for its stateless inhabitants.
Since the rise of the intifada in 1987 the
Hospital staff has each week produced a group who undertake the long journey of 2112 hours to the Gaza Strip Sir Randall Elliott who joined us from New Zealand as locum Chief Surgeon and Warden opened the top floor of a disused hospital in the Gaza Str ip in January 1988 to heal the injured and since then this service has become a regular feature of the Hospital's work The team arrives on Saturday morning and operat ions are performed in the afternoon. The members who work a seven day week then stay in Gaza and examine the patients post operatively on Sunday morning before leaving for Jerusalem. The journey to Gaza presents its own problems and dangers , particularly in times of curfew and roadblocks , when the roads are manned by Israeli
The big news this month is that the Fellowship has been allocated an office at St John 's Gate This is a great privilege and another mark of our acceptance as a permanent branch of the Order By the time you read this I hope to be fully operational there. I will give the correct address and telephone number in the next Fellowship newsletter, but would ask all correspondents to be sure to include St John Fellowship in the address. Members will be very welcome to visit the office, which is on the first floor above the new Supplies Shop The Fellowship tie and badges will be on sale in the shop as well as many attractive gifts , books , etc. If you are planning to call , it might be wise to ring me beforehand, in case I am going out.
It will be a great relief to have a proper base for the Fellowship files and records. I am very grateful to those branches and members who have offered to help me there.
Sheila Puckle National Secretary 31 Malvern Court Onslow Square LondonSW73HY
soldiers fully armed and not too friendly. It is not always possible for the team to reach the hospital despite the humanitarian aspect of the mission. If a curfew has been decreed by the military, no traffic may cross the border even to aid the injured. One of the spin-ofts from the intro duct ion of an Outreach programme has been the warm relationship which has been set up between the Hospital staff and its clientele. The vans and the team members are quickly recognised by the villagers and cheered on their way because the Hospital is regarded by them not only as acentre of healingit is a haven of peace, apolitical and motivated by humanitarianism and a reminderto Palestin ians that the outer world has not completely overlooked their plight.
Outreach in Action
John Maitland S ions , PRO , Hampton Court &
When I first visited the Hospital in Jerusalem in Apr il 1988, I was disappointed not to have been able to go out with the Outreach team. Looking round the Hospital and sitting in on one of the morning clinics was a fascinating and memorable experience in itself , but the visit seemed incomplete without an opportunity to see in action the Outreach team, whose work is an integral part of the Hospital's role in the
region Indeed, in the recent political unrest its importance has steadily increased The Outreach programme aims to treat at mobile clinics in rural villages patients who are unwilling or unable to make the journey to Jerusalem, and since the beginning of the intifada or uprising in December 1987 travel has been much more difficult. Its leaders have called a general strike which affects continued overleaf
Harlow pair,
Monica Starlin
Rayleigh service between them were inEssex , worked for two years helping to raise £200,000 for SJA Essex vested as Serving Brother and and IS made an Officer (Right) Frank Birch , Croydon's Town Clerk Serving Sister. (Photo Harlow & and a vice president of SJA
Moselsey Div ision
Outreach i n Act i on (cont.)
buses and taxis , the only forms of public transport in a community largely without private cars In addition the Israelis often impose total curfews on the villages in the occupied territories; those curfews may last as long as two weeks and while they are in force all movement in and out of the village in question is prohibited The result is that patients are even less able to reach the Hospital for treatment and it is even more necessary to take its facilities to them via the Outreach team. When I returned to Jerusalem last October I was able to see all this in practice; it was arranged for me to accompany an Outreach trip to Maghazi Camp , a United Nations refugee camp in the Gaza Strip some 110 km south west of Jerusalem.
I was staying in the Lutheran Hostel in the Old City the site of the previous St John Hospital , and on the morning of the trip I woke at 6 o clock and walked through the streets of East Jerusalem to the Hospital on the summit of Mount Scopus I was met by Mike Griffiths, an RAMC doctor on a year 's secondment to the Hospital; this was his first Outreach clinic as doctor The rest of the team consisted of three nurses , Nawal , Omayma and Imad , and Heather, a Canadian secretary spending a year at the Hospital working in administration As we were loading equipment into the vehicle , there was a loud screech of brakes and a cloud of dust. This was Saleh , the driver, and it was a fair specimen of his driving Nonetheless in the course of the day discovered that the team could hardly function without him. It was Saleh who made introductions and smoothed the way for us Saleh who chased away the hostile children to whom every westerner is an Israeli and an enemy and Saleh who on the way back jumped out of the ambulance and procured fresh fruit and vegetables for our dinner from labourers working in the fields beside the road. With all the equipment loaded - drugs and instruments, a slit lamp for ophthalmic exam inations, the essential electric generator - Mobile Eye Unit No 1 set off for Gaza
R oad blocks
Along the road we came across two military road blocks checking vehicles going into Gaza. Traffic had built up behind them but each time we drove straight to the front and after a few words and a smile from Saleh, the soldiers waved us through About an hour into the journey we pulled into a layby for breakfast ; coffee, bread , cheese and tomatoes At twenty to ten we arrived in Maghazi.
As in any Middle Eastern village, the most striking aspect was the contrasts between the dusty dilapidated houses and the television aerials on the rooftops, between the thickly embroidered black dresses and white headscarves of the women and the western dress of the children , between the donkeys
22
pulling wooden carts and the battered rusty cars We pulled up outside the United Nations Medical Centre
Saleh went inside while we waited by the ambulance. When he reappeared, it turned out that the room we were intending to use had been double booked , but that Saleh had managed to persuade the doctor concerned to allow us to use it. We unloaded all our equipment as quickly as possible and set up the generator and slit lamp By ten o 'clock the first patient from the queue already waiting was being seen. The system was very similar to that in operation at the Hospital. In one room Heather and Nawal worked together checking in the patients , filling out record cards and giving basic eye tests The chartused is not alphabetical, since most of the patients are illiterate, but uses a system of circles with gaps in the circumference at the top, bottom , left or right. In the otherexamining room DrGriffiths and Imad worked with either Saleh or one of the UN nurses interpreting The first pat ien t was a six-year-old girl who had been treated for a cataract at the Hospital two years previously This was simply a routine check-up ; there were no signs of the problem recurring In the following four hours over forty pat ien ts were exam ined, a rate which would shock many doctors working in Europe and which was poss ible only because of the intense concentration and close teamwork put in by those involvedo While waiting for anaesthetic eye drops to take effect in one patient , Dr Griffiths would be examining another and once this pace was set there was no letting up The problems encountered ranged from cataracts to trauma cases involving chips of concrete embedded in the eye Some of the pat ie nts were referred to the Hospital for further treatment , while others would be treated later by an Outreach surgical unit.
While the team was at work I was able to look round the rest of the Health Centre
There seemed to be three full-time nurses, two of whom had completed the course in ophthalmic nursing run by the Hospital. One room had been set up as a post-natal clinic , where babies were weighed and measured and then given vitamin supplements , while their mothers were taught basic health care and nutrition This clinic and the rooms the Outreach team were using were fairly clean , but conditions elsewhere were among the most appalling I had ever seen In one of the treatment rooms , soiled dressings and used needles were lying uncovered in kidney dishes while the working surfaces were stained with blood There were flies everywhere. The toilet was overflowing and since it was of the " hole in the ground" type common in Middle Eastern countries , this meant that the floor was also covered with faecal matter which would then be trodden through the Centre by anyone using it. Furthermore there were no facilities for washing your hands
At half past two we started to pack up
There were still patients to be seen, but they would have to wait until the next clinic One
ST JOHN - ST JOHN
of the United Nations nurses invited us to he r home for a late lunch but we had to refU se because there was not enough time As we left the health centre we found the am bulance surrounded by children trying 10 remove the yellow Jerusalem number plal es which to them signified an Israeli veh icle..A.I we drove out of the camp a small boy threy, a stone ; it did no damage to the but nonetheless we stopped and remove' the number plates until we were out of Gaza In general , however, it is only the chi ldrewho fail to understand what the ambulancmeans; among the adults St John has ear' ed itself a considerable amount of goodwi Arm clutched
It is difficult to convey how vital the worko' the Outreach is Several times as I wa lke around the centre my arm was clutched b patients who would point to their eyes an speak to me in Arab ic. Their expressions desperation , hope and misplaced tru made me feel utterly helpless It is to explain that you are only a first-a ide r people who constantly live With trauma ar whose major problems - typhoid , cho ler polio , massive eye disease - are tho which no longer affect us In the West. I fou it hard to cope With my own Inability to he
The best I could do was to give the conte' of my first -aid kit to a United Nations nurs
On two previous tripS in October, I Outreach team had seen 55 and 57 pat ler at cliniCS in the West Bank The importan of these visits is hard to explain to an yor who has not seen the conditions that prey in the West Bank and Gaza Strip If Outrea: did not go to those who need the help ol' John , t IS unlikely that many would el make the journey to Jerusalem to be
The Hospital its \Vork , its problem s and its futu re
I
na nutshell , the Hospital copes with attendances a year and of these 5,OC patients proceed to major surgery requ ifl a period of hospitalisation In addition tott there are many minor procedures pertor: ed , particularly on eyelids which are un df taken in the outpatient Hayward Theat re It must be remembered however thatll practice of surgery is always changing ()I the last 10 to 15 years ophthalmic surg has seen the introduction of the operal microscope, which is capable of mov ing and down, right and left , forwardS a backwards and focusing at the behesl o foot pedal. They are beautifully construe!: instruments but extremely expensive
Over the same period lasers have been troduced , one prototype followed by with advantages and disadvantages ning with the Ruby Laser leading to
Argon Laser, the Krypton Laser, the Dye Laser to the Exsimer Laser all of which are in creasingly expensive although their efficacy on the prevention of blindness, particul arly in diabetics becomes measurably greater
The operation of cataract carried out 15 years ago was a relat ively cheap procedure but now with the introduction of intraocular plastiC lenses, each costing £120 , and every oper ation requiring the use of £40 to £50- worth of expendable material , the cost of cataract extraction is astronomical. Even modern drugs are extremely expensive The Introduction of Timolol for glaucoma , which s used by a patient probably for a lifetime once the diagnosis is firmly established , costs £7 for a tiny bottle of drops. It is thus that charitable hospitals are embarrassed by the rising prices of drugs and nstruments , a rise which is hidden from the ord inary member of the national health service who feels it s his or her right to be treated by the use of the most modern technical methods
The recent strike of nurses in England puts fear into the administrator of a charitable hospital because the new salary requirements may increase the hospita budget beyond its income.
In addition to the work Within the St John Hospital, an outreach programme was set up In 1982 with a view to Visiting the villages and screening children for trachoma
The outreach programme extends to the Gaza Strip , which is some two hours away from Jerusalem , and since the intifada began in 1987 regular weekly visits have been made on Saturdays and Sundays to perform surgery in the eye hospital and to offerhelp to the injured in that area In a country of road blocks and curfews , the journey to theGaza Strip from Jerusalem is not without Its own dangers but all the staff have taken their turn to playa part in this endeavour
Since the rise of the intifa da the managementof njuries has been added to ourwork load and of the first 100 serious cases admitted to hospital , 45 of these patients had an
The Outreach programmegoing out to the people
in Jerusalem
eye which was sodamaged as to necessitate its removal and replacement with an artificial globe The injuries inflicted are partly due to rubber bullets and even more extensive injuries are produced from the use of truncheons inflicting not only bl indness on the side of the damaged face but also a serious disfigurement which has a marked pyschological effect on young people It is rare to find isolat ed facial damage ; as often as not other injuries such as fractures of limbs and ribs are present.
Handing on knowledge to the Palestinians themselves is regarded as a most important part of our service to the ir community. Two years ago a course was set up for practical nurses w ith an involved curriculum laid down by the Minister of Health in Jordan and a dozen young people began to study under the care of our sister tutor Two of the candidates fell by the wayside but the other 10 completed the course and were all successful in their examinations , which enabled
SUPPLIES UPDATE
One of the featured in our latest mailings IS the R.E.D Spine Immobiliser Approved for St John use the R.E D is an alternative to the short spinal The immobiliser, which slides qUickly behind even tightly trapped accident victims , achieves control of the head neck and torso
A training video and a detailed brochure are available showing the use of the immobiliser. Order J8 on your next order. Don't forget the new Brief History of the of St is available, together with e syllabus (Ideal for cadet purposes with note , P s or Ins ructors and examiners) Order S09360, Brief History £2.99; Order P09370, yllabus 95p.
r All orders for the new ambulance collecIng boxes have been despatched and
extra boxes are available. There are so many places where boxes can be used, so don't stop when you've placed the free issue, when more boxes can be obtained for only £3.95 each (£3 for order of 50 or more) You can have as many extra boxes as you need The cost is soon recouped with the first emptying. This special offer price will be held while stocks last. Order S03125, for Ambulance Collecting Box £3.95.
The offers on our first aid range, with selected products available free when you spend more than £25, are available until July 1. It's an offer you cannot miss and applies on all 'F' prefix products. Order your first aid materials direct from St John Supplies and benefit from these free gifts
them to acquire a diploma signed by the Minister of Health i n Jordan and to find employment w thin the Middle East. Tuition is also supplied to nurses , who have graduated at Bethlehem Univers ity, over a per iod of s x months so that they can acquire skills in ophthalmology Tuition is also given to young doctors who wish to specialise in ophthalmic surgery Every two years trainees join the Hospital and if they show ability and enthusiasm it is possible to arrange for them to complete their studies in England and take a higher diploma One of our trainees has just become a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and there are two others who have passed the primary examination for such a Fellowship and they too will become Fellows in due course and return to their native land to give their life work to their own people Research is also an important aspect of the work in the Hospital. It has often been said - and it is truly so - that a hosp tal wh ic h does not carry out research is dying on its feet. Dr Lee Chumbley, our Amer ic an surgeon , carr ed out a number of research projects , particularly in epidemiology of trachoma and in its treatment , and recently three papers have appeared in the main British ophthalmic journal by Dr Lee Chumbley and his co-authors Dr Jalili , who spent two years at our Hospital as a surgeon , has also produced a remarkable piece of research on a syndrome , which has never been described before , involving genetic abnormalities of the eyes and of the teeth , a find ng which has excited genet ici sts , ophthalmologists and dental surgeons
The Hospital encourages senior med ical and other students to spend the i r elective period at the Hospital and over the years quite a number of these young folk have joined us and have all been thrilled by the work they have seen i n the Hospital. The VISitS to the v illa ges n the West Bank and the excontinued overleaf
in Jerusalem
future events
The Hospital (cont.)
perience of such different cultures have proved rewarding and widened the horizons of these young enthusiasts
St John Ophthalmic Hospital however is more than just a place of healing It is a haven of peace and hope for the Palestinians, knowing that their dignity will always be respected and allowance made for their shortcomings It is an institution which is respected by both sides of the great divide and it is just possible that in some way it may contribute to a peaceful settlement in this troubled part of the world
As far as the Hospital's problems are concerned, finance is the main difficulty. Until 1978 the Order was able to find enough money to run the Hospital, but after that period the Hospital was threatened by closure from lack of funds. Small payments were sought from patients themselves rather than close its doors. Help was supplied by the Gulf State of Abu Dhabi for a short time but since the price of oil fell the contributions from that country ceased without warning and without explanation. Budgeting for a hospital with such a background is an impossible task and at the end of 1987 there was an accumulated deficit of £600,000. The cost of running our Hospital of 80 beds is £1.6 million per annum, although a hospital administered in London with asimilarwork load would cost £8 million.
You may ask what has been done to try and remedy this situation. In my opinion one of the problems of the Order of St John is the lack of knowledge of the confreres themselves of the Hospital and of the work done in their name. In order to overcome this problem each county s StJohn Council has been asked to appoint one of its councillors
as the hospital representative and he is charged with the responsibility of educating the confreres of his own county in what the Hospital stands for and what its activities are.
These representatives were brought together two months ago when they attended a symposium at Grosvenor Crescent where eight speakers talked to them about the various activities of the institution and gave the councillors a full explanation of the Hospital's activities. It is hoped once the confreres of the Order become aware of the humanitarian aspect of the work done in Jerusalem that they eventually will be moved to discuss this charitable effort with their friends outside the Order and hopefully stimulate them to contribute.
1989 is designated as the year of the Hospital , with a drive from headquarters and the counties towards bringing the Hospital to the notice of the general public in the United Kingdom Hopefully each county will support the Hospital during 1989 from their local funds, according to their means and according to their size.
There are three forms of giving, each of which has advantages of its own Gifts in kind are always valuable and many of our expensive instruments are given in this way. Gifts in cash are most helpful, because they are the means whereby the wages at the end of the week are met. Unfortunately this aspect of the Hospital 's needs does not excite people ' s generosity and the main difficulty today in fund raising for the Hospital is simply to find cash for running expenses
The other form of donation is towards endowment or a capital fund. In 1980, when I took over as Hospitaller, there was no capital fund and the idea was conceived in 1981 of the endowment of a bed in the sum of £70,000, asum which because of inflation
has now risen to £85,000 Such a sum W ill endow a bed in perpetuity and a Simple plaque is placed above the bed as a memorial to the donor At the end of 1988 there are 15 endowed beds but what is real. Iy needed to ensure survival and to avoid an annual financial crisis is the endowmentol 40 beds This is our long term aim
As to the future of the Hospital, this IS anybody's guess When it was thought in 1979 that it might be necessary to close through lack offunds, enquiries were made at the Foreign Office as to its disposal The Foreign Office advised that it would be illega to sell it to the Israeli Government; itwasirnpossible to sell it to the Arab people, because they lacked the wherewithal to make a pur chase The only option open to the Orde was to place it in moth balls on a care ana maintenance programme , if it could not be maintained as a viable hospital. This option was unacceptable and every effort has bee" made to keep it afloat.
In the long term it seems likely that charitable hospital in Jerusalem will becolllt an anachronism If Palestine becomesa' independent state, recognised by the WO rll in general , it is hoped that the Ara : themselves will be able to take over lhe hospital by purchase when there will pre· bably be a sufficient number of surgeo ' and nurses suitably trained and able to lak· charge This is no more than a persona dream, but I hope more than an unfulfille wish What I can aver without fear of cor tradiction is this: any financial support giveto the Hospital will reach those in needa enable them to survive the period of mililar rule and lack of civil rights which have bee" their lot over the last 21 years , but hopef ul will end soon
The Hospita lle
Halfway up a mountain isn't th ideal place to have to start teaching basic motor maint nance.
With the Ford Transit Minibu thi particular pleasure of the open road is one that you should be spared.
Quite simply it'll go aIm st anywhere, do almost anything and get you back in one piece with very little fuss .
It comes as a 12 or 15 seater It's ba ed on tried and trusted Transit engin ering. If offer p trol or diesel engines. And, once behind the wh 1 you 'll find that it's almost as easy to driv a a car.
To help you raise the money to buy a Tran it Minibus, we've prepared a sp cia 1Ford FundRaising Guide. It's written by experts in fund rai ing and is full of hints and advice on just how to accumulate funds. To order a free copy visit your nearest Ford Dealer.
The Ford Transit Minibus. If only everything that went on a field trip were as well behaved .
TURNING INTO MAINTENANCE CL
STJOHN
The Finest Range of Emergency
Resuscitators for Neonatal, Child and Adult can only come from One source
SUSSEX INFANT SUSSEX INFANT BASIC UNIVERSAL
wi th mask sizes 0 & 1
.:. Pressure limiting system emits audible sound when venting
.:. Oxygen Inlet and Pressure Relief Valve (at bag end ) is set at 4.5kPa (40-45cmIH 20 )
.:. The Pressure Relief Valve can be preset to customer requirement
with mask sizes 0,1 & 2
•:. Pressures and tidal volumes remain constant whatever the flow of oxygen
.:. Oxygen concentrations up to 100 O/C .:. Ideal as Inhalation Unit for Oxygen therapy
.:. No harm is cau ed to the casualty if 12Umin is inadvertently exceeded
.:. Lock-up and dange rou s malfunction have been eliminated
.:. Babyweight from 1kg upwards
.:. Outstanding sensitive finger-tip control
.:. Ventilation rates up to 200 per minute when using small tidal volumes (as for neonates )
.:. Ventilation rates in excess of 80 per minute with full hand squeeze
.:. Minimal resistance to spontaneous breathing
.:. Components comply with BS6850 and BS8849
SUSSEX INFANT MASKS
.:. Autoclavable translucent silicon
.:. Each mask complete with low deadspace angle piece
.:. All Sussex Resuscitators are available in OxyCases , please ask for details of this range
The manual resuscitator or ambu-bag
An aspirator or suction unit is used together with free- flow oxygen for a casualty who has breathing difficulties due to excess fluid in the mouth and throat
tator)
For those who do not have cause to explore the interior of an ambulance on a regular basis, here is a layman ' s guide to the kind of equipment that may be found on a St John ambulance Obviously much of it is highly sophisticated and should be used only by trained personnel.
Resuscitators
The initial response of any first-aider faced withacasualtywho is in respiratory arrest is to open the airway and restore breathing , usually by mouth to mouth/nose ventilations , until further help arrives Once an ambulance crew is at the scene , specialised equipment can be used to aid the resuscitation attempt.
The bag and mask resuscitator
The bag and mask works on the principle of continuing the input of air and oxygen into the casualty without the need for the firstaider to use their exhaled breath
The mask is placed over the casualty s mouth and nose with their neck in the ex-
of a mask connected to a cylinder of oxygen which the operator controls Oxygen is released at intervals and is drawn into the casualty s lungs However, with modern scientific advances there are now instant action resuscitators which vary the amount , frequency and pressure of oxygen administered to the patient according to the operator s pre-set instructions The control box includes various settings relating to the patient's bodily size An audible safety device warns if excessive pressure is exerted , or if the patient's airway becomes blocked
Analgesic gas unit
The use of an analgesic gas is of great benefit to a casualty in acute pain However, there are circumstances in which it must not be used The effects of nitrous oxide gas persist only during administration, so symptoms for diagnostic purposes are not obscured
The gas , supplied in a cylinder, is fed to the casualty through tubing connected to either a mask or a mouthpiece , which the casualty holds between their teeth
FOUND inaSJA ambulance
tended airway position An airtight seal over the mouth and nose must be obtained by careful positioning of the mask so that the maximum benefit is achieved from the resuscitation attempt.
As the user squeezes the bag , the air is forced into the casualty's mouth and nose the one-way valve , creating inhalation The user then allows the bag to refill by releasing pressure on it. The process is repeated rhythmically and so maintains a of air and oxygen to a casualty of respiratory arrest or used in conjunction with external cardiac compression if cardiac arrest has Occurred.
These resuscitators are available in adult , and paediatric sizes, as the amount of air required in the reservoir for successful resuscitation will vary with the age and size of the patient.
Automatic resuscitators
These compact, portable resuscitators are Connected to oxygen cylinders and the casUalty can be given either 100% oxygen or OXygen enriched air.
The Simple oxygen resuscitator consists
Aspirators
The aspirator or suction unit is used to remove excessive secretions (blood , mucus orvomit) from a casualty s airway when they are unable to do this for themselves (eg , when unconscious )
The suction unit is battery-powered , portable and self-contained. It consists of a suction pump which has two power levels and a collection jar to contain the liquid extracted
A catheter fixed to the tubing is passed via the casualty s mouth into the airway and any secretion is sucked up the tube into the jar
The user must be careful to ensure that the catheter is correctly positioned before use.
Stretcher trolleys
The majority of St John ambulances are equipped to carry the York range of stretcher trolleys Constructed of alloy, they have an anti-roll mattress and are strong and lightweight. Two of the wheels on the stretcher are fitted with foot operated brakes, so when loading the stretcher will not move. For added safety, particularly while the stretcher is in motion, quick release straps can be fixed to the framework of the trolley
which secure the casualty The backrest can be adjusted to the required treatment position
The York 1 is the oldest model and rarely found on emergency ambulances , but it has the extra ability that the foot end can be raised into the Trendelenburg or drainage position. And for an unconscious casualty who is in danger of vomiting , orone who is suffering from shock , the legs may be raised to facilitate the correct treatment position
The leg section of the York 2 trolley can be raised so that the stretcher may be placed in the Fowler position , making it ideal for treating casualties who are suffering from cardiac problems or abdominal injuries The York 4 is the most sophisticated of the range
Its main advantage is that it is possible to raise the trolley height for easy transition of casualty to bed or hospital trolley
Orthopaedic stretchers
The orthopaedic or scoop stretcher is constructed of lightweight alloy and can be adjusted to suit the height of the casualty It is hinged at either end so that it divides vertically, and one piece of the stretcher is put either side of the casualty ; the two pieces are then carefully clipped together again Once the stretcher is fixed it can be used to transfer the casualty from the ground to the trolley bed It should not be used to convey a casualty over any great distance Used with cervical collars , it is the safest way to move a casualty with suspected back or neck injuries The other advantage is that the casualty may be moved in whatever the position he is found , providing that all parts ofthe body are supported
Carrying chairs
The carrying chair s main function is to transport the casualty either over rough ground , through small spaces or downstairs
The folding chair has separate seat and back supports , two orfourwheels, and comes with or without footplates The chair is very manoeuvrable, particularly down stairs, as it is narrow and compact.
The other type of carrying chair has a ' bucket' seat in which the casualty sits , secured by a strap continued on page 20
AMBULA
________________________ your club
ASt John flag flutters outside an imposing black and white painted Regency building in the heart of London's fashionable Belgravia Inside number 50 Eaton Place a warm welcome awaits - for this is the St John House Club, the Order's family home in the capital. All members of the Order and of St John Ambulance are eligible - and most welcome - to join.
And those who stay there at most reasonable rates for London , are likely to rub shoulders with St John people from many parts of the world
As if to emphasise the international flavour, calls from West Germany and Ottawa interrupted Major Sydney Nicoll as he described the latest improvements to the accommodation He is the Warden and he happily booked rooms for the callers, chatting to them as if they were old friends - which they are Sydney and his wife Norma have run the club for six years and during that time have built lasting friendships with the many members of the St John family who have stayed there. Norma explained : " Our visitors are so important to us - like members of our family."
The Wardens, Major Sydney Nichol/and his wife Norma
And Sydney added: " This is their home in London. It's personalised - not like staying in room 99 in a hotel."
He recalled foreign visitors who have set off from the club to tour the country and on return have said " It's nice to be home! "
Many members of the Royal family have visited the club over the years but Sydney is the model of discretion when it comes to recalling anecdotes about any visitors
However if pressed he will confirm that a certain Royal spent some time in the West Midland suite bathroom with him advising on the lay-out! Then there was the distinguished overseas St John personality who sponsored new beds for the club because he found the floor more comfortable than the one he was allocated
The club is certainly popular with overseas visitors, including many from Australia, New Zealand , South Africa, Canada, the United States , Finland , West Germany and Switzerland
Membership is extended to those in certain professions or members of organisations working in associated fieldsincluding the Police , Fire Service and Red Cross And they too make good use of it.
Yet ironically it is under-used by members of the St John family living in the United Kingdom. Why?
One reason could be that many are simply not aware of what their club has to offer them and those who knew it years ago have no idea how much it has been improved The 4
AStJohn welcome in London by
DAVID McDINE
occupancy rate of the six superb en suite double and four single rooms is around 70 per cent. With more support from St John members there would be no gaps
The club also has superb function facilities in the Mountbatten Room and Canadian Bar, available to members and to outside organisations for receptions, parties , meetings, luncheons and dinners.
The Order 's family home was founded in 1948 but when Sydney and Norma took over six years ago the facilities were not goodonly one room had its own bath - and the club was losing money_The Scottish couple had run their own hotel and managed for Trust Houses Forte, just the experience needed to make the club a success
Sydney has a fascinating background including distinguished service in the Black Watch and many years in managerial position in the newspaper industry_ He and Norma , who was born in Calcutta of Scottish parents , have three daughters and four grandchildren S ince they arrived at 50 Eaton Place there has been a dramatic change in the club 's fortunes and now it more than earns its keep _ That change is due in large part to the friendly welcoming atmosphere that has been built up but also to sponsorship from the Priories.
Various Priories have assisted with money to improve the accommodation out of all recognition. And to honour them the rooms have been named after Scotland, the Duchy of Lancaster, Wales , West Midlands, Canada South Africa New Zealand, Ards , Devon and Singapore Completing the inter-
Supplies Update
The latest edition of Supplies News will be published this month and copies will be posted to privileged customer card holders Copies are also available by telephoning our Salesline on 01-251-0004
We'll be announcing a new Three Cross Award student refresher book which is now available price SOp. It will be just the thing to follow up Three Cross training (Order R20001). Scale discounts are available for bulk purchases. There's a great demand for model ambulances not only from St John members but from collectors worldwide. The limited stocks of the Surrey marked ambulances sold quickly. This autumn we shall be developing some new ideas for alternative models. They'll make ideal Christmas gifts.
We'll also be repeating the very suc-
national touch are the comfortable Canb; lounge and the Hong Kong breakfast room
All this has involved much knocking dow! of walls and extension of facilities
The West Midland suite has somethin c special. An American guest was most im pressed when he opened an internal dool and exclaimed : "Gee, we ve even got a' elevator in our bedroom! " That lift is agrea' boon for disabled visitors
All bedrooms have wash baSin S bathrooms , shaver points , colour TV, rad l and alarm systems Continental or lu English breakfast is served at the club an' lunch and dinner are available by specia a! rangement at the nearby Caledon ian Club
The St John House Club is only fiVE minutes walk from the Stjohn Ambu lanc( Headquarters in Grosvenor Crescent anr ten minutes from Victoria rail and coachs la tions Buckingham Palace is just down lhf road and the famous London stores arE within easy reach The annual subscrlplio r is only £20 and St John and club pay £28 for a single room A twin roomw ll bathroom en suite is £49 for members BOll rates include continental breakfast.
For that you get luxury - although as Sydney is quick to point out " there 's noth lnl lah-di - dah about it" You also get thelee ing of belonging , thanks to the StJohnfam connection Anyone who thinks this is ex pensive is simply out of touch w th pr ices London , where a single room in a good hole can set you back £100 a night!
Anyone wishing to know more can contac Sydney or Norma on 01 -2 352732
cessful sale of bulk packs of Christmas cards. Ideal for fetes , bazaars , etc. You can raise up to £60 if you sell the complete box of 60 packs. The offer expires on July 1. The latest design collection envelope is now being supplied against all orders for S02600 The new two colour design and bigger envelope, featuring photographs 01 Stjohn in action , gives extra impacttothe 1989 collections
The new St John shop is very popular and the speedy service and ease of selection has been appreciated by many members. We've now extended the stock range even further and included someo the most popular uniform items, including first aid kits, jumpers, sweatshirts, rank stars , shirts, etc There's also a whole range of stationery and books, etc, for Brigade members. So the shop is well worth visiting. You can check with the shop whether an item is held in stock by phoning 01-2536644 ext 46.
Elegance (for
Moun /batt en Ro om - superb facilities for functions
Photos : S r Geoffrey ShakerJey
to the general public but are also available, when urgently required , to local community nurses and doctors
In 1944 , the late Miss Mildred F. Wheeler
MBEstarted this medical loan depotwithjust £10 and obviously used her 'talent' widely
The depot has expanded not only in the number of items available but also in the wide selection of appliances Chesham appears to stock everything from the smallest feeding cup to ripple beds, standing pulleys and even an exercise bicycle! The items are in constant demand and the depot is well known throughout the area Should so -
Princess Royal Hungerford SJA heroine with SJA receives Life Saving Medal New Zealand
Meritorious Award for first-aiders
meone wish to buy a particular Ite m because of a long-term need , this is ed through the supplier
The depot is open at set hours and the re is also an emergency telephone number, I think the success of this Aladdin 's Cave in Chesham is due to the fact that for man! years there has been a small Medical Committee, mainly of St John members, first under the chairmanship o' Miss Wheeler until 1970, and now Mrs Mash which over the years has held a fund event annually to purchase stock.
I know that not every Division can start O I needs a medical loan depot , but this iSJu S one example of where our auxiliar) members can assist Care in the Comm uni ty in a very practical way
Jeanne Mercer (Mrs) Chief Welfare Officer
Places on HQ training courses
Cadet Instructor Training, September 15-17 and November 3-5, Derbyshire. This highly popular course is for Cadets Who want to learn how to teach first aid skills.
Management Part 1 and 2, various dates, Derbyshire These courses deal with baSic management training skills, Such as leadership, working in teams , problem solving and listening skills These courses are fun and there will be many surprises in store!
Management Part 3, September 8-10, Birmingham. , A 'must' for all Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners - This course has been specially deSigned for you!
service to the Brigade by the Commissioner in Chief, John Sunderland
Ouch!
Go out and get publicity, did someone say? NM Phil Dzanne, of Guernsey Division , s certainly doing his bit here while on duty at the circus Haven t heard from Phil since this picture was passed by a spectator to local PRO Neil Tucker, who commented: Some people will take a cut at anything.'
Suffolk SJA members have visited a North Sea drilling rig off Yorkshire to teach its crew life-saving first aid techniques.
The Sonat Interocean rig's 35-strong crew wanted to know more about first aid to help them cope in the event of a major disaster
The two SJA members, Colin Pickess and Simon Hales, were flown by helicopter to the rig.
Mr Pickess said : We found everyone on the rig was already very safety-conscious, but the crew felt they would like to have more first-hand knowledge of first-aid.'
We put all the crew through a course of resuscitation and other techniques such as how to stop bleeding. The whole exercise was very worthwhile as all members of the crew were eager to learn. It was an exciting experience for us, too. The crew had been drilling for gas for a long time and they just happened to find it when we were there.'
Mr Pickess is Suffolk's Association
In 1942, prisoner-of-war Harry Lake was transferred to Stalag 383, where with others he began to organise the first (and as far as we know, only) SJA first-aid PoW camp classes.
With no first aid equipment , resourcefulness was certainly needed Handkerchiefs cut diagonally produced triangular bandages. Splints were made from wooden slats and pieces of tin.
Off to lecture
P
Lake (right) with his
As the classes became a regular feature of camp life, they received approval from SJA HQ London to proceed with lectures and examinations to the official rules Special certificates were designed and made Embroidered black and white SJA armbands identified qualified members. In fact , first aid duties in the camp became so popular that soon they included daily duties on the medical inspection ward During their enforced stay in Stalag 383, Harry and his colleagues examined some 400 people in first aid. In 1945 he returned home to London to rejoin West Ham Division.
His interest in first aid continued In 1987 he was awarded the BEM for work in the field And he cO!'\tinues to instruct. A recent class of 11 students had the distinction of all
Examples of the SJA certificate issued in the PoW camp , and a wooden plaque for wh ch first
A new leaflet (left) giving basic step-by-step
ance on how to resuscitate a baby has been produced as part of a series with the popular 'Emergency Aid' leaflet (right).
Supplies of both these leaflets are available from the PR department at National HQ.
The
SJA Music Makers
The annual display and awards presentation of the Southwark Corps of Drums was held on Jan 22. Guests included Lawrie Hawes , Chief of Staff HQ , Derek Fenton , Commander, London District , Mrs Pat Parker, Commissioner SE London , Gerald Easton , ex-chairman of the Band Federation and many other old friends
The evening began with a parade of the Corps and then the band played a selection of tunes
The following awards were made : Cymbals , Adam Downs ; Belle lyre, Nicola Blackman Best drummer, Marie Merritt ; Runner-up drummer, Joanne Dennis ; Trumpet , Renatta Davis ; Overall brass , Zoe Toogood ; Best brass , Terry Downs ; For endeavour, Adam Downs ; Turn out and drill , Zoe Toogood ; Deportment Chris Mahony and Zoe Toogood ; Junior bandsman , Janette Melson , Runner-up Donna Merritt ; Bandsman of the Year, Sean Bradley, Runner-up Chris Mahony.
There was a surprise presentation to David Minney and his wife as a thank you for 21 years with Southwark Corps , with many ex-members of the band there to applaud
School first aid pays off
13-year-old Tracy Corby, from Melton Mowbray Leics , has been congratulated for her quick-thinking when her 6-year-old brother fell down a flight of stairs , badly knocking his head Tracy a pupil at Long Field School where the Three Cross Award scheme is taught , learnt the emergency aid techniques at school and knew exactly what to do
Tracy carefully placed brother Martin in the recovery position , making sure he could breathe " I m very proud of her I just stood there panick i ng but Tracy knew what to do ,' said her mother Susan " I don know what would have happened if she hadn t been here ."
Tracy ' s headmaster, John Broad praised her action and said that she w ll be put forward for an award at the school. Hearing of the ncident , Mrs Sue Fellows the teacher who taught Tracy first aid , sa id: " It makes it all worthwhile and brings home how important it is."
Malcolm Rutherford on
How's your team doing?
John World sought and has been
of
Football is ingrained in the English mind.
For a certain generation perhaps it comes from the days before there was widespread television and the results used to be read solemnly over the wireless Third Division South, Third Divis on North - it was a way of learning English geography. There were also such wonderful names : Crewe Alexandra, Crystal Palace, Sheffield Wednesday, though the best of the lot was the Scottish Queen of the South In my case, there was an added attraction The local team regularly won the FA Cup. That was Newcastle United By the time t:lis article is published, however, Newcastle may well have returned to the Second Division , which it has been in and out of over the last 30 years. One should not be too sentimental; yet I find it quite sad that a great city like Newcastle, with all those traditions, should not be somewhere near the top. Imagine, for example, what might have happened to morale on Merseyside during the great unemployment of this decade if there had been no Liverpool or Everton to demonstrate that the place was still good at something. The performance of the teams helped maintain local pride Tyneside would have loved a similar consolation. Indeed there has been a battle royal going
on about who should run and own the Newcastle club : the new property developers and entrepreneurs , or the old solicitors Behind it is the knowledge that the atmosphere in and around Newcastle is better when the football team is winning Distance lessens the loyalties I still look at the North East clubs first when the results come in, but·have tended to give up hope. The local club is now Chelsea , which is making a very good shot at returning to the First Division In the old days it used to be a pleasure to visit Stamford Bridge, the home ground and watch the likes of Peter Osgood and Charlie Cooke Now the ground is so hemmed in by barriers and police and fears of incidents that it is better to stay away The only residual reason for remaining loyal to Chelseaperhaps it is local prejudice - is that one prefers it to the North London Clubs, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, who seem to take the game so seriously, yet are still not a patch on Liverpool. So the clubs that one wants to win nowadays are the most geographically remote, probably because they are the most unlikely. This year it has been Norwich A few years ago it was Ipswich. It could be Southampton or even Plymouth Argyle, if the latter ever showed promise.
Tracy (left) with brother Martin and sister Sandra 12 , who phoned for an ambulance Mowbray Times.)
John World County and Division News
Cadet to Commissioner
A former cadet has become Norfolk's SJA CommisSioner.
Mrs Jill Scott began her SJ connectIOns as a cadet but did not become Involved with the organisation again untll she was invited to be county superintendent five year ago.
She is currently deputy commissioner and IS an Officer of the Order
Ac.., well as hercommllment toStJohn. Scott has been adeputy lieutenant of Norfolk since 1986, one of only three women who have held the position. and IS a former WI count, chairman. She IS also a magistrate and a member of the St John Council.
for GirlS. Ashford. after they uccessfull) completed the adult taken by Sgt Bob Shaw of He ton & Isleworth Division. (Photo above) A fe\\ days after the presentation. one of the pupils successfully ga\e re uscitatlon to an elderly lady for IS minute until the ambulance arrived
In the 1970s there was a brief period of hope for Carlisle United , which gained pro· motion to the First Division, won its first three matches , was top of the league and was then relegated in the same season
Rational belief in the smaller , poorer , remoter clubs cannot be sustained for long In the end they nearly always go back to where they came from
Perhaps it is the illusion that they might do better that keeps the profess ional game going But over the years I have come to more radical conclUSions Why should a great city like Bristol maintain two profes· sional teams neither of which ever sue· ceed in doing anything very much? They should either merge , or give up What is the point of Hartlepool Un it ed , which has seldom been out of the bottom quarter of the Fourth Division and plays , like most of the lower teams, before crowds at best in the low thousands , sometimes only in the hundreds? Somewhere there must be some very rocky finances
The case for a superleague is over· whelming The only condition is that there must be provision for the Norwiches and Ipswiches to get into it on merit , and be relegated if they cannot keep up It cannot be the same dozen or so clubs all the time
Edit: This article was written before the Hillsborough tragedy.
Belated honeymoon for Anne
In Australia
Meet RUlsllp and orthwood cadetAnna MarquIs 15. Rachel Harri on 14. Wa) ne mlth. 13 and Claire O'Donnell, 14 \\ ho v, ith their 0 S Ber) I Aquith went to the Austrailan Cadet Camp In January Representing Bmain In the Commonwealth Cadet FIN Aid competition. the) finished third. \\Ith e\\ Zealand econd. and Australia firo.;!
Colonel J Hughe (abo\ e). Deputy Di
Ashford
Are;} Commlioner i\lrs Griffiths presented first ;}Id ficate to pupil 01 t Oil\ ids chool
Club. \\ hich organlse-,ponorhlp for marathon competitors and other fundrai ing for charity
Meeting on the c..,kl 'ilopes of eefield ustna. are atlonal HQ schools project manager. nne Macleod \\ ith husband
Badgers from Braintree ha\ ing fun whde learning about fire afet) Ith fireman Peter Bugbee, who demonstrated to use fire foam. Gi\ing a helping hand are (from I to r) James Raven, 8. James Collins, 7 and Craig Roel. 8. (Phot o: Essex County ewspapers Ltd.)
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
, ..... Grantham
BrIStol and N. Avon Area supply a driver when needed for thIs car presented to the Cancer and Leukemia in Childhood Trust for tram-porting young patIents to hospital or to visit friends and relatIOns. In return, SJA can usc the car for transporting patients.
The plan works well. Recent journeys have been to BIrmin gham, Devon a nd Cornwall. 12 HILLSBOROUGH
DISASTER
News of SJA involvement on page 15
"pent a week.end together t.!urlng Fehrual) traInIng and ha\ 1I1g fun. Maps and compass, I\.tl and re"cue. rope" clnt.! "tretcher", ant.! life-saVing techniques \\ere CO\ eret.!, together \\ ith a night exer clse Sunda} inclut.!et.! a church ,>er \ Ice ant.! a lecture on Aids. Mr'> 1argarct Jame." Buck.-. count) tralnlJ1g officer. the ad\enture week.end at the Buck.'> Youth Training Centre, Clln LOn Ine JA 1I1structor'i her Have more JA fun
SJA Bucks officers were at two briefings at Aylesbu ry and High Wycombe g iven by National HQ'sJenme Eaves and csa Laurie Hawes (here) on the new Energy Programme
Burton-onTrent
0/0 Malcolm Dunham, of Burton- , on-Trent Division, wanted to find something unusual to raise money for the new HQ. He dreamed up the idea of a one-man 24-hour non-stop marathon talk. And he was to be the constant chatterer. The idea caught on and was a great success. Alone, Malcolm completed the round-the-clock of talking Without a break Most of the big chat-tohimself took place in the town centre, where everyone could make sure he did keep talking, but at night he moved into the pre ent Burton HQ. Witnesses and helpers were on hand to ensu re he did not stop talking. This marathon created a lot oflocal interest, in newspapers and o n radio, a nd even national radio mentioned it. It raised over £700. So - get talking.
Cambridge
An overweight tlog i" to jOin span. sored sllll1mers het.!ding pOllndsto raise funds to buy unifi)rm for Gran. tham DI\ Ision '''.lCk. Start', Owned b} 01\ ISlonal Sel retar) John D) mock., weighet.! 111 at Just Over 451hs ant.! was pronouncet.! O} a lOCal hospital dietiCian to be'a Yen heal\ d(1g' of the t.!ivi iOl; dictll1g to raise £1.500 At weigh - In (ahove left) arelL to R) Geoq!elle Creedy. Feather"tone. Howlett. Jea n Turner and Carolll1e Jill'bon 'Kld GrJntharr
:\ 24-hour spon"ored hed - rnake h) badger cadet allt.! adult produced [,j00 [(l ouy a TV ant.! video Ill) 5t John HOLlse , IlfrJcoll1be Here, with the tclly. arc D <, 'v1rs Pam Munt , Badger Leat.!er,> ndru and Robin and DIO Ken Fanlham, and cadch and had!.!l'r,>
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
DotE (Silver) Award forS & WYorks AIM Kevin Whitaker from Mrs M. Riley
Londonderry
At a farewell party gIVen for Deputy Area CommissIoner Mr William McCurdy, having been a member of the Brigade for 51 years
Dr T C Taylor. the presenung the chairman of the Brigade centenary appeal Mr B. 1. Ord (right). \\.llh an engraved goblet for ral'>lI1g the magnificent of £60.000
Holy Trinity Combined Cadet OIl\sian's competition team which nov. goes on to the regIOnal event The, are (back, L to R) Vicki Westwood. 13 (capt), Sarah Collins, 10, Helen Platts 13. (Front) Terri Rogers, 10, and Beck) Harding, 10 (reserve)
Ilford
8-year-old Phillip Lewis. badger of the year for two years, entered a sponsored swim organised by the Fire Brigade and raised £75 for children in need. Phillip got a medalanda cup. Phillip'S going places
TV' Cilia Black madc a \urpnse mil to JA Jarrow\ HQ during Januan to slnl! il cilluuram to the Grays;ster\ \1..tr!.!aret and Irene ho oct ween them 'have deloted 120 \ L'ar of ,>en Ice to SJ \ (Photo ) \\'intfret.!ls Co Durham\, deputy commissioner, J\1Jrgaret i" Jarnm :,ursing DI\ l'..Ion"" superlntent.!ent and Irene 1\ Jarnm Comhlned Cadet\ superintendent The surpn e, ""hlch went 011 without a hitch, wa plannet.! ov Cadet Leat.!er" Andre\\ Lamb and Peter Emlller nn
Keynsham
A brother ant.! "I"ter team (\\ Ith mother as LIJ1t.!a ant.! Dar) I He,lne). of Belmont 01\ 1\lon. represented '\Jorthern Ireland at the 1988 aunnal hnal,> at Croytlon
Both are fir.,t HIt.! Instructor and l IJ1da I'> abo rca Bat.!ger Leader
Northumbria
A hundred and fifty pupil aged 12 to 13, of Whitley Bay' Marden Bridge Middle School, were awarded their SJA Three Cro s Award certificates by the Count} Commander, Dr F L. Constable, and the Director, Mr R. Green-Steele.
Northway
NoNs Radford Combined Cadet Division's nursing team's dream has come true - they were the overall winners In the county nursing cadet compefltlon to take the Vlgrass Shield.
Rhondda
Cwmparc Di\ I ion cclebrate" its 80th year ith its flag tl) Ing over the Town Hall for the next "i X months. commencing \1ay On June 24 there \\ til be a commemoratl\ e "en ice at St George Church. C\\.mparc. On Jul} I. the Divi"lon \\ iii be holding a Icte ant.! carnival \\ ith other organi\ation Later II IS hoped to make a trip to the SJ :v1uscum in London. The year \\ III be rounded 01'1'\\ ith a conlert In aid or the DI\ I"inn at the local Brlu..,h Legion Happ} Blrlht.!ay. C\\ mparc!
Tonbridge
Hot.!ge,> (above. right ) of The ational PhyslOtherap) Service. which operate" a health and aften:are scr\ iLe f(lr 115 ,000 member" and their famtlle
Cobham 's first Super Badgers (having completed all nine badges), Tanya Linsley and Michelle Goode, both 10, with the County President, Mr T. Curtis
AseCond bar to hi" Long Service AWard was presentcd to Dr Geoff rey Divi"ional urgeon of eynsham 01\ iSlOn, Avon The presentation was made by M r Lennard BUrden, Eastern Area Commls sioner.
In 1988. the Keith Joseph WelfJre Cup wa" won .Iomlly o} orthumblla's Blyth Combinet.! 01\ 1 lon and Oxfort.!shlre\ onhway Quat.! 01\ I slon Here. Blyth\ upt Alan \\'alk.er hantls over the cup after holding It lor SIX months to nrthwCl}'" Supt Val Longfort.!. Thclnk.s. ,>ay\ Val
The \1ayor of Tonbrtdge clOd MailIng. Cllr Godfrey Horne. tOJ..,led funt.!ral'-.lJ1g efforts at The WaterIngbuf\ Hotel as a "lork.lJ1g good effo;t" \\ rote their nn Llsed \\ Ine bottle corb ilnd entered Ihel1llJ1 <l rartle to \\ IJ1 cl weekend li)r t\\"o In Pan\ As .1 re"ult ot thl.: It)J1test. manager I,llthe\\ \\') lie presented a l'heque fIX £105 to the mayor [I \\ ill be dl\ Idet.! lalt.!stnne Hospice Appeal anti t John Ambulance Bngade, Tonondge
Towcester
Weymouth
to serve."
Most of the irregularities concerned the organisation of First Aid at Work courses and Simpson pleaded guilty to two charges of theft and 11 of obtaining property by deception, asking for 40 offences to be taken into consideration. 1989 NURSING BURSARIES
This year's bursary winners will be presented with their awards by the Su p erintendent in Chief, Lady Westbury at 14
St John National Headquarters on 11 May Kathleen Lane from Ba i ldon , Area Nursing Officer for Bradford , South and West Yorkshire, has been awarded the Smith and Nephew Award for a Professional Nurse The £500 bursary will enable her to continue her studies on the role of visual material In an awareness of health needs
Winner of the £250 bursary is Karen Blatcher a member of Southend Nursing Division in Essex Karen is studying for a nursing degree and her RGN qualif cation at the University of Wales in Cardiff She will use the money to help finance her elective in a rural area of Zimbabwe, where she will assist with community nursing while attached to a mobile clinic
Safeway
All money raised through local fund-raising in conjunction with Safeway, whether by collections at Safeway stores , sponsored events, or any other joint fund raising acitvity should be handed to the Store Manager of the Safeway branch concerned He or she will ensure that the cash is safely paid in -
- STJOHN
Wtl
RLD
enabling Safeway to calculate the tota raised - and then returned to eac h d iVISion
W hit b read Community Care Awards
The Whltbread Commun ty Care Awards are running a competition to write a song as part of their annual awards scheme which searches out and honours unsung heroes and heroines In the communltv
To enter this competition , you have 10 compose lyrics for a song which celebrat es the work of unsung heroes and hero ins using no more than 300 words
The winning lyrics will be set to mus Ic recorded professionally and performedat8 special presentation The judging panel w11! include presenter of BBC2 s 1 n 4 programme and TV personality Tim Broo keTaylor and there's a £500 prize for the winning song composer
The closing date for entries is 30 1989 Entries should be sent , enclOSing details of name , address and telepho ne number to : Whitbread Community Care Awards Song for the Unsung Hero , Freeposl (BS6647) , Bristol BS1 4UY)
. '. Hillsborough tragedy Caring in • • a crisIs
Visiting Sheffield three days after the tragedy, Brigade Commissioner-inChief John Sunderland praised the " brave efforts of all those on duty at Hillsborough ". He told those involved that throughout the country everyone associated with St John was Proud of the absolutely marvellous conthey had made , working in appallIng circumstances, to save life.
Thirty St John members from Sheffield were on duty at Hillsborough football stadium on the fateful Saturday of the FA Cup Semi-Final match between Nottingham Forest and liverpool. The country was to learn that ninety-five fans lost their lives in Britain's worst football disaster
Un der the com mand of Peter Wells, the St Jo hn vol u nteers with their two ambulances, were conf ronted by dreadful scenes. Their sense was of extreme frustrat on at not being able to reach casualties trapped behind the fence Va l ient efforts we re made, but for many it was too late.
"W he n I saw the crush, I cou Id not bel ieve said Philip S axton one of those on t ut y. "I shou ted to them through the wire to ry to kee p t h eir heads up and not to panic "
Seeing the distress and people who desperately needed help , he climbed over the fence and into the crush of bodies
Shouting encouragement and reassurance to all around him, he was able to help several of those trapped . " Because I was in uniform , people expected me to be able to do things ," he said Call for
Lady Westbury, Superintendent-inChief , expressing the sent ments of all , sent a letter of support to the St John Ambulance members involved : " Our thoughts admiration and concern for you all are uppermost in our minds we all watched the magn i icent way you coped with a s i tuation wh ich was a nightmare of horrendous proportions Your actions n spite of terrible odds were a perfect example of serv ce to mankind '."
" The St John Ambulance team were fantastic ," said Peter Wells , who himself had tried to keep crushed fans airways open by reaching through the fence " Our cadets at the ground were superb putting their training into practice , they gave valuable assistance and support throughout the afternoon We are very proud of them "
improved facilities
At present there is no government legislation regulating the standard of first aid accommodation and equipment to be provided at football grounds It is left entirely to the local licensing authorities to determine the standard required
Mr Derek Fenton, Commander London District, was involved with the Popplewell inquiry into the Bradford disaster and for the past three years despite the persistent attempts to alert the Home Office, football clubs and licensing authorities to the inade-
quacies has received no satisfactory response.
In recent years some football clubs , particularly in London have improved their provision but throughout the country many only provide a minimum standard.
Speaking about the issue of facilities at football grounds, Derek Fenton said "After the disaster we saw at Hillsborough, we must move forward with all speed It is essential that good facilities are provided in order that we can give the service expected of us "
Photo courtesy of Press AsSOClaIlOn.
Cadet Help and Information pages
Hello and welcome to another portion of CHIPS, in the merry, merry month of May.
We hope you enjoyed last month's 'April Fools' edition and maybe it raised some laughs at your Divisional meeting night.
This month we take a look at 'the management' side of St John, not by Hale and Pace but by CHIPS, and also a feature on the new style Cadet and Training Conference in November.
The Management
D
o you enjoy running your Division? And is it successful? Perhaps we could define the word successful' as : do the Cadets enjoy it and are they achieving the aims of the Cadet Movement? Come to think of it, what are the aims of the Cadet Movement? Are all the Cadets getting the best out of St John Ambulance?
If the answer to these questions is yes ', then read no further. But if there are any doubts in your mind , please read on. We think we may be able to help
There are many ways in which you might be able to improve the St John in your Division To do so, you must be prepared to look at yourself and the other officers objectively. This will be very much a matter of evaluating your own abilities , strengths and weaknesses.
Here is a list of questions. Read each question and then answer it
(1) Do your Cadets like you?
If they didn't they would not come each week, you may well say. But is this really true? Do you like your Cadets? If you don t, they will soon spot it and no matter how hard you try with interesting programmes (hopefully some taken from CHIPS) they will never co-operate completely
Liking or respect isn't just a matter of being nice to people. It goes much deeper than
that. If they don t like you , you are in the wrong job or maybe you have been in it too long and your enthusiasm is wearing thin
Perhaps you are too nice and don t have enough control over the Division
The solution? Take a fresh look at what you are doing Visit another Division -a Division that s more successful than yours - Controversial eh? - See the way the leader handles the Cadets Can you see where you are going wrong?
(2) How do you plan your programme?
Is it all done by one person , you , at the last minute , or do you meet with other officers and cadet leaders well in advance and plan your meetings properly?
Planning meetings can be time consuming but it can also be fun and very worthwhile And it saves a lot of last minute worry. The worst meetings are those with no apparent purpose You know the sort of thing - subs-game-teabreak-game-inspectiongame-depart , etc
Well planned meetings are snappy, with no gaps while equipment is got out or officers have a chat. -rhey must contain an element of surprise and must be presented with enthusiasm
(3) Who does your administration?
There are some routine jobs which have to be done regularly if the Division is to function
efficiently These include such th ngs a' keep ng records and accounts Do you doa of these? Could you delegate them to parent or another Officer? Th s would lea you free to concentrate on the program mr
(4) Collecting Subscriptions
Can you justify the method you use? Ha\'l' you considered a different method?
Weekly-
Collect in cash , keeping a record In" small book Cadets only pay if the l attend
MonthlyCadets pay a xed sum each mo nth irrespective of whether they are the re or not.
Term/Annually -
Parents pay a f xed sum by cheque wh ch includes an annual ship subscr ipt ion
Would one of these methods su t you situation better than the one you use now'
These points could form the bas is ola radical change in your Divisional leaders hip or could just reinforce your thoughts that YOI could not improve your DiviSion Either war I hope these points have interested yo uan, started a conversation within the D vis on ' you have any comments on this subject would be most grateful to hear from yo u
Have you booked your place on the CAT yet?
Good, now I 've got your interest I ll
This is the first year that the cadet and training conferences have been held together For the main part , the cadet and training officers
And knock, knock
Friends of SJA
The Lancashire County Commissioner, Lionel Harr s , stan ds " as patient for cadets Pauline Bamber and Clare Wilson wh ile visiting Gregson Lane Division to present
awards, which included
Wilson (Photo : Lancash
Do you know your Manuals?
1 Which life saving technique requ ires you to place your hands in this pos itio n? (a) External cardiac compression ; (b) Massaging the abdomen of a winded infant ; (c) Abdom inal thrust on an infant.
2. To remove an open face helmet , the following steps are necessary (a) unfasten chinstrap ; (b) ; (c)Then lift the helmet upwards and backwards ; What is b'?
2 , Number11 BRUCE COLTMAN , Northumbria Pol ice Centre
8 You are treating a casualty who has a broken arm In what circumstances would you carry out this treatment ?
The first and foremost object of the Order of Stjohn is 'Pro Fide' (for the faith) This might be regarded as a mere remnant of the times oflhe crusades , but it might also be regarded as an all-important reminder of the spiritual and transcendental that underlie all of our outward activities In the multi-racial and multi-faith foundations of the Order, the Association and the Brigade as they are today, there is no room for any denominational or interfaith quarrel. Denominational or interfaith questions should not enter the organisations of the Order
On the other hand , why do we not enter more fully into religious organisations and churc hes and tap their resources? In the six year s I have worked as a clergyman in the Church of England I have not once been approached to put up a poster in my church porch or to have a collection for our Hospital. Inchurches there is an awful lot of goodwill and potential for recruits open to us Let's use it!
Readers views and opinions, which should be sent to the Editor, although published are not necessarily endorsed by the Editor or the Order of St John and its foundations
Although readers may sign published letters with a pen name , writers must supply their name and address to the Editor
version of Blackpool s Pleasurebeach Our f irst aid post there is not our own but part of a council building , but it serves ts purpose very well The person who i nsp i red and taught me a lot about first aid IS Mr Roy Blatchford
- how human organism works How does one differentiate between heart attack and cardiac arrest without reference to physiology in order (a) to make it understandable and (b) answer questions?
As instructors, we are all aware that understanding leads to better recall and performance How do we satisfy candidates who ask Why does arterial blood spurt? ' without telling them how the heart muscle and elasticated artery walls combine to assist pressure wave (physiology)?
3 If a puncture wound is deep the is high What is h gh?
5. When self-treating bleeding from the mouth , the casualty should support his chin on one hand How long should he apply pressure on the pad?
9. When treating insect stings , pa in and swelling are controlled by applYing 'cold preparations '. How do you treat Jellyfish stings?
4. When treating a wound which requires built-up padd in g you should ensure that the bandage is ?
6. In wh ich case would you support a casualty's abdomen when placing in the recovery pos iti on?
10 The elevated sling IS recommended for use on three specific occasions Whal are they?
The addresses of clergy of all denominations are normally easily available from rural dean s or superintendents Find out how many churches they are looking after (In rural areas It'S usually several) and regularly send them the newest posters and informationa bout your activities , and inVite them to become involved as (vlce-) presidents PROs and preSidents should visit the local ministers from time to time , to keep in touch -and all ministers in the district or deanery Ihave not met one clergy who refused to put upa poster In the porch of his church. Write articles for parish magazines And why not Suscribe to Sf John World for your parish library or for the Information desk in the cha pel. Why not ask the ladies of the Flower Guild to have some special arrangements on St John's Day or the nearest Sunday (St John's Day : June 24)
Clergy of all denominations meet regularly as a chapter or group They usually invite speakers. Your PRO would be the right person to address them on the structure and objects of the Assoc iation and the Brigade Ministers pass information on to others Get the vicar - and you will get the parish!
The Rev. Dietrich G. Schuld Cheddi ngton
lam 16
7. When placing an unconscious casualty who has a fractured spine into the recovery position , which arm is placed alongside the head?
11. When applying the scalp bandage , where should the knot be tied?
Answers on page 23
16 years old and have just transferred to Se Ambulance division from the cadets at I Outhport. During my two years as a cadet made a lot of friends, both cadets and adults I also did quite a lot of duty, in fact a total of 833 hours A lot you might say, d ut not a lot for someone who enjoys doing utyas I do.
S Most of these duty hours were at Outhport Pleasureland , which is a smaller
Mr Blatchford IS an elderly gentleman who retires from the Br igade at the end of the year. He has been with us in Southport since 1971 - before was born In hiS long career with the Brigade , over 30 years altogether, he travelled the country in his work , doing duty in many towns
The Brigade means a lot to me , as t does to many others But does the public know this? Do they know how much enjoyment gives us to see their faces after we have given them first aid? And if they did know would they be willing to jOin our ranks or g ve more money to our funds - to help us look after them better?
William Johnson Ambulance Member, Southport Ambulance D ivision
Video
I feel I must take issue with your reviewer (Dec Review) on the Post Office video I am not connected in any way with the Post Office , nor have I seen the video
In its review I was surprised to read in the final paragraph that the video was 'thoroughly recommended yet the substantive part of the review appeared to be damning with faint praise '. was further intrigued by the comment 'i must not be allowed to stand on its own '. Surely this applies to all visual aids , they are never meant to stand on their own!
However, my main point of difference relates to the argument the reviewer seeks to deploy (or is it tongue in cheek?) when commenting on progranmme No 2 ie, his reference to ' learning physiology I don t know if the reviewer instructs on a regular basis as I do, but I can assure him that in my experience all candidates who present themselves have a long list of how, why when and what questions. As I understand it, physiology is the science of bodily function
I am not sure which teaching manual your reviewer has in mind , FAM or FAW, although I suspect it is the over simplistic lal1er, where we have recently seen a mass of changes seemingly for the sake of change And if I borrow his hypothesis , why did we change grazes (a term understood by every layman) for abrasions ', a term we now find we have to explain? May suggest that the view that everyone works in a nice cosy office in which , if one opens a window and spits , one hits a hospital just waiting to receive us , or three ambulance crews on their starting blocks, determined to get to us first - or both - is at variance with reality and therefore the present mores of trying to cut down treatment and understanding to practically nothing may, if carried much further, ultimately rebound to the detriment of the casualties First-aiders function best when they not only know what they are doing but also why they are doing it.
continued on page 22
SJA Sileby (Leics) started the Whittington Badger Set last September and now with 25 members has a waiting list. here, the first 20 Badgers received their first award from Mr John Whittington The set was named after the late Mrs Ruth Whittington , Servin g S ste r, who donated SJA Sileby's HQ (Photo : Charnwood Photograph ic, Loughborough.)
I
nsulin dependent diabetes mellitus is due to lack of insulin, a hormone which controls the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood Lack of insulin leads to an abnormally high level of sugar i n the blood , which gives rise to a variety of symptoms including thirst , excessive need to pass urine , we ight loss and tiredness.
All people with th is type of diabetes have to give themselves insulin by daily injections to their blood sugar level as normal as possible A balance must then be kept between FOOD intake on the one hand and INSULIN dose and ENERGY output on the other
From time to time , if there is TOO LITTLE insulin orTOO MUCH food , the blood sugar level may rise above normal and th is is not usually an immediate medical emergency
However, if there s TOO MUCH i nsulin or TOO LITTLE food or EXCESSIVE unexpected exerc se (which causes more sugar to be used) , the blood sugar levels w ill fall TO O LOW and symptoms will occur as described below This s called a HYPOGLYCAEMIC REACTION or more commonly a hypo or ' low '.
This situation s usually recogn sed and easily treated by the person with diabetes , as long as they have immed iate access to some form of sugar However, because the onset of hypoglycaemia can be rapid (within minutes) and the fact that some people do not have warning signals or they do not have any sugar with them , they may not have time to prevent sl ipping into unconsc ousness
However, if they do become unconscious , do not panic , no long term damage will occur
Symptoms
The person may appear dizzy and fa int.
FOUND - in a SJA
ambu l an ce (cont.)
Splints
Each ambulance may have some or all of the different splints that are available
The basic splints are, of course, the sound limb of the casualty and the triangular bandage is also used to secure wooden splints However, to ease the discomfort of the casualty and to minimise the movement of injured limbs the following types of splint can be used where appropriate.
The wire ladder is made of malleable wire and can be mculded around the casualty ' s injured limb however much deformity is present. It is secured with bandages and padding.
The inflatable splint is a transparent plastic 'envelope', available in various sizes , which immobilises by cocooning the limb , and is used only on the lower leg orforearm , neverthe femur or humerus. The splint is inflated by blowing through a valve which is then closed off as the desired pressure is reached The resultant pressure can be used to control external haemorrhage as well as to support fractures The inflatable splint
20
Hyp o!
Adv ice on how to help a diabetic having a hypoglycaemic or insulin reaction
Salice COX
They usually look pale and may persp ire profusely They may tremble , become confused , irritable , tearful , nervous or aggressive
They may compla in of hunger
What to do
DO NOT try to wal k the person to a sick bay or another area , as walk in g or any other exercise will use reserves of sugar and make the hypoglycaemia worse
If able to swallow, immediately give some form of sugar It does not really matter what is as long as t is sweet for example :
2 heaped teaspoons of sugar in water
1 glass of Coke , Peps i , Fanta , Tizer,
Seven - Up or similar (NOT diet drinks) or a glass of ord inary fruit juice or milk
2 sweets such as boiled sweets , barley sugar, toffee or 2 squares of chocolate
Th s should raise the blood sugar level quickly (w ith in 5 to 10 minutes) and be followed by something more substantial such as two wholemeal biscu its, or similar, or a sandw ic h to prevent the blood sugar dropping back down aga i n Some people w it h diabetes carry glucose tablets in their bag or pocket. It may be useful
may only be used on limb fractures without massive deformity, as it i s semi-rigid.
Frac straps are made of PVC with velcro fastenings and are quick and easy to apply
They work on the ' buddy ' principle , using the sound limb orthe body to secure the injured part
The Frac immobiliser splint is a development of the frac strap and has PVC covered foam blocks which support both sides of an injured limb with velcro straps holding the blocks in place They are very useful for long bone fractures when the limb is still in part ial alignment.
Vacuum splints are similar in construction to inflatable splints but conta i n plastic granules within the 'envelope'. Air is extracted from the envelope causing the splint to become rigid They may be applied to a limb or to the spine , neck or head and are specially designed to provide support after trauma. They conform to the shape of the individual injury and provide cushioning and padding
The wooden spinal splint is made of shaped plywood and used mostly for patients with spinal injuries who need extraction There is a small pad for supporting the head and the casualty is fixed to the board
to keep a packet of these on hand 101 emergencies Three of these should be ad ministered If the person is unable to swallow, DO NOT An-EMPTTO GIVE ANYTHING BY MOUTH as they may choke DO NOT PANIC , even the person be comes unconscious put them on their side in the ' recoveryP Os tion ' and call for medical assistance medical assistance may take some imelr arrive and you are convenient to a cas ua department you may prefer to take the pe' son directly to Casualty yourself or ca lla ambulance Inform the medical perso nne that the person has diabetes administered by injection , which will ra plQ. Iy bring them back to consciousness
Symptoms D i zzy, Faint Pale Perspire
WHAT DO THE FOLLOWING HAVE IN COMMON?
ST HELENA & ST HELENS ST JOHN DIVISION SRI LANKA & SHROPSHIRE ST JOHN DIVISION
LESOTHO & LEICESTER ST JOHN DIVISION
HONG KONG & HORlEY ST JOHN DIVISION
Plus many other UK St John Ambulance div sions and 40 countr i es worldwide
THEY ALL HAVE M.M.B. AMBULANCES
FORD, BEDFORD, LAND ROVER , VW, MERCEDES-BENZ , SHERPA ETC
We build special ambulances for special people
Contractors to Brit sh Crown Agents , lead ng Industr ial companies and voluntary organisations throughout the world
Fo
Sal ice Cox is a Registered Nurse wor klng the Diabetes Care Department of the Bnlis' Diabetic Association If you would like furthe' details of diabetes please contact the BntlS" Diabetic Association , 10, Queen An nE Street , London , W1 M OBD Telep hone 01-323 1531
w it h quick release strap and buck e Cervical collars are used if neck or bac' injuries are suspected. All collars come rn var iety of sizes to fit the individual cas ualtl and there are several types prov iding vart ng degrees of support and The correct kind of collar must be used toen sure further damage is avoided
SJ Fellowship
We welcome the formation of the No rth· fleet Branch in Kent. This brings Kent up to seven branches and level with Sou th & West Yorkshire at the top of the tab le Northfleet Branch, Kent Contact: Mrs D Munns , 65 Greenhill Road, Northfleet, Kent DA11 7EZ AGM
The 6th annual general meeting wh ich will be held at the Renold Build ing, UMIST, Manchester, at 2 15pm on Wed· nesday May 31, wil include the elect ion of a new chairman, Major-Gen P R. Leuchars , the recently retired Ch lel Commander of St John Ambulance,as Major-Gen D S Gordon is retir ing·
The Charities Deposit Fund
SPECIALIST EMERGENCY MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
continued from page 19
In conclusion I do not expect first-aiders to have an A level in Anatomy and Physiology, but they ought at least to know basically what makes them tick , and as , according to the reviewer, the said videos last only between 3'/2 to 9 minutes , I m at a loss to understand how this can evoke the assertion all this physiology '.
J. McAloon, ARICS, MeIOB, MBIM, DMS, DPA
Leslie Gibbons, Secretary Associations, writes:
It is indeed a pity that the writer has not seen the video The review expressed the personal opinion of an eminent surgeon Dr Marsden was a prime mover behind the BBC Save a Life campaign
Magazine
I was most interested in Mr Hollingworth s letter on this subject (March 89) I joined the Brigade at Pontypool , Mon (now Gwent) in Jan 1923 and almost immediately became a reader of the St John Ambulance Gazette I retired from the Brigade at Slough , Bucks (now Berks) in 1969, but continued to work for the Association as an instructor unt l 1983, when I became aware that time had caught up with me
During the whole of that time I have been an avid reader of our magazine and am still a suscriber to the Sf John World I think the World is an excellent publicat ion and wi always look forward to receiv ing my copy, as being no longer active in St John , i will keep me in touch
I wish it every success
Incidentally, the cost of the Gazette in 1923 was six pence (2'f2p)!
L Stephens Swindon
Correct treatment?
I would like to raise a point on 'Do you know your Manuals?' question 5, February Sf John World. The answer given on page 22 to question 5 is 'Ruptures of ear dru m; Fractures of the skull'. According to the FIrst Aid Manual, 5th Edition, and the amendment to the latest edition of the Essentials of First Aid, patients with a fractured skull should be placed in the Recovery position. The picture to the question shows the patient in a half-sitting position with ear covered by a sterile dressing and head inclined towards the injured side, which is the treatment for bleeding from the ear but not as I understand it for a fractured skull. Obviously the sterile
22
dressing is still needed
While writing I would like to congratulate the 1000th Badger Set from Carlisle on their smartness. Although dress regulations state that Badgers should when outdoors wear the same outdoor hat as the cadets , it is the first time have actually seen a photograph of them doing so They are usually in indoor caps wherever they are and whatever the occasion , even at an Armistice Day church parade
While mentioning indoor and outdoor hats, would it not be better that outdoor hats should be worn by all female members ; adults , cadets and badgers , at any time , unless they are wearing the grey nursing dress without coat. The new style uniform does not lend itself to the indoor hat.
Mrs M Smailes, Div Superintendent, Folkestone
The Medical Secretary writes:
The diagram to 05 is taken from p70 of the 5th edition of the First Aid Manual. The page refers to bleeding from inside the ear canal and the text states " Skull fractures are more serious and should be suspected if blood or clear, watery cerebro-spinal fluid mixed w th blood is issuing from the ear ". The treatment is given as: " Place the conscious casualty in a half-sitting position with his head i ncl ned towards the injured s i de so that blood or fluid can drain... Cover the ear with a ster le dressing or similar clean preferably sterile material. Secure it very lightly with a bandage or adhesive strapping ."
The stated answer to question 5 is correct.
The reference to skull fractures on pp98 , 99 and the treatment for them on pp100 , 101 refer to the unconscious patient and for obvious reasons gives the following instructions : " Turn casualty carefully and gently into the Recovery Position If there is discharge from one ear, turn her so that the affected ear is lower Cover, but do not plug , the ear with a soft clean pad and bandage lightly "
The treatment of the conscious patient is different to that of the unconscious patient.
The Chief Staff Officer writes:
I entirely agree with the final comments
'No Higgins - that is not how we do the recovery position .'
made by Mrs Smailes The white cap shou lo only be worn indoors with the grey dre sso with shirt sleeve order On no occasion the white cap be worn while wear ng th e black woolly pully '.
As far as badgers are concerned I wou lc be interested to hear readers ' views onth is point. I think the young girls who joi n th, Badgers like to wear a nurse 's cap and would suggest that it does not look too out e' place when it is worn with the blac k anr white tabard (Dress Regulations stateth1' they have a choice )
Student Nurses
I feel I mu st re s pond to th e Ch ie f NurSI
Off icer s comments in letters (Feb 89) la" a student nurs e, ca ri ng for pe ople with me" tal hand caps , and also th e of a qu adr ilat er al d iv isio n w th 27 member I therefore tend to agree that st udent nurse, do have a lot to g ive the ir resp ect iv d ivi s ions
Perhaps the CNO fe e s th at a studer' n urs e s houl d d evot e of f duty t ime to stuD Ing I eel that is u p to th e In divi dual hOI muc h t im e the y devote to the Brigac w It ho ut affectin g their studies I am fortuna eno ugh to have an e nt husiastic dlYIS Ic wh ic h is ve ry e a sy to ru n, w h e I am able co nt nue my st u d ies w it hou t d isru pt ion
Th e s choo l o f nur si ng wh e re I st udyals benef it s from my b ei ng a n i nstructor (FA wh ic h ac h ieve d th rou gh bei ng a membero' t he B ri g ade As each ne w gr oup of studen': g o es through th eir Int ro ductory course £ to sc hool to teac h th e m b aSIC firs t aId Tn sen ior tutor person all y st ate d "as a memiJe of St John , yo u kno w m ore about firsl a than I ever w ll ".
Wh ich br ng s m e to a noth e r po nt Br igade Regulat on s wh ic h d is qu alify a nurses , both qual if i ed and unde r tr aining from compet ing in first aid comp etitionsThi standard of f i rst aid requ red by t he BngaO s much h igher than that requ red by t nurs i ng profess ion Why, therefore , are": d squal if ied from these compet tions , whf coll iery d v is ons are allowed to com pele They too include professionals but n firsla not nursing Perhaps the Br gade is gO lng l eventually disqualify them for doing som;: thing they enjoy or are they go ng to their senses and allow everyone ' In th' Brigade to enter first aid Don misunderstand me I am not suggestln gthl colliery teams should be disqual fied lar asking that the rules are changed to beta to all. , I would appreciate other members vlell: on the competition rules Should they they are or should the Brigade them?
S Coward, Div Officer, Huby Division, Ouse Area
Museum and Library
Maps of Malta Exhibition
T he Order s Museum at St John s Gate s currently holding aspecial exh b it on of maps of Malta Demonstrat ng that there s more to the art of mapping than A-Z , each map recounts a fasc nat ng aspect of the story of the Kn ghts of St John ' s rule on Malta
From the beginn ng of the r t me n Malta the Kn ights were a great naval force , both militar ily and commerc ially, comm iss ion ing many of the great European cartographers to chart the waters and mainland of the Maltese archipelago
Included in the exh ib it ion are maps llustrating the 1565 Great S iege of Malta when the Kn ghts , after a long and bloody s i ege , fought off an attack by the Turks Fort ficat on plans for the defence of t
island wh ich took over 200 years to complete are also on show, together w th more recent maps show i ng 19th century communications maps publ shed by the War Off ice The Museum is open from Monday to Frday 10 am to 6 pm Saturday 10 am to 4 pm and the exhib it ion runs until May 26 For further deta ils , please telephone the Lib rary and Museum on 01-253 6644
Robes of the Realm
An exhibition at the Royal Museum of Scotland , Edinburgh , March 17 - June 251989.
The Museum and Library of the Orde r of St John has lent several items from its collect on to th s exh b it i on The exh i b t on celebrates 300 years of the f i rm of Ede and Ravenscroft , the company establ shed as robe makers and tailors in 1689, during the reign of W lliam and Mary It will be an opportunity for Brigade members in the North of England to see the Cope of the Order, made in 1902 , the mantle of HRH Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and several other ceremonial items
Do you know your manuals? Answers 1 C 2. Take pressure off head by forcing the sides apart 3 Risk of infection 4 Not over the foreign body.
10-20 minutes 6 Abdominal wound on an unconscious casualty 7 Si de upon which there are three assistants helping to turn patients 8 If elbow cannot be bent or if the casualty is lying down 9 Smooth calamine lotion 10 1 The hand is bleeding , 2 Complicated chest injuries
3 Shoulder injuries
11 On forehead - close to the hem
8yJohann Baptist Homann from Nuremberg 1702-1724 The title cartouche depicts a cherubim holding Chris t on the cross, before the Kmghts of the Order in adoration The Inset IS a view of Valletta
Shows Valle tta with bUildings, streets and fortifications and dates back to 1663 but was
Scottish Appeal
After a recent visit to Jerusalem by the Prior, Lord Arbuthnott , the Ophthalmic Hospital is the subject of an appeal throughout Scotland in 1989 for the sum of £85,000, with which to endow a bed.
Order history
The Scott ish History Society published in 1983
The Knights of St John of Jerusalem in Scotland edited by professor I B Cowan, Dr P H R Mackay and Dr A Macquarrie. The volume deals with the history of the Order in Scotland and its international relations from its beginnings to the 16th century, in both narrative and transcribed manuscript material.
Copies of the book may be purchased from
FIRST AlDERS INACTION
Fred Unsworth of Southwick in Sunderland has been awarded the Order's Bronze Lifesaving Medal for an act of bravery 18 months ago when he leapt into a fast flowing river to rescue an 18 year old girl who had fallen from a Wearmouth Bridge in Sunderland Town Centre, close to where he was fishing. Fred , who has only one leg, jumped into the water to save the woman who was being carried downstream in the current. He was in the water with her for more than 10 minutes until police threw a line to him and they were dragged ashore Although initially she was thought to be
the Priory Secretary, Chancery of Scotland , 21 St John Street , Edinburgh EH8 80G price £15 including postage and packing
dead, the girl was later revived in hospital and has made a full recovery. Fred was presented with the medal by Sir Ralph CarrEllison, Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear
He said that among the fishermen on the riverbank, he was the only one who could swim; " The others turned round and said they couldn t swim, so I started taking my top off and dived in. I didn't know if my wooden leg would float. but it was all right, it floated! "
•
When a motorist collapsed outside the butchers shop where Christopher Lambert works in Lowestoft , he ran to assist. " I hooked his tongue back and stopped him from swallowing it so he could continue to breathe" said Christopher who had learnt first-aid as a civil servant. Divisional Officer
CYPRUS: Cadets of the St Peter and Pa. Grammar School DIvision, Limasol,tOOt part in the recent blessing of the water procession lead by the SJ flag beare
of Lowestoft Division , Allan Fowler, Wa! quoted in local press reports paying tr ibute to the life-saver; " You never know whe nthe situation arises when even the minim umol knowledge can save a life ."
•
Victim of a hit and run, Sara Gorman trow Bath , who has spent months in a comaafte' being knocked down by two cars last June celebrated her twentieth birthday with apa ty attended by the two St John Ambu lance Cadets who helped save her life Mark Fea ffi and Matthew Rumble now aged 17 wele ·guests at the party with Sara's friends ana family Since regaining consciousness , Sara has been undergoing intensive speech therapy and speaking through a at the party she thanked the teenagers
STJOHN
Chessington World of Adventures is a whole new world of fun and excitement - one of Britain's premier leisure attractions!
Thrilling rides in dramatically themed areas, fascinating displays of animals and birds in the Zoological Gardens and spectacular circus shows.
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Holidays and your Health
Coping with 25,000 runners
Community Nursing
CO NT RI BUTIONS
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Holiday islands of the Knights
Rhodes, Malta and Cyprus are three favourite island holiday destinations with connections with the Knights Hospitallers, whose influence was considerable throughout Europe for 700 years. Based on a hospice in Jerusalem , the knights of St John were founded to care for the sick and defend Christians in the Holy Land. Over the centu ries, after the loss of the Holy Land by the Christian Kingdoms in the late 13th century, the Knights Hospitallers, as they were known, made their headquarters in Rhodes and then Malta
From the 12th century, the Order's strength grew considerably; recruits were attracted and money and lands given in support of the Order's work. Hospitallers played asignificant role in many spheres in addition to taking part in church life and caring for pilgrims and the sick
Although each Hospitaller took personal
vows of poverty, the Order itself was wealthy Lands owned by the Order were grouped Into 'commanderies', which were part of 25 priories, each with a Prior as its head. Each Prior sent knights and subsidies in kind, such as armour and horses, to the Order's headquarters which enabled the Order to
When author Alexander K nglake woke w th a sore throat wh le touring Egypt
150 years ago he decided to consult adoctor Rhodes : the acrop olts Immed ately A w ise dec s ion s nce the above Lmdos pl ague was now spread i ng qu ick and terribl ehavoc '.
Although most doctors had fled Ca ro he managed to find one to examine h s throat andwr ite a prescript ion , but there was a probl em when he sought another consultat on Iwodays later A messenger returned lookIn g sadly aghast' and sa id he had met the doctor coming out of h is house -i n a coff n !
Nowonder K ngslake dec ided t was t i me to co nt inue h s travels elsewhere In the bad old days you needed cons derable courage to venture overseas on holiday and even now ti sstrongly adv sable to do your homework well before sett ng out for ferry or a rport Helpful hints from 19th-century scient ist
Sir Francis Galton ncluded what to do if b ttenby a snake wh le holiday ng abroad He recommended : " T ie a tight str ng above the part, Suck the wound , and caust c it as soon as you can Or, for want of a caustic explode gunpowder in the wound "
Hints for modern travellers are not so but just as necessary, and an Important source of information is the Medical Department at the St John national headquarters
The key advice offered there is that all plann ng journeys abroad , whether for or pleasure should obtain copies o two excellent Department of Health bOOklets. Before You Go (SA 40) helps you for the journey and it is backed up by hlle You 're Away (SA 41)
They list the action you should take before : nd during your trip to protect your health nd to enable you to cope with an emergency although it is happily highly unlikely
finance its crusading and medical work
Cyprus
In 1291 Acre, headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller, fell to the Turks and the few surviving Hospitallers escaped to Cyprus. They established the convent of the Order at Limassol , the principal port of Cyprus The Hospitallers already owned the neighbouring castle of Kolossi today an impressive landmark, which had been given to them by the King of Cyprus some 80 years earlier. Cyprus, however was to be only a temporary home for the Knights ; after 19 years , the Order was growing in strength at such a rate, that the Knights wanted independence and territory of their own
Rhodes
For 200 years (1309 - 1522) , Rhodes was the home of the Knights During their occupation of this Greek island , Rhodes was developed into a heavily fortified base for crusading ventures usually against Turkey and Egypt. The street of the Knights in Rhodes town still has many of the or iginal inns or 'auberges of the different Tongues (branches) of the Order Many, including the
English auberge are open to the public. The Palace of the Grand Master in Rhodes town is now a museum , as is the Order's Hospital both of which are open to the public. Lindos , a beautiful village on the eastern side of the island , is where the Knights built extensivelyon the site of a Greek acropolis
Malta
Malta is rich in history of the Knights Hospitaller. The Order inhabited the island from 1530 to 1789 and made a lasting impression.
The new' city of Valletta was built after
icontinued on page 15
What happens to someone taken seriously ill abroad?
Since 1924 St John Ambulance have been organising the repatriation of those taken ill abroad. Hundreds of people every year benefit from the specialist skills of the volunteer St John doctors and nurses who accompany them on their return home. Patients have been repatriated from all around the world to their native country ; sometimes these return trips last days and can be extremely complex In the last year changes have taken place with the introduction of the new service AA St John Alert. The Aeromedical Operations Room in national headquarters was closed and effectively moved to the AA's building in Basingstoke. St John doctors and nurses continue to maintain the professional standards of the service and carry out the repatriations with the Automobile Association running the commercial side of the operation, not only on behalf of their own 5 star clients but also for our old and established customers who include many of the holiday insurance groups Of course , we hope you won need this kind of service to get you home from holiday but it is there should the unexpected happen
St John Co-Cathedral Valetta Malta
Ambulance for Jamaica I
Mobility Roadshow
UK Volunteers Week
Fra Andrew Bertie, the newly elected Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta - the first from these islesvisited Britain in April. He was guest of honour at a luncheon held at St John's Gate hosted by HRH The Duke of Gloucester, Grand Prior. Among those present were the Great Officers of our Order, the Archbishop of Canterbury (who said grace) , while dstinguished guests from the British Association of the SMOM included Sir Peter Hope, president, and The Duke of Norfolk Speaking at the luncheon, the Grand Prior said that Fra Bertie 's visit was a source of great pleasure and satisfaction to our Order
Although historically the visit coincided with
Grand Master 0' Sovereign Military Order visits Britain
(L to R) Fra
sign the commemorative document
the 800th anniversary of the Third Crusade, the significant point to remember was the united aim of all Christians at the time in their desire to take part in a common enterprise It was our common Hospitaller role that we celebrated and although wars were no longer in fashion , there was still enormous suffering in the world which our Orders can help to alleviate His Royal Highness particularly congratulated the St John Ambulance Brigade, and mentioned briefly the Hillsborough disaster. The Grand Prior voiced his sincere hope that there would be important co-operation with the Sovereign Military Order in the future in fulfilling our common aims
Coping with 23,000 runners
A document commemorating the occasion and reaffirming the Orders' intentions was signed by Lord Grey, Lord Prior of our most Venerable Order, and Grand Chancellor of the SMOM Baron Catalano di Mellili They inspected the original documents of recent agreements and declarations by our orders , and of brother orders of the Johanniter in Europe , and reaffirmed their intentions to seek ways of yet further collaboration in the future
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta is recognised as a sovereign entity by 49 countries. It has around 10,000 members and operates 200 hospitals throughout the world.
, Cleveland, TS15 OYT.
Badgers (left) were presented with a mini telephone kiosk ti help them master communication skills at the relaunch of Durham store following conversion from Presto during March
Christmas concert by the Newcastle Schools' Music Assoclal10r
music assistant of the Association. --"
"The world s greatest! " was the proud boast of the race organisers when the 22,165th runner crossed the finishing line of the ninth London Marathon on St George's Day, April 23
It created a world record for finishers, and by the end of the race it had risen to well over the 23,000. SJA (London District) takes pride Inthe statistic si nce thei r motto for years has been Help the runners to the finish and despite the increase in casualties treated each year more marathoners in trouble reach the finish by courtesy of the volunteers Inbla.ckand white, and many visit more than one first aid post on the way Getting the St John act together begins after the previous marathon, and with the race organisers and 0 Ice among others, the plans are drawn up nthe light of the experience of previous
years For London District s Commissioner, Albert Gillings , it was his first marathon wearing his new hat', but he was able to draw upon the experience of his predecessor, John Gerrard, to whom a glowing tribute was paid in the official programme detailing his involvement in the eight previous London marathons
During the four days preceding the marathon , the competitors register at a centre in Jubilee Gardens near the Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank of the Thames In a large exhibition hall the 31,000 plus accepted runners (from 75,000 applications) meet and mingle on the way to registration and visit the stands which have been rented by all the firms and organisations involved in the marathon industry, ranging from shoe and clothing suppliers, health care, souvenirs, running magazines, organisers of other major marathons and, naturally, a St John Ambulance display
The duty itself has become the largest annual commitment for London District, but volunteers are not hard to find This year they
included a number representing Divisions in Essex , Kent, Surrey and even one from Worcester. It is now a first class example of co-operative effort.
A detailed operational plan had been produced by the District Secretary and on the previous Monday to the race, senior officers and the 16 sector commanders were briefed by the Commissioner and also Deputy Commissioner Ken Smith, the Operational Commander for the day Details were given of the radio channels to be used , designated hospitals, catering arrangements , documentation, and equipment to be deployed
A total of 25 mobile first aid units would be stationed along the route, together with 37 ambulances There were to be 31 stations including those in buildings at the finish area The personnel numbered more than 800, including 70 specialists, doctors and professional nurses augmented by physiotherapists and chiropodists of the race
Andrew Bertie and HRH The Duke of Gloucester watch Lord Grey of Naunton , Lord Prior, and Baron Catalano di Mellili Grand Chancellor SMOM
To Sri Lanka
London District says Community Farewell to... Health Councils
How SJA can assist the public voice in the Health Service
Rockell
itish Empire for his work in wider aspects 01 national security and the Order hac promoted him to a Knight.
Kingston wins Quiz
quiz team , with Ray Alan and Lord Charles (L to R) Adam Melville , 14 ; Richard Beet , 14 , both from Surbiton ; Dominic Cook ,
A team of four cadets from London District's quiz on first aid and caring for thes b on March 11 They received their trophy from TV's Ray Alan , W it ' Lord Charles there to give a helping hand In success ive rounds the boys from Kingston beat teams from Le a Valley (Enfield), Walthamstow, and Upminster ana Hornchurch Kingston will represent London in a
The first major reorganisation of the National Health Service since 1948 took place in 1973 It was an attempt to unify all Health Services which , until then , were separately administered by a piecemeal structure of hospital management committees, executive councils and local authorities Under the direction of the Secretary of State for the Department of Health and Social Security Regional Health Authorities were set up to plan the development of services and allocate resources to Area Health Authorities The Area Health Authorities were the basic unit of management and planning in the National Health Service Services provided by general practitioners , dentists , chemists and opticians were administered through family practitioner committees (FPCs) FPCs were very different to AHAs because the family practitioners are
I am pleased to report the formation of a third Branch in Somerset :
Western Area Branch, Somerset
Contact Mrs M Stancomb,
Barford Park , Spaxton, Bridgwater, Somerset
The news arrived just in time to include the branch in the total for the Fellowship Annual Report for 1988/89
Annual report, April 88 - March 89.
The Fellowship continues to grow and prosper. During the year, 16 new branches have been formed, bringing the total to 107. Seven of the formations were overseas, bringing the overseas total to two branches in Australia, five in Canada, and one each in New Zealand, South Africa, Uganda, Trinidad and Zimbabwe
Care Card from Midland Bank
On May 30, Midland Bank launched a new credit card, known
every card issued , the bank will pay £5
To
In Australia, the Priory has issued guidelines for the Fellowship by which it becomes the cornerstone of their Community Care Project. In NewZealand, too, the Christchurch Branch is regarded as a SOurce of support to St John Ambulance in community service.
At home, Cumbria, Derbyshire and Staffordshire formed their first branches
While Herne Bay, Kent, was proud become the 100th branch of the FellOWShip in July.
CHCs often have shop front locat ons not salaried employees but are independent contractors who contract with the FPC to provide a service , and consequently the FPC has no managerial authority over the practitioners
To prevent the regionalised' structure of the National Health Service management becoming remote from patients , and to give local communities a voice in the Health Serv ice, new bodies called Community Health Councils (CHCs) were formed in the 1973 Reorganisation Act. The idea behind the creation of CHCs was that the job of representing the consumer should be separate from the responsibility to manage the service A further but less major restructuring of the Health Service took place in 1982 which resulted in the demise of Area Health Authorities Regional Health Author it i es now deal directly with District
Health Authorities (DHAs) , of which there are 192 in England. The further change was considered necessary in an attempt to bring decision making much closer to the point where the service is delivered CHCs continued and each Health Authority has one CHC in its district (exceptionally there may be two or more)
CHC structure
CHCs normally have 18 to 24 members , half of which are nominated by Local Authorities which match the boundaries of the DHA , one third are nominated by voluntary organisations such as St John Ambulance , and one sixth are nominated by the Regional Health Authority Usually there are more interested voluntary organisations than there are cont nued o ver/ eaf
SI John Fellowship AGM
As usual , the main event of the year was theAGM on May41988 lttook place in the magnificent Guildhall at Southampton at the kind invitation of the Mayor, Councillor Mrs I. T White, herself a Brigade President and member of the Central Hampshire Branch of the Fellowship Before the meeting some four hundred members were greeted with sherry and a sit-down lunch sponsored by Sotheby 's the auctioneers , through the good offices of the County President for Hampshire, Mrs Mary Fagan The Guest of Honour at the AGM was Lt General Sir William Pike , formerly Chief Commander and wellknown to members. He received a warm welcome
During the meeting the chairman, Major General D S. Gordon proposed that the Fellowship should make a corporate donation to the St John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem, which badly needs support. The proposal was seconded by Mrs Ruth Parks, former matron of the hospital, and approved to applause When the project closed on December 31 1988, branches and individual members had contributed £2,640. Many branches had
sent their own donations to the hospital as well. Fellowship members also responded wholeheartedly to the call for children's clothing for the hospital. So much was received that the Hospitaller ' s office could hold no more. The goodwill remains.
Through these two projects and many other local ones the St John Fellowship has demonstrated its capacity to respond rapidly and effectively to calls for action It is hoped that use will be made of this capacity worldwide in the years to come
As the Fellowship ends its sixth year, our chairman , General Gordon , completes his maximum tenure in office under our Charter He w ill retire on May 31 He has brought the Fellowship from little more than an idea to its present status as a permanent branch of the Order, with branches throughout the world His enthusiasm, his interest in members and a special blend of charm and determination have combined to achieve this It has involved a lot of hard work without which no great endeavour can succeed.
We thank him and wish him a very happy future as a member of the St John Guild, Western Area, Hants
Brian
8
for disabled
Community Health Councils
places. The available places are fiercely contested! Often a ballot organised by the Regional Health Authority takes place. Once elected, members from voluntary organisations usually represent a group of organisations not just their nominating body. The widespread skills of members, which often include local councillors, trade union representation, and representatives from the 'caring' charities, is one of the strengths of CHCs. The appointment process results in a diverse representation of views and members come from each part of the district , eliminating a geographical bias No matter what organisation or group of organisations a CHC member represents, he or she has the responsibility of representing the views of all consumers of the Health Service.
Each CHC also has a staff complement , usually 2 to 4, headed by the secretary who provides the administrative functions and advises the Council. CHCs are often located in shopping centres with a shop-front site or health service premises and there is always a permanent office.
The role of the CHC
The job of CHCs is to represent the interests of the public in each District Health Authority and CHCs have become the main channel through which the patient's voice can be heard. CHCs have a wide net of contacts. They deal directly with DHAs and FPCs, RHAs, Local Authorities, the DHSS and a wide number of voluntary organisations with an interest in health care matters
To enable CHCs to undertake their wide ranging task they have a right to information and a right to be consulted on all matters of interest to CHCs. They also have the important right to challenge any closure proposals or any changes of use of Health Service premises. When closure proposals are contested, CHCs have a high profile position and members may appear on radio or television and be widely reported in the press. In addition CHCs have the important right to visit and inspect premises under the control of DHA's. CHC members are regularly involved in visits to local hospitals and other health service establishments. It is an opportunity to chat to patients and examine the Suggestions are often made for improvements and Health Authorites are usually very receptive to suggestions. CHCs are often thought of as the patients' friend and the community's watchdog.
Acting as the patients' friend means giving help to individuals who are having difficulty finding out about a service or who want to make a complaint. CHCs secretaries, and often members, frequently assist complainants by accompanying them to interviews with senior administrative medical or nursing staff. They are also involved in accompanying complainants to Service Committee hearings when family practitioners are alleged to be in breach of their
contract
Acting as the community s watchdog requires CHCs to find out for themselves what local health services are trying to achieve and how they are organised , so that the CHC can comment on the range and quality of the services provided from the community's point of view It is not unusual for the Health Authority and the community to have widely differing views! Many CHCs have small working groups which meet regularly to study in greater detail the needs of particular patients or problems They may focus on the needs of groups such as the mentally handicapped , the aged , or children , or focus on issues such as finance or planning. The working groups also visit facilities related to their particular interest , to talk to patients and staff about any problems and to see the service in operation Participation in planning involves studying Health Authority planning documents , investigating alternatives and often joining in discussions particularly when hospital closures are being proposed It is sometimes necessary to undertake surveys to find out the public's view CHCs also have an active role in giving information to the public Many people criticise the NHS for making it difficult to understand what is available and its ability to publicise services is often criticised. Many CHCs collect information on a range of local services and publish guides which are available to the public CHCs also publish leaflets, show films on health matters others have regular columns in local newspapers or publish newsletters Public meetings are a common feature and are actively encouraged as a way of seeking the public's views.
CHCs often investigate services by choosing some aspect and finding out whether it really works in the way it is said to do , and they often have to look at officially published figures and put them together so that their Care in the Community
local They mig also publish waiting lists , which mig hl nr otherwise be made public , so patien ts C" find out the length of a particular wa itingIi:' Information such as this produces Ir' pressure for change which would othe rw ls; be missing Each CHC has to ensurethal health services provided in its district cov, the essential needs of the local and provides the best possible stand a ' within the money available They have develop good working relationsh ps Wi officers in the health service at • contact is both formal and nformal.
CHCs cannot claim to have exclU SII rights on consumer think ing about 10. Health Service and many doctors an administrators know only too well wha needed and fight very hard to get t. The yr give a great deal of support and co-operali to CHCs in working together to prov de effective health service CHCs ha ,· demonstrated that the ir perspect ve isve' important in getting the balance of servic' right , but they do not always agree w th tr doctors and managers!
5t John members
Membership of the CHC can be ve' stimulating for St John members whoh a. the opportunity to become very actiVE involved in the National Health Service. John Ambulance members have a a experience which can be of great va lue" CHCs and they often have a wide unde standing of local needs A number of St J Ambulance members around the cou nl: are already members of CHCs and at lea: two are currently chairmen of their CHC play an active part as a CHC member ca take a lot of time which can be ve' demanding for a busy St John Ambu lanc: conllnued at foo of next pa:
Transporllnlormalion lor disabled passengers
There are two types of taxi operating in London for wheelchair users. The Metrocab and the Fairway, which was launched the end of January and is accessible to about 95% of wheelchair users. The rear seat tips up to provide ample space for a disabled passenger to enter and manoeuvre their wheelchair so that it can be secured in position. Seat belts are also installed for additional safety. These two types of taxi are also used in Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham. RADAR hopes that disability organisations will now press for accessible taxis to be made available throughout the country.
Newcastle/London
Northumbria Motor Services of Newcastle have recently introduced an accessible coach for use on the National Express
Rapide Service between Newcastle and London. Although wheelchair users musl transfer from their wheelchair into a coach seat, they can enter the double-decked coach by using ramps which are fairly long and have a comparatively gentle gradiant Among the additional features there isa modified toilet compartment.
Further information about the coach and times that it operates can be obtained from Ian Hope, Northumbria Motor Services Ltd, 6 Portland Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE21QQ Telephone (091) 281 1313.
It may be of interest to members to knoW that the latest figures from the Opes survey published in September 1988 reveal that there are an estimated 6,200,000 disabled people in the UK.
Jeanne Mercer Chief Welfare Officer
Working together to produce music
For many years now Fairlop & Hainault Adult Division has had a close liaison with the Wingfield Trust, an organisation whose object is to bring together children and adults with mental and physical handicaps to work with non-handicapped escorts and form an orchestra.
Weare mainly involved with the Dagenham and escort members to their monthly rehearsals and concerts. Also, once a year, the four Wingfield Clubs get together to enjoy a residential musical weekend Fairlop & Hainault provide the main first aid and nursing cover
Some young members of the orchestra their local Badger and Cadet DIVISion and the weekend brings together both the musicians and the carers.
The 1989 weekend was held recently in
Community Health Councils (cont)
member Attending public meetings, reading the myriad of reports, and visiting hospitals , etc, all takes time This can produce extra demands on busy evenings and not many St members have many free evenings! here are so many activities in which to be InVolved To give an example from one CHC, a space of time a member might aVe VISited a mental hospital and talked to
Tonbridge, Kent, and first aid cover was provided by Fairlop adult members, supplemented by a member from Witham Adults (Essex), together with Cadets from Essex and Surrey, and Badgers from Walthamstow (London) and Witham (Essex) , who were allowed to wear the Brigade uniform and
help the handicapped members when they were not themselves involved in playing in the orchestra Even when out of uniform their assistance was invaluable and their behaviour exemplary We have two members of Epping Division (Essex)
patients, visited the ambulance headquarters and discussed developments with the chief ambulance officer, attended an opening ceremony for a new hospital discussed closure plans with a Government Minister, visited patients with district nurses on night duty or examined facilities at private nursing homes for a consumer s guide If all of this sounds daunting , at least the workload is shared among the whole membership of the CHC and membership can be
involved in bringing the Essex Club to and from the weekend and one group of children even brought two Red Cross members to look after them.
very stimulating and satisfy i ng It can be of great advantage to St John Ambulance to have local contacts within the Health Service as there are many ideas and opportunities for service which membership of a CHC can give the opportunity to explore There will be a CHC in your area and if you want to find out more about health services in your locality, or want to enquire about membership , why not contact the local secretary through the phone book
Members at the 4th Malta Marathon held in lovely weather dur ng February. Some 600 runners were started by the legendary athelete Em l Zatopek W nner was Trevor Hawes ( England) and the fi rst Maltese home
bath race
Armed bathtub race in Guernsey
Abathtub race may sound tame, but when members of Guernsey's SJA and Rescue Service decided to enter an armed vessel , it was clearly to be no ordinary event!
The annual Guernsey Yacht Club bathtub race raises fu nds for the RN LI and the local voluntary search aircraft. It is watched by hundreds of spectators who gather round St Peter Port's picturesque harbour, with trophies for winners in solo and team classes, wind and man-powered sections, etc.
One of the rules states: ' No barging or fouling of other craft is allowed before the start'! So the St John team set out to design an unbeatable craft complete with armament!
The impressive design consisted of no less than six bathtubs , with assorted lengths of scaffolding and yards of rope Buoyancy was provided by polystyrene in compartments sealed with fibreglass , with the addition of a number of 5-gallon drums for added stability
The formidable SJ craft , complere with figurehead , goes out to find the fire.
The armaments were 561b bags of condemned flour, water bags and a specially-designed cannon made from a modified fire extinguisher! After initial sea-trials , the odds were heavily in favour of the Ambulance & Rescue Service team , but an unfortunate incident put paid to their chances of a trophy from the beginning When The skipper described the Malcolm Rutherford on . . .
Europe Uniting but ...
During the tast few weeks I have been attending a conference on security and cooperation in Europe Just before that was in Nigeria There can hardly have been a greater contrast between the way the two parts of Europe are learning to live together and the way the third world is being forgotten
The European conference goes back to the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, which was signed by all European countries except Albania , plus the United States and Canada The Act set the seal on the postwar European frontiers, prepared the way for greater economic cooperation between east and west and put some emphasis on human rights It also laid down that there should be further conferences between the 35 participating states so that security and cooperation in Europe could be steadily increased. The conference that I have been attending is about extending the free flow of information. That includes allowing journalists to move freely across frontiers, camera crews to take the most advanced equipment into other countries and generally letting journalists get on with their work without undue interference. In short, it implies a huge reduction in all forms of censorship.
The conference was not without achieve-
ments There were journalists as well as diplomats on the national delegations, and the journalists from east and west soon found that they had common cause. They were against restrictions on their freedom of movement and their freedom to report. Two facts stood out, however. One was that the diplomats were in no hurry to remove the restrictions on freedom of movement between east and west. Indeed the western diplomats in particular believed that if a few more eastern reporters were allowed into the west, the place would be full of spies
The other fact was how slow the whole process is. Here were grown men and women arguing for a month about whether it really mattered if a couple of members of the KGB were allowed into Western Europe in the guise of journalists. The Times , for example , is not allowed to have a correspondent in Moscow because the British Government has vetoed the appointment of a particular Soviet journalist to London This is known as tit-for-tat , and the diplomats seem thoroughly to enjoy it. At the same time, the fact that east and west are discussing these matters at all is said to be a breakthrough That in turn raises the question of whether Europe has become a bit of a selfish and self-obsessive place. Certainly the third world seemed
problem In nautical terms as " being nobble: by a rival team before the start"
This did not stop the crew completingth course successfully however, being determined by the number of othe craft they managed to " nobble " duringth course of the race!
Neil Tucker PRO
St John World County and Division: News June 1989
lan's award
The Commissioner-in-Chief, John Sunderland, on a recent visit to Wi l tshire presented long service medals at Swindon HQ lunched at the Devlzes county HQ, called on Westbury and Melksham DiVisions in the afternoon, and by early even 109 was at Sal isbury HQ meeting area divisions. Ian Primmer, a cadet with Downton Division at the time, had so successfully carried out emergency aid on an uncon cious woman that the professional ambulancemen commended his actIOn. Now an apprentice in the army, Ian was presented with a commendation by the Cin-C. (Photo: David Merritt)
very far away.
And yet as Europe slowly unites, the plight of the poorer countries in Africa IS getting worse In Nigeria the average in· come per head used to be $750 a year. That was when the oil price was highNigeria is a major producer - making the Nigerians relatively well off by third world standards. As the oil price fell, income per head came down to $250 and Nigeria now ranks as one of the least developed coun· tries There has been no let-up In the growth of population which by now must be around 130 million, against 35 million when the country became independent in 1964
Construction projects which were embark· ed on when the oil revenues were high have been abandoned before completion , leaving a trail of foreign debt.
Of course, Nigeria has brought some of its problems on itself. It is possibly the most corrupt country in the world The corrup· tion extends to all levels of society. There are also much greater disparities of wealth than would be acceptable in Europe The people at the top do not always seem to know the condition of the people at the bot· tom, nor perhaps to care
There are limits to how far its problems can be solved simply by pouring in foreign aid or even by writing off some of its debts
Merseyslde Deputy County Commissioner, Norman Plmblett , with the aBE after receiving the insignia from HM The Queen at the March investiture at Buckingham Palace
Vandals
Last year Swansea Council allocated the Brigade a new stone built first aid post at Caswell Bay Swansea to undertake beach duties In the past two months It has been vandalised tWice The doors were ripped off and latterly the roof was damaged costing £200 to repair Retired csa Alf Jones IS helping with repairs (Photo S Wales Evemng Post)
100 years old
TSB manager presents £2000 and Bath Football Club £500 to
Bath Ci ty Ambulance DiviSIOn began ts centenary celebrations on Jan 17 - the exact date 100 years ago tha t th e division was tormed With a service of rededication in Bath Abbey. At the service were Sir JOhn Wi ll s, Lord Lieutenant of Avo n, Lady Wills, SJA County
STJOHN--
Clwyd
THE DIVISIONS AROUND THE DIVISIONS
The ambulance Wd handed over to CSO the Revd David Griffiths, Mr Fred Roger and Driver Mr R Hutton, who will en ure that the gift is fully utilized for the benefit of the Brigade in Clwyd.
It was to be ba ed at the Brigade HQ Fairfield Road, Queensferry, D ee ide.
Essex
Witham SJA recently opened its own head quarter after even years of fu nd -raising. An old army hut bought seven years ago has been completely refurbi hed and transformed into a brand new HQ wIth hall, kitchen and toilets at a co t of £17,000.
"It's wonderful to have our own home at last," aid Jean Howlett, Supt of the adult dIvisIOn. "It's been a lot of hard work. but well worth !l!"
Forth River
All smiles. And why not? HIgh Wycombe' Staff Officer Tony Hud. son (centre) receive a £5000 cheque
N. Ireland training weekend. (L to R) Ml ssJ. Hartley (Fermanagh); Dsas HaJJ; Gsa L. Hawes; Mrs M Gallagher (Newtownstewart), centre Dr B. Nicholl, Dlst Comm
from the Wycombe Darts Even! Energy programme. Armagh provld(organtser Jerry EllIS, fight), edsomelight reliefwllh a very funny organIsed JOIntly by the local 'nursing situation '. (John Campbell, le.ft), Inner Wheel t Speakers mcluded theChlefPresi(Margaret Bryan. left), and Rotraci dent, Mrs H Phillip, Dr D A (Kathy Hawkins, rIght). Zide man, A sist Surgeon-in-Chief, In return Mr Hudon presented! and Mr L. Hawes, Chief Staff St John salver to be presented to the Officer. dans player WIth the highe t In. dlvldual sponsorshIp at the annuaJ event.
Portsmouth
and dreaming about the regionals to come. But the main thing is that they are thoroughly enjoying entering competitions and can recommend it to all divisions. They didn't know what they were missing!
Rye
Camber Sands has a smart new first aid post this year - thanks to Rother District Council and SJA Rye. After a winter of renovation and refurbishment by the Council, Rye St John official ly opened the newly equipped post for the Bank Holiday weekend.
sioner, James Darwin, receiving the keys to the vehicle from Lady Mavis Pilkington, who is a Trustee of Granada Telethon
Sutton
Jane, a Grand Prior cadet , who later help ed with the Cadet Div s on is to l ve i n Sutton , Surrey
A generou grant from lTV's Telethon 88 enabled Forth RIver AN DiVIsion, Co Down, to buy a new resusci - anne. The Area CommlslOner, Mr J W Hughes, handed over the 'lady' to DIVISIonal Supcnntendent Barbara Ferguon Forth RIver.
Glastonbury
Over 300 people played darts on! single night to raIse the ca h which wIll be u cd to replace one of High Wycombe DIvision's ageIng ambu· lances (Photo' Malcolm Liddle)
Kidderminster
Kldderminster SJA brIde loUise WhItehouse. 19, unexpectedly need· ed the servIces of St John colleague) on her recent honeymoon III Devon Just two day after her weddIng, al which St John members fonned the guard of honour, LOUie was struck down WIth appendicItIs. LoUI e. woo met her husband Enc through SJA, was adrrutted to hospital and operated on less than 48 hours after her wed· dtng. St John friend'i travelled to Devon to collect Loul e from hospItal and brIng her home. A second honeymoon?
Leeds
Sixteen pupils from St Swithun's RC Middle School have attalOed all three stages of the Three Cross Award. AssistIng WIth the course were Pamela Fitzgerald (Supt, Portsmouth A& N Dlv). AIM Leo Hart, and lOme very reali tIC make-up from DIO Pamela Stephens, The chool became Interested in first aId when Pam FItZgerald showed them the VIdeo 'For all the rIght reason '.
"We have been providing first aid cover at Camber for the past three years," said Supt Mr Margaret Farthing. "During the sea on we deal with, on average, 60 or 70 casual lIes and we also care for around 100 lost children. At the end of la t year we asked the Council to make the premises they proVIde for us more sUltable for this dual service - and they have done us proud" Rye St John man the post from May to the end of September. pnncipally at weekend but on a many fine days a po lble during chool holtdays. "Our problem IS a hortage of members with time to pare during the week," saId Mr Farthtng. "We would be delighted to hear from anyone who would I ike to Join us for this duty."
Scunthorpe
The start of a 5-mlle sponsored LandRover pull by members of Sutton (Surrey) Combined DiviSIOn to raise funds for a new mobile unit £3,000 IS expected to be raised, thanks to the generosity of an ex-supt of the DiviSion, Reg Judson, who IS doubling all donations. Two years ago Reg lost his Wife In a car accident and this gesture is in her memory for all she helped him in hiS SJ work
Westbury
Somerset's Eastern A.rea Commissi oner, Morley Treloggen, presents Gla stonb u ry and Street's NurSIng C adet Division with the Mountbatten C up for achievement during last year. H e also presented four cadets with the ir G rand P rior certificates. (L to R) D IO Jill H udso n C laire Andrews, D I S Valeria Siggee, Christine Purchase, M r Tr el ogge n , Sall y Gi ll ing and Tra cy Hud so n
High Wycombe
Area Comml sloner for Leed and District, Mrs Christtne Thomas, hal been named the YorkshIre Woman or Achievement 1988. Selected a Win· ner from over 70 candidates, Thomas wa given the award for her service to the communikty of Leeds and her voluntary work. Christine, 51, was Leeds' youngest Lord Mayor ten years ago. She the award at a SpeCIal lunch tn Apn,
N Ireland
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200 members were at the No rth ern Ire land annual t raini ng weekend 81 Coo kstown, Ap r il ! - 2, whensubjects covered incl ude? aid , child a bu se, reS USCItatIOn and
the first time in it 64 year hiStory, Radford Divi ion decided to e,nte r th e Notts City Area competlbons. Do your be t, aid Sue ShImmin, Divisional One Star Nurse and team traine r (w ilh tearn above).
At th e first round the team howed no si gn of nerve and - cleared the of CFS and first aid!
J?en to th e cou nty comps. Once agaIn no sign of nerves. T hey triumagain in CFS, but the first aid Ieam didn 't qu ite make it. Now th ey're back to grindstone
Badger Leader Mrs K Altorr, With Badgers Nicola and Jonathon, together with large Badger, receive the gift of a resuscitation doll from the manager of the Safeway supermarket
St Helens
St Hele ns & Knowsley Area received a d o nation of £4,000 from the G ranada Telethon '88 for the purc hase of a specially adapted ambulance fitted wi th a tail l ift for use in th e transportation of di abled people
Westbury (Wtlt ) Quad DIvision' new ambtllance. bought Ith fund from the people of We tbuT) and distnct. i dedicated by the Right Rev John Bickersteth, Sub-Prelate of the Order. Then (L to R) Lord Talbot of Malehide (chairman SJ Council), DIS W.S. Prior, Mr P. Mann (SJA Commander Wilt ). Mr L. Oatey (Area Pre ident). (Photo: Wiltshire Time ).
A new cadet division opened in Weslon-Super-Mare in April. Meetings are to be held at the Kewstoke Day Centre of the new Weston Hospital. Further detaIl from Ml Myra MeredIth. Bristol 633196.
Wiltshire
Stewart Kay, 24, from SaJi bury, an epilepsy sufferer, who I unable to work, took part in a ponsored cycle ride to raise money for St John Ambulance. Two years ago. v hi Ie tratning for a world record attempt for a cycle ride from Land End to John O'Groats, he fracrured hI spme in an accident and reqUIred ho Pltal treatment for month. However. determined to pursue cycling he hope to rai e £500 by ridmg 55 mile from the Sr John HQ in Sali bury to Devize Stewart aid: 'Tm not certain to achieve the full distance. I till get palO 10 my leg a a re ult of the accident. but I train every day."
West Glamorgan gave two of its valued member a dinner at the Schooner Re taurant, Swan ea, to mark their retirement from active service. They are (above) Miss Mair Davies (Depu t y Chief Nur ing Officer for Wales), 40 years and (right) Mr Harry Launder (County Training Officer), 30 year. The County Commissioner Lynford Brunt presented them with gifts of a telephone and pocket watch respectively.
Northlcote nursing cadet team (Paul Byetheway, D ebbie Richards, Hazel Platt and Joy Francis) which won four trophies at the West Midlands competitions
MOBILE
COMMUNICATIONS
Coping with 25,000 runners (cant)
med ical directors team Dr Dan Tunstall Pedoe was a contributor to the briefing Cadets would be posted to all stations for duties with stores, communications , catering, recording and as stretcher parties
And that's the way it was The day itself proved ideal weather conditions for marathon running which helped to keep runners in action and casualties fewer The socalled 'wall' between the 14 and 17 miles stages on the Isle of Dogs is generally where some 50% make their first visit to a first aid post and the day was no exception
Obviously, the other key place is at the finish , which this time was less busy than usual. After collecting their medals and bag of goodies a number collapse from exhaustion and hundreds need treatment for cramp and bli sters.
Incidentally, the goody bag contained an AOT Marathon T-shirt , drink , snack and a banana Surprisingly, there was no major problem from the banana skins!
The whole operation was controlled from London District HO where the team on duty worked in a well planned complex , w th radio
Travellers H e alth T i p s (cant) dent during your visit.
But be warned that only emergency treatment is covered and you will receive care on th esame terms as nationals of the country vi sted In some countries this includes famiIy members coming into the wards to feed and wash their sick relatives!
Tickets
voucher to be used when booking a holiday with Clermont Travel and dinnerfortwo in the Park Room of the Hyde Park Hotel 14
Please note that the draw will take place earlier than previous years - on Wednesday 1 November 1989 - so please ensure that the ticket counterfo ls are returned to HO by 20 October
AIRWING COMPLE T E 1,500 MISSIONS
More than 1,500 life -sav ng missions have now been completed by the St John Ambulance Air Wing May was reported as one of the bus est months ever with severa m iss ions go i ng as far af eld as Italy, Spa n and France
NU RSING TR A INING IN SERVICE HOSPITALS
In addition to the RAF and Naval hospitals already involved in the scheme , the Duchess of Kent s Military Hospital , Catterick , North Yorkshire are offering St Jot n members over 18 the opportunity of doing a two-week course. Anyone interested should contact Myrtle Friester at National Headq' larters
And the cost of bringing a patient home is not always covered under these special arrangements - and nor would repatriation necessarily be at the patient s or relatives ' convenience So health insurance is essential.
But the St John Medical Department warns that travellers should study the small print to ensure that they are covering th emselves for exactly what they want. With most forms of cover you can not get home if are receiving adequate medical attenti on The United Kingdom has made for urgent medical treatment
Wi th some countries outside the European Community and Before You Go gives details, again the message is that adequate pnvate medical insurance is a must.
Tour guides, tourist offices, hotels and police are usually able to point visitors in the on health matters, as are our High Commissions and British Consuls Our representatives abroad are also good at conlactlng relatives in emergency cases or the transfer of your money. But Will not pay your bills unless you are t de po rted! A nother good reason for a In9 out ad equate medical insurance
In Plan ning a h ead, travellers need to find Out Wh at vaccinations are required and the
and 'Cellner communications, as well as fax machines and computers with access to the data banks of the marathon organisers
Detailed examination of the casualty sheets will reveal how many individuals were actually treated and details of their problems
A year or two ago it was discovered that 3709 treatments had been given to 2738 different runners and one runner had been treated at nine different first aid posts!
This year a total of 4267 treatments were given to runners and 11 were taken to hospital. In addition , 29 spectators were treated , two going to hospital.
One competitor summed up his successful race bysaying he had been massaged by St John members from the Tower Bridge to the finish
The five most widely represented professions in the 1989 London Marathon were : accountants (2 ,051) ; mechanical engineers (1,514) ; teachers (1 ,373) ; building trade (1 ,019) ; and civil servants (806) Last year s field was topped by mechanical engineers
Marathons are a great day for giving and so many runners are giving the i r all for charitable ends There s a great atmosphere and enthusiast c support - and you come away with the feel i ng that it had been a privilege to have been there
booklet contains a list covering everywhere from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe The vaccinations i nclude everything from cholera to yellow fever, although the ominous words 'none available are still listed against AIDS. Some vaccinations are said to be essential and others merely recommended , but the Medical Department stresses : " It's foolish not to have the recommended ones as well as the essential."
You can get vaccinations from your own GP or he will send you to a centre in your area
Anyone having any difficulty in obtaining the booklets and forms can get them from the DSS Leaflets Unit , PO Box 21 , Stanmore, HA71AY.
In view of the changing world health scene you should not use last year s information and it is advisable to get the up-to-date leaflets about two months before the trip If you leave it until the last minute you may find that the vaccination you need takes time to become effective or cannot be given at the same time as others.
If you are going to a country where there is a malaria threat discuss it with your doctor because anti-malarial treatment varies as resistant strains appear.
Up-to-date advice on health precautions necessary in most countries and notably in tropical and Third World areas is available from British Airways or the Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad - phone 01 56 250 0 6 for details of your nearest centre.
O ther good sources of information are the T ho mas Cook Medical Centre (01 4994000) a nd the Private Patients' Plan Medical Cen-
The Bare Facts
GORDON HOLLAND OF RINGWOOD
Just think of all the many bones that shape our body frame
The sternum , ribs and vertebrae There's none of them the same
The clavicle and scapula and the bone that forms the hips
In these days of spare part surgery we really should have zips!'
Down the femur and patella and the shin bones, to the toes
To the tarsus and phalanges all arranged in two neat rows
There 's an arm bone caled a humerus which doesn t mean it 's funny
There are wrist bones, and we ve fingers that we use to count our money.
The cranium is firmly fixed on top of all the torso
This bone is usually quite large on some men even more so!
If we put these bones togethersymmetrically - a group
They would make a human beingor a most delicious soup!
tre (01 6378941)
A great wealth of information on world health matters is available from the Med ical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroadpart of London University School of Hygiene and Tropical Medic ne For a £7 fee you can apply to them on 01 631 4408 for an individual health brief for your visit to a particular overseas location
And of course advice is available from the St John Medical Department on 01-235 5231, ext 232
Everyone should anticipate common colds - particularly in areas where there are dramatic temperature changes at nightand stomach upsets due to bacteria or the different mineral content of the water
First aid kits should therefore include appropriate remedies, along with the plaster, suntan lotion , travel sickness tablets, insect repellant and bite and sting cream.
In some countries - although not in normal holiday venues - water sterilisation tablets may be necessary. And in high risk areas including parts of Africa anti-AIDS kits with sterile needles , dressings and plasma are necessary for those who need them as part of their treatment for illness or injury
While You'reAwaycontains a wealth of information and hints about health abroad , from how to avoid sunburn to what to do if bitten by a possibly rabid animal. Perhaps so me of those alarming travellers tales of old are still relevant!
A nyone with odd symptoms within two to three weeks of returning from an overseas t r ip would be well advi sed to consult a doctor a s soon as possible.
Cadet Help and Information pages
Hello and welcome to the June portion of CHI P S, the section within St John World written with Cadets in mind. This month we look at a variety of entertaining games for the younger element of your Division. We also have our regular feature - CHIPS NEWS keeping you updated with issues concerning the leadership of young people.
Cadets Helen Hockey, 15, and Vicky Docherty, 14, of Brislington tend Paul Spreabury at a county competition Nailsea Quadrilateral D ivision won the first aid section and Stockwood nursing cadets the nursing section.
That's entertainment : games lor your prog ra mme
Tadpoles
Equipment needed: One ball and a whistle
The game is called Tadpoles because of the shape made by the teams when they play the game.
Divide the Division into two teams Team A stands in a circle with one Cadet in the centre, holding the ball Team B stands in a line - like the tail of a tadpole
When the leader shouts 'Go!' the Cadet standing in the circle starts to throw the ball to team members, one by one. Meanwhile , the Cadets in Team B take it in turns to run around the circle and back to their place in the line. The next Cadet in line can only start running round the circle when the previous Cadet returns to their original place in the line. When the last Cadet in Team B has returned to their place in the line, the leader stops Team A. Then the leader counts how many Cadets caught and returned the ball to the Cadet at the centre of the circle. The two teams change places and start again Team B now tries to beat Team A's score
Creepy Crawlies
For this game you need two teams. One
team is blindfolded and they stand still with their legs apart The other team are the creepy crawlies. They have to attempt to crawl around the room , through the spaces between the other team 's legs without making a sound or touching an opponent's leg
If a member of the opposing team hears or feels anything , then they bend forward and touch the creepy crawl ie , and that player is out of the game. The game continues until all but one of the creepy crawlies have been caught - he/she is the winner Then the team change places and the game begins again
Farmyard Fun
If you don't mind a room full of people and noise - then this is the game for you!
Before you start take some postcard sized card and on each piece of card write the name of an animal. You will need to write two postcards for each animal you have chosen
Try to choose animals that make an identifiable noise , such as pig , dog, sheep, cow, cat, hen , duck, horse and so on
At the start of the game give each Cadet a card - tell them not to show the card to anyone , otherwise it will spoil the game
Meet Ambulance Cadet Ian Woodfield, of Isle of Wight's Ryde and District Quadrilateral Division, who achieved the unusual distinction of 100% marks in his individual test during the county round of the Brigade National First Aid Competitions! His casualty had been sawing wood and cut her thumb; if she hadn't been immediately sat on the ground, she would have fainted. Ian responded quickly. He sat the casualty down, re-assured her with much tender loving care, stopped the bleeding and dressed the wound correctly, applied a sling , treated for shock, called for the ambulance
Quite secretly the Cadets look at the na me of the animal written on their postca rd Leaders need to be aware of any Cadetwhc has reading difficult , so that they can he lpl needed
On the word Go the Cadets run arou nc the hall making the noise of their an ima quite loudly so that everyone else can hea'
When someone finds their partner - wh o will be making the same animal noise-the) sit down The game ends when all the animals have paired This makes qu ite a good , lively game for parents evening too as anyone can join in. You can wr ite fou r cards for each animal , thus ending wltha family group
The Indian Feather
First you must set the theme : " Once upo na time, there lived a fierce Red Indian ed the Lluba Indians This tribe had a wonderful ceremony when a chief had to be chosen The braves all sat around in a circle and a feather was dropped between them While the feather was still in the air, the braves blew it until it passed over the head or shoulders of one of them. That brave then left the circle and the feather was thrownu p
and contacted relatives He did all this with such efficiency the judge wrote: 'Excellent. Manner and practice both perfect.'
Ian is 14 years old and joined SJA in 1986
He holds First Aid and Nursing certificates, as well as proficiency in firefighting, clerical skills and casualty simulation. And is taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme. In a recent joint exercise with the Combined Cadet Force, he helped set upa Field Hospital to deal with casualties suffer· ing from gunshot wounds and burns Well done, Ian!
into the air again This test continuea until only one brave was left. he was proclaimed the chief."
For Cadets to playa game based on this , they should sit in a circle with their hands behind their backs A leader moves around the outside of the circle and , when the feather is dropped , the Cadets try, by blowin g, to keep it in the air When the feather dropS on to the floor, the Cadet nearest the feather drops out of the game
The game continues until there is only one Cadet left in the middle of the room. He/she is the winner
The best feathers to use are the large fluffy ones to be bought from good haberdashery stores or costumiers Alternatively, a balloon will do just as well
It could only happen to me!
am sure most cadet officers have said at one time or another that only one of their
Cadet Supt Sonya Button and Sgt Patrick Diamond of Kington (Hereford) combined cadets wi th their haul of trophies taken at the area , county and regional competitions They now go to the Natio nal Fmals, the first time for a K in gton firs t aid team
Chips News
Hawkhirst Adventure Week
For any small Divisions , or groups within a Division, a full week of fun and adventure is offered, running from Saturday, August 5, to Saturday, August 13 1989
The programme will provide opportunities to participate in a number of adventurous water and land based activities , such as abseiling, archery, canoeing, sailing , orie nteering , rafting and so on Overnight expeditions and journeys by water will enable you to visit interesting area of Kielder Water and the surrounding forest.
All participants will camp and self-cater, instructors and activity equipment proVi ded by the centre Cost per person is £19.50. Details are available from Derek
to h e r
Cadets could do that! Well , now 's your chance to prove it. Please tell CHI P S the details of any funny event that you have witnessed Eg: The Cadet who took an electric kettle to camp The Cadet who asked the Commissioner : " 00 you know any First Aid then? "
Please send any stories to me
S tt ing pretty are the g irl s of Little Thurrock NIC D ivision wInners of the Southern Area Essex competitIOns
They are (/ to R) Dawn Patterson , Sally Boughten , Laura Kean and Lou i se Kean , with (centre) Sarah Pacey
The National Kidney Research Fund is again preparing for its annual sponsored walk Across London s Br idges. Last year they raised £17,419 This year they are aiming for a target of £20,000
The Fund is currently supporting 98 research projects, including many related to kidney illness in children For more details of the fund, its work orthe sponsored walk write to Marguer ite Martin The National Kidney Research Fund , 42 Lower Marsh , London SE1 7RG , or phone 01 9285058
All aboard!
Twent y-four cadets and their leaders from three Wolverhampton Area divisions - Sedgley, Northicote and Wolverhampton - had an Easter week break camping afloat on two converted coal-carrying barges on canal and river two skippers (and a dog) manning the boats , one with an the Argus , pushed the other, a 10-ton butty (it's butted along) oth boats were covered with ridged, tent-like canvas covers , with an Opening at the stern, and under which were lines of bunks and the Simple Cooking and feeding facilities
The trip from King ' s Norton to Worcester and back involved pass- tgthrough 42 locks on the first day, which soon sorted out the men rom the boys, as the butty had to be manhandled through locks The cadets soon became expert at working the locks though EVeryone enjoyed the change of scenery every day And only one fell overboard during the week - but he managed it three Imes! Happy sailing
Writers wanted
Do you have any young writers in your D ivision? Publisher Faber and Faber have launched their ' Write-A-Story' competition for children twelve years old and under The winning stor ies will be published ina special anthology in 1990
Entrants must be aged twelve and under on the closing date of July 31 1989 and should submit a story of not more than 1,500 words Full details and the rules can be obtained from the Faber and Faber Write-AStory Competition , 3 Queen Square , London WC1N 3AU Get writing!
So that rounds up another portion of CHI P S, hope you have found it int erest ing.
Community Nursing
Its growth and development
Mrs P. McCulloch, SRN, SCM, HVCert ex-County Nurs ing Off icer, Merseyside
Aneed for a given service is created by demand Over the centuries many changes have taken place in community nursing. I will endeavour to give an insight into how midwifery, district nursing and health visiting have developed up to the present day
Midwifery
I start with this profession as it has been in vogue since mankind was created The word midwife is derived from the Anglo Saxon words "mid" (together with) and "wif " (a woman). Literally it means helping a woman
The early recording indicates that only a husband or female relative was permitted to attend a woman in labour Later, women outside the family circle earned their livelihood in this way, when they became known as midwives
Many tribal customs during labour were based on belief in magic, charms and incantations being used to ward off demons (A practice still in vogue in some underdeveloped countries.)
Midwives are mentioned in the Old Testament when the Pharaoh King of Egypt , commands midwives to slay all Jewish infants of the male sex The midwives feared God so they disobeyed this order, hence the story of Moses hidden in the cradle in the bullrushes.
During the Hippocratic Era (470-370 BC) , Hippocrates the father of medicine discarded the practices based on superstition and magic , as well as religious rites and priestcraft. Midwifery remained in the hands of midwives , who sought the advice but not the help of physicians in difficult cases only During the third and fourth century midwifery was ignored by physicians, and by custom and law they were prohibited from attending women in labour
From the fifth to the fifteenth century, superstitious and untrained midwives had complete control of midwifery, at which time it was established continental practice for midwives to be examined by members of the medical profession regarding their methods of procedure
In the sixteenth century the invention of printing gave a great impetus to learning and in Germany a book on midwifery was printed in 1513 This was translated into English in 1540, and for a century and a half was the only book on midwifery printed in English 18
Few midwives could read so their abysmal ignorance persisted Progress at this time was being made in medicine and surgery, but obstetrics lagged far behind A French surgeon laid down the foundation of the modern art of obstetrics Pare founded a school for midwives and those trained were able to recognise abnormalities and were willing to seek help of the surgeons who had taught them
William Harvey (1578-1657) who discovered the circulation of the blood , drew attention to the deplorable ignorance of midwives , and to the multitude of women who perished because of this Gross pelvic deformity caused by rickets was first described in the seventeenth century, and necessitated the assistance of a physician or surgeon Midwives did not usually seek medical aid until labour was hopelessly obstructed resulting in the death of the mother or child In consequence , the physicians gained a poor reputation
Midwifery forceps were first devised 1569-1693 by a member of a Huguenot family of whom four generations practised medicine in England They tried to keep the knowledge of the forceps a secret , but in 1733 Edmund Chapman an English obstetrician , gave the first description of the Chamberlen forceps
The first school of midwifery was started by Dr John Haubray in 1725. Queen Charlotte's was the first Midwifery Hospital. From then on other maternity hospitals were opened In 1752 , medical students were permitted to attend and observe women in labour It was not until 1833 in Scotland and 1886 in England that it became compulsory for medical students to study the subject of midwifery William Smellie , the Master of
British Obstetrics , began his career as a doctor in Lanark in 1720 He became increasingly disturbed over the loss of so many babies The midwives of the timesliil only sent for the physician when the lab our was abnormal. Wishing to stUdy nor mal labour, Smellie travelled to London and Paris after which he set up pract ice In London where he taught midwifery n the homes of the poor to classes of four to 12 doctors Such was his fame , in 10 yea rs he taught 1,000 doctors , some coming fro mthe Continent and America
Smellie had no university educat ion or research facilities at that time , so his ach ievements were remarkable He discarded the superstitious not ions regarding childbirth , and laid the founda tion of the art and science of obstetrics as we know it today. Midwives bitterly resented thl' man-midwife who was invading the rf ieldo' normal labour It was mainly due to his expertise and tactful manner that he even· i tually overcame the r obstinate prejudice against man-midw ives
The invention of the microscope an d the work of Pasteur and Lister led to the causative organism of puerperal se psIs being identified , and therefore meth ods were devised to combat and prevent the spread of nfect on
Following the Reformation the Churc hoEngland accepted the responsib lit y fc' issuing , by the BiShops , licence s fo' midw ives to practise though at th s time the midwives were completely ignorant of the elementary facts of anatomy and obstetriCs It was not until 1726 in Edinburgh tha' midwives had to attend lectures g ven bya professor, Med ical students also atten ded
The magistrates Ins sted on the produ ctlor of a certificate before the midw ife coulc practise n that area As a conseque nce courses of nstruct ion were g ven n va nou1 parts of Br tain , In 1813, the Society of Apothecar es triec to persuade Parliament to pass a la" forbidding women to practise as m dw ives for gain without having undergone tra inmg and obtained a certificate stating the ir to be midwives The Committee in the House of Commons would not perm any me nllor of midwives , At that time they were the owe' strata of society, unable to read or wr ite , the continued on page 22
Supplies Update
This month St John World includes the summer ed iti on of Supplies News This edition includes some exciting offers , including savings on summer uniform wear and purchases from our first aid range of products. These special offers expire on July 1 so hurry with your orders The latest edition of
STJOHN--
--STJOHN w e R LD --
Rudyard Kipling
The article on Rudyard Kipling (March), which could be classified as a review of the recently published book which speculates on the question of Kipling's sex life, makes me wonder if such biographers do not express part of their own sub-conscious wishes and longings. To label Kipling as a homosexual because some of his famous poems and writings are concerned with young men (Kim), and because he had an interest in the regular army life while in India is speculative beyong reason
Since retiring from the Order of St John , have had ample time to follow up my interests in the field of freemasonry, poetry and literature. In this latter field I recall that during my own school days, now so long ago, I had the opportunity of meeting Kipling I have always had a great regard and respect for his writings and for the great interest he showed in respect of this country
Biographers in the main do not do him sufficient justice. Let me mention the great interest shown by Kipling in the activities of Lord Baden Powell, founder of the Boy Scout movement. It was on May 61909 that Robert Baden Powell wrote to Kipling asking him to write a 'Boy Scouts Patrol Song , which he did and sent it to BP on July 5 in the same year. It was joyfully received. Again in 1916, when the Wolf Cub movement was being started, Baden Powell wrote to Kipling and asked permission to use the Jungle Book stories as a basis of thinking for the movement. Kipling did not hesitate and took a keen interest, so much so that he wrote again to Baden Powell on January 2 1920 from his home at Bateman's, Burwash, Sussex, giving an explanation of the Wolf Cubs 'Howl', using the word 'Akela', which he postulated should be given with a short 'A' pronounced 'ER', a long 'Kay', which could be prolonged, and 'Lar'. So successful was this that it still is used today, and grown men who have been associated with the Wolf Cubs still remember it.
Kipling had a great love of children and wrote many letters to his own children when he was away. They are letters of interest and imagination and are now published in book form. He was also of course a Freemason, having joined when he was twenty years and two months of age, and while working as a depmy editor of the Civil and Military Gazette. For this organisation he had the greatest regard and respect, which is shown in many of his poems and writings From a miserable childhood spent in the hands of an evangelical tyrant living at Southsea, he passed through the Services College, Westward Ho, where he was encouraged by the headmaster, Cornell Price, to develop his writing skills He was rewarded in life by the award of the Nobel Prize for literature, but turned down other national honours.
He died in the Middlesex Hospital on January 18 1936, after being taken ill at Brown's Hotel, London. Two days later his
20
great friend King George V also died At that time the press reported the death of the King and said that his trumpeter had passed on before him. In the Priory Church of Clerkenwell is a memorial window to the surgeon who looked after Rudyard Kipling in his last days , Lord Webb Johnson He wrote his own epitaph in the simple poem called ' The Appeal'
If I have g iven you del ght By aught that I have done
Let me lie qUiet n that n ight
Which shall be yours anon
And for the ttle little, span
The dead are bourne n m in d
Seek not to quest ion other than The books leave beh nd
John Webb
Do we ... Or don't we?
As an instructor, I am frequently telling students they must not , under any circumstances, use creams or lotions, etc, on burns
They must not give medicines of any description; they must not apply creams to wounds; they must only use antiseptic for washing down surfaces and so on and so on Yet - in the new first aid equipment brochure received from the St John Supplies Dept I can purchase Savlon cream and powder, Burneze , Milk of Magnesia , Ralgex Waspeze , and Optrex , etc!
Nowhere in either the 5th edition FA Manual or FAW Book does it say that these products may be used, quite the contrary in fact. What is the point of teaching one thing and acting another way? Either we can use these products, in which case we should teach how to use them properly, and risk whether or not we are sued if the casualty reacts badly to them orwe cannot use them, in which case they should not be for sale in a St John Supplies brochure
The same applies to lint dressings I have previously asked where , why and how about these dressings, as they are not mentioned anywhere, but I was slapped down with the answerthat lint dressings are still used and that was it.
Why are members and instructors leaving St John? Frustration.
B. Smith (Mrs) Notts.
Director of Services writes
Please thank Mrs Smith for her letter and explain that we have to be able to SUPpl ythe items to which she refers to a wide spect ru m of customers , who will not order the dressings from us and other items iftheyare not available because they do not wishto deal with two suppliers
It is made clear in the heading on Pag et! of the First Aid catalogue which says these items are ' not authorised for Use unsupervised St John Ambula nce members '.
There is thus , no clash between th clause and all the instructions to wh ichyoL rightly refer in the manuals and regulat ions
Student Nurses
I agree with the Ch ief NurSing Office r, remarks (Feb issue) that it is not approp rialF for student nurses to be offered pointments until qualif ied , but at preser they are completely written off wh le They cannot compete in Brigade co mpel tions , and unlike medical students the ycan not wear markings on their uniform to In dicate that they are student nurses
It is poss ible for student nurses to reta their efficiency wh le tra i n i ng , at le ast some instances , and I bel ieve we sho uld bt encourag i ng these young people to reta ' their interest n SJA by offering SOffi t recognition of their status Perhaps thel could be allowed to compete In Br igade co mpetitions until the end of the r second yea' and then given similar status to st uden· surgeons
I am sure their interest In th e Br igadf guides many young people to a care er nursing , yet we are pitifully short of qua lifiec nurses Can we afford not to nurture th l' resource which began with us in the fi rs! place?
Please Miss Emerton correct th iS anomaly
Patricia Stewart, Mrs, Superintendent Abingdon
from Adrian Keyes-Hughes
I read with interest the letters student nurses and the CNO s respo nse (Feb 89). While I support much of what the CNO said , I feel the Brigade is guiltyofd O Uble standards in respect of professionals(Ie rules for doctors and rules for nurses)
Medical students are promoted in he organisation to one star appointment
Student Surgeon This I assume is done to maintain their interest in the organisatlon ,a s well as to recognise the knowledge th e , have gained a The issue I feel is probably far greater an hinges on the traditional nurse/doctor re la·
lIons hi p (eg , the nurse is considered subordi nate to the doctor) Th is is not only reflected inthe Brigade rank structure but in Brigade Regulations to assist Surgeons in nursng re-examinations .' (page 41)
As most doctors are aware , as well as nurses, the relationsh ip has change to equal partnership. To both side recognising each olhers professional knowledge base and accountability, not to another profession , but to th eir own professional body
Ithink it is time the Brigade recons dered its rank structure for nurses and that Brigade General Regulations were up-dated to reflect the code of professional conduct issued by the UKCC
Adrian Reyes-Hughes RGN , DN(Lon), LUSM 0/0, Leyton and Leytonstone Division
Malta bound?
Ihave just returned from a most enjoyable fourth holiday in Malta , during which I tried tomake contact with St John Ambulance th ere It seems the island s headquarters
As a fourth year medical student at Sheffield University, we are g iven the opportunity to undertake a three month elective period in a country of our choice I aminterested in the subject of third world med cine and arranged to spend the su mmer working in a rural hospital in the north of India
St Luke 's is a Christian mission hospital in Bi har, one of the poorest states in India. Fo rtunately I was not alone when I arrived in th eSUb-continent but even so many of the Sights (people sleeping in the streets , for In stance) , smells and the general hassling wereceived still came as a shock
The train journey to the hospital via Calcutta was a lengthy one but gave us the to meet people and see a way of lifevery different to our own At one stage we boarded the wrong train -a local one which was very slow and crowded with men and boys with all sorts of baskets going to their day' s work
On arrival we were welcomed by Doctors Bryan and Helen Thompson who have been ru nning the hospital since leaving England 30 years ago I had anticipated sharing a house with lizards and insects , but not the cobra found behind a bookcase on our third night. Helen and Bryan tried to reassure us had been only three snakes found In the house in 30 years and not to be Worried!
bThe itself has about a hundred mixed medical/surgical/paediatric edlcal staff were few and students were InV?lved in the day-to-day management of to a much greater extent than would e allowed in any developed country A day began with an early rise and ward oUnds at 8am Before long the outside
has had several homes over the past four years , and it was not until the last day of my holiday that I managed to contact anyone I met Mr Vincent Bugeja , the Superintendent of No 2 Sliema Quadrilater al Division
Our time together was brief , but he suggested that if members from the UK contemplating visiting Malta would care to write to him , he would be only too pleased to meet and advise them
He is : Div Supt V. Bugeja , 126/4 Rudoph Street , Sl iema , Malta Tel : 339363
John F. E. Bent Dudley
Fire
I must express my concern at the article entitled Grand Pr or joins in Training (Review Nov 88) The main concern is the photograph showing a nursing member using a thermal imaging camera captioned , Members tra ining at rescuing from a smoke filled room'
As a serving Fire Officer with 22 years service , I feel that with materials in use in all
Nursing in India
Karen Hayward N/M , Bloxwich , Quad Div W. Midlands
temperature soared and being the monsoon season it soon became very humid
By 10 30am there -would be a crowded outpatients room Three or four patients would be seen together in the one room , through which even the odd goat would wander on its way to the wards!
As the majority of patients had to pay for treatment (which they could ill afford) often their condition had reached advanced stages Patients came from villages up to thirty miles away and those admitted were cared for by their relat ves , who would sleep under banyan trees in the grounds The more unfortunate (often those with terminal diseases) for whom no treatment was available would be left to return to their villages Very seldom would anyone be able to afford to go to Calcutta or one of the other larger medical centres.
Among the more common cases were malaria , tetanus , meningitis , TB , gastroenteritis , snake bites , carcinomas (espec ially of the mouth due to the habit of chewing
types of premises today we should not encourage untrained members of the publ ic (including St John members) to enter smoke filled rooms because of the toxic products of combustion created during a fire I feel I must emphasise however that only in exceptional circumstances do fully qualified fire-fighters enter smoke filled rooms or buildings without breathing apparatus
The Medical Secretary writes
The photograph was taken during a demonstration session organised and run by the Gloucestershire Fire Brigade headquarters staff Such l i aison with the emergency services at their County headquarters level ensures mutual awareness , not least as in this case that SJA personnel know what they should not attempt.
The caption to the photograph was ambiguous It should have stated as a problem ' that first-aiders must not enter smoked filled rooms in search of casualties
betel nut) and tropical diseases The laboratory was able to carry out simple blood tests and m i croscopy of urine / faecal samples The pharmacy was usually fairly well stocked though only the cheapest drugs and antibiotics were available
Throug hout the day we wou Id be expected to perform simple surgical procedures (drainage of many abscesses, lumbar punctures , all with blunt instruments) Operations were carried out under antiseptic conditions rather than the much better asterile conditions Consequently, post operative wound infections were a great problem
Part of my time was also spent with the village health worker who went out to give immunization to children in nearby villages When it came to leaving the hospital we were very sad We had become a part of it. Everyone had been very friendly and we promised to send plenty of photographs on our return and to keep in touch ., It had been a most rewarding experience
G Willis, DID Kempston Quad (Rescue Boat) Division
Community Nursing (cant)
gin drinking type, later immortalised by Dickens as Sairey Gamp
The daughters of professional men attended lectures n 1864 , after which , in 1867, Florence Nightingale organised a small training school in King ' s College Hospital In 1872 , the Obstetrical Society of London constituted an examining board which awarded certificates to successful candidates to practise normal midwifery
Br itain lagged behind Continental countries by one hundred years in the matter of State Registration Austria , Norway, Sweden and France adopted regulations governing the training and control of midwives during the first three years of the 19th Century Holland and Russia during 1865
The Royal College of Midwives , set up in 1881, made several attempts to promote the Midwives B ill, but was bitterly opposed by untrained midwives , as well as the medical profession It was not until 1902 that the first English Midwives Act was passed , and State Reg strat ion of midwives became compulsory by law In 1915 Scotland followed with a similar Act.
The aim of the Royal College of Midwives is to further the education and efficiency of midwives, in order to provide the best possible service for mothers and babies
The training period for midwives had , over the years , been lengthened to meet advances in knowledge and improved methods of practice From 1902 to 1916 the training course was three months , after 1938 for SRNs it was one year but without the SRN two years.
The present day training is now much more comprehensive, including ante natal care, health education and social studies.
The course now takes 18 months , which includes the first part on a Maternity Unit , then 13 weeks with a Community Midwife and the rest of the course in the Maternity Unit. The qualification for acceptance to midwifery training is SRN/RGN
District Nursing
Visiting the sick and caring for them in their homes has existed since before the Chr istian era In fact it was an imposed duty of the Jewish Church to visit , show sympathy, cheer, aid and relieve those in suffering and need
With the establishment of monasteries and convents man's feeling of concern for the well being of his fellow men was developed , and so the principle of community care became established, to care for those who , due to lack of resources or ability, could not adequately care for themselves
The monks and nuns carried this on , butthis form of care left much to be desired as it depended on charity and Christian ethics
The collapse of even this primitive system was brought about when in 1545 it was decided that many of these orders should
22 become enclosed
In 1638 St Vincent de Paul saw the degradation and the very depths which man had reached. He tried for many frustrating years to relieve the sick, but could only peck at the crust of this gigantic social problem
St Vincent de Paul then founded the Sisters of Charity He was perhaps the greatest social worker we have ever known Then, as we know, the latter part of the 19th century passed through the Dark Ages of nursing This point is well demonstrated in the writings of Dickens and his notorious Sairey Gamp
In 1840 the first efforts to establish District Nursing among the poor was made by Mrs Fry and her sisters , of Devonshire Square , London. It was in 1848 that the Society of St John prepared nurses for Hospital and District Nursing
The present system of District Nursing owes its origins to a Liverpool business man, Will iam Rathbone In 1859 his wife was an invalid and William Rathbone saw the need to have his wife nursed in her own home. He asked a Mrs Robinson , a fully trained nurse, to work among the city's poor This she promised to do , but within a month she came back to William Rathbone with the heart rending plight of the poor in the city and asked to be released from her promises
Florence Nightingale
William Rathbone now even more than before realised the need for home nurses and he wrote to Florence Nightingale and asked ht:H for some of her trained nurses
She replied that she could not spare any nurses but suggested the establishment of a training school at the Royal Infirmary This was started in 1862 Many other cities saw the advantage of this service. In 1864, Manchester set up a school in Salford, Birmingham in 1870 and Glasgow in 1875
Queen Victoria became the patron of the District NurSing Service and in 1889 by Royal Charter was granted the right for district nurses to be called Queen 's Nursing Sisters. In 1897 a sum of £48,000 was given to further the needs of District Nursing by Queen Alexandria In 1925 Queen Mary succeeded as patron and the name of the service was changed to the Queen 's Institute of District Nursing
The National Health Service Act of 1948 brought the District Nurses under the care of Local Authorities It was not until 1947 that male nurses were offered training and in 1970 arrangements were made to extend District Nurse training to enrolled nurses
The present day education and training for District Nursing requires a person to have had basic State Registration or be a Registered General Nurse The course, to prepare them for their exacting and responsible job, takes nine months , a third of which is spent in practical training with a Field Work Teacher
The District Enrolled Nurse undertakes 16 weeks' training in the same training institu-
tions as the District Nurse, the course be l designed to enable them to take u' delegated duties within the community M?re extensive details be obtaining a leaflet on Education and Train! of District Nursing (District Nurse and Enrolled Nurse)
Health Visiting
Health Vis iting as a service provided byth Area Health Authority has developer alongside District Nursing and Midwifery
In the early 19th century, the inlar mortality rate was 156 per 1000 live birt h, due at that time to parental ignorance an r poor environment. The Ladies Sanitar Reform Society, a voluntary movement ,wa formed The ladies did not have any for ml training and were a non-professional grout They commenced by distributing leaflets the care of young children This was an on starter as most of the parents could not re a: and therefore contact was not made to th vulnerable families
It was then decided to employ goo working-class women to show the alfecte' families that cleanliness is next to godl ines: with the generous use of carbolic soap an' powder! Milk kitchens were also estab ishe: and the giving of small meals to child re ' thus the teaching of child care commencec There was considerable lack of progres' due to the fact that registration of births wa not compulsory, and only those mothe rs babies on the Parish Register were able " gain the knowledge of child care Itwas nc' until 1915 when the Registration Act wa passed that as a result it beca m· compulsory to register every birth
The first professional training for Healtr Visitors took place at Battersea Polytech niC Kings College and Bedford College 1907-1908 By 1918 all Local Governmen Authorities had to employ qualified Heallr V isitors The Health Visiting field developec once the numbers of Health Visito rs increased They graduated from child ca rf to the health of children in school , wh lc included hygiene surveys, eye tests , rout illf medical inspections and routine immun lsa tion against diphtheria, tetanus, cough , polio and measles, and wher children enter the Comprehensive at the age of 12-13 years rubella for the girl' and BCG for both sexes.
Health visiting is not a practical nurs in! field , but it is the field of preventative medicine, which not only deals with bab ies and young children but the whole spectru rr of school age to the elderly, and in the handicapped, both mental and physlca
To enable a person of either sex to takeur
Health Visiting the basic SRN qualificat lor with three months obstetrics is required An) other qualifications inthe nurs ing field woula be an added bonus The Health Visitor course is taken at a University or ColIPge ol Further Education for one academiC yea r l The Area Health Authority secondm en continued on page 24
LD Leamington Cadets press on ...
Itwas mid-June, 1988 when was asked by Phil Biggs , DO in charge of Leamington Spa Cadets , to give a 'something-to-do-withcomputers' course to his cadets Although I agreed , I was at first a little worried about what the ' something ' would be didn't want to teach them anything as boring as computer language , or how a computer worked, especially when discovered their age range (8 to 18 years) and their vastly differing computer experience. Over the summer break, I looked for a project which would allow each cadet to make their own individual contribution and show how computers are being used in society and still have a connection with St John The solution we came up with , and of which the cadets eagerly approved, was desktop publishing That is , with the help of a computer, to design and produce a small newspaper It just so happened that I could borrow all the software and equipment from work (This could , of course , be the reason I was asked to do the course in the first place!) So every Thursday evening for six weeks weset about the task
Com puters
The first week was a general introduction on how computers are now very much part of ou r society and how they can be fou nd , in various '-- --l gUises, in practically every walk of life We then talked about the traditi onal methods of newspaper production and how computers have revolutionised this process Finally, an Introduction to the machines and software they would be using (for those who are interested two AM Nimbus PCs running NewSPAper by SPA) My only restriction was that articles should not be too serious and vaguely connected With St John With those words of wisdom, Ilet them get on with it. Even though the software package was designed for use in schools, and is very intuitive and colourful , it was still very gratifying 10 see all the cadets take to it so quickly The most popular section was the 'illustrator s studio' where all the drawings were created It
soon became clear that, unless action was taken, we would end up with 40 pictures to every piece of writing Suggestions like' no pictures r-' Without first a writ1en ar1icle' were ignored by many cadets ; they were qUite happy to spend hours creating their own pictures, even knowIng they would not end up in the paper
Wri te articles
Those cadets we did persuade to write articles were , afterwards, surprised how easy it was think they were expecting to have to write a10,000 word essay; instead they ended up having to squeeze their article into the allocated space In the process they learnt a lot about of journalists and editors, and were using terms like font and Pixel size quite freely (Does anyone else but the editor know what hey mean? Leamington cadets do )
There was great debate over the title, as no one was able to suggest oneweallliked The title we ended up with , The Bandage Buzz was theon e least disliked by all. The Cross search' puzzle on page two done using a separate computer program and is fiendishly difficult. Have a go at it. The references to the Red Cross were entirely and as St John also got a battering in places, nothing speCi al should be read into them
Although the final product is smaller than I first hoped (two pages '""'-_._---_...,--
of four), it is more colourful and better designed than enVisaged I must emphasize that the entire newspaper is solely the work Of the Leamington cadets. All the ar1icles, layout (and probably mistakes) are their work I know the cade ts learned a lot while olng the project and I hope they enoyed it as much as I did I hope You enjoy reading it.
Bryan Tackaberry, Leamington Division
£1.5m building project . :,'c;. .. STJOHN
Community Nursing (cont)
commits the Health Visitor student to at least 2 years with that Area Health Authority once qualified
The training is very comprehensive , ranging from birth , through the development of the child to adulthood and old age The handicapped and the effects of their handicap on the person concerned and their family are studied , also the facilities available for the normal child. Consideration is given to the support and help to be given to the parents of handicapped children , also guidance as to their management and education
The training also includes practical experience with a field work teacher in doing family studies , and an area study which requires a geat deal of research in the area in which the practical experience is taken
A fter the written exam in June , the student is then based with an experienced Health Visitor to care for approximately 100 families before taking the final exam in September
On completing the course successfully the Health Visitor is then based at a Child Welfare Clinic , a Health Centre GP attachment , or in a rural area and would be a midwife , District Nurse and Health Visitor providing he/she had the three qualifications.
Experience in all fields of nursing is made use of by divisions in St John Ambulance Some trained nurses , as myself did , gained St John Ambulance training and experience prior to entering hosp tal training
Work has just started in Edinburgh on a building project unique in Scotland - a £1 5 million complex incorporating a church and community housing.
This project , which will be known as the St Colm ' s Church redevelopment , in Dairy Road , Edinburgh is a radical solution to a congregation's headache, viz: what to do
News from Scotland
with a church that is too big and too expensive to maintain? The St Colm 's project is the result of a novel partnership between Edinburgh architects Kneale & Russell , the Church of Scotland the Orderof Stjohn and the Gorgie Dairy Housing Association
Kneale Russell devised an imaginative plan to demolish the Victorian Gothic St Colm's Church and replace it with a multipurpose courtyard complex incorporating a church , sheltered housing , general needs housing and a hostel for the frail elderly - a plan which was the brainchild of the minister of St Colm ' s Parish Church , the Rev Ian Renton , OStJ , and architect Mr Stuart Russell who was tragically killed in a diving accident before the scheme got underway
Under the joi nt sponsorsh ip of the Church of Scotland and the Gorgie Dairy Hous ing Association the scheme has received fund ing from the new Scottish Homes (formerly the Housing Corporation) However, it was the Order of St John which provided Ihe financial key which enabled the project tog e! under way by donating the money needed lo demolish the church building
It is hoped that the community will start 10 move into the housing next summer and lhe St Colm 's congregation will return to thei' place of worship in a new multi-purpose space which will have the latest technol og' cal equipment for their services and wh ich will also be made available for Chu rch organisations and the Community
by crystal-gaZing (4) 29 Cathedral of the fens (3) 31 Intravenous drip : tea for example (8) 33 Radioactive Isotope used In medicine (6)
Herpes zoster produced by part of leg and fractured legs (8) 35 Part
A BRIGHTER PLACE
STJOHN
The Sun Life Group alute the selfless dedication of St. John Ambulance at the recent Hillsborough tragedy
The Brigades exemplary work at this and other nJajor disasters has made the World a brighter place.
Launch of The Energy Programme
Sport and First Aid
Safety Badger week
The Specialist Vehicle Builders
People
become , that we regular ly turn some out as 'standard' vehicles In a h ghly successful range that offe rs w i de choice to our customers - In many different areas of human activity Sut we ' re ready to build to your specificat i on - if you have something special in mind Skilful engineering and craftsmanship, unique bodywork deSign, great care and attention to meeting performance needs - hese are the hallmarks of our success in the creatIOn of vehicles that will match the specific demands of their operators - during a l ong, relia ble, an d hig h y cost - effective service life
CONTRIBUTIONS
ontnbu tions to the SI John World are welcome They should be typed , line spaced, on one Side of paper I (if In longhand please pnnt names of on Ypie places, etc) and sent to the edl' address below. If possible supply a hone number for the writer Matenal can P r from a paragraph to a 5,000 word Yle but It should all have some With St John and Its work Photographs should be glossy black and white prints or good quality colour prints, transparencies If photographs are to returned write on the back RETURN and name and address. Press day : last day of month
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Price 90p a copy £12 50 per annum £15 outSide UK, Including postage from 51 John World Wood Cottage, High Corner, 8utley, Suffolk IP12 30F Tel 0394 450548
EDITOR
Frank Driscoll. 51 John World IS edited and produced for the Order of St John by Driscoll Productions , Wood Cottage, High Corner 8utley, nrWoodbridge, Suffolk IP1230F
- STJOHN Wtl RLD
The Energy Programm e
T
he Energy Programme is the third stage in the regeneration programme which will help propel Stjohn Ambulance through the 1990s and into the 21st century It has been designed to halt the reduction in numbers of members which has been taking place over the last decade and is part of a long term plan which started with the highly successful launch of the Badgers and continued with the Cadet Act on Pack
By the time The Energy Programme is officially launched on St John s Day 1989, there will have been over sixty briefings all over the country
" The Energy Programme briefings have been exceptionally well received in the counties The response has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic and pos tive ," said Jennie Eaves , the person responsible for The Energy Programme
St John ' s Day will undoubtedly see divisions taking part in events which attract the public's attention Many of these events will have been arranged jointly with Safeway, who have allowed nominated divisions to undertake publicity events on their premises
These activities include in-store collections , car cleaning , shoe shines and, most ambitious of all , simulated accidents in Safeway car parks All these activities have been initiated to grab the public ' s attention so that members can go on to explain The Energy Programme to them and discover which area theywould be interested in: First Aid , Care, Transport , or Communication
This is where divisions use the FREE questionnaires , mailed earlier in the month
Many counties are already geared up and ready to go , organising and training teams and specific instructors while some others (as usual!) will get around to it in their own time. Many divisions are already pooling resources and utilising the personal energy and talents of their members. " For example ," recalls Jennie Eaves , " at a recent Energy Programme presentation two members sitting next to each other discovered that one had radio experience (but belongs to a division with no radios) while the other is a garage mechanic (belonging to a division with n O" ambulance). They did not swap divisions! However, both units are now working together utilising the talents of the other."
The new induction course teaches basic First Aid skills , Care skills and knowledge about all aspects of St John Ambulance
Within the First Aid section there are three courses: Statutory First Aid, Casualty Han d ling, and Community First Aid. (There is als o an eight hour module called Basic First A id contained within the Statutory Syllabus) A fter any of these courses a memb e r can go on a public duty supervised by a member with full first aid qualifications. A fter c o mpleting all three courses (Statutory
2
First Aid , Casualty Handling and Community F rst Aid) a member can go on a public duty unsupervised Every uniformed member (including Pres idents and even Headquarters staff), must requalify in basic life support procedures every year
Care is an area many divisions have been diversifying into for some time. The Energy Programme has indexed everything that a member can do and what training is necessary for a member to complete specific tasks This will protect the member and the client by indicating clearly the parameters of the scheme
The role of the professional nurse has also been recognised and developed These are the people responsible for the training and supervision of the nursing elements of Care , and to teach Levels One and Two of Caring for the Sick Further to this , Registered General Nurses may also teach Level Three Caring for the Sick , and conduct Caring for the Sick examinations Recognising the professional competency of the qualified nurse is one of the major innovations of The Energy Programme.
Co-ordinators may be appointed to supervise Care at a local level. Co-ordinators are not necessarily nurses, but they do need to have passed Level One Caring for the Sick Their role is to identify the needs of clients, and match these to the capabilities and qualities of the members The role of the
co-ordinator is central to the success fu l launch and organisation of the Care Programme Without them we would have difficulty working in the community
For those wishing to specialise In Transport there are two levels of Ambulan ce Training. Level One concentrates on Ihe skills needed to man a sitting case vehicl e and Level Two provides the skills to mana n ambulance for a public duty, or accident and emergency work. The ethos behin d providing a standard syllabus is to bring a uniform standard of training and practice across the country We are very grateful for assistance from members of the professional ambulance service In compiling the syllabus
Communication is one of the most exciting aspec ts of The Energy Programme The guidelines provide the information and re sources for members to communicate effec tively with each other, and the outside world. Without communication there would be no organisation A new recruit with administrative skills would be a great asset loan overworked Divisional Superintendent. Divisions have already received free Information guidelines on divisional administration , letter writing and report writing
Divisions have also received free advice on fundraising , pubfic/press relations and spo nsorship All this information is invaluable for carrying out divisional pubfic rela tions , especially for a new recruit nterested in becoming a Divisional Public Relations Officer.
Verbal Communication guidelines will probably be of the most individual value to members There are guidelines on listening skills, the structure of meetings, managing conflict and making a presentation These are designed to help members develop their personal communication skills for the ir own benefit and the benefit of St John Ambulance
Later in the year there will be further courses to supplement the guidelines already produced If in the meantime you have any queries on the specific workings of The Energy Programme , talk to your County first and , if you then need to , contact Jennie Eaves (012355231 ext 264). If she is out and about talking to the rest of you about The Energy Programme , contact Susan Patterson (ext 213), the Research Manager whose employment has been sponsored by Safe way to help get The Energy Programme off the ground
By now every adult division should have received their FREE materials to launch The Energy Programme Each item is marked with a St John Supplies code for reordering (at a very reasonabfe cost!).
St John Ambulance is changing The Energy Programme is a vitaf step in our plans to develop an organisation which is geare d for the future. We think we have create d one of the most comprehensive and programmes available anywhere. it IS going to be a challenge for us all
Photography: Lawrence Lawry
I nearly died the Daily M rror headl ned th s ph oto of Man c he ste r Uni ted s Bryan Robson who swallowed h s tongue during a cup match aga nst QPR in January (Pho to Dally MIrror)
T
he tragedy at H llsborough in April has given a new urgency to a long-running campaign I have been fighting to persuade the organisers of sports events in London to take seriously the need for adequate first aid facilities
Surely I was not alone in hav i ng doubts about the general attitude of organisers of major sporting events who , despite public support and ever increasing gate receipts , did little to recognise the need for adequate first aid facilities Nor were they finding appropriate funding to provide cover by St John Ambulance personnel and their refreshment needs when the duty was long So what could be done?
The disastrous fire at Bradford a year or two ago provided the opportunity to examine the position and then to translate the research into action
I soon realised that the blame did not always lie with the organisers in many cases it was because we had not made the proper approach at the right level. Major eyents were too often left to the already over-worked Superintendent to negotiate , when the County Commander, Commissioner or Area
As a result of the St John Ambulance submiss i on to the Bradford enquiry, Mr Just ce popplewell included the follow ing paragraph in his interim report •The value of the presence of the St John Ambulance at a sports ground cannot be over-estimated If it be the case that afirst aid room is either not provided or inadequately prov ded then that should be remedied and I recommend that on grounds which are designated it should be the term of the safety certificate." (The italics are those of Mr Justice Popplewell.) Sadly the final report did not include this significant section relating to first a d facilit ies
Over the past two years St John Ambulance has written to the Home Office asking for statutory requirements for adequate first aid to be included in the Act and the cert ficat on procedure for football and similar stadia The Minister of State replied however that the government is not empowered under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act (1975) or the Safety of Places of Sport Act (1987) to issue mandatory guidel i nes He added " we have given guidance to local authorities but do not believe it would be right to direct them on what , after all, is their statutory responsibility ".
In our subm ssion to the Hillsborough enquiry, Dr Herbert Ellis, Chief Commander, has offered to cOl\sult the other emergency services on recommendations of our Surgeon-inChief concerning the minimum facilities necesssary to provide adequate first aid in a sports stadium Recommendations will be submitted concerning the size, location , access , lighting , heating, ventilation , hot and cold runn ing water, electricity, communications , cleanliness and hygiene of first aid rooms ; equipment which should be provided by the ownerof the ground ; and the necessary levels of mann ng, according to the capacity of the ground " We believe that their provisions should be a statutory requis te to the granting of a certificate to a sports stadium by a local authority " states Dr Ellis
diSCUSSion , other major s port ng venues agreed improvements , nclud i ng Tw ckenham rugby ground , W i mbledon tenn is, Lords and the Oval cr ck e grounds
It may all s ound pla n sa l i ng but t d idn ' t ust automat ically happen For example , it became necessary to meet every local au thor ity ssu i ng cert f cates to expla n St John problems and they all responded i n a most helpful manner and accepted us as consultants
At the grounds themselves , club secretaries and directors responded to an approach which stressed the need for adequate f nancial support by i mprov i ng the accommodat ion and substant ally i mprov ng Ihedonat i on to St John From a der isory 50 penc e or £1 per 1,000 spectators it rose to £5 per 1,000 although , n my v iew, th s is still not
reali st c and should be doubled
Commiss oner would have been i n a belter By now you will have realised that th s had pos tion to be i nvolved bec ome very much a personal issue and
The tragic fire was the subject of an offiCial proved for all to see that County Comenquiry by Mr Just ice Popplewel an d manders had their uses and more through the Order I submitted sugges tion s Importantly t also ensured a un form ity of to the enqu i ry for substantial i mprovem enls approach wh i ch paved the way to a to the standards of f rst aid fac l it es be ing sUccessful outcome provided at football grounds w h an Butother pos tive things came from all the appropr iate rat o of fully tra ned rst-a ders aCli vity Parliamentary questions were on duty Many of the suggest ons were orOmpted with the particular help of Ne l accepted and publ shed as re com· Thorne , MP for IIford South and after mendations in Mr Justice popplewe ll's Correspondence with the Home Office , local interim report but regrettably not in his final authorities are being advised of the need to report. revi ew and ensure adequate standards
This prompted me to follow-up act ion by When licenSing sporting venues The Fire arranging meetings with senior officia ls 01 and Safety at Sports Grounds Act , 1975 the Greater London Council who were then am ended , affects all grounds w i th a stand the licenSing and certificating body On Ihe capacity exceeding 500 people demise of the , the responsibility was I Enquiries from various pans of England passed to the IndiVidual London Boroug hS an d Wales have led me to ask counties to all of which agreed the safety I help Survey conditions at grounds where requirements for licensing , includ ln 9 he Ihey perform duty, Information about 79 paragraph relating to first aid which ootball grounds outside London - five the necessary facilities , equipment an olhers are still outstanding and eight are manning levels COVered by the British Red Cross SocietyLondon has 11 grounds where 12 Footba Illakes depressing reading Many major League clubs play, but apart from them after northern clubs still donate only £1 25 to £2
per 1,000 spectators , desp ite rece ving substant al fees for telev sed games
You may be i nterested to know that Mr John Lell ott , one of our Distr ct v i ce pres dents , i s also v ce cha rman of W i mbledon Football club and dur ng h s travels to other Football League c l ubs throughout the country he is help ng to put our v i ews across to club directors
You may also l i ke to be aware that the Football Improvement Trust s prepared to fund 75 % of the cost of equipment at football grounds , providing the club i tself pays the rema n ng 25 %. The appl cat on must be supported by Police F i re and the local author ity i ssu ng the ground certif cate
In the case of county cr i cket grounds where Test matches are played , the TCCB can be generous w ith a donat ion through the County Cr cket Club
A nosebleed at the Midd esex rugby champ onsh ps s dealt with (Photo : R chard Gardner)
But what must we do on our part to ust fy suffic ent fund ng and fully equ ipped f rst a d posts at sporting venues of all sorts? Surely we must ensure that there are suff c i ent well tra i ned personnel present and that they g ve uniform and competent treatment to the publ c who needs help That should go w ithout say ng , but members should also real i se that the duty s be i ng carr ed out n view of the public , wh ch often includes press and telev s i on cameras Members on duty are our ' shop w i ndow and they need the nterest and support of the r Area and County sen i or off cers
I have proved to myself that my m ss on to conv nce local author t es and the owners of sports grounds n London of the i mportance of f i rst a d and of the need to take pos tive act on to ensure fac l it es are adequate is not imposs ble May you have equal success
At the races
Jockey Brendan Powell needs a stretcher at a January Le cester meet ng (Photo : Rac ng Post)
reat B ri ta in s ay th at the rst pr ze for a raffle o th is type shou d not exceed £6,000 As the pr ce o f c a rs h as risen dramat cally n recent year s, Lo rd Westbury w il be wr t ng to the Cha
Greyhound Evening
You may be su r pr sed to know that He r Roya Highness The Pr ncess Royal s a greyhound fan , and k ndly agreed to attend a Gala Greyhound even i ng on May 10 at Wembley Stadium i n a d of St John Ambu lance evening was organised by the Grosvenor Spec al Events team in conjunction with their Sports and Enterta nment Comm ttee , cha red by John Lelliott , cha rman of John Lell ott Construction Ltd and also Dickie Davies
The even i ng raised £48 ,000 net prof it through sponsorship by the Albert Abela Group of Compan es , t cket sales , a raffle and an auction Each of the 12 races was sponsored , and each dog was nominated , which all added to the income Charity greyhound racing evenings are becom ng more and more popular, part icularly when they have the Royal stamp of approval! So i you have a greyhound track in your county, 6
he Gam ing B oard to enquire whether this rest ric t v e p rice level could be raised. It has been trad t o nal for ou r raffle to offer a car as firs p rize, b ut do the counties feel that a first c la ss holiday w ould be just as popular? Mr Pa ul B umstead, the County Liaison Officer, wo uld like to hear your views Paul has volunteered to carryon working at Headq uarters once a week, and among h is d u ti e s w ill be the coordination of the raff le He h as se n bulk orders of tickets to all c oun ty off ices and some local branches as
First prize in the 1989 raffle - a Metro C ly ca' requested He will deal with further ord ers 10' tickets on a weekly basis. This will hopelu Iycut down on administrative costs andsa time in getting the tickets to the count ies Tickets will be available throughout thf summer until the beginning of Octobe r,Q until stocks last. Stubs should be returned books of ten to Paul by October 20, for th draw on November 1 at Headquarters.· Grosvenor Crescent.
Good Luck with the ticket selling! Let str to reach that £120,000 target this year
Safety Badger Week
Have
you heard about Safety Badger Week? It takes place between July 10-1 8 and is an opportunity for everyone to fi nd out just how much the Badgers know abo ut safety Safety is one of the nine topics covered by the Badger Course in Absolutely Everything when they study aspects of sa fety at home , on the road , near water and at play If you want to discover hidden dangers in the kitchen know what to wear that glOWS in the dark, learn how to help a drowning person , be able to recognise dangerous fungi and berries ask a Badger.
Throughout the summer Badger Sets everywhere will be compiling project files on how they contributed to Safety Badger Week. They will be setting up displays ,
Jemima
psyched
It is not often that St John members are Involved with the psychic ', but it seemed hidden powers led to a successful rescue by members of the St John Ambulance and Rescue Service in Guernsey recently The team was called out on Easter Sunday evening to rescue a dog which had been missing over the Easter holiday period Her discovery is being claimed as another success for Brian Terriss a local psychic Who describes himself as a radiesthetist '. The bull terrier, Jemima , was on holiday
With her owner, Kevin Fitzpatrick of London , Who was staying with his parents on the Island. They went for a walk at 10 am on Thursday, and when they reached the dog bolted Mr Fitzpatrick said : We searched from dawn to dusk on ThurSday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday."
arranging visits and talks , designing posters , writing safety tips for children and getting themselves mentioned on local TV and radio The Set submitting the best file will win a day trip to Alton Towers And there will be plenty of other competitions , games and activities in the bumper safety edition of Badger Buzzz.
Various events are being staged at local and county level. Look out in your area for road-safety competitions , accident simulations life-saving demonstrations , exhibitions and other safety-linked activities.
Children have more accidents during the summer than at any other time of the year, so it is the season when we have to be particularly aware of possible dangers. Who wants to spend their summer in hospital when protective clothing would have lessened a cycling injury or suntan cream prevented those nasty burns? St John
Badgers learn how to avoid such problems as well as how to play safely how to say no to strangers, how to spot trouble and how to cope in an emergency
Safety Badger Week will be your chance to see the Badgers in action If you want to find out more about them contact Sarah Harris, 1 Grosvenor Crescent , London , SW1X 7EF Tel 01-235-5231 for a free information pack
Bursary winners
Kathleen Lane (centre left) and Karen 8/atcher, winners of the 1989 £500 and £250 Nursing Bursaries, with the Superintendent in ChIef Lady Westbury (left) and Dame Audrey Emerton, Chief Nursing Officer.
so we sat qUietly, and eventually heard whining ."
After a search with the dog ' s owner, they discovered her in an naccessible spot and called the Ambulance & Rescue Service for
It could be an ideal fund ra is ng opportun ity
Many celebr t es were invited on May 10 to join n the fun , including Bob Monkhou se (who conducted the auct on) , Ernie W ise, Bern e Winters , Little and Large ', M c k McManus David Lodge and Reg nald Gutteridge
A t he D og s. (L to R) Regina lO Gutteridg e, Ernie Wise, 009 owner hold ng trophy, Her Roya H igh ness, Les Crooks (51 Jo hn m ember), dog trainer, Mrs Alb e rt Ab ela and M r and Mrs J o h n Lel/io tt
Appeals were broadcast on local radio TV and in the press , but after four days without MrTerriss was contacted Using a Picture of the dog , a map and a pendulum , hewent to Marble Bay on Guernsey 's east coast.
While Sitting in a cave , which turned out bObe 40 feet below the dog , his pendulum egan to behave erratically " It was an un.usual reaction from the pendulum " he sai d, "but I thought the dog was in the
assistance
The four man team - Keith Fotherg ill, Dav id Harvey, Shaun Phillips and Peter Blake - had to penetrate 100 feet of dense undergrowth to reach the dog , wh ch was on a ledge 40 ft above Marble Bay
Mr Terriss describes his work in locating missing people animals and objects as radiesthesia , which relies on radiation given off He cannot expla n the phenomena but has been successful in trac ng other lost animals and in helping to find the body of a missing man NT.
the bull
Jem ma
terrier, with her rescuers (Photo: Guernsey Press)
First Aid in Schools
S ight and Sound Youth Tra i ni ng Sc heme , Manchester, was awarded a spe ci al cert f icate to mark the ir achievement of 2 ,500 students completing the Three Cross Awa rd over the last three years The off ic al prese ntat on , held n Manchester College , was made by Greater Manchester Ch i ef Constable and SJA D rector James Andert on to John Pardoe , manag i ng d i rector, S ght an d SouM , and Judy Gregory, general manage r
Of the 16 to 17-year-old students ta ki ng part in the scheme, Judy Gregory said : " Our tra nees find this award part cularl y use fu when they attend nterv iews for permanen t employment There are many sma ll er businesses whose staff have little f any knowledge of Emergency A d u nt il ou r tra i nees arr ive on the ir doorstep We regard the Three Cross Award as add it iona nat ional certification for our YTS tra nees , togethe r with the Royal Soc ety of Arts Cert if icates for which they study (92 1!Wo pass !) dur ing the ir YTS tra i ning programmes w th us ."
Lancashire lasses success
Twenty pup il s from Westholme Sch oo l, Blackburn , were very proud to rece ve t he ir One Cross and Two Cross cert if icates fr om Mr D Lund , Schools Pro ect Off icer for Lancash i re. School Matron Mrs Jean W i ll am s, here with the pupils (r ght), nstructed the class i n the Emergency A id sess ions
American school
The Amer ican Community School , Uxbridge was presented w ith the Spec ial Certificate by SJA Director Mrs C Stretton at their beautiful ' stately home ' school. The multi-national pupils had to work extra hard because of language difficulties Debbie McLachlan , theAmerican nurse responsible for introducing the Three Cross Award to the school , said she is very impressed with the Emergency Aid standards and procedures and has started the scheme at the Amer ican Community School in
New book
This Refresher Book, which is based on the Three Cross Award, has been designed as an addition to the video so that students have a comprehensive memory aid after completing their Three Cross Award course The 16 page book is fully illustrated , easy to understand, and inexpensive
Copies are available from Supplies Department at 50p each 8
Call fllr an ambulance
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SAMARITAN
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Favourite food from Yorkshire
ST. JOHN AMBULANCE YELLOW PAGES
and garden - and recipes old and new Malcolm Rutherford on ...
Press freedom
There is clearly some disagreement between those who own, edit or write for newspapers and those who read them. Witness some of the events of the last few months.
A Private Member's Bill seeking to enforce the reader's right of reply to factual errors in the printed media was very nearly passed by the House of Commons.
There was also considerable support for a Private Member's Bill that would have defined the right of privacy in such a way that reporters could be prevented from putting questions to ordinary individuals.
And, perhaps most spectacular of all, Mrs Sonia Sutcliffe, the wife of the Yorkshire Ripper, was awarded £600,000 libel damages because she was judged to have been defamed by the magazine, Private Eye.
Taken together, those events suggest that the pulic is none too happy with what it reads in the media. The libel case is the most interesting because it is there that the public has the most direct say. Libel cases, when not settled out of court, are decided by juries: 12 good men (and women) true. The judge has very little say in giving them guidance on their decision. Thus a jury can award almost
whatever damages it chooses
What seems to be happening is that in the big cases the awards get higher and higher, but with no logical basis in a way that (say) the fine for theft might go up in accordance with the value of what was stolen. Jeffrey Archer, the novelist and Conservative politician, was awarded £500,000 because the News of the World was judged to have set him up in an incident involving a call girl. Mrs Sutcliffe was awarded £600,000 because Private Eye was found to have no evidence for its allegations that she had bargained and haggled with the Daily Mail about a fee for selling the paper her story
In the light of such awards, it seems reasonable to assume that the juries are trying to punish the press They think that newpapers and magazines make mistakes, are sometimes irresponsible and even downright malicious, and that they ought to be made to pay for it. And, of course, in a way the juries are right. Newspapers frequently print stories without having properly checked the facts, and some of them can be very hurtful. I went through the Private Eye case in some detail and it was quite clear that the magazine had virtually no defence of its conduct. Indeed, if Private
COMPILED BY NORTH YOAKSHIRE
Eye contests the judgement and the Court of Appeal orders a retrial, t is perfectly possible that the damages awarded to Mrs Sutcliffe by the new jury will be even higher " Serves Private Eye right ," you may say. Yet I still wonder about the size of the award £600 ,000 is an awful lot of money Is it perhaps out of proportion to the scale of the damage done to Mrs Sutcliffe? I also wonder whether juries are competent to make the awards without more guidance from the judge
The pattern at present is that they take the size of the previous award and add another £100,000.
The intention of the Government is that there should now be a review of all the aspects of media law, including libel , privacy and the right to reply That is good. Already some of the are taking steps to put their house In order for fear that there will be more statutory sanctions against them , if they do not. More of them are printing corrections and readers' letters when they make mistakes. Some of them have appointed 'Ombudsmen' to deal with readers' complaints. That is welcome as well. It may not have happened without the public outcry
What I hope readers will remember , however, is that there remains a strong case for freedom of the press
Newspapers should not be judged solely by their transgressions And, after all, readers themselves have the ultimate sanction: they could stop buying the papers that are judged to offend On the whole they do not.
John World County and Division News July 1989 and then there • were nine••
When he was six years and two days old, Simon Freeman joined the Sileby, Leics, Badger Set. Nothing unusual in that. of course. Except that Simon then became the ninth - yes. ninth! - of his family to join the DiviSion.
He follows in the footsteps of Mum (a nurSing member), two brothers (ambulance member ). two sisters (nursing cadets). two more brothers (ambulance cadets), and yet another brother (a badger). And in a couple of years, another little Freeman - a sisterhopes to join too.
Is this a record? asks mum, Mrs Carol-Anne Freeman, The only member of the family not in the Brigade is Dad. He has resisted pre sure to jOin, but helps ,"-hen annual reVision come round. "The only trouble with this timlily," he said. 'i' that you daren't relax. If you get on your back for a moment. the next thing you' re rolIed into the recovery position."
St John members all Clockwise from front left are: Simon (6), Donna (16). Patrick (12), Sean (21), Darryl (22). mum Carol-Anne. Samantha (15), Dominic (7) and John-Paul (11).
Training packages for Surrey schools
All tate chools. middle and secondary. In Surrey have been presented \\ Ith the Three Cro Award teachIng package - the fir;t count) in Britain to achieve thl coverage. O,er £5.000 \',a ' raised by the count)' Friends of St John to fund the exercise
The 253 training packages. which includes a \Ideo. were handed over at Cobham HQ during April
In photo (left) urre) Cadet Leader of the Year Jonathon Portch hands \ Ideos to chools representatives Fleur O' Ions and Mark George.
Blce ter cadets came econd In their county St John' Ambulance S\\ InlffiIng gala held at Witney recently. It wa ' the first time Blceter had taken part in the event and the) are pictured (abme) \\ Ith their runnerup trophy. Back ro\.'.. from left Rebecca Prior. TraC) Prout.
Mark Kelly. 10 is Avon's first Super Badger. A pupil at Waycroft JunJOr School In Stockwood. Mark wa a member of the Stockwood Badger and ha now moved to the Cadets. He was presented With his ceramic badger and certificate by Commisioner Stuart Hadler. (Photo: Bristol EWlling Post)
Ternce Peake. Clair Prout and Nicola Palin. Front ro\\. from left: Andre\\ Campbell. Da\id Ain worth. Jim Campbell (\'.ho won the officers' cup). Daniel Sheehan and BarT) Sheehan.
Dorset county competitions.
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
The great pull -by72 Badgers_ begins in Londonderry
Bristol
Greater Manchester
Londonderry
Seventy two Badger turned out for a Joint City Link (disabled service)
Badgers bus pull around the City'S shopping centre. accompanied b} much shouting, singing and fun (photo above) The good tolk of Londonderry certainly knew the Badger had arnved in town. (In fact, thought it wa a riot and ned )
SpeCial service shields for 200 hours service were presented to Karen StradllOg and Da\Nn Worner, of Nalisea quadrilateral DIVISion , bl MISS Myra Meredith, Area Comml;. SlOner for Wood<;pnng. (Photo bOl' tom prevIOus column)
Newcastle
A good time was had by all at Avon's Badger camp at Goblin Combe (what a fine name for a Badger camp site!).
This particular game is ladders, the toe-to-toe legs of Badgers being the ladder rungs. Incidentally, Area Commissioner T Joiner was there and scaled the 'ladder' without falling.
Caterham
Six cadets from Little Lever Quadrilateral Divi IOn were taking a lunch break while acting as stewards at a county competitIOn when they put their own first aid kill into action. SeelOg a man had collap ed on an 'island' between traffic in central Salford, they went and placed him in a comfortable position, and reassured his wife while one called an ambulance.
When the ambulance arrived, the cadets were commended on their actions by both the ambulancemen and two adult St John members who had arrived at the scene.
With the Area Comml<;sloner, press, parents, frlend<;. adult members - and even complete strangers In tow the procession eventually heaved and ho-ed itself to the finishlOg line, \Nhere tea and plenty of goodies were spread out at the HQ.
Eastbourne
Caterham's new ambulance is dedicated.
ResuscItation, under the guidance of Barry Curtis, IS learned In Eastbourne
Nailsea
Caterham Division, Surrey, recently dedicated its third vehicle, a new Bedford CF2 ambulance, at a ceremony led by Rev C. M. S. Snow, v icar of St John's Church, Caterham. The County Commissioner, Mr S. Latham, was the inspecting officer. Also in the photograph is D S Yeats.
The Division's two other vehicles, a Freight Rover and a Range Rover, covered 40,000 miles last year on duty.
Newcastle Quad Division, Staffs dedicates a new ambulance bought with funds given by the town 's Lions I
Mrs Bessie Hould, a former wartime member (ambulance si ter), of Swithmore Nursing DiviSIOn Plymouth, now a re ident at Redlands Residential Home, Instow North Devon, recently celebrated her lOOth birthday. During the day she was visited by the Deputy Counl) Commi sioner, Mr Marg arel Lavers, and the Area Commissioner, Mr Richard Braddon. (Photo: North Devonloumal Herald , Bamstaple.)
The County Comml sioner for West Glamorgan (above), Lynford Brunt , presents Three Cros" Av.ard cerl1ficates to Danygralg JUOlor School, Swansea. In c luding Kelly Thomas (foreground) \Nho I'> aho a member of the Swansea East 01\ lIon Mrs L}nda Miners (right) , County Staff Officer (Cadets). has been teaching the 41 children. who all gamed the award
Weybridge Division member gIving service at the 19-mile station of the London Marathon
With love from Lincoln
Avon's Timsbury D,VISIOn and president Fred Wedlock (third from left , standing)
Timsbury
TV personality Fred Wedlock.. presIdent of Timsbury DiviSIOn, Avon, was at a cadet enrolment ceremony conducted by Lenard Burden, the CommiSSioner, Ea tern Area Avon (photo above) Fred pre ented Emma Cottle with a bar to her proficiency badge for 200 hours of duty Emma IS seated 2nd left, middle row, in photo above.
.Dlvisional Superintendent Nigel Kirby (l t left, back row) is next to Mrs Naomi Buchanan Pre ident eastern Area, and Fred Wedlock.
Wroxham
A new caravan to be u ed as a first aid unit wa pre ented to Wroxham and Hoveton DiVISion, Norfolk. recently by the Local Round Tablers Dedicated by the Rev Hugh Edgell, Chaplain to the Order. and accepted by DIS Peter Hamon, the caravan replace one also presented to the division by the Tabler in 1973.
Next month St John World features St John in Action - the life of a division Report from South Africa
Cecil Jollands. member of Lincoln Gaol's board of visitors and SJA County PRO, hands over a rockmg horse made by gaol inmates to Count) Council chairman Mr Zena Scoley, on the fir t tage of its journey to the St John Ophthalmic HopitaJ in Jerusalem. Mrs Scoley very kindly offered to take the rocking hor e to London while on an official journey in the Council's chauffeur driven car. Mr Jollands said: "1 had no idea how to get this magnificent gift on its way to the children of Jerusalem until Mrs Scoley came up with her wonderful offer. She's a good sport and we can't thank herenough for the offer."
With the rocking horse safely in London. Cecil Jollands, who \va attending a PR conference at National HQ. took the opportunity of personally handing over the rem of Rocking Robin (as he' called) to the Hospitaller, Str Stephen Miller. Robin continues his journey by plane. Bon voyage.
1989
TUNSTALL
TELECOM CARING AWARDS
ThiS I the ninth year of the Tun tall
At
Cadets Louisa Martin, Barry Heathfield, Samantha Tricksey and Steven Turner at the Novices First Aid Team test. They survived.
FORD AMBULANCE RESTORATION
The ambitious project to restore a sixty year old Ford Model A ambulance which originally belonged to Sid mouth Division is making good progress. The engine , chassis and bodywork are being worked on by apprentices at engineering company BMARC's Grantham premises
The 'service green' painted Ford ambulance was purchased at a cost of £250 in 1929 and during its first months of service was kept busy There were 24 calls from June to October 1929 involving seven road accidents , three domestic accidents and 14 invalids were transported to hospital; a total of 587 miles
According to original records, the four cylinder ambulance weighed 'one ton 2 cwt and 2 qtrs and was 14 feet 2 inches long, 5 feet 5112 inches wide and 7 feet 41/2 inches in height'. The manufacturer's specifications state the ambulance was capable of a maximum speed of 50 miles per hour
Writing to BMARC recently to thank them for their efforts, the Lord Prior, Lord Grey of Naunton, expressed his eagerness to see the newly restored vehicle; "The prospect of having the 1929 ambulance back on the road means a great deal to so many within the Order."
On schedule for completion in the autumn, the ambulance will be able to attend events around the country to assist with publicity and fund-raising.
Established twelve years with over 200 ambulances supplied to St John
- STJOHN W9 RLD
AeromedicalWe go \to France and get special treatment
Leaving after an all-night guard at the Town Hall
In contrast to the aeromedical flying service, SJA East Berks ' ambulance car ried out several missions by road across Eu rope to repatriate patients who because of medical conditions were considered unfit to fly by schedule services (Today such missions are made by ambulance planes) Meticulous arrangements were necessary for these jou rneys , includi ng of cou rse continental insurance for vehicle and crew, an d accommodation on the ferry. Sufficient cash for meals , petrol , road tolls , and overni ght stops had to be arranged, with all paperwork in order before we set off. Records of mileage and expenditure were kept throughout the journey
KNIGHTS OF ST JOHN AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
An exhibition is being mounted at the Order's Museum at St John's Gate from 14 July to 2 September on the Knights of St John and the French Revolution. This topical exhibition adds another dimension to the celebrations in this country and in France of the Bicentenary of the French Revolution this year.
The Order 's position in France is explored through manuscripts, maps, prints, books and paintings and provides background on a little examined aspect of the history of the French Revolution.
Admission from Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm (except 26 and 28 August) Telephone the Museum on 01-2536644 for more details
FIRST AID IN RUSSIA
St John Ambulance's Chief PreSident Mrs Harold Phillips has recently returned froma visit to Russia, where she was involved inan horrendous accident.
While on a coach Journey from Leningrad a car travelling towards them collided inloa lorry and then crashed into their coach
None of the passengers on Mrs Phillips coach was hurt, but the car passengers sus· tained appalling injuries. As the only trained first aider, Mrs Phillips did all she could 10 help and console.
She placed the car driver who had severe head injuries and bleeding into the pOSition and bandaged his head, but helaler died. She found that two other casualtieS had broken backs, and all had severely broken limbs and bleeding.
Of the eight car passengers, only four sur· vived Speaking after the incidenl Mrs Phillips said "I would like to stress the of taking a first aid course, for everybodY·
The crew for such trips was usually myself and, depending on the distance, two orthree drivers. Although all were experienced St John members, special training sessions included lifting and the care of seriously ill pat ents during long distance travel , night dr iving and maintenance of ambulance
On one such journey two drivers and myself set out for Bordeaux with overnight bookings on the Southampton to Le Havre fe rry The drivers knew each other well, and wehad a sense of humour, which stood us in gOod stead.
Having boarded the ferry and made Ce rtain that the vehicle was secure, with adjusted for driving on the right Si de of the road, we went to find our berth. We were told that one four-berth cabin has be en booked for us!
By the time the purser had coped with a qU eue of passengers and their problems, th ere was consternation when he realised that communication had failed somewhere alo ng the line so far as we three were co ncerned. There was not another berth available on the ship and I was eventually Shown into what was obviously a large walk-
across the channel
in cupboard which has been hurriedly cleared and the lower shelf made up with blankets and pillows The two men had a large four berth suite with all mod oons to themselves.
We drove through France and finally arrived at the hospital in Bordeaux late that evening to check that all was in order for our patient to be discharged the following morning
From there we were directed to a local hostel run by Catholic nuns used to accommodate relatives of patients who needed to stay overn ight. We were offered a meal which we gladly accepted It appeared that although the nuns treated us with great courtesy, there was a sense of reserve, and later it transpired that from our uniforms they thought we were the police come to arrest the son of our patient who was staying there - for what reason they knew not!
By this time it was nearly midnight and , having found our hostel , the ambulance was parked in what was considered a safe and suitable place But suddenly we were confronted by two gendarmes who came to question us.
Eventually and by dint of showing off their knowledge of English by reading the words on the side on the ambulance, their train of thought led them through Royal Berks', 'Windsor', and the 'Queen' to the conclusion that this was the Queen of England's ambulance and so should on no account be parked in the road! Radio reports passed to and from their superiors and we were finally escorted to the courtyard of the Town Hall, where an all-night guard was mounted on our ambulance!
With memories of the previous night's sleeping quarters, I had hopes of a really comfortable night. But it was not to be. While the men were shown to a spacious, well-
furnished room with all facilities , I was taken to a spartan top floor room
But what of our patient? He and h s wife had set out to holiday in the South of Spain , but he suffered a severe stroke on the a rcraft , which had made an emergency landing at Bordeaux , where he was admitted to the intensive care unit of the local hospital.
At the hospital the next morning we were asked to don gown and mask before approaching our patient to transfer him to the ambulance X-rays , doctors ' letters , drugs for the journey, luggage passports , etc , were checked for staring our journey home Whatever the badinage between our crew members on the outward journey, on the return everything was more subdued All my attention was directed at the patient , who was still very ill , and his wife who travelled with us , who was naturally very anxious and tired
From Calais on the evening ferry to Dover, I stayed with the patient in the ambulance below decks among the lorr ies and cars , while the drivers took care of the wife to give her a break from her husband s problems This also gave me a chance to make the patient comfortable for the night.
Our brief on aeromedical missions is , where possible , to transport the patient to the hospital nearest their home On this trip we were bound for a town in the Midlands By the time we reached East Berks SJA HQ , where a change of crew awaited us , the patient and his wife were sound asleep and continued so as we drove through the night.
With patient safely delivered to the hospital, we returned to our HQ , thinking another mission completed' - and I knew I was heading for a really comfortable bed!
Crew members : Miss Margaret Weller, Johh Keefe and Cliff Petti fer.
Ma rga ret Well e r 15
Cadet Help and Information Pages
Hello and Welcome to the July edition of C*H*I*P*S, the column within 8t John World written with Cadets in mind. This month we look at some outdoor activities, to keep the Cadets interested during these long, hot, balmy evenings. In our regular feature 'Chips News' we cover what's currently going on with special regard to young people.
That's entertainment - SAFARI!
T
h is month's entertainment suggestion could form the basis for a series of outdoor meetings or a fun filled day out for the Division. By going on SAFARI your cadets will have taken part in a large variety of activities, which may go towards a Proficiency Badge.
Crossing the river
The Division is divided into small groups and given a light plank of wood on which is placed a bucket or a bundle of supplies The load is transported along the course by the group holding the plank above their heads and the cadet at the back moving to the front as the plank is moved forward slowly. Do the vital expedition supplies get through?
Animal parade
To help identify the animals on SAFARI, the officer tells a story involving the animals. Each cadet in the Division is given an animal and has to run when it is mentioned. If the
officer mentions : Safari , all the Division have to march ; Lion - run on all fours ; Elephant - bend double, trailing a hand on the floor ; Giraffe - run one hand in the air ; Gorillarun trailing both hands on the floor , Kangaroo - jump with feet together ; Sloth - walk ; Snake - whole team runs holding on to each others waists
Across the swamp
The Division is provided with a small number of cardboard stepping stones A NCO lays the spare one in front of them and the cadets behind him/her all move up a stone The Cadet at the back then picks up the spare stone and passes it to the front. Which group in the Division gets furthest across the swamp in the time?
Spot the species
All officers dress up in any outrageous costumes they can find (nothing special about this one so farn hide in the jungle
A nice cheque from Safeways assistant manager at Tiverton for East Devon cadets, who are taking part in the Ten Tors event. The money is to be spent on camping equipment. (L to R) ASO Lynne Ogden, Peter Pavey (Colyton), Sue Way (Exeter), Lynne Brown (Honiton), Nikki Skinner (Exmouth) and Nigel Thompson (Ottery St Mary).
The cadets are told of some recent strange slghtlngs and are asked to make accurate observations of the animals but not to disturb them The cadets stalk the animals and if an y charge they must get away from them As the game goes on , the cadets keep return ngto base to add further details to the r desc np· tions of the animals A leader could ta ke notes or help the cadets to draw th e creatures
Safari rally
Ask some parents of leaders to man chec K points on a Safari rally Spread the chec k· points out to make a two mile route aroun d your headquarters , each connected by a different sort of trail. At each base , the Division collects part of a jigsaw which build up to give final instructions. Also , instruction is given at the check-points to help the cadets with the next type of trail. When the y have completed all the trails and have bee n checked in and out of all the bases , the
UK's I
No.1 Cadet I
At a reception for Londonderry's Cadet Robert McMonagfe who earNer this year In London was chosen UK s SJA Cadet Leaderofthe Year. (L to R) Robert's father, Mr McMonagle, Area Commissioner T.A Smallwoods , Robert Northland (Robert's division) DIS C. Wiflishe" the Deputy Mayor, and Robert's mother. Mrs McMonagle
cadets solve the final clue and return for a drink and a hamburger
First aid
Practise the First Aid treatment of bites stings and scratches while out on SAFARI.
Jungle Fruits
Blindfold the cadets and use a teaspoon to feed them different fruits Ask them to identify the tastes
Rescue!
Hold a tug-of-war competition to practise pulling a stray elephant out of the swamp.
Quick on the draw
Hold a water fight in a jungle clearing Everybody (including you Supt!) wears a swimming costume and is given a clean washing-up liquid bottle Each team has a barrel of water or access to a tap The only rule is to obey the signal to stop!
Jungle Juice - heat up some water for hot
S & W Yorks, Calderdale Area's
from
The new cadet flag
Division
the cost of an anatomic - Anne (Back) NIM Dawn Thomas, NIM Joanne Dent and NIO Sandra Ronson, officer-in-charge. (Photo: Blackpoof Evening Gazette)
Chips News
Inthe past three years , the British Philatelic Trust has made grants to 254 school stamp and youth clubs. The trust will be running a similar scheme this year. Through the scheme, schools and youth organisations with a stamp club can be provided with catalogues, books and stamp Collecting material. Interested persons in charge of a stamp club run by a school or youth organisation in the UK, which has not previously received a grant, should enquire In to JOB Littlebury, The Secretary, Bntlsh Philatelic Trust, British Philatelic Centre, 107 Charterhouse Street, London
Cycling
FOlloWing its huge success last summer, a edition of the Cyclists Touring Clubs oOklet, Positive Cycling, has been prOdUced.
Aimed primarily at 'new cyclists , aged 16 and over, this 24-page colour guide deals with many aspects of cycling, from choosing the right bicycle and maintaining it, to route planning and safe riding techniques. Copies of the booklet are available from CTC, Cotterell House, 69 Meadrow, Godalming, Surrey GU7 3HS. Please enclose an A4 size envelope with your request and 22p in stamps.
Cash for trash
Thanks to a scheme called The Great Paper Caper' hundreds of schools and community groups have raised over £750,000 by regular collections of newspapers from households. It's the largest newspaper recycling scheme ever organised in the UK and the scope for money making is endless. There is no need to store newspapers on the premises - skips are delivered and taken
away on collection days.
Cheques will then be sent to the collecting groups by the organisers IL Wastepaper (UK) Ltd. Anyone wishing to know more about the scheme should contact Diane Healey on 061 2280521. The scheme could be run by parents' committees or supporters' groups, rather than cadet divisions, as ideally cadets should not be involved in door-to-door collections.
Information packs and a video are available to demonstrate how the scheme works.
That's it for another month. I hope you found something of use, and as usual welcome your suggestions and comments. See you in August.
Send to CHIPS , St John World, Wood Cottage, High Corner, Butley, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 3QF.
(Above)
of Cfevedon
after its dedication by Father Robert at St John's Church, Clevedon. (Photo Myra Meredith).
cadets of the year both are members of Brighouse Combined Cadet Division They are Alex Grummitt and Charlotte Greenwood. (Photo : Graham Lynch)
All smiles
Lytham St Annes nursing cadets who received £300 from Granada's Telethon 88 appeal towards
Cook out Cook some jungle rec pes on open fires
orange juice
(North ants)
Winifred Mrs Benn ett Derbys)
Deborah Lilias, MIss B lddlecombe (Isle of W ight)
Raymond Boddy (Cleveland)
She ila Ivy Mrs Br idges (Herefs & Worcs
Colin William B ro wn (London)
Iris JeSSie, Mrs Brown (Berks)
Constance Mary Ann Lavender MIss Burgess (Avon )
Joyce Ada MIss Chadwick (Essex)
June Rose Miss Chambers (Lon don )
Victor John Chapman (Co. Durham)
Pearl Mrs Chat burn (Northants)
Anthony James Clarke Gloucs)
John Ph ili p Alexander Clymer (Norfolk)
Eil een Barba ra Mrs Cook, MRSH MBIM (Berks)
Jean Isobel, Mrs Corbett-JarvIs (Norfolk)
Ph ilomen a Mrs Corcoran (Eire)
Sandra Anne M ss Cork (Essex)
Gordon Cowcher (Gloucs )
Ann e, Mrs Crossley (S & W Yorks
Tony Curd (Suffolk)
Brenda Jean , M rs DavIs (London)
John DavIs (Derbys)
Shirley Mary Rose Mrs D pple (Lon don)
Andrew Frank Dove ,
MB ChB MRCGP DObst RCOG (Notts)
Thomas Roy Duddles (Notts)
Gerald William Eames (Surrey)
Ma ry Mrs Evans (Cleveland)
M ichael Frederick G bbons (London)
George Edward Gibson (Herts)
Jean Mrs Grain ger SRN FETC North Yorks)
Henry Noe Gray Hants)
Margaret Rosamund e Mart in, Mrs Gurney (Gloucs)
Arthur Haddrell Avon)
Tony Harrop G tr Man chester)
W illiam Henry Harvey BEM (Derbys)
Colin Hawye s (Hants)
Kevin John Hill, MB BS (Notts)
Rosalind Agatha , MIss Hinds (London)
Geoffrey Hodgson Derbys)
Judith Ann Mrs Hogg (Nott s)
Dennis Eckersley, of Rochdale, who has been chairman of Oldham Association Centre for 25 years, becomes an Officer of the Order.
Barry Paul Hunt (Suffolk)
Anne LUlse Mrs Hunte r, OBE MRCS LRCP.DRCOG (Surrey)
Bertram Normam Hutchinson (Northumbria)
Eric John (Gloucs)
Charlotte Evelyn , Mrs Knott (Eire)
Moni ca Mary Lady Kornberg (Cambs)
Stephen Roy Krause (London)
Dennis Lager (Derbys)
Derek Charles Lindley, MB, BS (Sussex)
Mary Mrs Lovewell-Blake (Norlolk)
Sidney Ralph Lowe (London)
Kathleen Mrs MacGregor (Herts)
Charles Manning (Cornwall)
Albert Roy Margetts (Avon)
James Peter MarquIs (Guernsey)
Harold John Mather (Devon)
Robert William Maynard (London)
Anne Elizabeth Mrs Miller
RGN FETC,RCNT,DN (London)
John Wilfred Mills (Essex)
Kenneth W illiam Joseph Newcomb (Essex)
Nancy Mrs Payne (Gloucs)
Elizabeth Gillian Mrs Perks (Herefs & Worcs)
Roy Henry Pickett (London)
Dennis John P ke (London)
Thomas Edward Roberts (Derbys)
William Leonard Robinson (London)
Denise Mrs Salmon (North umbria)
Ba rbara Jean , Mrs Sparrow (Dorset)
Alfred Emlyn Swannlck (British Rail)
Joan Mrs Taberner, SRN (Gtr. Manchester)
Joseph Charles Taplin (Herts)
Ellen , Mrs Taylor (Lancs)
Mabel Alfreda , MIss Tristram (Salop)
Irene Mary, Miss Verity, SEN (North Yorks)
Charles Alan Walker (Northumbria)
Eileen , Mrs Walker (London)
Joan Margaret Mrs Ward (Gtr Manchester)
Audrey Bosworth Mrs Watson (Northants)
Leslie Gordon Wh itman (London)
Thomas Lloyd Wh itworth (Derbys)
Roger Stephen Hu rsthouse (Notts)
Hayley Catherine MIss Mills (London)
Esquire
Sir Stephen M iller, Bail ff Grand Cross and HOspltalier
presented his personal Esqu ire Michael Hamilton Mllier
MB ChB,FRCS , to the Lord Prior
TSB helps SJA
(Cty sec) , and Lord Talbot (c ha irman of coun-
The Trustee Savings Bank has given significant financial support to St John Ambulance Handing over a cheque for £1,000 to SJA Wilts , the District Manager of TS B Bernard Broderick said there were ma ny reasons why the TSB had chosen to support St John Ambulance , but one of the main reasons was the r involvement w ith yo uth training
Many people are unaware of the role played by St John Ambulance in youth c il). (Photo Dav d Merr tt)
leadership Youngsters can join the Badgers at six , progress to the Cadets at ten and then become members of adult divis ons at seventeen or eighteen
The cheque was received by Lord Talbot , chairman of the Council of the Order of St John in Wiltshire In express i ng the sincere thanks of St John Ambulance , Lord Talbot mentioned that St John was supported totally by donations , and not , as many people believed , by the state
Filming 'Help' for TV
1988 saw another exciting project for St John Cadets Central Television wished to make a programme on First Aid as part of their sch ools series Good Health Good Health had been running for a number of years but lhesubject of First Aid had never been tackled The idea was to offer a taster of First Aid and St John Not to be a training film nor a recruiting film , but to encourage youngsters to find out more It was to last 15 minutes
Meetings were held , ideas discussed , Informal visits made to divisions , scripts
Written and rewritten , cadets auditioned adults approached , equipment and uniforms gathered . What does a division do?' 'Where can they meet?' 'Does this boy look like that girl's brother?' Who is going to bethe officer?' 'Will she be able to get time off Work?' How would a new person react to casualty make-up?' 'Where can we go on duty on that particular day and time? ' The
questions asked and the problems posed were many and various but we got there in the end!
A St John cast and off-screen helpers of more than 40 were assembled for the four and a half days of filming in August. ' What would we do if it rained? ' It didn ' t ! The superb St John Headquarters was the home for the division and the public duty was filmed at Dudley Zoo The filming days seemed long and hard work but , in the words of the director Diane Campbell , " Everyone was a credit to St John ."
There then followed the studio work of voice-overs, and completing the editing and titles It was ready!
To all those who took part - cadets , adults , doctor, nurses, organisers , helpers , everyone - a big thank-you It was fun!
Susan Taylor
1. A blanket should be used to keep the top half of the mother warm during delivery How many times should the blanket be folded?
Questions on Caring for the Sick and the 5th edition First Aid Manual
Series 2, Number 13
2. Having completed the delivery, where should the child be laid?
5 With which condition would you place the casualty in this position and why?
8. For which condition would you do this?
Iwould like to thank the St John Ambulance for the marvellous work they do. Their care and concern was highlighted to me following the recent tragedy at Hillsborough My 13·year-old son, Mark , was on dutythere as aStJohn cadet. The awful events of that day will be remembered by many for a long time
Everyone present at that fateful match experienced something which most people do not go throl,Jgh in a lifetime , and the effects of the horrors and terrible memories may linger on for some time yet.
Fortunately Mark , unlike some adult members, suffered no after effects from Hillsborough , as the younger members are somewhat protected , as much as possible , from the main horror of it all
The care and genuine concern for all the members on duty that day really impressed me. A trained counselling service from the St John Headquarters was immediately set up, and help was always available
9 When applying an ce bag , for what minimum per iod of time should cooling be carried out?
So I would like to congratulate the Stjohn Ambulance and thank them for their care and concern , as well as their time , energy, and skill they give in order to serve the general public
Gill Swift (M rs)
Sheffield
The 21st National Industrial First Aid competition was held on May 18 at the Pavilion Gardens, Buxton , with 25 teams competing thro ughout the day for the coveted titles The tea m tests for the men s and women 's pairs req uired the competitors to cope with the aftermath of a vicious attack and robbery at adock; and the open pairs with a rider who had been thrown from her horse , sustaining several serious injuries
Readers' views and opinions, which should be sent to the Editor, although published are not necessarily endorsed by the Editor or the Order of St John and its foundations. Although readers may sign published letters with a pen name, writers must supply their name and address to the Editor.
Marathon
I have heard from Dr Terry Glanvill that for the fourth successive year he completed the London Marathon in April. Dr Glanvill is 68 years old , and his successful completion of the Marathon is a Marathon runner Or most credible effort Terry Glanvill
Dr Glanvill is concerned that he contracted with a number of people n St John Ambulance to be sponsored , the money to go to my Medical Students fund at th is Headquarters Unfortunately the majority of people who agreed to sponsor him have not fulfilled their part of the bargain Would they
National
Industrial Competition
3. When examining the eyes - for what would you check the white orb?
4. For which casualty would you - place in half sitting position , with head and shoulders supported , with body turned towards the injured side, with sound lung uppermost?
6. When treating a knee joint injury, why should you never force the knee to straighten?
10. When is th is carry' meant to be used?
Congratulations to British Rail Engineerin g Ltd (Crewe) men 's pairs champions, Royal Ordnance pic from Blackburn , who Won the women's pairs competition, and British Coal Products from Coventry, winners in the open pai rs category These teams will now go on to compete in the Grand Prior's Trophy Competition in November
Open Pairs Max 280
1 British Coal Prod Ltd (Coventry) 186
2 Hydro Polymers Ltd (Newton Aycliffe) 183
3 Perstorp Warerite Ltd (Newton Aycliffe) 183
4 Brei Ltd (Crewe TMS No 1) 182}
5 ECC International Ltd (St Austell) 182
6 ICllndustries pic (Hillhouse Site) 175
7. Royal Ordnance pic (Birtley) 162
8 British Gypsum Ltd (Kirby Thore) 151t
9 BP Chemicals Ltd (Hull) 145 }
2 RFS Eng Ltd (Doncaster) 195
Seal nk UK Ltd (Newhaven
7. When treating cramp in the calf muscles what should be done with the patient's foot?
11. Why would you use a scoop stretcher?
Answers on page 23
10 Glaxo Chemicals Ltd (Annan) 143 SeaJink UK Ltd (Dublin No 2} 124! BXL Plastics Ltd (Leicester) 114}
'Nomen's Pairs Max 280
1. Royal Ordnance pic (Blackburn) 223
BRUCE COLTMAN , Northumbria Police Centre
First Computer Aid ?
Computers are a fact of life. Indeed the revised Cadet Proficiency subjects include 'communicating with computers' Admittedly the youngsters seem more at home with computers than my generation which still treats them with a degree of suspicion. After all, I can still remember when 1984 and George Orwell's vision of it was a long way into the future
Perhaps your kids spend hours in front of a screen shooting down space invaders , learning to fly a Harrier jump-jet or driving round Brands Hatch at 200 mph. Have you ever wondered whether that home computer could actually be put to work to some useful purpose?
It isdDubtless true that many home computers do nothing more than amuse children (of all ages). It is equally true that some of the jobs of which the average home computer is capable can still be done quicker more efficiently and considerably more cheaply with pencil and paper
However, I have been using a home computer increasingly to assist in my St John work and can recommend it as a useful tool. One has first to get through the morass of jargon on which the computer buffs thrive I remember my first impression of what a 'word processor' might be!
More of that later, but first let's look at the various bits and pieces that make up most home computers, or micros'
The most obvious part is the box with the keyboard The keyboard looks like an ordinary typewriter keyboard except that there are some extra keys - these include the 'RETURN' key which has the same effect as the lever on a typewriter which takes you to the beginning of the next line It is also used to enter instructions into the computer.
Beneath the keyboard and in the box part of the micro is the CENTRAL PROCESSOR - this is the 'brainbox' of the computer This brain-box is pretty versatile but its functions can be divided into three parts. First, it can make thousands and thousands of arithmetical calculations in a very short space of time -a split second, in fact. Second, it has the ability to make decisions on what instructions have been given to it. And third, it has a memory in which it can temporarily retain information which it has been given. But it has to be PROGRAMMED On its own it can do nothing. It has to know what calculations are required of it. But don't worry, the manufacturers will have put in most of the instructions that are needed and we don't all have to become computer programmers'
All the other parts of the computer (the PERIPHERALS) are concerned with putting information in and getting information out of the computer. Let's look first at those peripherals which OUTPUT information
The VISUAL DISPLAY UNIT is the screen,
Joyce
Lund, SRN County Nursing Officer, Herts
My first impression of the word processor like a television on which information is displayed Indeed in the case of most home computers it usually is a small TV which is used This can of course cause problems if child A wishes to use the computer and child B wants to watch Dallas!
The PR INTER is the bit that actually types on to paper instead of showing you what you ve written on the screen Many printers work at high speed , typing around one hundred and twenty characters a second! It is not essential until you start to use the computer to produce letters , etc To INPUT information , most frequently you use the keys of the keyboard and type your instructions to the central processor.
The other Input Peripheral in common use is really a memory store , to which the computer can also send information for storage This device therefore acts as both an Input and Output. It may take the form of an ordinary audio-cassette recorder linked to a special socket on the computer The information is then recorded as magnetic pulses on the cassette tape and literally played back' to the computer when the information is required again This arrangement is a good way of starting, but has the disadvantage that it is pretty slow The faster and inevitably more expensive alternative is to use 'floppy discs', These require an extra device, a disc drive attached to the computer, which records on to the discs very quickly
The information can similarly be read back from the disc in a matter of a second or so
Well now, if you've got through all that and understand a little about the bits and pieces that make up the computer, what can it do for you , and how could it help in running your division, area or other part of St John?
Word processing
The addition of an extra 'chip to the bas ic computer allows it to be used as a rather special sort of typewriter With this it is possible to manipulate the text on which you are working , make corrections , move word s or whole paragraphs at will and arrange th e layout of the work before it is printed By using a storage system it is possible to reta in all your hard work even after the computer lS switched off and its own memory goes blank
Letters
For someone to whom I write frequentl y keep a standard outline letter, with the heading and the Yours sincerely ' bit , wh ich
I can call up on to the screen Into th is I can type my letter, check it for errors and th en print it. There s even another chip to check the spelling if I' m feeling really lazy!
Information sheets/newsletters
All the professional nurses in the receive newsletters - much of the tYPing can be saved and used again , such as the headings , etc
Articles for the St John World
The editor may be overwhelmed' ·' ·!
Personalised letters
It is possible to produce personalised 'let· ters just like those sales gimmicks we all get through the post from a certain mo nthly magazine publisher For this purpose , ifone has a file of names and addresses , it is relatively easy to include the name and address and ' Dear Freda ' or whateve r on each individual copy of a circular lette r In addition the list of names and addresses can be printed on to sticky labels for the envelopes , thereby eliminating anot her chore
Competitions
Here the word-processor really comes into its own Competition papers can be shuffled around and parts of last year's tests nco r· porated in this year s mark sheets One can readily build up a stock of scenarios and procedures which can be called up from the disc storage and built into a test sheet. Th s not only avoids a great deal of typing but produces uniformity of the test papers
Database
Another bit of jargon! But simply the com· puter's own filing system You can design the record " cards" yourself and look at any record by calling it up on to the screen The n when you need to search your file , tell the computer what to look for and it shuffles continued on page 24
Now with ...
Allor nothing for Brian
The newly formed Townh ll and Mayhill Division of Swansea was desperately short of equipment so the divisional officer and members sat down to try to think out some ways of raising funds to make good the i r deficiency Many ideas came to m ind , but none seemed prom s i ng enough unt someone (he ' ll rema in nameless)
Football Club
Grace says' thanks . . . .
Hands across
the Worl d
First Computer Aid? (from p.22)
through your records like lightning
Personnel records
An excellent use for the database facility. Providing you take the trouble to keep it up to date you should have a constant record of people's names, addresses, telephone numbers and any other relevant information. It is important to remember that the record is only as good as the information you put into it. But does this have any advantage over a shoe-box full of cards? Well you can incorporate the information , using the word-processor, into any document, as I described earlier, and print out direct from the file up to date lists of names and addresses , etc
The future
By usin g a special device it is possible to connect your home compute r vi a the telephone network to other computers By this method you can send communications to another user or to a large computer such as 'Prestel'. This is a source of information to thousands Perha p s St John could use this medium to advertise and recruit. The kids had better watch out. They may be ousted from playing ' S pace Invaders after all!
The first time Grainger Park Cadet Division in Northumbria heard the name of Grace Li Pui Wan was in July 1987. Grace is a young woman of 22 years living in Kowloon, Hong Kong, who is confined to a wheelchair and whom our DIS Lilian Molloy met several years ago in Lourdes, France. They had corresponded ever since and Grace 's latest letter told how she desperately needed a new wheelchair better suited to her needs but the cost was far beyond her means. 1987 was of course St John's centenary year and the Division decided that we would attempt to raise the HK$ 6 060 to help someone in another country and have some fun at the same time It was decided that the cadet division would organise the project itself with as little adult intervention as possible Grace was told of our intentions and in due course we received this reply in faltering English : "I'm very happy to receive the catalogue today, really excited As you said , St John Ambulance can sponsor me in buying the wheelchair, is that true? I've that one , red in colour Even if they will not sponsor me, I will still buy it, but I will have to search for the money."
Grace's words made us even more determined that she should have her wheelchair Our NCOs
put their heads together and several events were organised_ such as coffee evenings, ajumble sale, a raft race , proceeds 01 Christmas catalogues - and £100 was raised. This money was duly invested in a newly-o pened ban k account.
Our main event, however, was in September when we held a 6-m ile sponsored bedpush around New. castle This , we hoped , would provide the remaining £250 we needed to buy the wheelcha ir for Grace , and we weren 't disa p. pointed either! In November, we heard from our bank that the HKS 6 ,060 had been transferred to the Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank In Kowloon to the credit to the account of Grace Li Pui Wan
A few weeks later we were delighted to receive a copy of the receipt for the deposit on the cha ir from Grace but, unfortunately, it was to be several months before she would take delivery But at last , 18 months after firs! hearing about her, Grace has been able to send us a photograph of herself in 'our' chair She cannot thank us enough and has asked for a photograph of the whole Div ision so she may see all her friends fro m the other side of the world
Cadet Leader Joanne Moore, Northumbria.
33 Un of an arch pelago (6) Solution to Crossword No 6-89
STJOHN -
Grace Li Pui Wan , of Hong Kong , and the wheelchair bought for her by Grainger Park Cadets
CONTRIBUTIONS
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Has Bertie ever told you about hiS fnends, Careless Clara and Harry Hazard? They live In a small village near Bertie Clnd he always has an exciting time when he VISitS them One day, however hiS VISit turned out to be more eventful than usual Poor Bertie nearly cut hiS finger on asharp nail that was loose on the gate, Just missed stepping on some brOken glass laYing on the path and did not dare ring on the doorbell when he saw lots of loose wires hanging down On hearing Bertie knocking loudly on the door Careless Clara rushed to let him In, tripping OVer the cat and spilling her tea on thevvay
"?h, how lovely to see you and Yo u re Just In time for breakfast." she said It was already 11 30 am " Do You know, I could have had three
accidents walking from your a 11 had no time to gate to you r front door Just now)
19 a Z *a nswe r beea use Bertie said just then Clara screamed out "Flre " "Dear me," replied Clara, " Well, The oil had caught fire and flames you'd better come In, out of danger were shooting out of the pan Bertie Harry IS In the kitchen " thought qUickly. he grabbed a tea Bertie began to regret thiS the towel, wet It under the tap and moment Clara closed the door for placed It on the pan The flames died the first thing that hit him was the down and he was able to turn the smell of burning He made hiS way cooker off " Now do you believe towards the kitchen and what a Sight me? " Bertie asked Harry " If I had not greeted hiS eyes A broken plate lay been here the whole house would on the draining board , the 011 In the have been destroyed " frYing pan was spitting , the milk was Yes , you re right. Bertie, " replied boiling over and where was Harry Hazard, " How can we make Harry Hazard? Harry was sitting at our home a safer place? " the table reading the paper " Well, first of all " and " HI. Bertie , have a seat." he said Bertie settled down to help Harry casually Hazard and Careless Clara change 'I'm not sitting down , It'S too their ways dangerous ," replied Bertie What adVice do you think he " Nonsense, everything IS " gave them?
3.LflHJ
safety badger week
Welcome to our bumper safety edition of Badg e r Buzzz , marking Safety Badger Week 10-18 July
You will be hearing more about events near you from your Set Leaders but In the meantime I hope you all enjoy colOUring the poster and entering o ur great Elastoplast and Alton Towers competitions.
Talking of competitions , have you seen all the winners on the back page? Here are some of my favourites Always remember to put your full name, address and Set on competition forms otherWise we cannot send out your prizes
Anna Cherry , from Paignton - is thiS your picture? We would love to send you a packet of Carters Seeds but you did not give us your address!
M ore ch ildren have aCCidents In the summer than at any other tim e of f ;1 1 year.
It; I
Nearly 6,000 \.:...! e children are Injured every year after failing from bunk beds
A cup of tea is stili hot enough to scald you 20 minutes after It has been pOured
It IS illegal and dangerous to use an adult seatbelt to secure two children in one seat.
People can drown In less than 5cm of
ATRIP TO
Win a day triP to A lton Towers and expe ri ence the th rill s of one of the finest leisure parks in the world With over 120 attractions to choose from, Including the world's longest rapids ride, special effect Cinemas, a Toy Fair, live entertainment and two ro llercoasters, you are guaranteed a day to remember
We want y o u to :
organise a VISit to a place where you need to take safety precautions. eg a park, the sea, a zoo * ask someone to VISit your Set and give a talk on safety, eg your local policeman, fireman, road safety officer * design a safety poster: thiS can be painted. a collage. or In whatever form your Set chooses
We want every Badge r Set to help make Safety Badger Week a success What IS your Set going to do? We are offering thiS fantastic prize of a day tnp to Alton Towers to the Badger Set sending us the best project file of how ItS members he lped In Safety Badger Week Your project file must Include wo r k from all the Badgers In your Set Include as many photographs, draWings and stones as you like
* write ten safety tips for children; what your Set thinks IS most Important for children to know * set up a safety display to show the publiC what the Badgers learn about safety; your Set leader has details
* contact your local newspaper or radio station and tell them what you are dOing, and why
With the help of your Badger Leader send me, Sarah Harris , 1 Grosvenor Crescent , London SW1X 7EF, a project file of all your work for Safety Week to arrive no later than Friday 8 September.
Keep sending your suggestions for Badger Around the World - Bertie is packed and ready to go!
If a product carries a Kltemark It has been Independently checked by the British Institution
Look out for the Lion Mark Some ttJ toy manufacturers are displaYing thiS on their packaging to show that their toys meet British Standards
The Green Cross Code man, DaVid Prowse, played Darth Vader In the film "Star Wars"
I' It (),I
Take a sh eet of white paper and some brightly co oured wax crayons. U Sing stripes, Circles, or whatever you like, colour In the paper so that no a white IS shOWing Then co our over the top With black crayon It's hard work but press the crayon In down firmly; you must not have any co lour shoW 9 through With someth in g blunt such as a lollipoP st ick can now draw a picture the paper. will remove the black crayon revealing your Which colours show up best against th e black. Safety Badg e r you must always make sur e yOU easily seen In the dark. W ear bright colours whlc show up well __
safety dger
O ne day I went out walking
And much to my surprise
I m et dear Safety Badger
Wearing a disgUise.
HI S dungarees were hidden,
H IS h ead was covered too
As big as me and you.
Wh en ask ed why he was wearing thiS
H e said, "So I'll be bright
An d everyone will see me
Wh en I go out at night'"
Can you put the follOWing words Into the correct boxes and spell out a familiar name?
MYNAME IS
MaKe For YourSelf traffiC
You will need: it IS 1cm thick. Cut the dough Into • • 225g self raising flour rectangles (8cm x 3cm) and place
Pinch of salt 150g butter on a well-greased baking tray Prick
100g caster sugar the surface of the biscuits with a for k
1 beaten egg and bake in the oven (180°C/350 ° F/
Selection of red, orange and Gas No.4) for 12 15 mrnutes until green chocolate beans golden brown. When cool decorate
1 spoonful of jam the biscuits by sticking the Sift the flour and salt together In a chocolate beans on with some Jam large bowl. Cut the butter Into small to make them look like traffrc lights pieces and rub into the flour with Alternatively, you can buy a packet your fingers until the mixture looks of shortbread biscuits and decorate like breadcrumbs Add the sugar, stir them In the same way well and add the egg Mix it together so that you have a dough, then leave In the fridge for half an hour Roll ou t the dough on a floured surface until ALL THE ABOVE SHOULD BE CARR IED OUTUNDER ADULT SUPERVISION
H Jt.'lis:. COMPETITION OPTE
Suzy Skinner Holywell Set Oliver McLandless Clwyd Gavin Coates Splinters Set Andrew Martin
ERS Cleveland
PRIZEWIN Francesca Mills Footscray Meadows Hannah Davies Set Kent
(each prizewinner will receive a Fiona Wheeler Croydon Set Sarah Finch Colour and Work Book and a £25.00 Surrey voucher for their Set Leader to Matthew Walsh Dane Valley Set Sarah Parsons spend in Safeway) Cheshire
People POPS COmPeTITiON
Duncan Austin
Lisa Barker
Louise Bell
David Berry
Edwa rd Brown
Helen Carpenter
Paul Carruthers
Claire Challenger
Johanna Church
Helen Clayton
Rockport Co ur' Set County Do Eythorne Set Kent Moreton Set Merseyslde Sprowston N:: Set Norfolk St Boniface S£ Devon
Top 50 Prizewinners
Daniel McGeehan
Kieran McGeehan
Oliver McTear
J oanne Mitchell
Claire Noble
Kirsten Osborn
Hayl ey Pearson
Sarah Ph illips
Jenny Plat
Leanne Cunningham
Anne Marie Davies
Daniel Durling
Hannah Durling
Sarah Gaden
Hannah Griffiths
Emma Hargreaves
Gemma Hart
Leah Hart
Drusha Jethwa
Adam Kempln
Richard Kirkwood
Vanessa Lamb
ThiS
Daniel James Pointon
Naomi POlnt on VictOria Poman
Neil David QUigg
Hannah Roberts
Karen Sanders
Michael Sibley
Suzanne Smart
Stac ey Smith
Luke Soper
Becky Straw
Joh ara Sykes-DaVies
Emily Taylor
Lucy Tsang
Rachel Warerng
Vicky Whrte
Paula Wilkes
Ruth Woodhouse
with the divisions
John Action the
life and work
• A Land - Rover manned by St John Ambulance members dashes across a wreck-strewn banger racing track to the aid of an in j ured dr iver
• Duty at a first aid post at a nearby village fete is more sedate ; but those covering an annua l beer festival must be prepared for anything !
• The familiar black and wh ite un iforms - so much part ofthe scene that many people do not notice them any more - are in evidence at big and small events throughout the country and many parts of the
ANSWER TO world .
• Elsewhere yet another life-saving Air W i ng m iss ion is successfully completed - no longer hitt ing the headlines because even th i s extraordinary i nternational r ole of St John has become almost commonplace
• And far away in Jerusalem some 15 major sight - saving operations will have been performed and 150 patients examined at the St John Ophthalmic Hospita l by the end of the day.
THIS IS ST JOHN IN ACTION But what most people see is only the tip of the iceberg What often passes almost unnoticed is the mass of first aid and other training , the unobtrusive welfare work, and the quiet preparations for emergency roles
Then there is the time-consuming fundraiSing activity to replace elderly ambulances and equipment
To find out exactly what does go on in th is organisation , the obvious thing is to visit a typical division Yet there is no such thingeach 8t ,lohn division is unique.
However, a behind-the-scenes look at th ree very different Surrey divisions gives an excellent inSight into the many faces of the
life and work of St John people in action today
Two scullers collide during a race on the Thames but swiftly to the rescue come members of the Weybridge Combined Division in their 13ft dory This time no-one is hurt, but the river can be a dangerous place and vigilance is essential. "One year in the Head of the River race eight rowing eights capsized , which meant 64 oarsmen in the water," recalled Divisional Superintendent Ray Pennock
According to Ray, himself an experienced sailor, the two-man crew of the St John boat can end up with either sunburn or hypothermia after a day s duty afloat in our capricious climate
They are almost surrounded by water at Weybridge - the Thames , the River Wey and the Queen Mary Sailing Club waters, which is the largest expanse of man-made lake in southern England So the St John rescue boat is much in demand at many sailing and rowing events
Crews for the boat are properly trainedone of the division s members is a Royal Yachting Association instructor - and their watermanship is much respected by sailors and oarsmen
The Weybridge Division believes it really is unique in operating a large mobile unit, a front line ambulance , a four-wheel drive vehicle - and a boat.
The division, formed just before World War II, was a works division based at the Airscrew works, which made aircraft propellors This year is the division ' s 50th anniversary A September 1939 picture of founder members includes Phil Thomas , who later became Divisional Superintendent, and still lives in nearby Addlestone
A St John Land-Rover ambulance moves into an injured driver at a pile-up at a banger racing track
After the war the division acquired a former Surrey County Ambulance station just outside Weybridge at a peppercorn rent. In 1968 the Airscrew company gave them a large vehicle which had been used for demonstrating its products and , converting it, the division began operating one of the earliest mobile units , which was to go into action at the Staines air crash , the Grosvenor Square riots and other major incidents.
Six years ago the division was given an ultimatum - either vacate the Wey Road headquarters or buy it. So they set up an appeals committee and set about raising the money not only to buy the land but to build a new headquarters A temporary home included an ATC hut , the Queen ' s Head pub (very popular) and a tennis pavilion , but the money was raised and in 1985 the Lord Prior dedicated not only the new headquarters but a new ambulance and a new mobile first aid unit.
How did they do it? " If a division does a lot of duties , it gets better known, and people respond when you are fund-raising ," explained Ray
Last year the Weybridge Division was in action at 200 public events and is repeating the pattern this year, including the Derby, major international golf tournaments at Wentworth, and regular rugby and stock car racing stints.
Its members have style They sported tinsel in their hats at a Boxing Day stock car meeting and Ray is never shyof " grabbing " reporters at local events to make sure St John is not forgotten " Stjohn people don't publicise what they do enough ," he said " The instinct is not to
Queen's B i rthda y Honours List
Congratulations to the following members of St John who have received honours in this year s Queen s Birthday list:
OBE - Dr Con Molloy, Deputy Chief Medical Officer
MBE - Mr A H Stevenson, former Staff Officer to Commander Greater Manchester Mr J B Jones, K St J , Director of Ceremonies , New Zealand
BEM - Mr J Cobain, Staff Officer, London District
Miss M Davies, Assistant Chief Nursing Officer, Wales
Mr R Pratt, County Secretary, Cumbr ia
Princess Margaret visits ...
a briefing on the programme He was very interested in the new initiative and was looking forward to hearing of its progress
The Duke also met Peter and Kathy Wells ,
from Sheffield , who were responsible for th e Stjohn Ambulance first aid cover on the day of the tragedy at H llsborough They were in London to receive a £5 ,000 cheque gene rously donated by the Lloyd s of Londo n Charities Trust and presented by Mr Andrew Drysdale The money will go towards buy ing a new ambulance for the division
SI J 0 h n's Day
was attended by the Lord Prior and Lady Grey and the Lord Mayor of London , Sir Christopher Collet1
The Annual Service of Commemoration Members from Sheffield , who had and Rededication was held at St Paul s been on duty at Hillsborough , paraded Cathedral on St John s Day, June 24 As their colour at the serv ce Music was prousual , members from all overthe country vided
Racing lunch raises [90k
A 'Racing Luncheon' was held on June 14 at the Hyatt Carlton Tower Hotel in London in aid of The Order of St John. The event was sponsored by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum and, with the support of Mr & Mrs Charles St George and other prominent members of the horse-racing fraternity, raised in the region of £90,000 At the lunchLester Piggott and Willy Shoemaker.
For the Hospital
SJA flag for...
(Left) The Duck of Gloucester meets Peter and Kathy Wells, from Sheffield, who collected
(Left) Lord and Lady Grey arr ve at St Paul s Cathedral (Below) There was a fine turn-out of SJA bands from (here) Guernsey and Surrey
On her way to the Guildhall to rece ve the Freedom of the City of London at the end of May, the Prime Minister received a St John flag from Badgers Emma and David Thompson , who are from Mrs Thatcher s constituency (Photo: Press Assoc iat ion ).
(left) , the Hosp i tal/e r, rece ves
we have lift off!
STJOHN W €O RLD
Energy Programme gets 011 to a Ilying start
The new Energy Programme recruiting drive was launched at the beginning of St John Week. Nick and Helen - whom you will recognise as the faces on the programme's publicity material - demonstrate on a trampoline just how they are helping to put ENERGY back into St John!
Divisions throughout the country mounted their own recruiting campaigns on Saturday, June 24, and through St John Week In Wiltshire , for example, Salisbury Division was delighted when 16 people showed definite interest in becoming members. Likewise, in Newcastle, more than 150 people returned forms expressing an interest in becoming involved.
The Lord Prior and Lady Grey, accompanied by the Bailiff of Egle, Lord Westbury, the Superintendent-in-Chief , Lady Westbury, and the Secretary-General , Timothy Everard and Mrs Everard, visited South Africa during March to see the work and activities of the Order there The two week tour marked an important stage in the development and progress of the Order in South Africa
Their tour took them to the four major provinces and outlying areas where they visited eye clinics , homes for aged community health services and various training projects
The party was impressed and pleased th at St John in South Africa is progressing rapidly, and in fact compares favourably with the work that is done by St John internationally. They commented that the overseas media does not highlight the admirable work that the people of South Africa , and in particular St John, are dOing for the less privileged communities within the country
The party described the organisation s primary health care scheme , whereby un derpriviledged people from around the Country are taught self-sufficiency as one of the cornerstones of the work undertaken by St John in South Africa
After arriving in Johannesburg, the party flew to Durban where Lord Grey opened the new St John community health resources centre at the University of Natal. The many projects visited included the St John education centre , a community health lecture , the health care clinic and the newly built ablution facilities at a squatter school.
In East London the care of the aged proJects and various community developments showed the quality and care with which the centre operates
Cape Town centre provided a tour of the health work areas where the difficulties of working in situations of unrest Were observed atfirst hand The wide range of Community activities together with the pro-
Lord Prior visits South Africa
w th the realities of squatter life in Bambai, Natal
jects run in Fish Hoek were viewed.
In Port Elizabeth the Stella Londt aged home , a St John home, was visited
A tea party, and a St John " family " dinner held at Priory on March 14 introduced our visitors to Priory staff and distinguished members of the Order After the busy schedule of the previous week , the party spent two days in the heart of the bushveld at the Londolozi Game Park with the Prior, Lt Col Arthur Johnstone, where future development was discussed The party saw a community work project at Coronationville and the well known St John Eye Hospital in Sowelo Also attended was the Witwatersrand Southern and Northern annual inspection
The Secretary-General was most impressed with the work of the individual centres He said that every centre of St John differs according to the different demands they need to meet. " The centres are using their resources to the fullest and each centre has something special," said Mr Everard
St John is moving into the 21st century and Lord Westbury (left) , the Lord Prior and Professor Turnbull with Zarina Mohamed while she tends a patient at Durban Centre s eye clinic
has been implementing progressive changes within different areas of work The development planned over the past few years is now taking effect.
The Priory for South Africa is the most senior Priory of the Order outside Great Britain and strives to be a nation builder in a community which is overwhelmingly third world
According to Lt Col Arthur Johnstone, the Prior of the Order in South Africa , " It is this unique position of having third and first world cultures within one society that makes the work of the Order so important. In fulfilling its goals St John in South Afr ica strives to i mprove the quality of life in all communities ." The overall feeling was that the visit had been a great success. And the following SJ work in the country was noted
Mobile eye clinics
The St John mobile eye unit run by the Bureau forthe Prevention of Blindness , pro-
(Left) Lord Grey, the Lord Prior, opening the new community health resources centre at the University of Natal (Right) Lady Grey
cross channel . Care Card launched
TV ' s Jimmy Saville launched the Midland Bank Care Card on May 30 Here he is surrounded by children representing the 12 charities which w ll benefit from the scheme
As a Mastercard , the Care Card works n a similar way to other credit cards and i s widely accepted The card holder s nominated charity receives a £5 donation when the card is issued and 0 25 % of the amount spent using the card
Divisions should contact their local Midland Bank branch who will be happy to help organise joint promotional activities or for someone to v isit to explain the scheme
Copies of a leaflet about Card Card have been circulated to all county offices and more are available from the Marketing Department at National HQ
What do you do when ... in Guernsey
What do you do when the divisional inspection coincides with a com ic relief " Red Nose " day?
Following the i r inspect ion the Rohais nurs i ng cadets of Guernsey took part in var ious " red nose " activities of the i r own , including a sponsored s ign language programme And as the other sland divisions had sponsored Rohais cadets to wear red noses , the girls felt obliged to join in
When it came to the presentat on of trophies , Commissioner Edward Ie Gallez and Staff Off cer (Cadets) Keith Fothergill were also persuaded to take part and by the end of the inspection the d v is ion had raised over £100 for the Com ic Rel i ef appeal.
The official photographs w i ll look rather strange i n the divisional album , but Superintendent Judith Moore promised that the division would be ser i ous when it came to the annua review !
Exhibition: The Order's French Connection
With France celebrating the bicentenary of the French Revolution, the Order's Museum and Library at St John's Gate is holding an exhibition which explores the connections between the Order of St John and France Before the revolution, the Order had a presence in France; almost half the Order's members were French and the Order owned vast amounts of land there. Following the fall of the Bastille in July 1789, the Order's lands and privileges in France came under scrutiny.
In the next few years popular opinion turned against the Order as members were implicated in the Royal Family's attempt to escape from France in 1791. When the Royal Family were imprisoned in the following year, they were incarcerated in the medieval tower of the Temple in Paris which had become the Order's Paris headquarters (The illustration is an 18th century engraving of the Temple in 8
Paris by J Rigaud The medieval tower can be seen in the background ) As aristocrats, the Ordef's members lived under the threat of the guillotine and the Order was deprived of much of its income , which in turn contributed to the loss of Malta to Napoleon in 1798
The exhibition is be ng held at the Museum of the Order of St John , St Joh n's Gate , Clerkenwell , London EC1 , and is open until Sept 2 from lOam to 5pm Monday to Fri· day, and 10am to 4pm on Saturdays (closed August 26 and 28) Telephone 01-2536644 for details
18th century engraving of the Temple in Paris which was the Order s headquarters
Dtvi lOn's team (L to R John Kelly. Margaret Coomby. and John Chamber) with the fir<;! aid hield they won at the West Midlands county competition It measures 36ins (90cms) high by 29ins (74cm ) wide. Sedgley reckons they hold the biggest trophy in the whole of St John. Unless of course somebody knows better! (Photo:
Kelly, now a cadet with Stockwood division (centre), gets three cheers from his
Life sav ng equ pment for SJA Bri slington
a
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
A team of 11 members (six men, five Women ) became fie ld first-aiders attached to the County Amb u lance Service The call-out mvolved a plane crash landmg at the end of the runway The SJA team helped with casualty clearing Over 100 ca ualtles were treated and evacuated in less than I V2 hours
Working with the county emergency services gave the SJA teanl first hand experience of being fully Involved in such a disaster
Dronfield
Brislington
Brislington Divi s ion recently received life-saving equipment (photo above) from Girobank , wh ose South West regional of fi c e s are n Bri sto l. Th e equipment , a Pneu Pac in stant -action ventilator resusciunoc, will be installed in one of th e two ambulances based at the DIvision s HQ. Div Supt George Puzey received the equ i pment, which cost £500 from Mr Doug Martin, Girobank's South West Region general man ager. After presentation D I S Puzey said : " We are very grateful to Girobank for its generou s donation. We now have this e s sential piece of equipment in both our ambulances."
Bristol
The Badger of Clwyd met at Gresford Vicarage for their fun day, whIch mcluded a VIsit by an ambulance, police car, fire engine with Wele phant, and a host of other actIvIties such a parachute bou ncmg, obstacle courses. games. ports, bal oon race, bouncy-ca tIe, make-up, a m agicia n a n d a Badger trail through the wood A g r eat tune wa had by nearly two hundred Bad ge r s.
. Durha m C raw le y
Th iS Badge r F ag , p resented by th e Comm i ss Ione r, M r N col and M rs N ico , was bless ed and dedi c ated In Du r ha m Cathedral o n June 18
Radio Chrystal's 5 -a -side spom.orcd football marathon needed more than first aid from SJA members on duty there. They treated mjured players (one with a broken nose was taken to hospital) and then took to the field to replace injured players 'They saved the day.' said RadIO Chrystal organlser Derek Worsley
Devon
s AROUND THE DIVISIONS
Felixstowe
Gra nd Prior cadet division helper Lorna Shelley we nt to a St James's Palace reception in March to collect her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award certificate from HRH
Friern Barnet
National HO's Jim Bond, meets Halesowen cadets at their annual inspection
The highlight of the evening was a presentation by Jim Bond of Grand Prior Badge certificates to Cadet Elizabeth Sabin, Nicola Jones , Wendy Parkes and Sarah Russell
Hertford
R etiring Area Commis s ioner D ick B raddon. with son J ere my an d gran ddau g hter Victoria of So ut h M ol ton
A retirement dmner dance for Richard (Dick) Braddon, CStJ. North Devon Area Commis· sioner. was held at the Saunton Sands Hotel in June With 50 years servIce to the Brigade, man) fnends and colleagues, including Lady West bury, the Supt-in-chief, were there to drink Di ck's health and present him with farewell gifts
He is ucceeded by his deputy, Steph en McEva n oneya
With d isas ers too ofte n makmg hea d lines, Crawley D iv isi on were mvi ted to a disaste r exerci se a Gatw ic k A i rpo rt i n Ap r il
Mike Graham , manager of Action Plant Hire in Bristol , receives a plaque (above ) from Mi ss Myra Meredith , Area Commi s sioner for Woodspring, in recognition for the help the company has given SJA over the years Also pictured are Mr Mike Randall county admini s tration manager (second left ) and Mr Kev in Read , ASO (Cadets) in Woodspring
Clwyd
Badger on
recent visit to Clwyd North Wales, met members of the fastest growing youth otganis a tion in the county, with their set leaders and frien d s (photo right)
Be rti e Badge r am ong fflends in Clwyd or a fun day. 2 00 s ma lle r Badg ers were there.
Foem Barnet c adets demonstrat ng resuscitation outside Westm i nster Cathedral dur ng the Asian FestIVal of Saints ( Photo Terry Musgrove)
Grimsby
Hertford Division. which less than t\\ o years ago was on the verge of clo ure. ha been given a new lease of life under the leadership of Mr Rae Edmond on The HQ ha been Improved and extended. there ha been a determined recruitment drive. a Badger group has been formed. and a full programme of fund-rai ing event and cour es ha been pursued. And the tov..n' Round Table, which organl es Hertford carnival. cho e the DJ\·ision a the charity for thelf 1988 appeal. Now. fund from the appeal have meant a much-needed ambulance has arrived for the DivisIOn. the keys of which were recently handed by the Round Table chairman. Mike Cook, to D S Mr Edmondson (above)
Kenneth Fra n Cis. Assistant County Director (left), presents an AssociatIOn instructor tutor badge and Certificate to Div Supt David Hawley, at the CleeDIVisional HO, Humberside. (Photo Gnmsby Evening Telegraph)
iThe weather was particularly kmd to the 65 Cadets and Badgers who. with their officers and parents , attended the annual inspection outside the Divi SIOn 's HQ in May.
N Supt J udith Morris welcomed J im Bo nd, Sallonal HQ Director Cadets and Training. CSO Jusan Thylor and Area Comrni sio ne r M rs Olwe n ones
Holt
PROU D LOok charge of a brand-ne\\ mobile fIrst aid unIt recentl) of Holt
JOIned \\ irh St lohn members. mcludIng County CommiSSioner Mr" Jill Scott. In a dedIcatIOn ser\ ice conducted by the rector of Holt. the Re\ Stephen Gregor).
Holt dl\ ISlonal supermtendent Mrs Jean Corbett-
Jarvis received the key s to the new unit from Mr Roger Anderson , of Huntsman Conversions. NorWich. who carried out the cOnVerSIOn work. Mr., Corbett -Jarvis sald that £11.500 had been raIsed to fund the unit but expressed speCIal thanks to Mr Anderson who had met addItional costs (Photo : North orfolk News)
Ilfracombe
Isle of Wight
Bertie
his
a
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
Jersey
Wedding-time
Trip to Malta
The St John Historical Society is organising a 7-night visit to Malta from April 17 to 24 1990 at £231 per person. Anyone who would like to join the party, which will include tours of places of St John interest (and there are many) on the island, should get in touch with the Society's hon sec, Mr T J Clarke, 84 Elmbridge, Old Harlow, Essex CM17 OJY, phone 0279 33026.
Miss Margaret Ie Masurier, of Jersey, and Douglas Hull, of Surrey after their wedding on the island during May. They first met while competing in regional competitions, and then again at the Hyde Park Great Party. Margaret is a DIS, Douglas a DIG. Kendal
Leamington
'iuppon from other member for a photocaJl. Trevor's two sons - Malcolm, 10, and Kevin, 9, both cadets - took turns acting as the patient. They collected £2,300 to help pay for a new ambulance for Luton DiviSIOn and Trevor collected a further £536 when he toured local pubs with friends that evemng. (Photo' Luton News).
Maryport
Norfolk
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
Rotherham
Three cadets from Sennowe Park DiVision, North Norfolk, received their Grand Pnor Award certificates from the County ComrmssIOner, Mrs JScott The Division, which has only nine cadets, IS celebratmg its 50th year and these are the first GP award for ten years.
The cadets - Paul Thompson, Robin Holmes and Simon Higgs - spent a day in London visltmg National HQ and St John's Gate as a thank you for their hard work.
Northumbria
The Rev. Hugh Edgell, Order sub-chaplain for the area, dedicates North Walsham's new first aid umt
helpers, we took delivery of a New Freight Rover
350 It IS fitted out as a dual purpose vehicle. As a first aid umt It IS equipped to treat all types of injury or illness; It is also fitted with a York 4 tretcher so can be used as an ambulance. I would like to thank Andrew Beardshaw of Compass Craft, Homing, for domg a first clas conversIOn.
Norton Radstock
They finished last but they were winners all the way (above). Lisa Booth , Joanne Leach, Catherine Wright, Kenneth Hill and Sharon Andrews, of Rotherham No. I Ambulance and Enzor Nursing Cadets, completed the Sheffield to Rotherham Fun Run, collecting on the way for the National Institute for the Blind. They wore fun costumes and transported a patient on a mobile stretcher.
They collected only £12, little reward for the energy and heart put into the operation. But every one enjoyed the fun.
Rugby
When Nursing Member Jacqueline Sennick married Roger Moffatt (above) at Kendal Parish Church in April, members of Kendal Divisions fonned a guard of honour as they left the church. It was a St John occasion, with the bride being given away by her step-father, Deputy Area Commissioner Stan Berry; her younger sister Michelle was a bridesmaid, and brother Stephen an usher, both of whom along with mum, Patricia, are members of the Kendal Divisions Kingston
Sponsored swimmer Graham Fulford completed lOO lengths of a SWImming pool to raIse £750 towards an ambulance for St John in Leamington. Here he is being given a triumphant lift by Dee Maloney, organiser of the swim, Pam Redgrave, divisional superintendent, Sue BIshop and Liz Haywood (photo: Leamington Morning News).
Longton
Cadets of Longton DiVISIon, Staffs, staged a special open evening to give the public insight into their work.
They gave demonstrations of first aid - including artificial respiration and nursing - and leisure activities which ranged from cookery to camping.
Division Superintendent Mrs Beryl Ellis said: "We invited parents and youngsters to come to see the type of work that the people at St John do We were looking for something a bit unusual and it went very well."
Luton
Five Kington Cadets proudly show their Grand Prior certificates, which were presented to them at the annual presentation evening by County Cadet officer Mr I Dalgleish.
Members Trevor Garbett and Mick Garrard carried a stretcher with a patient on it for seven hours around the streets of Luton, covering 17 miles. Here, the two exhausted lads are getting
Maryport's Anthony Logan is the north country's first Super Badger. with Mr T Dixon, County Commissioner, Mrs E Hackett, County Badger Leader. and (centre) Tony's proud grandfather. Area Comm J Fyanes.
Nailsea
Grainger Park cadets won the Prudhoe to Wylam raft race In May here they are at the
Hexham Courant)
A picture of the fine new HQ is presented.
ASO Bert Hutchinson, Northern Area, receives his 45 year certificate from the County Commissioner. Gordon Crowther.
Mrs Anne Senel receives a framed drawmg of the • Nailsea headquarters from Colin Knight, divisional superintendent. Mrs Senel's brother, Maurice Fox, was the leadIng light lD turning a barn into one of the finest headquarters in Avon. (Photo: Myra Meredith).
JOHN
N. Walsham
The small country town of North Wal ham, NorfOlk, 15 mIles north of Norwich, really howed how much they appreciate havmg a SI John Ambulance Division to calIon by putting their hands in their pockets when asked for financial help
The Division launched an appeal to raise to buy a new fir t aid unit. Eight month ater, and a lot of hard work by members and
Sarah Bowkett is christened.
In true St John Farmly tradition, Eddie Bowkett (right), of Norton Radstock Divi ion, and lu wife Sue, had theIr daughter Sarah chn tened among the St John farmly and friend. Their eldest son i a cadet, two are in the local Badger et, and the youngest on and Sarah 'are waiting to join'. (Photo: Myra Meredith).
MIss Ruth Easley, Norton Radstock 010, married auxiliary member John Newport,and the reception was held at the divisional HQ. (Photo: Myra Meredith).
And Lesley Allard, 16, receIves her Grand Prior's certificate from County Commander BrigadIer Brian Burditt (Photos' Rugby Advertiser).
Scarborough
The town' Nursrng Dlvi ion, wluch was founded on Augu t 141914. IS 75 years old thi month Until 1954, the Divi ion met In rented premise , then with the Ambulance DIYI ion the} bought a buildtng to u e as a joint HQ. It ",:a officiall) opened the foil ow 109 year b} Lady Mountbatten. The two lecture-room HQ I now
finish. (Photo:
Rugby nursing cadets Joanne Tasker and Sheena Smith (centre) won the Constance Pepper Cup, and Julie Haynes (left) the Burton Cup and Deborah Symth the Progress Cup
a
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
being refurbished a funds become available. In this busy resort, the nur ing member average 6,000 hours of voluntary work a year.
Sittingbourne
Sittingbourne's SJA tWinS, NIcola and Neil Baldock, are both competition team leaders whose teams finished second at county level, and both won trophies for being Best No.1. And what's more they both look pretty pleased about it. (Photo: East Kent Gazette).
Sudbury
Wallsend
Suffolk
21, for
Torquay
to
the
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
celebrated hIS birthday by buymg 24 red roses which he pre 'e nted to WestbUry's St John Ambulance. He retired from the tailOring trade last year and chooses a worthy cause for this gesture every year. He said "} feel very strongly that St George's Day should be commemorated. It would make more sense to have a Bank Holiday than on May Day." (Photo: Western DaJly Press).
Wir ral
Demonstrations for the PUDlic at Torquay. scene until the arrival of two ambulances from Torquay divisions.
The event was talked through over a PA system and the public was invited to VISit the St John stands In ide the ExhibitIOn Centre, where they could watch first aId videos or learn 'mouth-tomouth' resuscitation.
The week (in fact it lasted 10 days) involved badgers, cadets and ambulance and nursing members from all the Torquay Divisions and it is hoped to be able to demonstrate to the pub Iic again during the St John Awareness Week.
Wodebridge
Slx-year-old Badger Aaron Burbridge, of Wallsend Set, bowled the adults over at a garden party held In aid of SJA by Lowes Financial Management during June Aaron, who beat the other guests at a bowling conte t, created a prob· lem The prize was a bottle of wine! So Lowe managing director Kenneth Lowes came to the rescue He changed the prize to cash and Aaron went home happy.
Aaron and Linsdey Chilcott, 8, also of Wallsend Set, assisted (photo above) Douglas Smith, the Council chairman. to collect a £4,000 cheque from Mr Lowes to ards the purchase of a new ambulance.
Wa/lasey badgers, with Mrs 0 Blaine, president Wa/lasey Division, and MISS G Huntley, former cadet supt, won the Area competitIOn.
Hannah DaVies, 8, from Moreton, was one of 10 winners out of 2,500 entries !naSafeway
Badger competition. She received a colour work book and £25 vouchers for the set
Awareness Week
prOVIded huge jars of sweets for 'guess the weight' and a hamper of groceries for 'guess the value', had collection boxes at all tills. held a car boot sale outside, and ended the week with their staff wearing 'doctor and nurses' fancy dress. All good fun
Yorks
South & West Yorkshire's 1988 Cadet of the year IS
Shaun McDonald, 16, of Brinsworth DIVISion, Rotherham
In the Safeway carpark Sedgley members completed a 12-hour, non-stop Save-a-Life marathon.
A Cadet and Badger guard of honour for the wedding of ambulance member NIgel Dalley and hiS lady, Miss Denise George
Westbury
Wisbech
Torquay divisions gave a public demonstration of a typical street accident during the town's Civic Week of Pride, which involved voluntary and professional organisatIons.
The first aid was performed by Cadets and Badgers and the public was invited to assist at the 14
Two sisters from Wadebridge Nursing Cadet Division joined cadets from Launceston,
and
Roses for SJA Westbury from George Pensioner George Nichols, who was bom on St George's Day, has been campaigning for the saint's day to be a national holiday. George, 76,
Divisional member Andrew Clarke and fnend Andrew Parkinson made a ponsored cycle ride from St John's Gate, London, to the Wisbech St John HQ to raise funds for a replacement first aid They hope the 104-mile, 6-hour ride will raIse at lea t £250.
!/olverhampton
St John Awareness Week got off to a great start for Sedgley Division The Safeway Store car park was the scene of a sponsored l2-hour, non-stop
Save-a-Life marathon. resuscitation lessons for the public, and car-wash bay (earrung funds). In the store, cadets and badgers packed groceries and there was a large St John display area. Safeway were marvellous. They made theIr canteen avatlable to the division throughout the week, Clean your b US, sir.
Obituary
Fred Mitchall, 69, retired December 1987 after 50 years with Desborough Division. Northamptonshire. Serving Brother, died suddenly on June 7. Funeral attended by divisional, area and county staff.
PLYMOUTH. Whitleigh Badgers took part in a sponsored clean-up of five of Plymouth's buses and raised more than £200 for the Freedom Fields Special Care Baby Unit (Photo: Western Evening Herald)
Free Press editor Neil Speigh presents Sudbury's Young Citizen of the Year award
Sally Elwood,
her work with SJA, especially
Badgers. Well done, Sally!
Bude
Bodmin to receive their Grand Prior Award certificates
RUSSIAN WELCOME FOR
LENINGRAD GIRL
London District received an urgent request at 15 hours notice for an ambulance to collect a 12 year old Russian girl from Heathrow, who was flying in from Leningrad for treatment at St Bartholomew's Hospital.
The patient and her motherwere duly met by Barnet division's ambulance, together with representatives from the Russian Embassy, London St John also managed to provide a Russian speaking attendant to accompany them to hospital!
GRANT FOR RENOVATION OF ST JOHN'S GATE
The Heritage of London Trust, in conjunction with Barclay's Bank, has given a grant of £16,500 towards the renovation of the buildings at St John's Gate.
The money has been used for a variety of repairs to the external stone-work and to the roof. The Order is extremely grateful to Barclays Bank for their generosity in making this money available as a contribution to the continually expensive business of maintaining St John's Gate - which was constructed in 1504 - in proper repair.
CANADA TRIP FOR LEICESTER MEMBER
Seventeen year old Jason Smith from Leicester was invited by Stjohn Ambulance in Canada to visit the Canadian Summer
Games In August. Jason met Mrs Jean Schimnosky, Canada s ProvIsional Planning Officer from Saskatchewan , at the Great St John Party two years ago and has kept in touch with her ever since While there, Jason will visit other duties in different parts of Canada and make a study of their St John work compared with Leicestershire
SSAFA CONTINUING
TO HELP SERVICE AND EX-SERVICE PEOPLE
SSAFA (Soldiers' Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association) offers assistance to serving and ex-service men and women of the Forces and their dependants.
Working with the Forces Help Society, SSAFA's national network of voluntary representatives gives advice, friendship and when necessary practical help There are more than 10 million people in Britain entitled to SSAFA's assistance , St John Ambulance units have been invited to make contact with thei r local SSAFA branches - they exist in every county in the UK - and when appropriate to refer people to them for help For more information , contact SSAFA on 01-222 9221
FIRST AID AT WORK LEAFLETS
A new leaflet designed to promote First Aid at Work courses has been circulated to county offices The eight-page A5 size leaflet gives details of course syllabuses, why staff should know what to do in an emergency and
W€O RLD
STJOHN .' :7'" '. six years of success
SI John Fellowship
T he first Fellowship branch has been formed in Bedfordshire : Bed f ord & D ist r ic t Branch contact : Mr S J Nicholson 6 Knights Avenue Clapham Bedford MK41 6DF
6th AGM held Manchester, Mav 31 This was the first AGM to be sponsored by one of our branches , Greater Manchester, to whom we are very grateful for the warm welcome
As this was General Gordon's last AGM as chairman and General Leuchars first as-his successor, ou r guest of honour was the Lord Prior Lord Grey of Naunton We also welcomed the Chief Commander, the SuperIntendent-in-Ch ef and the Chief Staff Officer from National HO , and all senior officers from St John HO , Manchester, The Lord Mayor of Manchester was there to welcome the Fellowship to the city
why Stjohn Ambulance are the right peopl e to prOVide training Further quantities are available from the Supplies Department
COLLECT MONEY FOR THE OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL
Collecting boxes to aid fund raiSing efforts fo r the Ophthalmic Hospital are now available from Mrs Sylvia Holmes , OrderofStJohn , 1 Grosvenor Crescent , London SW1X 7EF.
DO YOU KNOW YOUR MANUALS?
Don t worry! This popular feature will be back again in next month ' s St John World
YOUR COpy OF ST JOHN WORLD
We have had some distribution problems overthe last few months which , we believe, have now been Ironed out But if any reader is still experiencing any difficulty n receiving their copy, will they please contact St John World Sales
After prayers , General Gordon welcomed more than 300 members who represented 46 branches He mentioned two in part cular : Mrs Ruth Donaldson , from Western Australia Branch , Perth ; and Lt Col Er i c Partington from Lincoln Corps Chapter, Ontario, Canada
Proposing the adoption of the Annual Report , General Gordon said that looking back over his six years as chairman , he felt that Fellowship members were , in a practical sense , back in St John , This was shown during 1988 by the magnificent response to hiS call for a corporate donation to the Hospital in Jerusalem He had been proud to present the Hospitaller with a cheque for £2,625 He thanked all who had made contributions Finally, he felt the Fellowship proVided members with a lot of well-earned fun He thanked the National Secretary for her support and all members for their friendship
New chairman of the Fellowship , Major Gen P.R Leuchars
He handed over to General Leuchars confident that no one was better qualified to succeed him
Seconding the proposal , Mrs P Riley, vicechairman , thanked General Gordon for the leadership which had brought the Fellowship to its present status He and Sheila Puckle had built a sound administrative base with a very personal approach She then read a message from our president , Lady Brecknock , regretting that she was unavoidably prevented from attend i ng, S'he sent her best wishes for a happy day, together with her thanks to General Gordon and a welcome to General Leuchars as the new chairman
The usual AGM items followed , At one stage I noted that someone referred to General Gordon s retirement' from the Fellowship, I pointed out that no one ever retires from the St John Fellowship, I was glad to announce that General Gordon would continue to be an honoured member of the St John Guild , Western Area , Hants , whose chairman , Miss Holley, had completed her six years on the Central Committee this year too
Two new nominations to the Central Committee - Mr E Bowd , Kent co-ordinator, and Mrs G E Bryant , secretary, Central Area Branch , Hants -were elected unopposed Sadly owing to illness , Mr Bowd was not present.
As his last act as chairman , General F E L L o W S H I p
Gordon presented a Fellowship badge to the Lord Prior and to Lady Westbury, Superintendent-in-Chief
Major General P R Leuchars , former Chief Commander, St John Ambulance , was then elected chairman of the Fellowship and took overthe meeting He said he was proud and delighted to succeed General Gordon , and looked forward to meeting the members and hoped branches would invite him to vis it them ,
The chairman then invited the Lord Prior to speak
The Lord Prior said he was happy to be invited to our AGM and to meet so many members from all over the UK and representatives from Australia and Canada. He felt that Fellowship was an apt name for an organisation which brought together so many old friends and enabled them to continue to serve St John in so many ways He was grateful to General Gordon who had done so much to make th6 Fellowship a success , and had no doubt that General Leuchars would carryon the good work.
The Prior referred to his recent visit to South Africa where the Order was doing much to bring all races into harmony through service to the community There he had found the Fellowship flourishing , He Wished members everywhere success and enjoyment in fellowship
Finally, I presented General Gordon with a decanter engraved with the Fellowship badge , with our affection and gratitude, He was delighted
The Chairman closed the meet ng with the announcement that the next AGM would take place in London on May 1 1990 A highlight of the afternoon was a speech by Dr Marion Reekie , president , Greater Manchester Branch , who spoke proudly about the city in which she was born and bred - Manchester
St John s Gate , Clerkenwell London EC1 M 4DA
Sheila Puckle National Secretary
(Left) St Helens and Knowsley members - an energetic day out n the Lake District (Above) Zena Holmes , Liverpool Branch secretary, on holiday with husband Jack in South Africa , presents a FellowshIp plaque to Tom David president Witwatersrand Centre which has just formed a Fellowsh p branch
Cadet Help and Information Pages
Hello and Welcome to the August portion of C*H*I*P*S, the column within St John World with Cadets in mind. This month our content is slightly different, with CHIPS NEWS taking a rest and being replaced by a special School Holiday Supplement featuring places to visit with the Division.
Teaching techniques
This is one thing I would like to mention this month. Although CHIPS tries to offer programme solutions and help with planning evenings , these suggestions are not much use if you cannot deliver them properly The most important requirement for anyone trying to teach a particular subject is forthem to know the subject thoroughly themselves
Careful preparation of your session will pay dividends Try to think about what you find boring or interesting when listening to someone else teaching In your teaching avoid the boring facets and include those you like. Copy mannerisms , figures of speech and other techniques that appeal to you - But BE YOURSELF!
The more interesting you can make your talk, the more attentive Cadets will be You might like to experiment with the following ideas:
Movement - Hand movements are watched with interest; ensure that they are not too distracting or overdone
Voice - Raise and lower your voice in keeping with the subject matter monotony of voice easily leads to boredom
Stories - Recount your own personal experiences ; the more activities and events that you have taken part in, the greater the wealth of stories Include examples of things you have seen, heard or done to illustrate a point.
Involvement - If Cadets are able to relate their own experiences to the session , allow them to. This will give you a chance to rest your voice. However, control this participation
Question - Ask questions regularly on the information you have just spoken about. Try and use the 'o pen question'
Radcliffe Lancs, cadets dealing with a skate board 'accident on their carnival float
Wo) RLD Out and About with CHIPS
In this feature we have tried to be objective ( and explain fully the benefits that the places we have to offer It has to be said that the views are of general nature
We apologise that we cannot visit every location, but we have tried to give a general overview of England s leisure attractions
Pleasurewood Hills American Theme Park
Location : Corton , Lowestoft , Suffolk NR325DZ
Contact: Linda Woodrow 0502513626
Pleasurewood Hills is now established as EastAnglia s number one attraction , as over half a million people visited the Park in 1988
There is a pay-once admission system , which appeared quick, simple and good value This one payment secured the use of over 50 rides , shows and attractions from only £4 50 (20 or more pre-booked) to £4 90 in peak season
A well placed group sales and reception office is at the entrance, and it appeared that group parties were admitted with the minimum of fuss.
Their Marketing Department will be happy
technique of obtaining responses , eg , "Why does this happen? "" Why does this help us? " as thiS is more benefic ial than YES or NO type answers
Novelty - Have the occasional novelty - Ever thought about ' fainting while lecturing on the subject. It would give the Cadets an opportunity to respond with treatment.
Practice - Give every Cadet the chance to put into practice at the first opportun ity what you have been talking about. If your session was Ranks and Badges , at the next County/Area function allow your Cadets to go around and interview and identify the officers with badges of rank that they have not encountered before.
The commonest faults with training sessions are a lack of preparation of the topic and insufficient control over the Cadets At the same time you should avoid recapping old, stale ground too much, reading froma book or allowing a general discussion
Teaching is an art and it is only with practice that your technique will improve.
One thing I will say - as a training officer in a large company - is to KISS (keep t short and simple!)
strangers - can find their way around! (Photo Grantham Journal)
to supply leaflets and posters to help you to promote the event. Artwork can be supplied if it helps you to advertise. There is free coach parking and entry for drivers
CHIPS award
The American Adventure Theme Park
Location : Contact: IIkeston , Derbyshire, DE? 5SX Group Book ings 0773 769931
The Amer ican Adventure Theme Park is part of a 345 acre park on the edge of the beautiful Derbyshire Peak District. The theme park itself covers 120 acres, including a 32 acre lake.
There is also a spectacular Wild West Show which takes place daily in the Alamo arena, which has under-cover seating for 2000 people
Again , there is pay only once to enjoy all the rides and attractions and this is adults/ children £4.95 , schools/groups £3.95 , and they also offer a super-saver for £3.45, which is for groups of 20 or more if booked and paid 14 days in advance.
CHIPS award ••
Cadets Alan Howe and Julie Perrett (right), both of Highbridge and Burnham Division , waiting to set off as representatives of Somerset to the recent cadet reception at Buckingham Palace (below).
Thorpe Park
Location: Thorpe Park, Staines Road , Chertsey, Surrey
Contact : Coach Parties 0932 562633
Thorpe Park is currently celebrating 10 years of fun , and is ideally situated off Junction 13 of the M25 in Surrey Adm ission rates include car parking and all rides , exhibits , attractions and shows - additional charges are made only for roller skate hire, water sports and coin operated amusements The Park is open every day at 10am from March until October 29 (There is no admission after 6pm in the high season) Adm ission prices are adults £6 50 ; Children (under 14) £6 00 ; Ch ildren (under 3ft 6in)
FREE
It is currently heavily advertising a Fortnight's Fun in One !' as its message (sounds like a few camps I' ve been to) and featuring its' Logger's Leap' ride - the tallest , longest water ride in the UK.
CHIPS award •••
pulley ride - to raise £500 (right).
Cadet camps
As the time gets nearer to Annual County Camp, which some Cadets feel is one of the most enjoyable parts of belonging to our organisation, it would be wonderful to receive any information about its venue , theme, activities and also comments on the camp food , that we could publish in CHIPS Because of the complexities of editing the Column, these would not be printed until the but I feel it would be interesting to about these aspects of camp, once the eXcitement of camp has died down
So please , please, please send me some information about camp - maybe even a newsletter from the week - and I will try to include it in the column. Let us know what you are doing out there! All articles should be sent to the address below
See you in September!
CHIPS, St John World, Wood Cottage, High Corner, Sutley, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP123QF.
East Brent, Somerset, nursing cadet team which won the South West region finals to go on to the National Finals
Jane Hodgkinson 12, one of the Staffordshire cadets who set up a 70 foot aerial run' at Blythe Bridge High School They took it in turns to m3ke journeys down the rope-and-
Come on, Laura
Has anybody thought of asking Laura Ashley for a donation since ttle free advert on the front cover of the June SJ World?
PDew Hillingdon
Editor
They are being approached
Proficient?
I was very disturbed by a recent d ir ective from National HQ which states that a cadet cannot take a Grand Prior Badge if they are not efficient for anyone year
Quite often , in a cadet's early years n the Brigade, they may miss an nspect on or an exam before they really understand just what being a Brigade member entails There must be several cadets i n the country who a re hovering around the magic twelve proficiencys who now find they can 't take a GP award
There are also many cadets who are just start i ng on the GP ladder who will have to told they are wasting their t me as they Will never be a GP cadet due to one m istake
I am aware that one of the regulat ons states that a GP Badge will be awarded when a cadet obtains 12 prof iciencys , and having satisfactory service in the Br gade Does satisfactory serv i ce mean being eff c ient every year, or just being a good and w illin g cadet?
Let's remember these young people need encouragement to stay Brigade members Instead the rules are changed , which is sure to cause d sappo i ntment and loss of members
C A Walker, Divisional Superintendent Blyth
National HQ Director Cadets and Training writes:
The rules for qualification for the Grand Prior Award have not changed recently. The requirements are that the certificate is to be completed over a minimum of 3 years and that satisfactory service is undertaken by the Cadet. It ts often appreciated that individual Cadets have compelling reasons why they cannot be considered as " efficient " during a particular year, but this does not necessarily barthem from qualification as a Grand Prior Cadet. Each case is treated entirely on its merits. The other requirement is of course , that the Cadet be in possession of a current Essentials of First Aid certificate If officers in charge of Divisions have any doubt as to the likely acceptance of an application for the Grand Prior Award , they should contact their County Staff Officer Cadets as soon as possible. Cou nty Staff Officers have discretion as to the recommendation they
Readers' views and opinions, which should be sent to the Editor, although published are not necessarily endorsed by the Editor or the Order of St John and its foundations. Although readers may sign published letters with a pen name, writers must supply their name and address to the Editor.
make and can also discuss the matter w ith me in exceptional cases.
CHCs
I was very interested to read the article by Br an Rockell (June) on Community Health Counc il s They are organisations which need publ icity and have now been brought to the notice of many St John members I was elected to our local CHC as a council member and it was not until I put on my 'other hat that many members of the CHC had ever considered that St John might be usefu l. I noticed n the last ist of members I was specified as council member and St John 's (!) Ambulance I agree that many St John members are too busy to take on more commitments. but has anyone considered asking if any of the Fellowship members wo uld consider appointment? As a retired CNO somewhat
disabled but still compos mentis, I am chairman of our local Fellowship branch , and a member of the CHC, and find they run together quite amica bly In fact, the disability is useful when visiting hospitals, GPs etc, in ascertaining ease of access Many memo bers of our local Fellowship group had never heard of the CHC , and when the secretary of the CHC came to talk to them the Fellowship members found it very enlightening. Per· sonally, I find the CHC so interesting that I would like to be on every group, but this must be avoided because the number of reports , visits, etc, can be a very heavy commitment.
But surely St John members could at a minimum spare about one evening a month to attend the public meeting to see what goes on?
One very happy member of a CHC
FE Wilson (Mrs) Thorpe Bay, Essex
Windsor Safari Park
The SJA day at the park is Saturday September 2 There will be a display by the Emergency Services at 2pm and a display of Brigade mementos by Mr Pettifer (of Mid Berks Area) from the UK and overseas. The armed services, including the Royal Navy, the Army Med ical Services and the RAF, will present various displays There will be a RAF helicopter in the park
Half the profits from this year's day are to be donated to the Hospital in Jerusalem See you all there
E L E Hearne Windsor
be seen until you are needed But our Image is changing Let's face it, the average person thinks Stjohn Ambu lance people are al160 and as wide as they are tall- which simply isn't true," he said
Weybr id ge 's water-borne section could well use the services of one of the members of Fc1rnham Quadrilateral Division "He's a professional boat repairer by trade ," expla ined Divisional Superintendent John Davies
" We also have a bank manager, two f iremen , electricians , engineers, three professional nurses , a secretary, a lady who runs a stables and a doctor Two of our cadets are training to be doctors I find that pleasing to have seen them grow up w ith St John and go away to medical school ," he said. Two members are also in the Surrey Ambulan ce Service and on Thursday nights all they need do is go upstairs for St John evenings
Part of the lower floor of the St John -o wned bu i ld ng at The Hart , Farnham, is leased to
the county ambulance service It is one of the best headquarters in the country, with good facilities and garages The division three ambulances but is currently for a new £25000 front line four-wheel vehicle for use on tracks and other difficult terrain It will also tow the custom built fi rst aid unit. So far £14,000 has been raised. "We are getting a great deal of help from loca organisations such as the Lions and the Hedgehogs ," said John " One member and his wife have raised more than £600 at car boot sales."
One of the division 's regular rota with three others) is Thorpe Park , With Its fun rides and other attractions. Here, they have given first aid for everything from rolle r skating injuries to heart attacks d
On a recent Sunday the division ha a vehicle at a triathlon, members at a jazz festival , and the other ambulance an first aid unit at a scramble They cover horse shows, village fetes, cross country runs-
and even the local beer festival
The division went through a thin patch in the 1970s when half a dozen stalwarts kept it going. But since becoming quadrilateral , membership has flourished " It made a big change. There's more comradeship now that nurses and ambulance members meet on the same night and there s been an influx of young people ," said John St John is popular with young people in Farnham and there are currently more than 30 cadets and a waiting list to join the Badgers
The Horley and Gatwick Combined Division is similarly well off for cadets and also has a waiting list for Badgers " It's a promising sign for the future ," says Divisional Superintendent Rosemary Charman
One of the cadets , 13-year-old Tracey Maynard, recently saved a baby s life by cle aring its airways when it was choking Rosemary believes one of the main priorities is to pass on fi rst aid knowledge to the public Every year the division holds a full lO-week first aid course for the publiC and it IS particularly popular with youth organisations
She joined the division herself in 1977 as a nursing member after taking a public first
aid course " Recently, because of cot deaths ," she said , " we held a course in first aid for babies
Our aim was to show parents what to do in an emergency The message is that those who haven ' t learned first aid will always wonder if there was anything they could have done to avoid a tragedy I used the local papers to see if there would be any interest in a course like this and for about a month the phone was red hot ," said Rosemary
Welfare work includes taking multiple sclerosis sufferers to holiday homes and loans of wheelchairs walking frames and other medical items to the elderly, which is greatly appreciated. First aid duties at carnivals , horse shows and other events keep the ambulance members busy - as does banger racing " We take two ambulances and our first-aid caravan plus the Land-Rover We need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to go on the track when anyone s hurt because it can be a bit like a battlefield! "
The parents of one of the cadets donated the caravan and the d ivision has a new £12 ,000 Bedford Midi ambulance " We are currently fund-raising for a second and it would be great to celebrate getting it during our Diamond Jub i lee next
Malcolm Rutherford on Refugees
The John \\ orld sought and has been luck)' enough to obtain a personal contribution from \-lalcolTn Rutherford. who has been for the last s everal years As sistant editor of the Financial where he has also the role of political columnist and diplomalic correspolldent. Hr Rutherford has tralelled widely and is interested in mu sic thearre, ballet and tennis apart from his main lilies of foreign affairs and politics He is married and has three daughters
One of the greatest problems of our time - and although it sounds like a cliche, I do not use the worlds lightly - is refugees In all probability, it is going to get worse
Take, for instance, a relatively obscure part of the world : Malawi. It is a poor country in Southern Africa With a population of around 7 million and unable to have much influence on the events that go on around it. Yet its population has been swollen by at least 1/2 million by people fleeing from the civil war in neighbouring Mozambique
Move to North Africa and Southern Europe There is a steady stream of people croSSing the Mediterranean to live in the European countries True , they are not refugees in any political sense ; nor are they driven out of their home countries by war They are migrants, looking for a better living Some of them become illegal Immi grants, just like many of the people from Central Amer ica who seek to move into the United States
The n switch to Central Europe If President Gorbachev 's attempts to reform the Sov iet Un ion were to fail; if, for example, some of the Soviet Republics were to seek their independence and Moscow decided to crack down on them, just as President Lindid in fighting to preserve the American Union in the last century, there might be a huge flow of refugees to Western Europe
To some extent , it is already happening
The number of refugees moving into West Germany is increasing The West Germans themselves no longer gladly welcome even ethniC Germans from the East. They say that they get better housing conditions , put pressure on the health and education services to the disadvantage of the local people just as Br itons used to object to the influx of migrants from the Caribbean and Asia That is one of the reasons why there has been a rise in the vote for the extreme right wing political parties in West Germany Now move almost , but not quite, to the Hong Kong question Hong Kong has had its own problems with refugees. They concern the " boat people " who have come out of Vietnam because they would prefer to live almost anywhere else What do you do with them? Send them back? No-one etse seems quite sure of the answer.
Finally, Hong Kong itself What is to happen to the 3 5 million , perhaps 5 5 million people who may want to leave the Colony before it reverts to China in 1997? Almost everybody seems to have been talking about this since the turbulence in China in the last few months Clearly not all the Hong Kong people can come to Br itain, even if they want to But , equally clearly, is hard to see how any British Government could turn its back on them and tell them to fend for themselves
year," said Rosemary A reunion dinner is also planned
With a large airport on its patch the division has a special role , but one member hopes it will never be exercised for real. In the event of a major emergency at Gatwick the division would be among the f i rst to back up the county service so its Midi ambulance had to meet stringent Civil Aviat on AuthOrity specifications.
Rosemary also believes in trying to increase public awareness of St John and she has a head start Her journalist husband Andrew is an auxil ary member and looks after the division s public relations " We are doing everything we can to promote the Energy Programme and the new ways of joining which will make St John appeal to more people ," she added A lesson in how to raise the organisation s profile was when Weybridge s Ray Pennock spotted that a BBC TV sports presenter wore a different club tie every week Ray sent him a St John tie and pictures of the division in action at the London Marathon and other events The presenter wore the tie on camera , showed one of the pictures and mentioned St John personnel who " pick up and patch up " injured sportsmen!
An answer - not a very good one, but an answer - is to see all the refugee problems together and recognise them as an in ternational phenomenon to be dealt with by the int ernat ional community That means effectively the United Nations There will have to be some burden-sharing in the receiving of refugees , though they also br in g benefits
Yet because the UN is such an international body, it includes countries from which people are leaving as well as those to which they are go in g In part cular, it includes Ch in a Even now, it ought to be possible to talk to China about whether it really wants so many people in Hong Kong to leave These are early days The worst th ing about the recent events in China was the vicious repre ss ion of the demonstrators by the old guard The best was that we now know that many Chinese - wh ethe r workers , peasants or intellectuals - are not greatly different from people elsewhere They want greater freedom The old guard put them down in the end but the old guard , by definition , has not long to live
So, we should go on talking to the Chinese about a peaceful transition If it is not possible, we shall have to devise some sort of clearing house to ensure that not all refugees go to the same place. That could be done if t s recognised that refugees and migrants are a world-wide problem Hong Kong s not the only case And it may be that countries which lose the ir own citizensCuba, Vietnam, even - in a quite different way - Ireland - are not exactly proud of it. They could begin to make life better at home
across the border
Competitions
Fire Services
The 37th annual first aid competition for Local Authority Fire Services was held on June 15 at th e Fire S ervice College, Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire. Sixteen teams representing fire brigades from allover the country competed. Following the competition, the presentation ceremony was
Newstrom Scotland
In welcoming members at the AGM of Glasgow Association Branch, the chairman, Sir David McNee, referred to the successful outcome of the branch's main fund raising event in the autumn, after which reports were given by the Branch treasurer and by the chairman of the two housing complexes presently run by the branch, both of which are in a healthy state.
A third housing development, this time a residential home for the confused elderly, will be opened by the branch some time in the not too distant future. Members present learned of progress with this development from the Order Committee Chairman, Mr James A Brown. The new Home will be located in Newton Mearns, a suburb to the south of the City in a house which has been donated to the O rder by a generous benefactor. The house will require to be altered and extended and it has taken a year to obtain the necessary authority to do so and to be granted a certificate for the change of use of the extended premises. The local authority in granting this permission insisted on the provision of a car park and improvements bei ng made in the access road. This entailed exp e nditure not budgeted for of some £50,00 0 which the same generous benefact o r has insisted on paying as well as giving a donation of £150,000 and the offer of an interest-free loan to help with the many other items of expenditure involved. During the year, an appeal for support of this worthwhile project has produced more than £24,000 from members of the Branch - a most creditable result. The result of all this financial support is that the Branch is now in a position to commission the building work including the extension but the cost of furnishing has yet to be found.
chaired by Mr M Rogers, president of the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers ' Association, and trophies were presented by the Chief Commander, Dr Herbert Ellis
Secretary Genera/Tim Everard raises the Order s flag , with the Chancellor, Dr o Shaw, and members of the Central Branch committee
Se c retary-G e neral
The Secretary-General, Mr T Everard, paid his first visit to Scotland at the beginning of June when he met with the Prior and other office bearers of Priory, and managed to see something of the work which the Order undertakes in Scotland.
In particular he was able to visit the Priory's recently extended hospital in Aberdeen, its Holiday Home for the disabled in
The winning fire brigade teams in their thre e section
Winning teams : men s pairs , Staffordshire Fire Brigade; women's pairs , West Glamo rgan ; open pairs , Buckinghamshire
Self-help g ro ups
The Cape Town Centre training programme has embarked on a self-help home industry project. Men and women are taught home industry skills at the Zolani Centre.
The first group of 40 women was trained in clothes production The course lasted three weekS , and within a fortnight at least one eam member reported that she was making aprofit on her work, while ten others had been granted loans from the Small Business Development Corporation for sewing machines and other necessary equipment. Most of the women are concentrating on making school blouses and skirts With their lOW overheads it should one day be possible 10 produce these for less than they sell in retail stores
Asheepskin slipper-making programme s being run for men Pat Gelderbloem, manager of St John Community Services said that if further funds become available Ih etraining would be carried out in other St John areas
The projects have been devised to provide oeople with the skills they need to find emal oyment , even if it is only of a rUdimentary -md.
It is estimated that 70% of adults in the iJape Flats squatter towns are unemployed his year at least 300 unemployed people ill be trained in sE-wing and slipper making kills This is a worthwhile and challenging Iroject and , with the help of the community Iymeans of donations and volunteers , will eable to expand
Flats Projects
Strathyre, its two sheltered housing complexes in Glasgow, as well as the Priory s projected developments in Edinburgh , Glasgow and Central Scotland
When at Strathyre he unveiled a plaqu9 1n memory of Mr and Mrs Walter Alexande r, generous benefactors of the Order n Central, and hoisted the Order s flag, also generously provided by the Alexande r family
Lord Prior visits South Africa (con t.lr
vides a necessary and much needed service to thousands of rural inhabitants.
The Stjohn Eye Unit, established in 1976, has since its inception examined more than 122,000 patients and performed more than 4,100 operations. The unit is supported by the St John Ophthalmic Foundation, a separately funded operation of the Order under the guidance of Dr Bristow, St John Hospitaller and ophthalmologist
The Bureau for the Prevention of Blindness, a division of the SA National Council for the Blind, renders eye-care to the otherwise unserved communities of South Africa and Namibia, particularly the rural areas and
om p. 7)
townships Fully equipped with surgical equipment, drugs, bandages, sheets and a large supply of glasses, their only reliance on local hospitals is for theatre facilities and beds in wards.
All units are accompanied by an ophthal· mologist who usually offers services free 01 charge. I'n the space of a two-week visit the units see about 1,000 people.
Three eye units are run by the Centre in rural areas in Natal, and there IS also a permanent eye clinic at the centre
The costs, however, are justified by disbelieving pleasure seen on the faces a those who have had their sight restored
he Nyanga and Elsies River community;ased projects in the Cape Flats have been iO successful that they are being used as 10dels in 10 countries with St John ·ranches Volunteers at the St John offices :ealwith a variety of issues in the community .u ch as marital, financial and emotional oblems The overcrowded area, which ,1arted out as a transit camp , has a child.are club for malnourished ch ldren. Sixty ,oung children and their mothers gather at "e club every day The group prepare 19a1s , are taught the importance of stimuill ng play and are advised on primary health :are.
All the medical work done at the Nyanga d age home is carried out by St John <ulunteers , who dress wounds , bath people if necessary, take the residents to pitai. In this way the elderly are helped to 'eep their hospital appointments Without this help there would be no 1ursing aid at all in these areas, and furtherore, there would be no help for the communities of the Cape als.
c h il dren fo r m ca det d ivisi o n Ju rban Centre is forming a cadet division for children. Thirty school children omthe feeding scheme at Inanda attended 1St aid classes. The course, which proved obe extremely successful, was held at the
St John Education Centre in Inanda "We were very impressed with the youngsters' standard of first aid ," said Bill Spencer, Durban Centre Director Thirty children ranging from ten years upwards, as well as a few teachers, were awarded first aid certificates Some of the cadets for the new division will be recruited from this group
Bu il d in g sc hool t o i let s
A long term project involving the reconstructing of the flood-ravaged community of Inanda was established by St John Durban Centre last year
As part of the project a building programme was implemented in order to improve methods of building in the community This entailed building ten toilets at a school in the Inanda area The toilets were built by ex-prisoners who work for the National Union of Ex-prisoners for Crime Prevention and Re-Adjustment.
The Thembalihle School , attended by over 1,000 pupils , has never had toilets , and was therefore unable to register with the Department of Education Now they will be able to meet health requirements
St John educates over o ne million each w eek
The Order in its aim to increase first aid training and awareness to the rural populations is presenting short first aid talks on Radio Sesotho each Wednesday between 13 30 and 14 30 Thetalks , in mother tongue
will be broadcast nationally. The talks , given by Wits Centre lecturer Elizabeth Molabatsi, started in February and will continue for a year. Radio Sesotho has a listenership of 1,142 million and is broadcast to rural and urban areas throughout the country
Fore ig n m oney f o r f ore i g n ob j ect !
A generous gesture was made by Tim Everard , Secretary General , while visiting a squatter area in Durban, South Africa.
In honour of this special visit , the school children from the St John Educat on Centre sang songs. The choirmaster, it seemed , was having a little trouble getting the children to start the songs on the correct note. Mr Everard , however, kindly offered his help and support by handing a twenty pound note to the choirmaster after the presentation It was suggested by Mr Everard that the money be used to buy a tuning fork
Bill Spencer, Durban Centre Director, was aware of what had happened and wondered whether the choirmaster would know how to go about changing the money into rands As expected, the young choirmaster knocked on Mr Spencer's door a few days later with tile foreign currency, not knowing quite what to do with it. Mr Spencer lent a willing hand , and changed the money for him.
" I visited Inanda the other day, and the choirmaster showed me the tuner he had purchased. It is obviously his pride and joy," said Mr Spencer,
Supplies update
The successful FirstAid promotion ended on July 1 and divisions around the country have benefited from the range of torches and equipment seals which were on offer The latest Supplies News has some exciting new offers for privileged customer card holders
There is a pilot's case , with ample storage room for all your paperwork , ava ilable at the knock down price of only £19 95 for purchases of £50+ or completely free with purchases of £500+ There is also a nothingto-lose offer on the latest edition of First Aid Questions and Answers Students on first aid courses will welcome the opportunity to buy this book and the promotion will give the opportunity for you to see how funds can be raised very easily indeed Unsold copies of the book can be returned until November 1 and there is 40% off all purchases of 10 to 50 copies.
There has been a big demand for the newly introduced Badger Flags and a second batch has been ordered and by the time you read this back orders up to June 1 will have been supplied. Publication of the President's Handbook has been delayed so that all of the up-te-date changes such as the Energy Programme can be included. We hope to be able to launch the new book in the
autumn
One of our manufacturers of skirts and Badger tabards has effectively ceased trading and delays have been experienced on some sizes Production was speedily switched to another manufacturer and back orders are now being cleared
Following the closure of Hanlon s operation in Ireland , St John Divisions operating Hanlon bodied vehicles maywonderwhere to get spare body parts The design rights for the Hanlon ambulance together with their plant and equipment have been purchased by Reebur Ambulance. They may be contacted at Saw Pit Industrial Estate, Tibshelf , Derbyshire DE5 5NH (Telephone 0773 590050)
A suggestion has been made for large collecting boxes (approximately 3ft high) suitable for shop doorways, etc These could be based on a suitable theme which would encourage giving. A giant model of Super Badger has been suggested Such boxes are qu ite expensive - probably £300 + - so before we consider production we would appreciate knowing how many Divisions would be interested in purchasing a collecting box of this type. Write and let us know
One for life
The Specialist Vehicle Builders
People keep com ng to us for something special. This is not a single success story - we can tell you many For the success of Pilcher-Greene as a co mp an y can be clearly seen and accur ately measured by the succ ess in service of the ma ny different specialpurpos e ve hicles w e bu il d and supply.
Peop e keep
And
We have bee n su cc es sfu l pi one ers in the deve opment of spec iall y bu ilt veh i c es , that are des i gned and equ pped for var ou s spec if c tasks f or well over sixty years now
By tak ng and adapt i ng the rugged and well -tr i ed bas c chass s of the
the careful attention to detail required In creating purpose -made products to meet demanding specificatIOns or fulfilspeCial roles
So successful have these Pilcher -G reene 'specials' become, that we regularly turn some out as 'standard' vehicles In a highly successful range that oHers Wide chOice to our customers - In many different areas of human activity But we're ready to build to your speCificatIOn - If you have something special In mind
Skilful engineering and crahsmanshlp, unique bodywork design , great care and attention to meeting performance needs - these are the hallmarks of our success in the creation of vehicles that will match the specific demands of heir operators - during a long, reliable, and highly cost - effective service life
CONTRIBUTIONS
Contnbutlons to the SI John World are always welcome , They should be typed treble line spaced , on one Side of only (If In longhand please pnnt names of people, places , etc) and sent to the edlton al address below If pOSSible supply a phone number for the wnter Matenal can vary from a paragraph to a 5,000 word article but It should all have some connection With St John and ItS work Photographs should be glossy black and white prints or good quality colour prints, or transparenCies If photographs are to be returned write on the back RETURN and name and address , Press day : last day of month
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Pflce 90p a copy £1250 per annum £15 outSide UK Including postage from SI Joh n World Wood Cottage, High Corner Butley NrWoodbndge, Suffolk , IP12 30F Tel 0394 450548
EDITOR
Frank Dnscoll SI John World IS edited and produced for the Order of St John by Driscoll Productions, Wood Cottage Hgh Corner, Butley, nr Woodbridge SuffOlk ' IP1230F ., Tel. 0394 450548 Fax 0394 450548 24 Hour News Hotline : 01 2355363
ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER
Sheila Merrett 14 Bo grove Gardens Bognor RegiS , West Susse x P021 4BB Tel 0243265198 Fax : 0243 266711
Care In the Commun ity
In the Wake of Hi lls borough In Fiji
Ma lcolm Rutherford on , . On Call
: Air Ra ids and Ambulances Do you know your Manua ls?
ST JOHN - ST JOHN
LEARNING
Dramatic confirmation of the value of St John First Aid at Work courses came during a Hampshire local radio phone-in programme. After hearing guest speaker Mrs Rita Davies , the County Director, describe the courses , a supermarket girl rang to give avivid first-hand account of how the training helped her save her manager ' s life
She told listeners how she used her newlyacquired skill by applying pressure to stop heavy bleeding after his artery was accidentally cut. If she had not learned about pressure points he could easily have bled to death before help arrived
Mrs Davies was delighted with the unsolicited testimonial for St John
In the North-West , a British Gas service engineer's sensible action gave surgeons the chance to successfully sew back a baby's severed arm He had been trained in (irst aid by one of the St John Ambulance Association special centres
And in Suffolk two women on their way home after the last session of their First Aid
David McDine looks at
is a highly competitive field and in addition to the Red Cross and St Andrew there are now more than 700 organisations - many of them extremely adroit commercially - offering first aid at work training
So like it or not , says Leslie Gibbons , St John people have to market their training skills
" There is a need for increasing professionalism and acceptance of the fact that we have to earn money They should not feel badly about this. Industry doesn t expect courses to be run purely at cost. Industry is used to paying for what it gets and does not look for the cheapest. It is willing to pay for something that is of quality and reliable ."
He added : " I would like to see us increase our market share in the first aid at work field " How can members help? " Individuals should try to persuade their employers to use St John for training That could help a lot."
The increaSing pressure from the many competitors including local authorities, underlines the need for St John to maintain
structors and examiners and successful students are awarded St John first aid certificates There are around 120 special centres and they provide St John with an income from registration fees
Jackie Burrows is secretary of British Telecom First Aid Centre and
St John in Industry
at Work course found themselves dealingconfidently and efficiently - with real-life acCident casualties These and many other success stories are directly attributable to the work of St John in industry.
Last year more than 77,000 men and I women were trained in First Aid at Work by counties, special centres and the Brigade The training is not only important for the well-being of the country's workforce It is also a vital source of revenue for St John.
"Many St John people who are used to doIng charitable work find it difficult to adopt a commercial approach over this training," said Leslie Gibbons , Secretary of the St John Ambulance Association
"But unless we earn money like this we will not be able to finance all the charitable Work that we do. The more money we earn, the more charitable work we can do."
The Association has been teaching first aid since it was established in 1877 and still eads the field in this work. From the early days there was close involvement with the mines, railways, police and other industries and organisations, but there has been a major change in this decade.
The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 became effective the following year and require employers to provide equipment and trained first-aiders
A structured training course was introduced and since then nearly half a million men wome n have qualified as registered firstalders through the Association's courses It
the highest teaching standards and demonstrate that its training reflects the latest developments and techniques
One area where there is room for great expansion is in schools, but currently there is - as with industry - a statutory requirement for them to have one first-aider per 150 workers , not pupils
As In many other areas , four-day First Aid at Work courses for business and industrial companies bring in a large part of St John income in Hampshire "There are refresher courses every three years and we also run a lot of half-day courses for people from small offices and hotels. They are popular for wardens from old people's homes," said Mrs Davies , who has many success stories
In Suffolk, County Director Colonel Michael Demetriadi said they were now beginning to see those trained on the First Aid at Work course coming back " We recommend that where people are not practising their first aid skills regularly they should come back and do the full four-day course every three years when their certificates expire." One of the problems in a rural area like Suffolk is that small firms trying to keep their costs down to survive are reluctant to send their people to the four locations where St John prefer to do the training because all the equipment is readily available.
Special centres are Association units formed by organisations such as the police and railways to train their own employees
They use St John Ambulance approved in-
British Gas North Western and is his industry s representative on the St John national committees.
Each British Gas region has its own centre arranging five-day courses for first-aiders As is the case with British Telecom , the extra day includes subjects of special relevance to the industry. Each region holds its own competition, the winners take part in a national competit ion and , again like BT, the overall victors go forward to compete for the Grand Prior's Trophy. " British Gas and its predecessors have always taken a keen interest in first aid work ," said Dr Jones.
Former British Gas chairman Sir Denis Rooke was himself a first-aider "I don't think he missed a first aid competition all the time he was with us and that was tremendous support for our first-aiders ."
Dr Jones said most British Gas first-aiders were scattered over a wide geographical area and involved in laying mains or visiting homes. " We look to them to act on their own in an emergency."
The main point about the story of the British Gas service engineer whose action enabled surgeons to sew back the baby s severed arm was largely missed by the media at the time, said Dr Jones
"The real point was that he saved the child's life. If he had not stopped the bleeding there could have been no microsurgery because the baby would have been deadand he only knew how to stop the bleeding because he had been trained in first aid ."
Bronze sculpture for Princess Royal
HRH The Princess Royal was presented with a magnificent bronze depicting sculptor James Osborne's six-year-old son Martin on a rocking horse
The presentation on July 18 was made at James Osborne's Covent Garden studio , where The Princess Royal met cadets from Marylebone Nursing Cadet Division, and Rutherford and Paddington Ambulance Cadet Division.
The life-size bronze Boyon a Magic Rocking Horse' presented to the Princess is one of an edition of only three The second will be sold in aid of St John Ambulance and Save the Children Fund and the remaining bronze
will belong to the project's sponso r, Mr Colin Patey-John :' The bronze celebrates childhood play," said James Osborne " This is a living sculpture for children and adults to enjoy."
Mr Osborne has commissioned Fra nk Dickens , creator of various children s stories and cartoon characters, to write and illustrate I a bo ok telling the story of how the mag ic rocking horse comes alive , breaks free and takes Martin on adventures around the world The book will be launched next year and all proceeds will go to St John Am· bulance and Save the Children
Princess Margaret at Warwic k -but where's the bouquet?
Eight-year-old Badger Yvonne Clarke, from Warwick , narrowly avo Ided the disappointment of a lifetime when HRH The Prrncess Margaret visited Warwick Castle to open the restored conservato ry
The bouquet which Yvonne was due to present to the Princess fait· ed to arrive, but thanks to some quick thinking by county pres de nt Lady Smith-Ryland , who picked some white rosebuds from the gardens , the day was saved After the drama Yvonne said : " I was really worried , I thought I d have to pick some daisies! "
The Princess officially reopened the 200-year-old conservato ry, which houses more than 100 plants, by unveiling a plaque set in its floor After the ceremony, in the castle s great hall , she joined more than 100 guests at a fundraising dinner for St John Ambulanc e
(Photo : Birmingham Post)
'Big John' makes Royal Tournament debut
As thousands of people headed for Earl's Court to see this year's Royal Tournament , ' Big John', the six foot high bandage who originated in Lowestoft , made an appearance At the St John Ambulance stand he met potential recruits and then explored the Tournament where as usual he caused quite a commotion!
Any Division wishing to borrow ' Big John' to help promotional activities , should contact the PR department at National HQ to 'b ook ' him as long as possible before an event. You will need to organise transport for him - he s a fairly bulky fellow - and an extrovert to step inside
Kirsty knew...
Nine-year-old Basingstoke Badger
Kirsty Appleton knew just what to do when a young friend was badly cut while playing in the garden recently His mother watched helptessly as four year old Kevin bled badly from his head Undaunted, Kirsty applied pressure to the wound to stem the bleeding She the n escorted Kevin and his mother to hospital where she gave a detailed account of the incident and the treatment she'd given. Full marks to a First Aid Badger!
Success for Safeway link
Reports of St John Week activities involVing Safeway staff getting together with St John divisions to raise funds have been reaching us. In addition to many Safeway stores hosting mock 'accidents' to focus attention on the Energy recruiting drive , there have been many imaginative ideas to raise funds Peterlee division of Durham , for instance, joined forces with their Presto store to hold fundraising competitions such as ' name the teddy bear and giving first aid manuals as prizes. Divisional Superintendent Ron Lamb was delighted with the response , saying : "T his has given us the opportunity to improve public awareness as well as the ch ance to raise funds ."
Meanwhile in Cheltenham , Mayor Eric Phillips found himself volunteering for bandaging practice when he called at a local Safeway store where Gloucester St John ha d displays At the Presto store , in Jarrow, a'g uess the value of the hamper ' competition was a great success , while staff at Safeways Aldridge store , West Midlands , hel d a fancy dress fund-raising day At the Oewsbury store there was a balloon race, car cle aning and shoe shining , and a competition to guess the number of cans in a stack , Many divis ions have now built up good rel ationships with the Safeway store in the ir tow n and , of cou rse , there will be many ways of work ng w ith Safeway to raise money in th efuture (See page 20 for SJAlSafeway link In Wiltshire)
President Hayley takes course
Hayley Mills , President of London 's Southall D ivision , successfully completed a four-day First Aid at Work course at London s York Street headquarters recently Here she is putting her newly acqu red skills in to practice
Dewsbury cadets run to the aId of a " casualty" at their mock aCCIdent dIsplay at Safeway 's store from left· AIM Darren Poulter, cadets RIchard Cassidy and Adrtan Goldthorpe and casualty " GavIn Holmes
The D irector General (right)
w th award w inners Mrs J M BeddIng and Mr P J Hopk ns
disaster awards
Two teachers from Emanual School London , Mrs J M B,edding and Mr P J Hopkins , received meretorious first aid awards from the Director-General Robert Balchin for pr?viding first aid to casualties at Clapham Junction rail crash Emanual School received 200 letters of tribute an d thanks fortheir action and headteacher Mr P Thomas said that Mrs Bedding and Mr Hopkins carried out first aid far beyond the call of school duty
Thanks to Warrant Officer David Haines scores of people in the UK and Germany are better prepared to cope with a medical emergency For the 36-year-old Warrant Officer from Burnley spends much of his spare time instructing clubs and organisations in the techniques of first aid
During the last 11 years Warrant Officer Haines currently stationed at Hohne , near Hanover, n West Germany, has served in the Royal Army Medical Corps. His professionalism, knowledge and leadership has now been awarded with the presentation of the British Empire Medal.
Warrant Officer Haines joined the 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regimentin 1971 , transferring to the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1975 He is married to Lorraine and has a daughter (15) and son Marc (13). In h is spare time he instructs groups of w ves , youth organisations and St John Ambulance Brigade in first aid , for which earlier in the year he was also made a Serving Brother of the Order
STJOHN , . . . . care
in the community
Our 'enry hands oullhe Besl
allhe Brigade Finals
TThere were JOInt winners th,s year for the coveted (and large) Dewar Sh eld - London s Paddington D,v,s,on and S & W Yorkshire s Doncaster D,v ,sIOn
(Left) Bristol No 1 DIVISIOn team members went off laden with silver and Henry had to help with the Perrott ShIeld, which they also won
(Below left) Shrewsbury nursing cadets took two cups , while Bilsthorpe ambulance cadets (right) champions In the cadet fIrst aid sectIOn , each had something to
he finals of the Brigade First Aid an d Nursing Competition were held onc e again at the Fairfield Halls , Croydon , on Saturday, July 1 As always , the compet tion s were fiercely contested and the winnin g teams thoroughly deserved the covete d trophies which were presented by the boxe r Henry Cooper OBE
Fifty-five teams which had already bee n successful In eliminating round s represented their regions in the five secllon s
The winning teams will go on to face a furthe r challenge when they compete In the Gra nd Prior s Trophy Competition in November against champion teams from Indust ry. police , and fire brigade JOint winners of the Dewar Shield In the first aid adult competition were Paddingto n Division , London , and Doncaster, South and West Yorkshire , who also won the Hingston Rose Bowl. Proud winners of the Per roll Shield (and the Mountbatten , Chalme rs. Ellis and Golding cups!) were Bristol No.1 DIVISion from Avon , who went home laden with sliver In the first aid and nursing cade categories , Shrewsbury cadets carried oft the Dunbar Nasmlth Cup and the Bedma k· ing Cup , while Bilsthorpe from Nottingha m,
whO were champions in the first aid cadet section won the White Knox Cup, the Jarvis Cup and the New Zealand Cup
Congratulations also to the winners of the Thwaites Cup for their work in the field of Care in the Community - Sarum Division from Wiltshire. The Sir Edwin King SpeCial Service Shield for the highest number of special service shields or crosses went to Walthamstow Nursing Cadets
The Cadet Quiz was won by the Larne team, Northern Ireland , with Cornwall's Torpoint team runners up Runners up are listed below
First Aid Adult
Glynneath (Wales) Symon Eccle s Cup
Bilsthorpe (NOIIS) Hong Kong Shield Crawley (Sussex)
And the Sir EdWin King SpeCial Shield went to London s Wa l· thamstow nursing cadets
Sir Keith Joseph cup competition
1989 sees the introduction of the Energy Programme , upon the success of which hangs a great future for St John Ambulance Requests for our members to aSSist in caring ' for people in our local communities increase daily as does the need for first aid cover at so many events
For the past 15 years the annual competition for a Welfare Project has taken place, whereby Divisions have submitted entries for judging , following which awards have been made for the Sir Keith Joseph Cup and the Thwaites Cup
Sadly, in recent years , the number of entries has decreased , despite the fact tha t the work carried out in this field has increased. In view of this, thought it may be helpful for members to know a little more about the competition.
The period within which the development of the project for the competition will principally be assessed is from September 1 to August 31 the following year
The basic unit for each competing team is a B rigade Division, bu t where there are in th e sa m e locality separately registered
Transport
PLA N E: A wheelchair lift has been installed at Cardiff Airport so that disabled passengers for international flights can avoid the steps to the boarding area COACH : A single deck bus (right) , adapted for hire by Ribble Motor Services, Preston, to make group travel more accessible to disabled people can be converted in one hour to carry seven wheelchairs and leaving sea ting for 27 passengers
The Cadet Quiz winners were from Northern ireland - the girls from Lame Division
First A id (Cadet)
Gr imethor p e (S&W Yorks) Schooling Cup and Barne
ambulance and nursing divisions , or adult and cadet divisions they are encouraged to enter as a single caring team '. These teams can include members of all ranks , all ages and either sex (including divisional surgeons , nursing officers , presidents , Auxiliary and Association members) In the past I have found that DIVisions submitting entries have failed to put forward all the details of their project required by the rules of the competition In particular the paragraph marked (d) Entries ' states : This report should explain , with reasons , any major change of plan during the course of the project. It should also indicate the extent to which the various categories of the members of the caring team become actively involved in the project In so far as the project involves expenditure, the report should account for that expenditure and state how
the money was raised
When speaking to members of Divisions who are very much involved in Community Care work I find that they appear to be hesitant about entering the competition because of the need to 'write up their project. Perhaps I could suggest that cadets are asked to help with the writing up of the caring team s ' project as young people now undertake a great deal of such work at school and know how to put a project together How nice it would be to involve them in this way
Sometimes journalists from local newspapers will help , or a retired schoolteacher or business person with a little time to spare might enjoy such involvement as well as helping the Divisional Superintendent in this special way.
The guide-lines for entering the 1989/90 competition have been sent to counties this month and I do hope that many of you will consider putting forward an entry this year I wish you very good luck with your project!
Jeanne Mercer Chief Welfare Off icer
ST JOHN ST JOHN
on the terraces south
In the wake of Hillsborough
Co mments, claims and counter claims flowed freely following the disaster at Hillsborough. Entwined within that tragedy we saw the two sides of the coin of human nature. The reprehensible behaviour of some members of the press and media contrasted with all that was fine and noble in mankind. This was exemplified by those who strove against all odds to save lives and to offer compassionate help to the bewildered, shocked and bereaved.
There are many questions that arise from the Hillsborough tragedy and much will be said and written before Lord Justice Taylor's enquiry is complete. Setting aside those matters which are the responsibility of the enquiry, what of the questions which pose themselves to St John as an organisation, and to our members, as a result of that terrible afternoon?
For us in South and West Yorkshire they fall into two broad groups. First, the immediate problem was the subsequent management of St John members who were present, and those who for a variety of reasons were not present. Second, the events of the day need to be examined to establish what lessons can be learned in order to enable us to be even more efficient in the future.
There were 35 St John members of either
JOHN SHORTLAND, County Commissioner, S&W Yorks,
A member from Liverpool pays his respects at Anfield
asks: What questions are posed?
profess onal counsellors After discussio n. we decided that St John members wo uld best offer the most appropriate form of counselling , and that we would use outs ide help if required
lair We must therefore make sure that each and everyone is fully rehabilitated And what of the future? What have we to learn from this catastrophe? In my view, the most far reaching implications are for trainIng All St John members are trained to persist with resuscitation until told that life is extinct by a doctor, which under normal ' conditions is absolutely correct. At Hillsborough, however, ambulance and nursing members were forced to make the decision that patients were dead The desire to find somebody alive' and the sense of isolati on and loneliness were recurring themes in he counselling sessions While we talk of 'Triage ', do we really teach it properly? Do we as trainers actually address the question? To whom should triage be taught?
sex at the semi-final ranging from cadets to adults in their sixties. The youngest were initially deployed in the First Aid room where they assisted with the management of unconscious and injured patients As conditions deteriorated , they were accommodated in a Police van in order to try to shield them from the horrific situation that was developing. The more senior cadets worked on the field, escorting shocked and injured patients to collection points prior to transport to hospital.
Many of our members found themselves in the front line dealing with an impossible situation. Their bruised and abraded forearms attested to the persistence of their efforts to sustain life through the unyielding wire fence. The situation was such that lives could not be sustained , and the ensuing sense of impotence and frustration was a very real one , and in some it was manifest later as anger
All of our members who were there have been deeply affected by the events of that Saturday afternoon , and therefore required careful and sensitive counselling in order to minimise the effects of this trauma We did not have a counselling scheme up and running', but such is the diversity of the membership of St John that within a short time we had a team together which included
We began with a meeting of all those in· volved , both counsellors and those on duty
For many, although harrowing , thiS meet ing proved of the greatest value , each f nd ing consolation and support in the i r colleag ues doubts and fears . Did we do enoug h?
Could we have done more? ' ' couldn ' td o any more to help him or her ' were or everyone's lips Tears helped to sublimate feelings of inadequacy and frustratio n
Throughout the next few days individua counselling took place , and thiS coinCided with the preparation of written statements by all of those on duty Theweek culminated ln a corporate visit to the Hillsborough stadiU m. where those awful moments of the prev ious weekend were relived We felt that return ing so soon to the scene represented an impor· tant hurdle on the road to rehabilitation We were sensitively received by Sheff ield Wednesday Football Club who allowed us access to a room In which we were able to hold a brief service in private We returned to the Sheffield Area headquarters prior to at· tending the commemorative service at Shef· field Cathedral.
During the week the support that was given , notably by Sheffield Area membe rs and S & W Yorks County staff In counsell ing. and National HQ staff by their presence , en· couragement , and dealing with the press was greatly appreciated The numerous let· ters of sympathy and support that we have received , from allover the country, have touched the hearts of our members
The basic concept of triage originated in Ih e Napoleonic Wars It involves the sorting or ranking of patients on the basis of the severity of their injuries, and applies to situaons where there are multiple casualties By practising triage , maximum use is made of Ih e available resources to deal with those who have severe and treatable injuries Thus valuable time is not wasted on patients who are dead , and those who are only slightly inured are sent to a separate clearing area In most multiple casualty situations , it will be th e lot of the most senior officer on duty to exercise triage until such time as it can be nanded over to a medical practitioner Make no mistake, the person to perform the triage Sthe most senior and experienced person present. At Hillsborough , each and every member had to do his or her own triage, and hey found it very traumatic To what extent sh ould we teach the practice of triage to ambu lance and nursing members? The consequ ences of this line of argument are far re aching , and may indeed have important me dico-legal implications.
Detail
A member adds a wreath to the floral tributes at Anfield
Further assistance has been required du ro ing and following the police interviews , which being necessarily thorough and detailed have brought back the anguish of that day in· to sharp relief Individual counselling has now ceased. The rapport between counsellors and those on duty has been established, and a telephone call is all tha is required if help is needed It is perhaps some measure of the adequacy of the sup· port that has been given , that everybody on duty at the semi-final has returned on dutyto Hillsborough at least once already, in add l· tion to a variety of other duties. However, the intense sense of impotence and frustration , which was exacerbated by 'off the cuff' com· ments in the media, must, I think, repres enl a unique and significant aspect of this sadaf·
Training IS a regular activity of our diviSions, and I often hear that members become bored because the same material is dealt with , 'year in year out' Anyone who has lu dged competitions will know that it is lack ofattention to detail in the basic principles of fir st aid that so often lets competitors down The fact of the matter is that first aid is the application of sound and tried methods of treatmen t in varying situations The need for the first-aider to be interactive with the situation as it unfolds, and responsive to changes in th e patient's condition, cannot be over emphasised. The value of regufar duties is important in this context, providing the necessary stimulus to extend skills and increase confidence. On reflection , duty debriefing shoufd be a regufar feature of every division's activities The discussion of dia gnoSis and treatment with other experie nced first-aiders represents an imporlant opportunity to learn and extend kn Owledge and expertise wonder how many divisions suffering from falling nUmbers make use of this chance to support
their members and increase the corporate identity of their unit? The value of the Divisional Surgeon and Nursing Officer is highlighted in this context , and their unique position in the division fends itself to counselling where necessary Contingency plans for counselling following the Hillsborough disaster would have been very helpful , and although our posttraumatic care was instituted fairly quickly we could have begun earlier It would seem appropriate , therefore , that a list of suitable individuals prepared to give intensive support in the event of a major incident should be held , and must be regularly updated. Perhaps th s is an aspect of St John Activity that can be accommodated in the energy programme. These counsellors may need help themselves , and training is essential.
Major incident kit
The events at Hillsborough raise the question of the value of a Major Incident Kit at all large duties , and indeed some equipment to be held by all Areas Disaster may strike anywhere , as exemplified by the tragic events at Lockerbie The equipment that should be included is open to discussion , and is being considered by the Medical Board as a matter of priority It would seem to me that it should include items additional to those normally used or required. For instance in a situation such as Hillsborough large numbers of airways are appropriate In contrast, at the Bradford fire disaster large dressings were needed By large dressings I mean large enough to coverthe trunk , or a patient's head (ie with holes for the eyes and nose) Unusually large dressings such as these can only be specifically prepared in advance , sterilised , and kept in sealed bags which are appropriately labelled Intravenous-giving sets , fluid and cannulae would seem to me to be imperative The list could go on and the prospective cost would justifiably be considered to be prohibitive Indeed some of the items have a definitive shelf life , and purchasing them would be vary wasteful because they are unlikely to be utilised before the expiry date An alternative arrangement could involve obtaining items such as the intravenous-giving sets , etc , from a pharmaceutical supplier in anticipation of a large duty, and then returning them afterwards on a sort of sale or return ' basis
National Headquarters may well be of help here in negotiating a national agreement with the pharmacists and/or suppliers to enable this arrangement. It may be that local businesses may view the opportunity for sponsorship of other items more sympathetically in the light of recent events
There is as yet no agreed format of the patient labels which would be required for triage Therefore some form of identifica-
Hillsborough enquiry
See page 14 for extracts from the interim report by Lord Justice Taylor
IN FIJI
Commander of London District, Derek Fenton , recently visited Fiji, calling at Singapore and Sydney en route. He had an opportunity to meet many of the people involved with St John Ambulance in Fiji and to learn about their varied activities.
In the western region of the islands, Derek inspected members of the Division at the Emperor Gold Mine, where he was later presented with a whale ' s tooth, a tabua , the highest gift that Fiji bestows Below, with two of Fiji ' s first SJ Badgers
tion/documentation which is acceptable to the local emergency services and hospitals will be necessary The importance of regular maintenance of this kit should be emphasised.
Comments relating to drugs and defibrillators must be seen in context. Defibrillators are used on St John duties but only by highly trained personnel conversant with their use (ie , ITU trained doctors and nurses) The majority of our members are not professionally qualified , and therefore would not and should not be expected to use highly sophisticated and potentially dangerous apparatus of this kind Whether or not a central policy decision is made to train selected St John members to the level of paramedics is a separate issue. However, I can foresee problems for those members who do not work in a clinical environment. continued on page 22
National Raffle'89
Ticket sales of Headquarter's National Raffle 1989 are going very well. The Marketing Department hopes that everyone has sensed the smooth running of the raffle by Mr Paul Bumstead, County Liaison Officer. The new procedure of sending all tickets to county offices to allocate has helped the administration at Headquarters tremendously.
There are still some tickets available to sell. Please contact Paul straightaway for new orders! Remember, the target is £120,000.
Paul is beginning to receive early returned stubs, which will make his job of folding and counting all the stubs for the draw much easier. Please start sending in all stubs. Deadline for stubs is October 20, which will give Paul plenty of time to sort them for the draw on Wednesday November 1. Please
for
After enquiries it was found that the general public would prefer a car as first prize
, say, a holiday Although it proved difficult getting a car prize for this year s raffle , the Marketing Department is now approaching car manufacturers for one for next year s raffle The Marketing Department would welcome your comments on this problem, and your experiences of getting raffle prizes Do you have any new ideas? How can we improve the raffle for next year? Do contact Paul- he would love to hear from you!
Malcolm Rutherford on
Only in a hot summer
This has been the strangest English summerthat I can remember. I am told that it was very hot in - was it 1947?when I was a small boy. It was certainly very hot in 1976, but in 1976 nothing much else happened. My abiding memory of that year is of people in London going out into the streets and holding out their hands to feel the splash of the rain when finally it came. Some of them danced. That was at nine o'clock on a Sunday morning.
This year all sorts of other things have happened. The weather was only part of it, though we had the familiar fears about drought as soon as it failed to rain for a week or two. It has never been clear to me why a country that normally has so much rainfall should so quickly run out of water. Some places also ran out of mineral water -a new sign of the times. In the past people used to complain about the beer running out; now it's the Perrier.
Water has been on the mind for other reasons. The privatisation of the water industry, which the Government pursued all summer, does not seem to be very popular. Yet it must be plain by now that the English water industry is not the most efficient: it suffered from shortages and the quality was not very high by European
standards. Something had to be done about it.
Then there was the sport. It was one of the best Wimbledons for years: some surprises, some tantalising near misses, like the comeback of John MacEnroe. Many of the women's games were better to watch than the men's. And it remains a curiosity about Britain that a country whose own players can scarcely reach the quarterfinals can still stage - by general acclaim - the best tennis tournament in the world.
The cricket was less good, at least at tsst level. England started well in the one day matches, then failed in the first four games of the tests proper. Rather than say simply that the English sides were inadequate, we should pay some tribute to the Australians. They would have been very hard for anyone to beat. Alderman, Waugh and the others, captained by Border, were a formidable combination this summer.
Before the fourth test was over, there was the announcement that a large number of English players are departing to South Africa for the winter. This will lead to all sorts of complications for international sport in the next year or two because it is alleged that Britain is therefore ac-
Badgers head north
St John Badgers are to be launched in Scotland Yes , Bertie Badger is donning his kilt and heading north of the border to establish sets throughout Scotland Than ks to the fund-raising efforts of Safeway grou p stores , and the help of St Andrew 's Am bulance , money has been raised to ensure the sets get off to a good start this month
Help for customer
An elderly customer was taken ill in Safe· way's Farnham store recently But thanks to quick-thinking staff , she soon received atten· tion Staff train ing manager Toni Bissel gave the casualty mouth to mouth resuscitat on while an ambulance was called and Stjo hn members were fetched from the i r nearby HQ Later, store manager Mr Jesse pra sed his staff and the St John personnel for the ir prompt and effic i ent handling of the situat on
quiescing In apartheid I have only one com ment to make It is that the on Iy way of stopping English players going to South Africa would be to withdraw their passports And I wonder how many people would argue seriously for that. The whole business of sport and politics is a recurrent one. It comes round again with every Olympics and Commonwealth Games , and we have not found a satisfactory answer Probably there isn't one Not least, there were the transport strikes, perhaps especially if you lived in London , where British Rail, the Underground and the buses could be on strike in the same day, and the traffic has a tendency to jam even when public transport is running normally For the first time in many years, public opinion was not automatically against the strikers There was a sense of achievement in getting to work regardless, or deciding that it would do no harm to stay at home for a day and watch the tennis on television
The best story I heard of someone beating the strike was from a colleague who spent over an hour searching in vain for a taxi. Then he realised that he was standing next to the British School of Motoring. He went in and asked for a driving lesson He was allowed to drive himself to work alongside an instructor. the charge was £12 an hour, far less than it would have cost in a taxi. It could have happened only in a hot summer. Otherwise public patience might have snapped. Perhaps we are in for a bleak mid-winter.
County Commissioner Stuart Hadler wIth Avon Super Badgers. And (below) plenty of fun at the Avon Badger sports day on June 4 at Ashton Court
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
t'+ 30pm on Apnl 24. Graham O'Donohuc and Vickc) Han. bOlh of the Post Office Di\ iSlon. Coventry. were dri\- 1I1g homc from their tir"t day of J FAW cour"e in C(wentr) when the) came a man "",ho had collapsed dl'tcr belllg "tabb eu in the with a large knife. Mr O'Donohue said: "We calmed h1l11 amI stopped the no\-\ of blood by putting direct pressure on the wounds." Vlckey s:'l1d' "I thlllk \\-e did the right thing. I had been In a competltlon \\ here there was a "tab wound. "0 thJt helped us."
The) Jlso found the knll'c that had been med and gJ\e It to the police. \\ ho "aid later 'A man I a""lsllng lIh enqulrle There I" no doubt that the prompt actlon of Mr O'Donohue ,\I1d Mis.., Han helped "a\e the man\ Ilie "
Devon
Clwyd
(RIght) Cacjets SIan Perrin and ClaIre LewIs, both 15, of Wrexham, with the Rotary Cup the Division was awarded for community servIce - plus a £50 cheque.
County president, Sir William Gladstone, wIth the Commissioner, Mr E R Eaton, inspect a 600member county review 1--
Mrs M Lavers, Deputy County Commissioner, presented Ottery-St-Mary Division with a resusciann, the cost of which was donated by the Telethon Appeal Mrs Lavers also presented 16 First aid at Work certificates.
Framlington
Involved 10 a recent road traffic aCCident. FramImgham St John Ambulance membe.r Bill Emeny felt that he was III the right place at the right time.
Bill was travellmg home In the works BIll Emery mll1ibus With nine colleagues when they were in colliSion With a car. The mlllibus went out of control and ended up on Its side 1l1lhe ditch. Reallsll1g he was only bruised, Bill asked if everyone was all right and then saw blood everywhere. One by one his colleagues crawled out of the vehicle unhurt, apart from minor cuts and brUises. Bill stayed with a man who had a nasty cut on his forehead, the ource of all the blood.
Using dre sings from a first aid kit he carries, Bill managed to stop the bleeding and then tried to calm the man down. With the man in such an excitable state Bill found it increasingly difficult to keep his airway clear as the patient was also suffering from a fractured jaw. Bill wasjollled by a Police medic and together they managed to remove him safely from the vehicle. Once outside they were able to reassure him and arrange transport to Hospital.
The man has ,ince left hospital with eighteen ...tnches to the lorehead wound and a v. Ired Jav" ,llld grateful to Bill f(lr hiS prompt actions Bill W'dS In the right place at the fight tllne
Gwent
Torfaen Area members who have Just passed the" casualty SImulation exam and would like to say thanks to instructors Pat Ellis (back, left) and Iris Balss (back, right) for an interestIng challenging course
Hornsey
Hornsey Divhion lOok. liN prill! in the local carnival ItH the "peclali ed \ehlc!c category wllh memher children ha\ ing great fun dres ing up with fake blood and loads of bandage A good time \ as had hyall.
IIfracombe
Badgers Adele Barbeary and Thomas O'Leary, both 6, were chosen Pnncess and Prince of the IIfracombe carnIval They look the part, too, don't they?
Lancashire
Mr R Blunsdon, who due to Illness was unable to travel to London to receive his Officer of the Order appollltment from the Lord Prior at the investiture at St John's Gate (the usual procedure),
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
SII110n RalOe of Fables Event.,. the competition It IS hoped that the Pro-Am Gal f Day "",III become an annual event to raise funds for the St John Ambulance.
Oldham
presented With the award telr more than 40 veal'''' ervice to the Brigade by the COllllllissHlller ;lr Lancashire. Mr L Hurri
At the prel,ent,lllon in the photo above arc (L to R) Carol deputy comnmsloner. Mr DG Lund chools project office. Mr l Harm. \ COI11 IllI<,SIOIH.:r: Mr R Blunsdon 0 tJ. \1rs P Lund. DI M Cottier. county surgeon dnd Dr S Holroyd. as"lstdnt county surgeon
Northamptonshire
Oldham Equitable Ambulance and 1 ur.,ing Cadet" have combined to form a team and have gone on to win the Area '>wimming trophy
Pembroke Dock
Pembroke Dock 01\ ISlon celebrate It<; 50th anniversary this year \\ hen D IS Wd f Jones received the anni\ersar) certificate from Dr Bryan Davie Deputy Chief Commissioner for Wale
Selby
It was very much Joan's day \1.1) 18 \\.:a\ a great day for '\Jonhulll \ Cytrlngan Oi\ ision\ Stan Sergeant Joan Bell It started \\. ith a trip to John\ Gate. London \\ here Joan recei\ed her en Illg Ister'" av,:ard he then retumed to Kl'tlenng 10 tllne I()r the 01\ Iw)n's annual InspeClion, v. here .,he received her Lnng mile \1cdal
And then to top off the dJ\ it \\a\ he who received the kev<, of the 01\ I\ion\ nev. ambulance. which dedicated b) Canon Fmnk Pearcc, rector 01 Kettenng Jnd pre'>ldent of Kettering HQ Di\ ISlon
Nottinghamshire
The liN St John AmbulJnce Pro- m Golf Tournament was held at Ruddington Gmnge Golf Club on July 2 In our photograph are Mr John Caner (left). chUirman of the St John Couned ( ottinghamshln:!). Mrs Marie Male the Mayor or Ru hebffe. tee 109 off to star1 the competition. dnd
Wales
As part of RadIO Festival Week. BBC Radlocame to CardlfffromJuly 3 to 8. when the public had the chance to meet their favourite radiO personalitites from RadiO I. 2. 3. and 4 and to a radio exhibition.
The Priory of Wale,,' chief trulnlllg coordlllator. Keith Dunn. who had been giving a serie<; offirst aid Instruction on the Radio Wales programme Bill of Health. was a ked to broadcast the final episode. on resuscitation and first aid in schools. live from the exhibition. What better than to lllc1ude two youngsters from Pentrepoeth Primar) School. Laura Pas<,ey and Lee Selv.ay. [0 demonstrate !lfe <,aving skills?
The 01\ I<,ion\ third annual gala a great fun-day which needs a great deal of orgulllsing - was opened hy their pre<.,ldent. Lord Martin Fltzaland Howard After a number of earl; problem'>. the day "e!lled down \ cry ucce sfully and raised over £700 /tH the division
Suffolk
Lord Tollemache. who has rellred as chairman of Council. has been succeeded by RllhanJ Burro\\ i.l member of Councd for some yeJrs v. ho organlo.;ed the annual golf tournament lat year (rai"ing o\er £10.000)
Surrey
The count) PRO for o.;eyen year. Leonard Kemp. of 1ead\'ale. rellred In June after.+5 lear \.\ llh the Brigade. when he recel\ed hi" 3rd gilt bar to hi.., en Ice medal Leonard JOllled the Brigade Jt Him khuN. Kent. in 1939. and ha.., been on Area • and County tdff.
Eight Wallsend cadets. WIth DID NIcky Moon, who were enrolled recently and bring the strength of the DIVISIon to 35 cadets
W. Midlands
The Mayor teeing off
SJA Su rrey has been presented \\ Ith a fa \ machllle by Siemen pic of Windmill Road. unbury. It was formally handed over to the Count) Commissioner. Martlll KlOg. and County President. Tom Curtis. b) Charle ' Woodcock. of Siemens pIc. who :ald: "It L a pleasure for Siemen to be able to asslt an organi at Ion \\ hich gives such valuable sen Ice to the communlt)."
Twenty four Cadet!> and Badger.., from Great Barr. Wet took part in a 24-hour marathon reSU<'Cltalion. prO\ 109 the) are not hort of breath' The:- hoped to rule hundred of pound · to buy firq did equipment. "Thl \\a. the tiN tlme we had tned.1 reuscitation marathon and It \\3 a gre.1t -,ucce.,..,." Jld Alan \\alker. d1\ 1\lOnal In tructor. "The; all completed it. although the) were \ery tlred" (Photo Woherhampton E\pres. and Star)
Obituary
George Creech, 79, joined Clifton Division, Bristol, In 1931 and was a founder member of Kingswood Division three years later. Assistant Commissioner in 1941 and received the Meretorious Certificate the same year for Civil Defence work. MBE 1964. Knight of Justice of the Order. Founder member of the St John Fellowship in Bristol and Avon His Widow, Mary, retired as deputy county superintendent; his son John IS CSO Avon; hiS elder son James IS area commissioner (pool), Berkshire.
Members of the English China Clay's winntng first aid team (a burglary scene) during the Cornwall Association 's 3rd Open First Aid Championship at St Austell (Photo: C H Barrett)
Hillsborough Report and St John Ambulance
The interim report from the enquiry into the Hillsborough disaster was published on August 4 In his examination of the first aid and emergency services, Lord Justice Taylor says "no valid criticism can be made of the response the St John Ambulance Brigade And "It would be unreasonable to expect at any sports stadium medical facilities capable of dealing with a major disaster such as occurred," adds Justice Taylor. "What is required is abasic level of provision for first aid, for professional medical attention and for ambulance attendance together with a system of co-ordination with the emergency services which will bring them to the scene sWiftly in whatever numbers are required ."
The report accepts the evidence of Peter Wells - Divisional Superintendent in charge at Hillsborough - that the St John oxygen cylinder used at the ground was "charged with oxygen and working properly' The report 'says it has a capacity that will last for 5 hours and 40 minutes on a high setting and was still half-full when tested afterwards.
Lord Justice Taylor makes 43 recommendations concerning all aspects of safety at football grounds, many of which he considers should have been implemented by football clubs before the start of the new season His recommendations for first aid medical facilities and ambulances include
There should be at each stadium at least one trained first aider per 1,000 spectators
The clubs should have the responsibility for securing such attendance
.'. ", .' ST JOHN - ST JOHN
Air Raids and Ambulances
To commemorate the 50th anniversary o f World Wa r II , the Order s museum is mounting an exh i b it ion en· titled Air Raids and Ambulances - St Jo h n Am · bulance 1939- 45 The exhibition , wh i ch loo ks at the role of St John Ambulance during the war, o p ens on September 6 and runs until the end of Oc to ber. It is at the Museum , St John s Gate , Clerkenwell , Londo n (telephone 01 - 253 6644 for more informat ion.)
The picture (left) is from CSt John in Focu s', a h isto ry of St John Ambulance in photographs , and s hows a Brigade Nursing member giving first aid treatmen t in Piccadilly underground station dur i ng the Bli tz
-----STOPPRESS----
House of Commons Motor Cl ub
The club should employ a medical practioner to be present at each match and available to deal with any medical exigency at the ground He should be trained and competent in advanced rst aid
At least one f ully equipped ambulance from the appropriate ambulance author ty should be in attendance at all matches with an expected crowd of 5 000 or more
The number of ambulances to be in attendance for matches where larger crowds are expected should be spec fied by the local authority after consultat on with the ambulance service and should be made a requirement of the Safety Certificate
St John Ambulance made a submission to the Hillsborough inquiry and detailed guidelines on the provision of first aid cover at football grounds were circulated to all counties at the time Since the publication of the interim report, these have been reinforced to meet the Recommendations
The Commissioner-in-Chief and Surgeonin-Chief have been holding discussions with the Football League and Football Association who are greatly concerned that the provision of first aid at football matches should meet the recommendations of the interim report Also at a national level, discussions are taking place with the statutory ambulance authority
There should be at each stadium one or more first aid rooms The numbe r of su ch rooms and the equipment to be mainta i ned within them should be sp e cif ied by th e local authori ty after tak i ng p rofession al medical advice and should be made are · quirement of any Safety Cert f icate
On October 21 MPs will take part In the ann ual Classic Car Charity Run which this year will benefit St John Last year s event attracted 20 ca rs and MPs and raised £10,000 for the SSC 's Children in Need' appeal. This year the run Will be considerably bigger With 40 cars and MPsex· pected to participate Chairman of the Commons' Motor Club Ne Thorne MP. who is a keen supporter of St John S hoping that £25,000 can be raised wh i ch will bu y a new vehicle for the Outreach Programme at the St John OphthalmiC Hospital in Jerusalem
The cars, from all over the country, will gather at Battersea Park in south west London before completing their Journey to the House of Com· mons The RAC Motoring Services will be adding their support to the run With special patrols keepIng an eye on competing vehicles to ensure their safe arrival at Westminster The Ford Motor Com' pan y a re the en t husias ic backers of the day and t hey are also prov d i
Cadet Help and Information pages
Hello and welcome to the September edition of
of
inside
written
Camping with 5t John
At present camps must provide their own tents It is intended to equip the site with canvas in the near future.
For further information and applications to reserve the camp site , please write to the County Administrator, Lt Cdr A G Lumbard , St John Ambulance County HO , 25a Farncombe Road , Worthing , Sussex BN11 2AY.
W i lt s hire camp
Over 70 Cadets and Badgers from South Wiltshire descended on the Woodford Valley and this normally peaceful and beautiful scene was " enhanced " for a weekend by St John youngsters in camp
The dozen or so gallant adults who took it upon themselves to lead , administer, and in every possible way care for the youngsters did a magnificent job The worst disaster was
All pers o nnel using the site must be accompanied by a member who holds a valid St John A mbulance camping warrant. The warrant holder is responsible for the site and its facilities for the duration of the camp.
a girl Badger who went to sleep while still eating a lollipop , and In the morning found it entangled in her long hair. Needless to say one kind lady immediately became the camp hairdresser!
The camp itself was a great succes s There was a programme of fun deslgned to make the youngsters sleep well (it didn t work the first night though) and activit ies were very varied Even the Adventure Grou p turned up with an abseiling tower
Sunday morning Included a Church Parade Desp ite camping in tents uniforms were all in good order There was a qUick dash to fetch some paper nurses caps, and some lime was spent searching for odd items of uniform. In the end a smart parade marched off to church led by colour parties , including the new Badger flag
CHIPS would like to thank Captain DaV id Merr itt from Wiltshire St John Ambulance for his photographs and editorial content
Please remember CHIPS would like to hear from any Cadet/D ivision/Area Coun ty Camps that have taken place this summer
Chips News
Wildlife
WATCH , a national club for young people who care about wildlife and their environmen t , and the Hawk Trust a charity working lor the conservation and appreciation of al I birds of prey have launched a nat onal survey ' Window on Owls to provide more inform ation on the habitat and habits of the owl Dop ulatlon of Br tain
The project , which consists of two sep arate surveys. is sponsored by the optiCia ns Dollond and A itch ison Survey forms
can be picked up from your local branch of Dolland and Aitchison or obtained by sending a stamped , self-addressed envelope to WATCH , 22 The Green , Nettleham , Lincoln LN22NR
The latest YHA leisure brochure oHers even more short breaks than before , With over 60 breaks to
and sisters Samantha , 15 and Sally Hodge, 14 Lytham St Annes cadet pageant, with cadet Queen Yvonne Thomas (centre) flanked by Knight Tracey Milner, bearers and attendants During St John week, the Div sion with support from the town 's Safeway Store , collected £280, recruited two cadets and receIVed several enquiries about joining
available from Lesley Dreyfuss , Press Officer, YHA , Trevelyan House , 8 St Stephens Hill SI. Albans , Herts AL 1 2DY.
Please send any articles , comments or suggestions regarding CHIPS to the address at the bottom of the page See you in October!
CHIPS, St John World , Wood Cottage, High Corner, Butley, Woodbridge , Suffolk. IP123QF.
Message fr om t he Heart by Claire Nelson, 12, Bolton
I am your heart , Pump ng blood Keep me healthy, Keep me good Lack of exe rCise, Fat and grease ThiS could make my action cease Plenty fnes, Excess ive smoking
These could stop my heart fr om working Grill and boll Poach and steam Ways of cooking of wh ich I dream Vegetables , salads , fish, white meat, Will help me keep you on your feet. Healthy liVing, Healthy eating
Keep me strong , Keep me beating
So do not smoke
It's no Joke
Do not fry , It makes me cry.
Do not sit , To make me fit
A var ied diet , You must not lack
To reduce the risk of a HEART ATIACK
Wiltshire's camp saw plenty of fun! (left). And (right) in the fine cookhouse the adults had their hands full (Photos : David Merritt)
With over 70 cadets and badgers In Wiltshire 's camp some uniform adjustment was needed from DIS Frank Phillips before the parade (Photo: David Merritt)
Realism (on a plane) in Surrey competitions at the county 's Fire Brigade training school
Oldham Equitable and Central Nursing Cadet DiviSion s three Grand Prior awards - Lana Matthews, Katherine Redgrave (also cadet of the year), and her non-identical twin Jennifer Redgrave
readers letters '.
Brigade needs ...
John Stalker, now security adviser to Millwall Football Club , writing in the Oaily Express of April 17 about the facilities at major football stadia , said Medical facilities inside grounds are equally abysmal. The admirable St Johns Ambulance Brigade is a voluntary organisati on dependent for its existence on charity The Brigade needs to be reorganised , expanded , funded and trained to fill the vital gap between what it does now and the professional medical services .'
Great publicity for us and he has reinforced the point that we are volunteers in a charity We do , of course have some valuable professionals in our membership , thank heavens but they cannot be everywhere all the time
We need all that he says in his second paragraph believe the training is there without Energy ' What we need is many more volunteers who should be encouraged by good leadership and teaching to raise the standards of our existing courses
The Energy Programme MAY get a few more people to join our ranks but , as I understand it, the standards of our uniformed members are not going to be raised The Three Cross Award s , however, a good start Mr Stalker - come and join us and show us how But please leave the s ' off St Joh n the Brigade is not plural or possess ive!
Vivyenne Ronaasen , CSO Surrey
'Special Projects ', National HQ writes:
The aim of the ENERGY Programme is to absorb a broader spectrum of talent by attracting people with manager ial, technical and administrative sk lls Not only w il l standards be raised by developing the sk lls of volunteers who are already our members , but we must also attract many thousands of new members who can offer new talents and expertise St John Ambulance is chang i ng
The ENERGY Programme i s a v ital step in our plans to develop an organisat on which is geared for the future
I protest
I must protest in the strongest possible terms about the report in On Call , page 11 , April Sf John World , concerning the Plymouth Salisbury Badgers
I agree that for the group to raise £110 in one go was fantastic - but to spend on themselves! What credibility have we with Safeways and any other group funding us if they read this sort of thing? What credibility have we for ourselves?
We work to raise funds to succour Our Masters the Sick Or do we?
John Springer DIS
Huddersfield
Readers' views and opinions, which should be sent to the Editor, although published are not necessarily endorsed by the Editor or the Order of St John and its foundations.
Although readers may sign published letters with a pen name, writers must supply their name and address to the Editor.
Development Manager National HQ writes:
As the ju n ior section of St John, the Badgers are aged between six and ten and the Badger course has been designed with this in mind We do not see the duty of Badgers as " to succour our masters , the sick " but rather it is our role to equip these youngsters with the necessary skills and enthusiasm to help them become mature , responsible adults and possibly future adult members of St John.
The extensive training scheme the Badgers follow is designed to be fun as well as informative They are taught to develop common sense, fair play, self control and courage and we aim to provide a happy, friendly, helpful place for the children to spend their t ime
To complete the various elements of their training scheme the Badgers require funding and the outings undertaken by the Plymouth Salisbury Badgers form part of the requirements of Healthy Badger (Healthy Eat ng) and Communication Badger ( Drama) Ra ising money in such an innovative way not only lessens the financial burden on individual Badgers and their families but also teaches the Badgers the value of such outings
W ithin the nine topics the Badgers study there are ample opportunities for Badgers to show their commitment to helping others and the out ings mentioned are more than balanced by th is.
Safeway is fully aware of the nature of the Badgers and as such has backed our aims by'donating £150 towards a new Badger Set for every new Safeway store that opens or is converted
On parade
Having attended the seNice of rededication, at St Paul s Cathedral for many years , I felt that this year I would like to congratulate and thank the members of London District who took command of the parade
I would especially like to commend the two Cadet NCOs for the excellent way they presented themselves on parade and the way in which they carried out their duty of falling-in the cadets Well done!
But may I make the poi nt to all Divisions who intend sending cadets that they are made aware they are attending a forma parade and church seNice - not a fun day. This can be before and after the forma events of the day. The cadets who go with me have a great time when we are not on duty It was obvious that the majority of cadets were unable to follow the words of command when falling-in on parade and the basic drill movements , which made the job of the NCOs more difficult but was undertaken with great patience
We must lookto our drill training before attending any parade or inspection and at least know how to :
Size : Tallest/shortest. Fall in on the marker : Right dress.
Turns and marching orders
Until this year the cadet " Fall in on Parade " consisted of any Cadet Officer wh o could drill grabbing the cadets and push ing them into some form of order, losing those with incorrect uniforms somewhere in th e middle to get them out of sight. Good Cade ts reflect good off icers
Thank you London District for the best an d most memorable Parade
Maureen Thorpe (Mrs) CSO Cadets Northants
Oh for a laugh!
In the March St John World was a photograph of Norman Wisdom If my memory is correct , many years ago Norman Wisdom appeared in a film about St Joh n Ambulance It was , I believe , called A Stitc h in Time
The film does not appear to be in print or available Would anyone know where a copy may be obtained? It would certainly liven up some of our St John meetings
STJOHN 9 RLD Schools project
29 Emergency Aiders from Cowes High School , Isle of Wight, proudly display their Two Cross Award certificates which were presented to them by Anne Macleod (right) , from National HO With them are their teacher Mrs Elizabeth Bell and Brian Wilson from St John , Isle of Wight.
Oman students
Afurther 20 pupils from The British School , Muscat , Sultanate of Oman , have gained their Three Cross Awards The school now has 53 pupils with the
high success and enthusiasm and enjoyment which all they had for the course ." The school started the scheme in March 1988 and Heather Lofthouse is to be congratulated on making it so successful , especially as there is no St John Ambulance In Oman to help Thank you Heather
nominated for the One
of
8nt sh School Muscatnow has 53 pupils W
the Three Cross Award. There is no St John Ambulance locally to help WIth Instruction - and yet the certifIcates are regularly being despatched from our London Supplies Dept
how its done
E N E R GY
David Merritt Pro & CSO Training Wilts
in Wiltshire
J une 24- plentyoftime! I've heard Laurie and Jennie explain what the Energy Programme is all about. I've dreamt up lots of super ideas to really put St John on the map. Having planned it all in my mind, can now relax June 24 is "E-Day" and it is a long way off!
How wrong I was! Having lulled myself into a false sense of security, I forgot the first cardinal rule of St John - "If you don't do it yourself, it might not happen". A week before E-Day was in a state of panic!
Of all the best laid plans, the only thing that turned up trumps was SAFEWAY. The manager of the Salisbury store was magic could do anything, go anywhere Just ask! So did
My recce showed that inside the Safeway store was not the best place for a recruiting display The shopping precinct, just outside the store, was far better Could I set up there?
" Don't know," said the manager, but he would ask. The precinct was definitely more suitable - more people would see it, and there was a cafe opposite (you've got to look after the troops).
Now for the display There was insufficient space to stage an accident , so aspectacular display of pictures was required Great idea. I'll borrow some display boards from county HO. Perhaps not - they haven t got any A casual comment informed me of the whereabouts of some super display boards , complete with lighting kit. This was too good to miss - could I borrow them? If you collect them, you can have them , the man said So I did, and splendid they are. Many thanks to the donor. You provided the foundations of everything I produced
Now for the display material. Some suitable titles will be required I rather liked the "energy" logo produced by National HO , and felt that a certain amount of internal plaguiarism would be justified A quiet word with a graphics designer where I work produced some very large logos (my boss has long ago realised that he only pays me, and that I do in fact work for St John)
What about pictures? Maria, my wife, who is not a St John member but does more work for it than do, is very artistic , and she designed the entire display. I fancy myself as a photographer, and between us we produced a very professional looking display, with a few very large prints and some of the printed bumpffrom London mounted on brightly coloured card. I was impressed if no-one else was!
So we had the display We had a site. Alii had to do now was let people know where to come and see my little exhibition. Press releases, that's the answer. I sent them out 20
The Energy Programme is well aired in the Safeway Store in Salisbury.
to everyone. Maria was transferring calls to me in the office for several days At least they worked! In addition National HO had been doing their stuff! I was inundated. Could I take part in a local radio broadcast in the south of the county? What is the energy programme? How about recording an interview in the West? Can you do a live interview at 0730 tomorrow in the north of the county? (It was a working day, and my boss's patience was wearing thin)
The only answer was to delegate I managed to find a very art iculate member who was able to turn up , in the north, at 0730 She did an excellent job on GWR local radiO I managed to organise a recording session for the County Commissioner, which went on air on June 24 I did recordings for two local radio stations , and got quite a few column inches in local papers
After all this , alii had to do was turn up in the preCinct on the day Set up my display, and await the arrival of some uniformed members prov ded by Salisbury Divis ion It wasn t quite so easy. Could I set up before the precinct opened at 0800? The early morning rush would make my display difficult to unload , especially as I would have to carry the boards from the main road No, you can't drive your vehicle into the precinct. Well, I made it. I set everything up wearing scruffy clothes and just as I finished getting into uniform (changing in Safeway) the Salisbury members turned up. Excellent timing!
• " OK crowds , come and see the energy
News from Scotland
The North-East Fife sub-branch of St John Association in Scotland received a generous cheque from the local Levenmouth Social Club of Fife Constabulary to help run the Order s holiday flat for the elderly in Leven Chief InspectorWiliiam Drummond hand-
programme ." And they did All ages, all shapes and sizes. Many asked where the collecting boxes were Most people were sur· prised that we were not fund raising, and on· Iy wanted recruits The forms prOVided by National HO are brilliant. We filled In quitea lot, and even more people said they would think about joining. Both Salisbury and Amesbury Divisions have got new members already as a result. Others are still being followed up.
The display in the precinct was very suc· cessful. And there was a bonus Such was the Interest generated that BBC Rad O Wiltshire offered St John a 30-mlnute pro· gramme called "Sound Advice". It goes ou t live every Monday at 1030, and consistsof3 minutes chat followed by a record followed by chat , and so on
The programme dedicated to St John went out on July 10, and starred John Badley Wiltshire Commander; Dr John Parsons County Surgeon, and Zena Parsons , Dv Officer, Stratton It was a great success , both as a broadcast and in further cementing ou r relationship with BBC Wiltshire, which Isa very new company. It first went on the airlasl April.
So the Energy Programme was launched
We now have to keep it going Our display has since appeared in a community centre and there are plans for further appearances
There is a lot to be done from the training point of view, and I am treating that as a separate problem Er, Boss Can you spare me tomorrow?
RECONDIT I ONED AMBULANCES
W - A REGISTERED CHOICE OF THREE BODYSTYLES ALL IN NEW ST JOHN LIVERY FORD AND BEDFORD AVAILABLE
All with reconditioned engines, bodywork and warranty 12 months MOT. Fitted with beacons and horns , etc.
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Established twelve years with over 200 ambulances supplied to St John
ed the cheque (above) to Mrs Ellen Hay, sub-branch convener, with Social Club local Association committee members , m· eluding Mr Gordon Butchart , OStJ , husban d of the former Branch Association Secreta ry·
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New CountyHQ for Warks
method must be devised to enable them to be exposed to the paramedical role , in order that they may have an opportunity to regularly practise their train ing and skills , in addition to the duties that they perform Th s would ensure that St John ' paramedicals have both the confidence and the highest level of expertise In my view there can be no half way measures at this level
Nobody can predict when or where disaster will strike , and advanced liaison with the emergency services and local hospitals will establish the most effective role for St John in the disaster plan Arrangements for 22
call -out procedures of personnel and muster ing po i nts are very importan t. It s true that we are only voluntee rs, but this must not become a rod for our back The voluntary status of St John personnel is one our most valuable assets , and cons iderably enhances the contr i bution that we as an organisat on make to the commun ty We all aspire to our motto Pro Ut i l tate Hominum ', and seek to achieve it with the maximum effectiveness We therefore owe it to our members to train them to the h ighest level , and to prepare them and equip them to deal with whatever situation develops Our black
a nd wh te uniform is rec ogn sed as a symbol of help and ass istan ce when requ ired Along w th that recogn t ion th ere is a lso p roduct expectat i on ', the publi c ex p ects our ass stance to be eff icie nt , eff ec t ive and ap' propr ate There is mu c h that the ev ents at H ll s borough have to teac h us, a nd we must as an organ sat ion , and as ind v dua l members , respond to the les sons in a positiv e and construct ive w ay It is only by show i ng ourselve s to b e c arefully and thoughtfully respon si ve , and as a n 'i nteract ive ' organisat ion , that we shall cont nue to enjoy the conf dence of the publi c we se rve
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CONTRIBUTIONS
SUBSCRIPTIONS
David McDine...
. STJOHN -
Youth activity in St John (Top) From cooking to running an office (Centre) Looking after the less able And (bottom) off for venture weekends
SI John Youth
Anyone still under the impression that all M young St John people do is first aid and nursing training is in for a big surprise as the latest of a range of exciting new measures is introduced
Coming shortly is the Links scheme, making it much easier - and more attractive -for all students to stay with or join St John at a time when many have tended to drift away
And soon anyone between 15 and 25 will be able to take part in a new award - The Challenge, designed to provide a new direclion, recognise effort and perseveranceand attract new members
There are also important moves to provide acomprehensive new youth leader training scheme
Added to the Action Pack and other changes for the better for St John Cadets , it aI/amounts to the most significant package ever aimed at winning and holding the Int erest of youth These youth initiatives could not have come at a more appropriate moment, with employers and voluntary organisations countrywide beginning to face up to the stark facts of the so-called demographic trough
Shortage
Now that Britain 's post-war baby boom generation has reached maturity, a growing shortage of school-Ieavers is forecast. One estimate is that by 2003 there will be 20 per cent fewer in the 15 to 29 age group
And with youth representing the future, fishing for recruits in a smaller pool will be difficult for any organisation - especially for whose members give up their free time to serve others for nothing.
"Young people today have so many chOices and joining a uniformed organisation and learning first aid is not necessarily the highest of their priorities," said Susan Yau, of St John National HQ. "Therefore some changes are essential."
St John Cadet of the Year Robert MCMonagle, a 17-year-old from London-
derry applauds the youth initiatives. " It's all knitting together very well ," he said.
Robert will himself be off to nursing college in Belfast this month to begin a threeyear course and believes Links is a particularly good idea. " I believe it will help keep members who might otherwise lose touch while they are away at college and it should attract new people ." Susan Yau graduated last year and joined St John in March , in a post funded by Safeway, bringing fresh ideas to a review of Cadet activities
She co-ordinates a working party that consists of members from all levels of the organisation , including Cadets from around the country, and is currently editing two new manuals One is for Cadets and the other for those in charge of Cadet Divisions" a quick and easy reference for everything they need to know." The manuals are due to appear in the New Year and Susan will also be develop ing a NCO course for introduction next year She is also planning the launch of a new twice-yearly magazine for Cadets for issue to all Divisions
" The aim is for it to be a point of contact and a channel of communication and information for Cadets We will tell them the range of things that St John can offer." The emphasis will be on two-way communication " I will be asking Cadets for suggestions ," said Susan
The need for good two-way communications is underlined by Mark Perry, Assistant Area Staff Officer Cadets in East London , who has been helping out at Headquarters while on vacation from St Martin's College, Lancaster
"We want our Cadets not only to take part in activities but to have a big say in management , because it is their organisation ," he said He believes the Action Pack which can be taught by Cadets themselves and allows youngsters to take a fuller part earlier was much needed and has already proved a success
Ten years ago there were some 46,000
Cadets but by 1986 the figure was down to 24,000 Happily last year the numbers began riSing again - the downward trend apparently turned
Peter Crook is on secondment from the Prudential Corporation to steer through the new Youth Leader Training Scheme, the aim of which is to enhance the quality and effectiveness of youth work within St John Ambulance " Often people move into working with Cadets because they are the only people available ," he said " But that's not really good enough They need to be trained in youth work skills Until now we have been one of the few national youth organisat i ons without a youth leader training programme ."
Youth leaders
The aim now is to give youth leaders, who must be 18 or over, all the tools needed to run an interesting and lively youth organisation Peter believes it is not only the general public who think of St John Cadets as being " just a first aid organisation. " He said that within the organisation itself people ask : " Why do our youth leaders need all this training? "
To him the answer is clear " Endless first aid is no great attraction to young people in the face of abseiling canoeing and rock climb ng , etc being provided by other National Youth Organisations ." St John has the facility to offer all of those activities and more In addition it has something that other youth organisations do not have Peter says •• St John has at its heart the selfless ideal of helping others , while most other youth organisations are self-centred in that the young people join them for what they can get out of them."
The youth leader training programme he has helped put together will be launched nationally next spring The way the programme is planned means that the trainee youth leaders are able to study 'at their own pace and place ." Sa id Peter: " Changes like this are necessary Cont inu ed on page 14
STJOHN
· getting . .. Annual Conference Blackpool Aug 18·20
BlackPoo l, famous for its mini 'Eiffel' tower and Golden Mile , welcomed 450 members of St John Ambulancepresidents, members of council, divisional officers , ambulance and nursing members - and directors of Safeway, for the 1989 Brigade Conference at the end of August.
The weekend began with an evening hosted by the Mayor, who welcomed delegates to the town, and entertainment by an eccentric pair of musicians - favourites of the mayor's - who got the audience thoroughly involved.
On Saturday morning the Commissionerin-Chief, John Sunderland, opened the conference and then Lady Westbury introduced Phyllida Stewart-Roberts, SJA President of Sussex, who is to succeed her as Superintendent-in-Chief at the end of the year
The first speaker, a very entertaining man of the cloth, was Canon Smith , whose talk 'Don't just tell me you love me , show me' got the conference off to a marvellous start Ros Bidmead Headquarter 's Marketing and Appeals Director, then spoke on the important subject of fund-raising, or, 'm aking the world go around'. Jane Durkin , from the PR Department , spoke on the need for everyone to get involved in PR, and so help project the right SJ image.
Jennie Eaves, also from HQ and responsible for the Badgers , took us on a flight of imagi nation with' Badger goes shopping - to a Safeway store , of course! She also showed us a new video about Badger activities, an impressive account of 'the story so far' Director of Cadets and Training Jim Bond
explained developments in youth activities and new initiatives such as the Cadet Challenge and the Links scheme We were then 'rocked' by the musical talents of that department when Peter Crook and Sue Yau joined Jim on stage and proceeded to 'rap ', getting us all involved in the choruses!
Taking the stage again - this time wearing her Energy Programme hat - Jennie Eaves explained what the new recruiting initiative could achieve if everyone put maximum effort into making the programme work At this point a commotion ensued and a white rabbit (alias Chief Staff Officer Hawes) appeared on stage and as we heard tales of the Energy Roadshow ' for a moment we could have been in Alice's wonderland. Jennie then showed a video designed to recruit volunteers through the Energy Programme, copies of which, as with the Badger video, are available from the Supplies Department.
After lunch TV reporter Kate Adie , recently back from Sri Lanka, told us of some of her experiences as a television journalist. Often reporting from appalling situations, such as the Chinese students' demonstrations in Tiananmene Square, she soon dispelled any myths about the glamour of the job. She also spoke of the need to trust young people with responsibility.
The Surgeon-in-Chief , Dr Lewis, spoke of how hewanted to be part of the changing St John Ambulance , and stressed the need for the organisation to value its paid staff He hoped that doctors and nurses will have the same ranks and saw a need for more medical professionals and specially-trained ' advanced' first-aiders in the future. Dame
Audrey Emerton , Chief Nursing Officer, re-iterated the need for us to recruit more
professional nurses into the organisation Mrs Phill ips message was Let's be positive '. The Chief President spoke of the need for improved co-operation , communi· cation , and to be prepared to face the challenges of the future Leslie Gibbons, Secretary of the Association , speaking of 'changing times', stressed that the Assoc ia· tion backed the Brigade s work totally He spoke of the complementary relationshipof the two parts of the foundation , and of the need to move towards greater commercial awareness in the marketing of first aid courses Concluding the afternoon session Dr Ellis the Chief Commander, in a light· hearted talk took the title ' It's later than you think! ', which as it happened was particula rly apt.
After another evening of ' party ing', delegates struggled to the Winter Garde ns in time for the interdenominational serv ice on Sunday morning by the Rev Bill Gorn all , who was gallantly fighting off a bout of 'flu
Later, writer and actor David Kossoff gave an entertaining talk on ' Nothing SeriouS with readings from his books of Bible stories and gently teasing his audience whom he mockingly described as 'distinguished '!
Alistair Grant , chairman and chief ex· ecutive of the Argyll Group, which owns Safeway stores, gave a talk on the expans ion of the supermarket chain , a progress report on the partnership with St John so far, plans for the future. Everyone in the aud l· ence was also given a bag of Safeway 'goodies' to take home! ,
Concluding the conference , the Comm ls· sioner-in-Chief thanked all those an d particularly Jennie Eaves who had worked so hard to make the conference a success, and wished everyone a safe journey home,
With Blackpool that weekend over-run by first-aiders from as far afield as Guernsey, Northern Ireland and Kent , as might be expected one or two members found themselves being called into action after the conference session on Saturday afternoon A17-year-ol d man who fell from the Central Pier - unconscious and suffering lacerations to the arms and a possible fracture of the wrist - was attended by Frank Lord and Mary Wh itt am from Todmorden D ivision, Yorkshire
Meanwh il e on the promenade an accident Involving three cars left the occupants with whiplash injuries, but fortunately several me mbers from Northumbr a were swiftly on the scene to help
The Chief Cornman· der; Dr Ellis, and M rs Penelope Worsley of N. Yorks
Alistair Grant of Safeway spoke of the partnersh p opportunities w th St John
Mrs Phillips, Ch ef President , asks David Kossoff to autograph a copy of his B ible Stor es
Who's Who (a few years ago-h'm) at the conference
Those who were at the Brigade Conference will be interested in the results of the Identify the Baby ' competition. Entrants tried to match some of the speakers with photographs of them in their much younger days! If you didn 't have the opportunity to do the competition in Blackpool, try your hand at it now! Answers on page 23.
Robert McMonagle, Cadet Leader of the Yea r; thanks Kate Adie for her talk
The Cadet and Training Dept break into
Departmen t on 01-235 5231 at 1 Grosvenor Crescen t. They will try to despatch the t ickets to you as soon as poss ible
raff
Mrs Everard , Comm issi on er fo r St Joh n Ambulance n Jersey, has sa d that welcome members from oth e r count ries visiti ng Jersey to accompany th ei r on duty However s he as ks t hat p ri
MMarjorie C o untess of B reckn o ck
arjorie , Countess of Breck nock , died at the end of A ugust , aged 89, after a lifetime of service to St John Ambulance in a number of key roles
She was a redoubtab le figure with an outstanding record as a Senior Commander In the ATS during the 1939-45 War and subsequently as Superintendent-in-Ch ef of Ihe St John Ambulance Brigade
In the latter post she succeeded her COUSin and closest friend , Edwina , Countess Mountbatten of Burma , who died wh le on service With the brigade in North Borneo in 1960
Major e Brecknock who had accompanied Lady Mountbatten on numerous for eign tours around the world In both war and peace , published a v iv id p ictor i al memOir, EdWina Mountbatten (1961), the proceeds of which she gave to the Edwina Mountbatten Trust and the Save the Children Fund
FollOWing Lady Mountbatten s death , Lady Bre ck noc k was very Involved in the setllng -up and admin stration of the Edw na Mountbatten Trust. St John Ambulance has been one of seve ral benef ic iaries to benef it very greatly from g rants from the Trust
The two lad ies were related through the Cassel fam ly, MarjO ri e being the only ch ild of Col " Teddy " Jenk i ns of the Rifle Brigade by his w ife Anna , a niece of Sir Ernest Cassel , the rich German -born financier who was Edwina Ashley s grandfather Marjorie Minna Jenk i ns was born on March 281900 and educated at Heathf eld Part of her ch ildhood was spent " follow i ng th edrum " with her parents and part sharing agoverness with her cous in Edwina
Eventually the Jenkins family settled at Wherwell Priory in Hampshire , a gift from Sir Ernest Cassel , which was to remain Lady Brecknock s home all her life During the 1914-18 War, when the estate mechanic was called up , young M arjorie, who always had an intensely practical approach , took over he running of the electricity at Wherwell. She also worked in a convalescent home for soldiers at Marsh Court , Stockbridge In 1920 she married the Earl of Brecknock , elder son and heir of the 4th Marquess Camden The marriage was dissolved in 1941 , two years before Lord Brecknock succeeded to the marquessate
Between the wars Lady Brecknock was a spirited socialite. In 1928, together with EdWina Mountbatten and Lady Alexandra
Metcalfe , she opened an all-women s c l ub , called Masters , in Savile Row - somewhere , as a contemporary gossip columnist put it " where they could have cockta ils , luncheon and perhaps dinner before the theatre ". Subsequently men were also reluctantly admitted , " be ng necessary and des i rable for f inancial as well as other reasons ".
Marj or e Brecknock and Edw na Mountbatten also undertook a ser i es of exot ic expeditions They traversed the w lds of Mexico , Guatemala and Honduras to study Mayan art and c iv sat i on in the Yucatan pen nsula ; and subsequently to Ch ile and by tra in to La Paz in Bo li v ia , whe re they suffered f rom mounta n s ckness and became invo lved n a local upr is ng
From 1937 to 1939 Lady Brecknock was a LadY- I n-wa i t i ng to Pr i ncess Mar i na Duchess of Kent , and t was dur ing th s t me that she made her f irst contact w th the St John Ambulance Br gade
In 1938 she o ined the FANYs (later to be embod ed n the ATS ) as a pr ivate and durng the 1939 -45 War she served f rst w th motor compan es , then w ith the ant i-a ircraft art llery By the end of the war she was the sen or ATS woman off cer at Supreme HQ Al li ed Expend t onary Force i n France
In 1945 she was ment ioned in despatches and awarded the Amer can Bronze Star Lady Brecknock was celebrated for her dr v ing and mechan cal sk lls
A wart ime story is told of a maj or who could see only the beh i nd of a female corporal work i ng under the bonnet of h is br igad er s staH car He diff dently asked if he could be of any help whereupon Lady Brecknock s oil-bespattered face turned to him : " I m perfectly capable of coping w ith the engine , but you could post this letter for me ."
On leave during the war Lady B recknock accompanied Edwina Mountbatten on a tour of hospitals and other units n Europe and the Joint War Organ i sations of the Red Cross and St John On one flight in a small aircraft they found themselves under f re above German lines
In 1946 Lady Brecknock joined St John HQ as staff officer to Lady Mountbatten , the Superintendent-in-Chief Four years later she rose to become Assistant Superntendent-in -Chief (Overseas) , a title later changed to Controller of the Overseas Department.
Lady B recknock hel d this position until 1960, when she became S up erintend ent-inC hief in succession t o La dy M ountbatten
During her 10 years in the top job she ind efatigably visited St John units throughout the Commonwealth - always at her own expense
After tr ps to Ind a , Ceylon , Malays a , Singapore , Hong Kong , Australia , New Z ealand , Sabah , the West Indies , East and West Afr ica , Mauritius , Malta and Cyprus she undoubtedly knew more than anyone about the Br gade overseas The ground she covered and the amount she ach eved on these extended tours were phenomenal. In 1970 she arr ved n Cambod ia for a s ight-see i ng vis to Angkor the day before the coup d etat. On her return to London her only comment on be ng caught in a revolut ion was the nconvenience of not be ng able to leave the country as planned (she was delayed two days), and the d sappointment at not hav ng seen anything excit i ng. Lady Brecknock cont inued to play an act ve role i n the St John Ambulance Br igade as Ch i ef President from 1972 to 1983 After ret r ng as Ch ef Pres ident Lady Brecknock became Pres dent of the St John Fe l lowsh ip, a role wh ich gave her great pleasure as enabled her to meet many old friends as she v isited Fellowship branches She was made a Dame of the Order in 1958, Dame Grand Cross in 1971 and made a member of the Order of Mercy
From 1948 to 1954 she commanded 310 (Southern Command) Battal i on of the WRAC (TA).
At home in Hamp s h re she ran the Wherwell estate w th the same energy and know-how as she appli ed to the St John N ursing Corps and Divi s ions , characteristically taking her turn at the wheel of an enormous combine harvester Her recreat ons were gardening , fishing and music ; she was also an extremely goo d shot.
Immediately prior to her death , Lady B recknock was involved i n extens ve fundraising for a s x-bed hospice for long-term cancer patients in Andover. On May 31 this year, she had the satisfac t ion of see i ng the Duchess of Kent lay the foundat ion stone and the build i ng work commence
Lady Brecknock was appointed DBE in 1967. She s survived by a son , the present Marquess Camden , and a daughter
, island duties
Guernsey's St John Ambulance and Rescue Service have had a busy summer dealing with the victims of cliff accidents.
Weather which averaged over 10 hours of sunshine every day from the beginning of May to the end of August attracted many visitors to the island, and the service was involved in a number of rescues in both Guernsey and Sark.
One incident occurred when a young Dutch boy was severely injured after falling 100 feet on to rocks at Petit Bot bay. Thiery Smallgange, 14, sustained spinal , internal and ankle injuries, and may have lain injured for some hours before he was found in a gulley just as the rising tide began to reach him.
The ambulance crew, arriving at the beach, had to swim around to the gulley so that they could establish an airway and stabilise his condition while waiting the arrival of the service's inshore lifeboat.
The boy spent three days in the local hospital before being flown to a Dutch hospital by chartered air ambulance
The day he was flown back to Holland, a French boy was hurt in a cliff fall on Sark. The Ambulance and Rescue Service's marine ambulance Flying Christine /I raced to Sark with a cliff-rescue team on board after reports that the 9-year-old boy was unconscious.
This was the second time that the ambulance launch had sped to the island with members of the cliff-rescue team, and luckily the circumstances were found to be similar when the vessel arrived off Sark's west coast. The casualty was conscious and at the foot of the cliffs, so a beach recovery was effected using a dinghy from the Flying Christine, together with an American basket stretcher The casualty was returned to Guernsey for admission to hospital.
Just one day later the cliff-rescue team was called out again, this time to Guernsey's south coast. Two French boys attempting to climb 150-feet cliffs had become stuck about 100 feet above the beach. The problem for the ambulance team was the thick black-
cliffs. (Right) The Ambulance and Rescue Service s inshore lifeboat brings ashore a seriously injured Dutch boy who fell from a cliff
Guernsev Rescues!
thorn and gorse undergrowth which covers the top of the cliffs. Two members had to hack through this, which in most places was 7-feet high , for a distance of about 100 feet before they could reach the cliff edge above the boys
Neither of the boys could speak English and neither was hurt, and after a two-hour operation they were brought safely to the top of the cliff.
The same problem with undergrowth was encountered in a rescue at Les Tielles on the south coast. Here a local man had tried to climb 250 ft cliffs and had become stuck about 50 feet from the beach He was spotted by friends sitting astride a rock , unable to move for fear of falling on to rocks below.
Almost 400 ft of rope was paid out as the cliff team members hacked their way to the edge of the cliff above the man. The descent was made more dangerous because the dry summer had loosened much of the cliff and there was a danger offalling rocks crashing on to the casualty.
Several times onlookers saw showers of stone dislodged by the rescuers, who approached slightly to one side of the victim to try to avoid him being hit by dislodged rocks When he was finally brought to the safety of the clifftop, he vowed never to attempt to climb the cliffs again!
Another cliff fall - a French boy brought ashore from the Flying Christine
That did not, however, mean less work for the Ambulance and Rescue Service staff , for a few weeks later they were in action aga in rescuing a schoolboy from England who had become stuck at Bec du Nez , on Guernsey s east coast. This time the casualty had become stuck only 30 feet from the beach , so the St John team lowered him to the beach from where he could p ..:companythe ambulanceman up the clift path in safety
Only a week later the Flying Christine /I was called to Sark to recover a boy who had fallen about 30 feet down cliffs and dislocated his shoulder. This made the 30th dash to that island by the ambulance launch since January
Even Alderney did not escape the act ion Here , voluntary St John members prov ide the island's ambulance service in theirspare time, and they were called out when a man fell 200 ft from cliffs and was found on the rock-strewn beach. Seriously injured, hewas recovered by Alderney's lifeboat and the n flow to hospital in Guernsey
All of Guernsey s rescue teams - the marine ambulance crew, cliff-rescue team and inshore lifeboat crews - are made upof professional qualified ambulancemen from Guernsey's St John Ambulance and Rescue Service.
Together with other calls for these rescue teams, and around 2,000 patients visiting the first aid rooms at the ambulance station, the service has had a busy summer It has hand· led the usual numberofemergencycallsfor road ambulances, and made arrangements for almost 150 patients to fly from Guernsey to UK and foreign destinations
By the end of August , Guernsey had n.ot had significant rain since April. Water restrlc, tions had been in force for three months, and with sunshine averaging over 10 hours on consecutive days since April , it had been a record-breaking summer
While the tourists had no complaints , there is one group who will tell you they we re too busy to enjoy it !
Neil R. Tucker Public Relations Officer
FIRST AID IN SCHOOLS
-
One school has over 1000 pupils with 3X Award
Collingwood School
The Director-General , Robert Balchin , was very pleased to be invited to attend a Three Cross Award certification ceremony at Collin gwood School , Camberley Surrey where 1014 pupils have now received the Three Cross Award The school has put a tremendous effort into the scheme and as a mark of his personal effort the headmaster Mr HallsDickerson received an Association honorary membership badge
At the same ceremony Mrs Christine Rhodes, Divisional Officer, Chertsey and Beresford Green , presented a trophy to the winner of the school's painting competition
The painting has to be on the subject of First Aid, the Three Cross Award or St John Ambulance. The competition has been held annually since 1987. Over 300 pupils entered this year
St Bartholomew's School Wiltshire's School Project Officer Freda Cox
Mervyn Malcolm hands over the trophy to Peter Slee, then chairman Braunton Management Committee.
Malcolm Trophy
When the Deputy DirectorGeneral , Mervyn Malcolm, resigned recently as County Director of Devon, he presented ash ield called the Malcolm Trophy to the Devon Commander, Mr Ian Moody, and the incumbent County Director, Mr E M Glossop
The purpose behind the trophy is to promote the work of the Association throughout th e branches n the county and is in fact the first such award given expressly for Association activities
The criteria for winning the shield includes th e best improvement to Association work within the town and community, good liaison with the Brigade and the improvement to all Association courses in the area The judging committee also take into consideration the financial viability of the branch and the general excellence of administration not only Within the operation but between the branch and County HQ
(Above) The Director-General with the latest group of Three Cross Award winners of Camber/ey's Collingwood School, which now boasts 1014 such certificate holders
(Right) And all smiles at St Bartholomew s School, Wootton Bassett, Wilts, when county school project officer Freda Cox presented them with the One Cross Award Spec al certificate (Photo : Wiltsh ,re Newspapers)
was as delighted as the staff and pupils of St Bartholomew 's School , Wootton Bassett on their achieving the Special Certificate for the One Cross Award Freda Cox also presented Special Certificates to two other schools in her area and
First Aid at Work leallels
As a result of requests from counties, this leaflet has been produced by National HQ PR Dept to assist in promoting First Aid at Work courses. Based on a successfulleaflet used in Leicestershire, it has been adapted for use throughout the country. Copies are available from the Supplies Department , order number P00150 A pack of 100 costs £7.50.
there are some equally good press cuttings to mark the occasions They were Warneford School , where the fifth year have started the Three Cross Award , and Lydiard Millicient School where the third year juniors did the learning
You are, by law, held responsible for your employees' health and safety during their working hours
(Left) The author of this article, Neil Tucker, loses his footing as he approaches a man stuck on Guernsey
Brigade Finals
What the judges thought of your performance: 1. First Aid
men attack the other one The barman tries to separate them and becomes involved himself
Trophies were presented at this year's finals of the Brigade First Aid and Nursing Competitions, held at Croydon on July 1, by the boxer Henry Cooper Mr Cooper spent much of the afternoon mingling with competitors and spectators and saw some excellent first aid being periormed , particularly in the Dewar Shield competition which ended in a draw - the first time this has happened for a long time.
First Aid tests
This year there were three first aid team tests, the Dewar, the White Knox and the
As well as presenting the trophies at this year's Brigade Finals, Henry Cooper was kept busy by autograph hunters
Dunbar Nasmith Only the DewarShield and the White Knox Cup have first aid individual tests ; the Dunbar Nasmith has nursing individuals. The Perrott Shield is an all nursing competition
Dewar Shield team test
Scenario: It was early evening and three men were drinking in a public house There is a heated argument between them over a drink which has been knocked off the bar counter.
Suddenly a real fracas breaks out and two Malcolm Rutherford on
Eccentric Britain
The SI John World sought and has been lucky enough to obtain a personal contribution from Malcolm Rutherford, who has been for the last sel'eral yearJ Assistant Editor of the Financial Times, where he has also the role of political columnist and diplomatic correspondent. Rutherford has tral'e lled widely and is interested in music theatre ballet and fennis, apaf1 from his main lines of foreign affairs and polilic s. He is married and has three daughters.
One of the problems with Britain is that it is such a peculiar shape, and an island to boot. This makes transport policy very difficult because Britain does not really lead anywhere. If you build a road or a railway line in continental Europe or the United States, the chances are that it will eventually lead on to somewhere elseanother state , another country - picking up newtraftic on the way. Not so in Britain , where the roads and the tracks tend to peter out.
I was reminded of this when I went from London to Newcastle upon Tyne and back over the August Bank Holiday weekendthe first time in a long while that had made the journey by car There had been so many reports of congestion on the roads and tailbacks stretching for miles that I was expecting the worst. Instead we were pleasantly surprised.
We did not see a single accident, there were very few cases of blatantly bad driving and most of those were people driving too slowly. The motorway is not the place for those who wish to dawdle along at 30 mph.
True, there were some stoppages for road maintenance and expansion work. A stretch north and south of Newark is
especially prone to hold-ups at present, but that is because the construction engineers are developing it. When it is finished, it should be one of the better sections
Of course, it is not like driving in West Germany or parts of France and Italy It remains a great oddity that the main road route from London to Scotland should not be a motorway all the way What I am saying is that it is considerably better than it used to be.
When I first knew the A1, it took about nine hours to drive from Newcastle to London in an ordinary sort of car and without behaving like a racing driver. There were always some people who said that they could do it quite easily in seven, and a few others who claimed that by setting off at midnight they could do it in five. Nowadays the show-ofts claim to do it in around three, but it is by no means impossible for the conventional safe driver to do it in five. The distance is 270 miles
In the old days - about 30 years agothe A1 used to go through all the towns remotely on the way, like Boroughbridge and Newark itself. I learned some of my English geography that way. It must have been a blight for the towns, especially as
A passing policeman (from Brit ish Transport Police) sees a man dash out of the pub and , becoming suspicious , goes in to investigate The policeman is soon followe d by the First Aid team
On arrival they find one man lying un. conscious with an open wound to the forehead , with bone showing The barman , attacked with a broken glass and bitten , has a 3 i nch wound to the right forearm with moderate bleeding There are human bites to the left side of his neck and left shoulder, with blood oozing from the bites
The judges commented that although efficient on a few occasions there was too much " constant screaming" from a few individual team members It was also felt thaI
Continued on page 18
the lorries became larger and heaVier, yet there were compensations Some of the local people feared to protest about the traffic for fear of lOSing the stoppi ng trade that went With it. There were all sorts of facilities In the towns for those who wanted to break their journey
POSSibly the English also thought that road traffic would never fully catch up with -let along overtake - the railways The main railway line from the south to Newcastle, and on to Edinburgh and Aberdeen , runs in parts almost parallel to the A1 And the rail journey can still be very good , for freight as well as people , but It is expensive As a transport system , rail is also less flexible than roads
Sentimentality must have played its part. We had built the railways, we liked the railways and it was unthinkable that we should live without them I suspect that we fell between two stools There was never a conscious policy decision wholly to run down the railways or wholly to develop the roads Instead we did a bit of both
Four Somme veterans of the First World War, Leslie Bell, Charles McClean, Edward Floyd and Abraham Kirkpatrick, in July visited the Great War battle fields in France which claimed the lives of more than 50,000 Irishmen.
They were accompanied by Mrs L A Browne RGN, Divisional Superintendent, Mrs V P Bowler RGN, Divisional NursIng Officer (Dufterin Division), and a doctor from the Territorial Army.
The heroes attended a special ceremony of political and religious leaders at which
HRH Princess Alice rededicated the Ulster Tower at Thiepval. The tower was built by the French to honour the Ulstermen who fought for their cause.
It was fitting that the two St John nurses should come from the Dufferin Division of Bangor, Co Down For Helen's Tower, of which Thiepval Tower is almost a replica, stands in the grounds of Clandeboye Estate, Bangor, where the Ulster Division trained prior to going to France. It is said that Helen's Tower was their last memory of home.
Loughor's new £16,000 inshore rescue lifeboat being launched at Loughor Boating Club recently. Llanelli's Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Will Jones, was present at the ceremony, as was the chairman of West Glamorgan County CounCil, Cllr Edwina Morgan. The service of dedication was performed by the Vicar of Loughor, the Rev Malcolm Davies, and the boat was launched by Commander Charles Thomson, president of Loughor Inshore Rescue Division.
The new boat replaces a vessel used by the rescue team for the past 10 years.
Ambleside
Belfast
Berkshire
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
Area Commissioner Michael Moring (30 years). Dennis Parker, Margery Warwick and Michael Moring all started their St John service as cadets and Margery Warwick is a Grand Prior cadet:
Gloucestershire
Cornwall
Wilflam(Bill) Stonebridge, DIS Dursley and Cam DiviSion. receives the BEMforlong service with the County Council from the Lord Lieutenant
Devon
Hampshire
Londonderry
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
home. £700 was raised towards rebudding the DiVision's HQ. Richmond tandem riders set off
Rugeley
An
72-year-old Hampshire Association instructor John DaVIS after finishing the London Marathon 6ttl' out of 74 over 70-year-olds
Leeds
Birmingham
The Londonderry Area team which got to the final (to be beaten) of the N Ireland Home Safety Council's quiz
Merseyside
on are Mrs Margaret Lavers, the Deputy County Commissioner (left) and Mrs Lois Townsend. the former County Superintendent.
Essex
Wedding-time at West Park Quad DiViSIOn - when AIM Stephen Brady and ex-Cadet Jayne Heaton were married
London
Christchurch
a heart condition, was revived twice at the water's edge.
Rachel's mother and father accompanled her in Sunderland Division's ambulance to the General Hospital but she stopped breathmg once more and was again resuscitated by the crew. The rest of the family were left in the care of officers and cadets of South Shields DiVisions, but her brother,
Wales
Wednesday
Badger Sarah-Jayne Collins (Ieftj, on duty With Cadet Deborah Hancox, meets street entertainer Ruby at the Cannock
South Shields
THREE new ambulances for Merseyslde were blessed at the annual church parade at St Mary's, West Derby, Liverpool
Richmond
At the recent county church parade, the Vice Lieutenant of Essex, Mr R P. Laurie, made presentations of service awards totalling 155 years to members of Southern Area Staff. In photograph are Area Commissioner Dennis Parker and Deputy Area Commissioner Miss Margery Warwick (both 45 years service), Area Surgeon Dr Noel Rubie (35 years) and Deputy
The first Super Badger of Eastern Area is Philip Lewis, of Ilford, who has been a Badger for 21 n years. Lynn Lowe, DIS of C646 II ford Division, says they are all very proud of Philip, who is 'absolute· Iy good at everything'. And Philip i also loolang well ahead for his sights are set on one day being a cadet leader. (Photo top next column)
Members of Richmond and Watney Mortlake DiVISion recently made a pon ored tandem ride
OBITUARY
the others had to be tran ported back
Divisional Officer Bill Haram, of South Shield Cadet Divi ion, re u citated 6-year-old Rachel Mallen, who topped breathing while watching the Sunderland Air Show from the beach at Seaburn. Rachel, who has Down' Syndrome and
Transport Minister joins Charity Car Run
An impressive array of veh cles will be taking part in the Run ; from a three litre Lagonda , to a 1948 Triumph Roadster, a 1912 Rover and a 1901 Mors
St John Youth (continued from page 3)
in orderto bring our youth work into the 21st century."
Youth Development Officer Clare Mowbray's post is also funded by Safeway Her main projects are Links and The Challenge, and Cadets from all over the country have been involved in developing these two important initiatives.
"We lose so many Cadets when they leave their county to go to college," she explained. "When they get there they find there are 101 other clubs on offer."
So Links will be nationally launched next spring. Students can join at college and the onlY'requirement is that within three months they must learn basic life support. If they want they can go on to obtain full membership of St John Ambulance. Whether they do or not their Links time promises to be worthwhile and a lot of fun because they can enjoy the social life and take part in St John connected challenges.
Of these The Challenge is the newest, scheduled for national launch at the end of this year. A meeting with Princess Anne highlighted the need to provide direction and challenge for 15 to 25-year-olds and to encourage recruitment.
"The Challenge will bridge the gap bet14
ween Cadets and Adults ," said Clare It IS a personal challenge, not a test based on ability and those taking It up must complete at least one activity from each of eight sections - involving Action Community, Creativity, Independence, Leadership , Communication, Environment and the Path Ahead
"It gives young people the responsibility to run their own groups and set their own targets. It can be run alongside the Duke of Edinburgh's Award," said Clare
Welcoming all the youth initiatives, Cadet of the Year Robert McMonagle said it was most important to keep the cadets feeling that they are a part of St John "There's a very good relationship between my division - Northland Ambulance and Nursing Cadet Division - and Belmont Adult Division. We've never lost a cadet who has come of age."
But he said it was important that adults everywhere should accept that older cadets are often just as capable of handling first aid situations as adults. "Cadets are not just there to run errands. They are members of the team. And if adults realise that it will go a long way towards encouraging cadets to stay."
STJOHN -- ."'-1 ,,.. ::., ... ." on the wards
. W€O RLD
We ek 1, Mo n d ay
The day shift had just begun at 08.00 when I reported for duty, and the busy morning began with making beds while patients were in the washrooms or sitting in their chairs for a change of position after the night's sleep. I was all fingers and thumbs at first, but by the third bed I was keeping up with the professional nurse and my envelope corners seemed to happen of their own accord
Several patients went to the operating theatre and I helped lift them by pole and canvas on to the porter's trolley I went with some of them to see what happened in the anaesthetic room and was interested to watch them fall unconscious within a few seconds of the injection and have the airway Inserted
I escorted other patients in wheelchairs to various departments such as X-ray or ECG I watched an ultra-sound scan on a patient who had undergone a threatened miscarriage
The patients returning from theatre had to be lifted back on to their beds which had been made-up with the bedclothes folded along the side. They were groggy and nauseous and needed help when vom iting Meanwhile other patients had everyday needs' commodes , bedpans , bedbaths , hair-drYing, flower arranging , and I helped with all these and escorted patients who needed exerCise walking round the grounds
Tuesday
I was transferred just for one day to the Theatre Recovery room The experience of handling several dozen unconsCIOUS patients In one day was excellent training in airway maintenance and the art of reassurance. I stood at the head of the trolley supporting the Jaw, test i ng reflexes such as pupil dilation and reassuring the patients as Ihey came round. These were mainly EarNose-and-Throat and orthopaedic cases and a few odds and ends Most of the ENTs were children having tonsils and adenoids removed, and I used a suction tube to clear Iheir mouths of blood
I went into the theatre to watch a double hernia operation The surgeon let me get close and explained what he was doing in detail such as the loose network of permanent nylon thread in the muscle wall to form strong fibrous scarring and prevent a recurrence.
Wednesday - Friday
Back to Ward 8, and the usual routines I also assisted a weak and unstable patient to have a bath , watched the physiotherapist advise a hysterectomy patient about how to cough up phlegm without hurting her tummy, chaperoned a doctor making a rectal eXamination comforted a weepy patient suffering from ' Day 3 blues syndrome, and persuaded dehydrated patients to drink Water
A young woman having to give a blood
NurSing at RAF Hospital
Ely by CAROLINE THOMAS, DIS Midland Bank Division
clinic so the doctor arranged for an ambulance. This was all the patient told me , so I mentally diagnosed indigestion and a faint perhaps due to the heat. When our doctor questioned him he revealed that he had also had pains extending down his left arm An ECG test showed that, as well as indigestion , he had indeed had a slight heart attack and he was admitted to the coronary care unit. How important it is to ask the casualty the right questions and not rely only on what he thinks relevant to tell you.
An old lady who had injured her hip in a fall showed no out-turning or shortening of the leg , yet it was a fractured neck of thigh
The writer, from London , with a patient on B ward. sample was almost paralysed with fear of the needle and I held her hand and tned to calm her, understanding very well what she was gOing through!
I took a patient to the Endoscopy Department and was asked to hold the cuff in place in her mouth and restrain her arms. The doctors got quite excited by what they saw Inside and took photographs and showed the i r colleagues All I could see was a bloody stomach lining , but they could interpret it with complicated medical terms , and the patient told me afterwards she felt the discomfort was worth it if they could now sort out her long-standing nausea , pains and anaemia.
Week 2
spent these five days in the Accident and Emergency Department and they taught me a tremendous amount about diagnOSis I cannot describe all the cases I saw ; there were well over a hundred of them but I want to tell you about some memorable ones I realised by the end of this week how inaccurate a first-aider s diagnosis of bone and jOint injuries can be without X-rays In talking to casualties waiting to see the doctor, was not able to examine thoroughly because it would be tedious and distressing to have to go through it all over again with the doctor so I just looked and asked questions (not always the right ones) and made a provisional diagnosis , which I kept to myself Studying the X-rays and watching the doctor examine the injury sometimes proved me wrong Here are a few examples
A man aged 35 was referred by his doctor with suspected heart attack He had gone to his GP with the usual symptoms of indigestion, including chest pain , having eaten a lot of cucumber to which he was unaccustomed The doctor prescribed indigestion medicine, but the man passed out in the
Another lady had fallen forwards on to her knee When I asked her if the pain was on the kneecap she replied that it hurt more round the sides , especially the inner side She asked me to support her knee on a folded blanket as it was more comfortable bent. I mentally diagnosed a displaced cartilage , but when the doctor felt for tenderness It was indeed the kneecap that hurt most , and the X-ray confirmed a fracture there It goes to show that symptoms of pain and tenderness ' are not always in the same place
A young man had a slight dinner-fork ' shape to his wrist and although it was indeed fractured , the X-ray showed no displacement of the two parts , and I do not really understand how the deformity came about.
A middle-aged man told us he had been walking across a road when he felt a sudden pain in the back of his calf which made him accuse his wife of kicking him : classic Achilles tendon injury, and yet the doctor s diagnosis after searching for tenderness was a torn calf muscle.
A woman had been staining the woodwork outside her house, standing on a trestle table and had accidentally stepped off it. Wood stain covered her face chest , arms and hair, and she had hurt her foot badly She had stood up but it gave way and she crawled to a phone to get help Her foot was twisted inwards and badly bruised around the ankle I mentally diagnosed a fractured ankle , but the X-ray showed that a large tarsal bone was dislocated and two other tarsals had small chips broken off I was given the job of cleaning the wood stain off her skin with acetone, and getting her into a hospital gown to be admitted to the orthopaedic ward.
Cases that surprised the doctors
A nine-year-old boy had been kicked on the shin in football , on exactly the same spot that
Cadet Help and Information Page s
Hello and Welcome to the October edit ion of C * H * I* P * S, the column within St John World written with Cadets in mind .
This month we look at youth news from the very active and hard working Cadet and Training Department at National Headquarters. We make no apologies for duplicating information , as some of you may have digested it before , but it is important that we commun icate to ensure that we ta ke the organ isat ion forwa rd in to the 1990s .
Advice
and guidance
Cons u lt ancy Over the past two years, members of the Cadet and Training Department have visited various cou nties 10 offer advice and guidance on a range of matters connected with cadets and training Advice has been offered on how to set up training programmes, run cadet conferences, develop cadet or training teams, develop team-building exercises and how to produce training material. If you would like somebody from the department to spend some time with you and your colleagues, working on any programmes or offering advice in any way, please do not hesitate to contact Jim Bond, who will discuss this with you.
The Cha ll e nge Awa rd
The production for the Challenge Award Scheme is progressing well and the launch of the scheme will be in November. Some Challenge Award co-ordinators have been trained in our national training courses in
readiness for the launch and the pilot projects are starting or progressing in the following counties :
Midlands Training for Challenge Award co-ordinators is still being offered in the 1990 course leaflet and these will take the form of one-day workshops at National Headquarters Early applications for places on these courses is advised
Links ahead
The Links Scheme for members and nonmembers who are at college or university is currently being piloted in a number of counties. The production of Links materials is also progressing well and training courses have been held during 1989 for Links co-ordinators. Further training workshops will be available through the course leaflet for 1990
and early applications for places on these IS advised
This scheme will give us an opportunityto increase our membership in the 18 to 23age bracket , and we hope that all counties will be do ng what they can to support the scheme
Launch of this scheme is intended to be in the early part of 1990, in readiness for young people going to college in September
Cadet programme gains pace
The Cadet Programme working party, wh ich has representatives from all over the coun· try, including four cadet members, is work· ing at full speed towards its goals. Current work includes the production of the Cadet Officer 's Manual , also a handbook for all cadets which will replace the Cadet Record Book These are exciting developments and we are confident that the publications and other items being provided by the working party will be well received by the membership
STJOHN
w e RLD
youth In Action
The Youth In Action Roadshow will be ' hitting' the streets of the country soon Members of the Cadet and Training Department will be bringing the Youth In Action Exhibition and related materials to open evenings in St John Ambulance headquarters throughout the country in the autumn Further details of this exciting new development will be made available as soon as it has been confirmed Look out for further information in the county mail.
Leadership in the community
The YMCA National Centre , Lakeside , Cumbria, is offering leadership courses for young people aged 18 to 25 who are unemployed , working on a Government scheme or giving voluntary help in the community One of the courses is especially for young women, and aims to encourage those who may have been Intimidated by the outdoor nature of leadership in the community and other residential courses
For further details , please contact: Leadersh ip in the Community Scheme Administrator, YMCA National Centre , Lakeside , Ulverston , Cumbria LA12 8BD Tel : 0539531758
.
Cadet instructor courses
edited by andy bull
Course Administrator, on 01 2359758
An excellent response has been received from throughout the country to the use of the Cadet Instructor Courses Many of you will remember that the Course Director s Handbook was sent to County Commissioners at the end of 1987 and so far 20 courses have been registered by 18 counties, and they have trained 355 cadets This is in addition to the 100 trained each year by National Headquarters teams since 1987. If your county has not yet had an opportunity to organise one of these courses , orwould like help or advice in any way, please do not hesitate to contact us at Headquarters
New courses for 1990
The Cadet proficiency Subject weekend will be covering the subjects of Ambulance A id. Casualty Simulation , Rad io Commun ications and Accident Prevention Parts 1 and 2 of each proficiency subject will be taught during the weekend , Part 3 being completed during a period of up to 3 months following the weekend and assessed by examiners from National Headquarters
This course is likely to be heavily subscr bed, so please do not hesitate to encourage your cadets to apply at an early stage. The tra inin g course leaflet will have now been published , viacountyoffices forissue to all Divisions Extra copies are ava il able from
L (Left) Three Bangor, Co Down. Ambulance Cadets - (L to R) Andrew and William Conn , and Graham Tolmiewho were recently '''''.'"''11''''''1<'11 promoted Cadet Leaders after an ntensive leadership course were chosen to represent their Borough on a youth exchange visit to Austria. Their Supt Mrs A Adair (left). and ASO (Cadets) Miss M Jameson saw them off
Making Presentat ions is the title of a new course to be offered in 1990 for adult members who at some stage are likely to make presentations The course is intended to give a basic idea of how to go about making presentations and building confidence by developing these sk ills further
Duke of Edinburgh's Award leader training
An exciting new course is being provided in 1990 for members who wish to run the Duke of Ed inburgh's Award Scheme in St John Ambulance. While not obligatory training , the weekend course will prov ide excellent support and information for those who are interested in running the scheme within SJA. Early application for places , which are likely to be in great demand, is advised The weekend would also suit members or others who are recommended to take on the county liaison role for the Duke of Edinburgh 's Award Scheme
Perhaps you might have a Gold Award holder i n your county who would be interested in tak in g on this important job. A number of counties have found Gold Award holders, some not belonging to St John Ambulance but who are prepared to develop the scheme within the organisation This is prov i ng to be very successful.
See you in November!
Articles , news and com ments on C* H * I*P*S should be sent to CHIPS, St John World , Wood Cottage , High Corner, Butley, Woodbridge Suffolk IP12 3QF. (Below)
a
,
(Left) Stainforth. Doncaster Area. cadets immediately after their jubilant success in a raft race at the local annual water festival
Nine new cadets. al/ of whom attend Rowdeford School. Wilts were enrolled into Devizes Division by Maureen Weston Deputy County Commissioner. (Photo : David Merritt)
The car park of Safeways Store Biggin Hill Kent on June 24 was
mass of accidents (staged of course) attended by SJA members Here
Cadet Kelly Wickham demonstrates resuscitation under instruction from Mrs Denise Farrant
fellowship . Brigade Finals 1989
(Continued from page 10)
inappropriate remarks such as "If this patient stops breathing, would etc." were used all too often during the day.
Only one major point concerning basic life support came to light. This concerned the casualty with the head injury. His airway should have been observed and maintained the WHOLE time, not intermittently. Overall though, the general care was OK.
Dunbar Nasmith team test
Scenario: A girl, wheeling her mother in a wheelchair in the conservatory, is stung by a bee on the lower lip and suffers an anaphylactic reaction, with distressed breathing, shock and loss of consciousness for a brief period. The lip is swollen with an area of depression and the sting present. She is wearing a talisman to the effect that she is allergic to bee stings and suffers an anaphylactic reaction.
As the girl collapses, she lets go of the wheelchair, which tips off the step, causing her mother to fall out. The mother tries to save herself with her good arm, the other being paralysed, and sustains a Colles' fracture to the right wrist. She bangs her nose on the ground causing a nose bleed and bruising to the forehead.
Judges comments: First the young girl. Generally not enough attention was paid early enough, to opening and maintaining the airway One team, it is reported, paid no attention whatever to the difficulty in breathing and sat the casualty up in a halfsitting position, oblivious to the distress they were causing
Rather rough handling was noted, causing the casualty to voice criticism. Teams also failed to listen to the casualty when she was giving VITAL information.
As for the mother, fallen from the wheelchair, the only problem here appeared to be the treatment of the nose bleed. A nose will continue to bleed unless pressure is applied to the soft part. It will also resume when you let go too soon.
Generally, all the teams worked well together but some spent more time telling the judges what they would do rather than actually performing the act (ie, "I would check the breathing and pulse" without doing either). That said, the teams contained some very caring young ladies.
White Knox team test
Scenario: Two workmen have been working from a cradle high on a scaffolding tower. One end of the tower has given way, so both men have fallen to the ground. The first casualty is conscious, but feeling very weak and dizzy, with pain in the the right upper abdomen. He has suffered bruising overthe liver, a ruptured liver and is severely shocked, becoming worse during the test.
The second casualty suffers a head injury, with bruising over the right temple, and minor swelling. Initially he is unconscious but will, with correct treatment , regain consciousness. He also has concussion
Judges comments: The airway required continuous maintenance and should have been held open the whole time and not intermittently. The airway can be managed quite adequately with the casualty lying on his back He was at risk from a spinal injury. Also severely shocked casualties with internal abdominal bleeding are best left unmoved
The examination of the spine was generally very poor, especially as the test was outside Fairfield Halls. The casualty required prompt covering, with exposure of wounded parts kept to a minimum , both in time and area. Wrong diagnoses were frequently given in telephone messages
With the second casualty shock was frequently diagnosed where it did not exist.
Please do not tell judges what you would expect to find , ratherthan what was actually found Comments to the casualty are far more important than comments to the judges
Dewar Shield leader individual
Scenario: A baby has been left outside a shop while its mother had gone inside The baby picks up a bead from a broken rattle and puts it in its mouth It aspirates the bead and stops breathing and subsequently vomits. The mother returns to find the baby inert and grey, with vomit coming out of its mouth and a broken rattle lying in the pram
The mother becomes agitated and her mother-in-law, an aggressive woman full of recrimination against the mother, goes into orbit' when the rattle aspect comes to light.
The judge commented that only two of the teams would have kept the baby alive
Many tried to clear the airway obstruction with the use of back slaps. These slaps were frequently inadequate because of position or force.
It was obvious many had not practised the ABC on a resusci-baby in recent months
Dewar Shield number 2 individual
Scenario: A man, recently bereaved ,has decided to commit suicide. He has taken an overdose of aspirin and alcohol in the churchyard where his wife is buried. His daughter has become concerned and come to look for him When she finds him he is very drowsy but just rousable. He shows mild cyanosis, is sweating heavily and breathing with difficulty. His consciousness level gradually deteriorates as the test progresses, but he does not become totally unrousable.
The judge commented that many of the competitors left it very late before consider-
STJOHN
W 0 R D
StJohn Fellowship
The Countess of Brecknock, DBE President, StJohn Fellowship 1985-1989
Our President, Lady Brecknock , died on August 24 at the age of 89 She was known and loved by St John members worldwide. Her death severs the last link with the Mountbatten era of the Brigade.
We shall not see the like of her again
I am pleased to announce the formation of three new Fellowship branches, in Our· ban, South Africa, Malvern, Worcester· shire, and Ashford , Kent The branch in Durban grew from their existing St John Guild, which concentrates on fund· raising for St John It was this branch which provided a memorable lunch for the Lord Prior and hiS party when he vIsited South Africa earlier this year Malvern Branch is the first in Worces· tershire, although there is a long-standing Fellowship Branch In Hereford , the other half of the St John County Ashford branch creates a record It IS the eighth branch In Kent - and I am told there are more to come No other county has yet achieved eight branches Kent is fortunate In haVing a County Co-ordma· tor Mr EriC Bowd, who IS able to travel round and raise Interest In the Fellowship and then advise new branches This role is entirely hiS own Idea but It definitely helps to keep the Kent branches In touch and 'one family '. Other counties may ke to adapt It to their own needs
Durban Branch, Natal, Republic of South Africa
Contact: M SS S Gillespie, Caerpentulach , 23 Lyme Road , Durban 4001 , R.S A
Malvern Branch, Worcestershire
Contact: MISS H M Walton , 34 St James s Road , Malvern , Worcs WR14 2TC
Ashford Branch, Kent
Contact: Mrs R B Coppard , Annex ' Sandy Queen s Road , Willenborough , Ashford, Kent.
Sheila Puckle , National Secretary St John's Gate, Clerkenwell , London EC1M 4DA
ing turning the casualty into the recovery position In fact one candidate did not turn the casualty into the recovery position at a l. However, the efficiency of the competitors was , on the whole , good
White Knox Cup leader test
Scenario: A workman is working in a chamber of a drain , which is accessible through an open manhole The manhole has a ladder fixed to the wall to allow ascent and descent.
The workman has slipped on a slimy floor,
Continued on page 20
1. When would you use thiS test?
2. Th s unconscIous casualty is being turned Into the recovery position With additional support to the abdomen Why?
3. When treating shock , where should the clothing be undone?
4. When preparing to perform the abdomenal thrust, where should the thumb of the clenched fist be located?
readers letters '
Hot weather
This year we have been particularly blessed with a good summer, giving us days and often weeks of fine hot weather. Sh irt sleeve uniform has been the order of the day And why not? It's been far too uncomfortable to wear anything else Ambulance personnel's tunics and jumpers have long been discarded
Trouble is though, not all members wear Badge B04100 on their shirts, to identify as a St John first-aider instantly Even with this badge not every member of the public recognises it. I know the white haversack plays its part , but even that doesn't give instant recognition. Officers fare worse, looking something like a police officer, a security guard or a fireman.
It is essential that we as first-aiders keep a very high profile. We need to be picked out at a glance, not just as first-aiders but also as St John personnel flying the flag. The young of today are the Brigade of tomorrow, but if the only contact they have with us is when they have a mishap, our image is unlikely to be firmly implanted in their minds. We need to be seen and what's more we need to be heard. Can members really put their hand on their hearts and say "Yes, we always get a mention, whatever the event." Not very many, I suspect. So the next time you cover a public event, why not delegate one member to write some text for the announcer to use. It needn't be elaborate. Just something to let the public know that St John Ambulance is covering the event, what Division it is, and a very brief insight into our work.
How many programmes of events carry a mention of St John? Aga in I suspect very few. I know we may have to do 'a bit of selling' to ach ieve th is objective, but the exercise is well worth it. If you're really clever you could even use it as a mini recruiting drive.
What then ought we to do about the hot weather uniform dress? I certainly don't ad-
Brigade Finals '89 (cont)
in a confined space. He injured his right shoulder, which is dislocated He is in severe pain which makes him feel sick. Unable to move his right arm, any attempt to move it him scream with pain. The judge commented that the handling by some was rough but all cadets were caring and attentive to the casualty's needs. The standards were a little disappointing, but with one or two excellent performances.
White Knox Cup individual number 2 test
Scenario: A worker has been unpacking a crate of bananas when he felt something sharp penetrate his hand He is convinced he has seen a large hairy spider in the crate and has been bitten by it. The spider is somewhere in the box. His mate who was with him says he has not seen it. It has not come out of the crate.
Readers' views and opinions, which should be sent to the Editor, although published are not necessarily endorsed by the Editor or the Order of St John and its foundations.
Although readers may sign published letters with a pen name, writers must supply their name, and address to the Editor.
vocate widespread changes , but couldn t we incorporate the fluorescent slip-overs? It won't be summer for ever, but we need to be seen whatever the time of the year.
John Hargreaves (AIM)
Birstall Combined Division
John Mills , Director of Public Relations , writes:
I was delighted to read Mr Hargrave ' s remarks about the need for St John to have a high profile whenever we are out and about. Too often we just get on with the job of providing first aid cover without thinking about publicising what we do. First aid duties give us the ideal opportunity to demonstrate our work to the public, perhaps by mounting a display or, as Mr Hargrave suggests , by getting information about St John put into event programmes and giving material to announcers - they welcome details to fill quiet moments!
Editor
See article Publicity - a hard slog on p.22
Chief Staff Officer, Lawrie Hawes, writes:
It is quite clearly written in Dress Regulations, p 42, that the badge B04100 must be worn in short sleeve order It is assumed that
The man who believes he has been bitten is extremely agitated , and is overweight, unhealthy, a smoker. He has had chest pain in moments of excitement at football matches and just after watching Match of the Day; he has never seen the doctor for this The casualty is pale and sweating. He has a scratch mark on his hand which is contaminated by rust He subsequently develops chest pains
The judge commented that several competitors thought the casualty did not have angina because he had no pain in the jaw or neck. The judge made special reference to team 'G' (Griffithtown) and Team 'L' (Easington) who showed superb reassurance, self assurance and maturity for a young age.
White Knox Cup individual number 3 test Scenario: A group of children is playing unsupervised on a school playground. Horseplay ensues, during which a schoolboy
those in shirt sleeve order will wear th e approved short sleeve shirt It has also bee n decided that in future county flash B04750 will be worn on short sleeve shirts A Brigade order will be issued in due course
I entirely agree with the writer that we mU sl be identified on public duty as members of St John and not be confused with the pol ice
Old SJ ambulances
I was very concerned recently when amo ng a motley collection of vehicles which arrive d here with a group of so-called travellers saw an ambulance still retaining its Stjoh n Ambulance logo.
Should it not be made the rule that all Suc h markings are removed before dispOSing of old ambulances?
Our local division is finding the presenc e of this one quite embarrassing I have recorded its registration number if anyon e is interested in tracing its origin
J L Piedot, Nursing Officer
Bude
Chief Staff Officer, Lawrie Hawes , writes:
It is the responsibility of the officer-in-charge, when disposing of a Brigade ambulance to ensure that all St John markings are removed from the vehicle
As I' m sure you ' ll appreciate , it is commo n practice of any organisation when dispos ng of a vehicle that all markings relevant toth e organisation are removed by the perso n responsible for disposing of it. It should nol be left to the purchaser to remove
Thanks
May I through the Sf John World thank all members from London , Hertfordsh re an d Essex who were on duty this year at th e Wimbledon tennis championships for the ir help , support and friendship
L. M. Flusser, ANO London District
sustains a head injury and a fractured colla r bone During the test he loses conscious· ness and develops obstructed ventilation
The judge expressed concern over the slowness of getting the casualty into the recovery position after the casualty developed noisy breathing and started vomiting (most let the patient die of asphyx· ia). Most competitors laid the casualty on the side of the fractured collar bone. However, all the teams were kind and gentle in the ir approach to the situation
White Knox Cup individual number 4 test
Scenario: Two male university students are moving from an upstairs flat to a house nearer to college. In order to save money and with the help of a girl friend they decide to move the furniture themselves One male student is more heavily-built than the other.
Continued on page 22
under canvas
Visi to rs ro m Devon helped ( eft) , and ( right) the cookhouse workers kept sm i ng
IN CAMP
It s a k n ockout (left) and ( r ght) coolmg off n the on -site pool ( Below left) The Commanderand Vice Pres ident call And the nspect on ( r ght) was a grand tour.
Over 100 cadets from Wiltshire , supported by an army of adults , descended on Avon Tyrrel , in the New
, for their week s annual camp i n August. There were many vis tors , includ i ng W ltsh re s Commander and Comm ssioner, the County President and Vice President , and one morning the Chapla i n , the Rt Rev J Bickersteth arrived for breakfast. He was entertained in true camping style
Forest
Publicity - a hard slog
S t John membe rs p rov d ng f irst ai d cov er at a road safety rally i n Macclesf eld came to the rescue when a gap suddenly appeared i n the programme
DI S Howa rd El k n and V ice-Pres ident B i Dowse laid on an i mpromptu demonstrat on of co-operat ion between the Br i gade and Pol ce at a simulated accident involv ing a motor-cycle and a ca r
The crowd , wh i ch included the Mayor of Macclesf eld and Chesh i re ' s Ch ief Constable , enjoyed the exc itement of s irens and flashing ghts as Howa rd and h s c rew of AIM Ken Eyres and N/ M Pat Carroll went into act ion From the ambulance came fr a cstraps and stretcher and the 'casualt y' was soon treated and t aken aboa rd , wh ile the police breathalysed the offend ng ca r driver
After return ng from the ' hosp tal , Howa rd used the pub li c address system to ex ho rt watchers to cons ider j oi n i ng St John
Two weeks earlier the carn ival gave th e Div is on s Cadets and Badgers a chan ce to show the l ighter s de of Br gade l fe w th a float which won second prize n its cl ass Members of all four d vis ions came t og et her to create the f loat based on the Badge r theme The youngsters were p eased to have beaten seasoned campa igners such as t he Scouts and other youth gro u ps at the ir first attempt. It s hoped n t h i s way t o m ak e it easier for the you nger members to move , in
Brigade Finals '89 (conI)
The l ghter student and t he g irl lift a refrigerator
The g i rl s li ps , the fri dge m oves , h itting the studen t hold ng th e botto m end , who falls down the steps
The heav ly- bu lt studen t comp a ins of pain in the left h p and gro in reg on , f eels fa int and is unable to stand H s face s pa e and damp and there i s bru is ng acros s t he lower abdomen , espec ially on t he le ft- hand side
He has suffered a fractured left pe v is and s in shock
The judge was pleased w th the standard of care , which was very good Only one Cadet left the casualty unattended Bandages were frequently t ed too loosely and several candidates did not use any padding
The efficiency of the candidates showed wide variations in competence from excellent to mediocre : in two cases very young competitors were ' lost'
The judge was also very pleased with the three 'excellent' casualties arranged by Dr Colin Dawson & Jim Rankin of Casualties Union , along with the many other superb casualties and make-up experts used
There is still a trend for teams to ask unnecessary questions and give i rrelevant commentary
Teams and ndividual competitors should direct their attention to the casualty not the judge. When quest ons are asked they
by BARRIE DAVIES President
All eyes are on you AIM Ken Eyres , N M Pat Carroll and DIS Howard Elkin load a casualty at Macclesfield Division s impromptu display.
ti m e, up to the adults an d so cut down on the was ta ge t h at has occurre d in the past
At t h e s ame event Howard Elkin took time off d uty to give a live interview on S ignal Rad o, stre ssing the voluntary nature of St John a nd t h e need for new members as well as d o nati ons.
In its att empt to attract new members the Ma ccl e sfi e d D ivisions are also using a set of dis p lay panels at suitable events where f irst ai d is being provided Posters and ph otog raphs , taken by members of the M acclesfield Camera Club , showing the B riga d e at work are being used to inform the pub lic of the va r ie d activities undertaken by
should be confined to signs and symptoms , which c a nnot be realistically and accurately simulate d. For instance , unequal pupils or the p u lse. If and only if the pulse has been taken c o rrectly should the judge reveal the correct rate. There was much better care taken of the casualties this year, although so me com p laints of rough handling were re po rted
T he ma in area of concern was once again t h e standard of BAS IC LIFE SUPPORT. With all th at has been written on this subject there is st ill roo m for a vast im p rovement.
Another p roblem w as t h e mai ntenance of an a rway, w it h a casu alt y on his back M any st arted c ar r y i ng out t h is p rocedure correctly Bu t as the t es t deve lope d the co mp etitors
brigade members
Camera Club pictures have also acco m· panied articles published in local pape rs from press releases
As a result of these efforts , set up in various venues in the area by Hed ey Cooper, PRO, the Division has attracted about 20 % of current strength n potent ial new members n the past year
Publicity is a hard slog but persistence is paying off in Macclesf eld Div s ions are be ng constantly urged to seek good pub lici· ty for Stjohn This is how one Division s try· ing Have other divis ions any t ps as to how they have achieved success?
left the casualty still unconscious , unatte nded The airway must be ma ntained the whole time , not intermittently A casualt y, in this position , should never be left unattended
The recovery position was also poo rly executed and more practice needed
Overall the standard was better but muc h work still remains to be done , especiallyo n Basic Life Support where continual practice must be the order of the day
Brian L Porter
Staff Off icer to Surgeon - in - Ch ief
Editor : The judges comments o n the Brigade F i nal nursing tests w ill be published next month
Overseas
Montserra t, West Indie s 5t John Ambulance Br i gade Week on the Island , th s year from June 24 to July 1, usually i nvolves f irst aid lectures and demonstrat i ons in the villages and to youth groups , together w th fund ra s i ng
But with the vast increase in activity in the construct i on ndustry locally, for 1989 i t was dec ded to launch a campaign to make people more aware of the mportance of f i rst ai d knowledge in accident prone work For ex ample , power plant , electr ical assembly, re staurant , hotel , bu ld ing construct i on , tax i dn v ng and pub li c work s, whe re much heavy equ ipment s used da ily (photo above ). Members had a busy week giv ng talks and demonstrat ions
News from Scotland
At the Monste r Exh b it on Gordon Mack ntosh , n k i lt , vIc e-c ha rman , H ghland SJ Associat i on and (r ight , ba ck) Mark SutherlandF sher A ssocI a ti on sec reta ry.
In the early summer a party of handicapped people from Denmark spent a week holidayi ng i n Scotland as the guests of several char itable organ sations including the Highland St John Associat on
On the occas on when the St John Assoc at on members were the hosts the party was taken down Loch Ness-s de to the village of Drumnadrochit where they toured the Monster Exh b t on , by courtesy of Mr and Mrs Bremne r, the local hotel ers After lunch the party was taken to v iew the magn i f icent aspect of Glen Urquhart , Drumnadroch t and the eerie spectacle of the ru ined Urquhart Castle , standing guard on the h ills de at the mouth of the bay The
party learned that a surpr se v s it to Drumnadroch it earl er i n the day had been made by K ng Carl Gustav of Sweden and Queen Sylv a It was not reported that any of them had actually seen the monster !
Thanks to the generosity of the other Highland organ sat ons nvolved the party was able to v s t a number of places of great nterest , ;'1clud ing Macbeth s Castle at Cawdor and the famous gardens at Inverewe on the west coast -a blaze of colour at the t me when the azaleas and rhododendrons were n full b loom They also managed to v i sit the premises of several local i ndustr es All n all the visitors passed a most enj oyable t me n Scotland
ST JOHN ST IOtIN
PAN WORLD TRAVEL
STJOHN WORLD
Nursing al RAF Hospital Ely (cont)
he
An
would probably give no further trouble. I was amazed that the parents had not noticed the deformity before
A farm worker had fallen out of his tractor, his clothing caught on the SJ World Crossword No.10(89) by W. A. Potter
lever and put it into
RECONDITIONED AMBULANCES
CONTRIBUTIONS
SUSSEX GOES SILICONE
SUBSCRIPTIONS
EDITOR
Volunteers
New light is being thrown on those who want to help in the community for no reward. But first - why do they want to do it?
A fter breaking her neck in a road accident
K Christine Davies was told she would nev er walk again , but the doctors reckoned Without her strong will and determination to escape from her surgical collar and whee lchair " Once I was up and about again Ito ld myself that if I could do that I could help others, so I joined St John ," she said
During UK Volunteers Week - November 1 to 7 - the question " Why do people vol unteer to do unpaid community work? "
Will be posed over and over again There is no one simple answer and Christine s case Iffa rfrom typical , although her wish " to help people" IS the reason many St John people give for jOining
She is now superintendent of Shrewsbury Nursing Cadet Division , the national winners of this year 's Brigade nursing finals Her son Mervyn, superintendent of the Ambulance Cadets, has a tongue in cheek answer to why people volunteer " If you have half a mind to lOi n St John , you qualify You have to be slightly mad to keep going in the mud and ram! "
UK Volunteers Week celebrates the work
of all those " slightly mad " people in St John and a wide range of other caring organisations - from the Harrow and D istrict Council for the Disabled to Voluntary Services
Orkney
Sheila Edwin of The Volunteer Centre UK explained " The main theme of the week is thanking the volunteers for the work they do and raising public awareness But organisations can use it as a vehicle for whatever they feel is appropriate - fund-raising , recru ting , tra i ning or perhaps open days ."
Activit es planned by St John and other organisations countrywide include fairs , exhibitions, civic receptions , f i reworks parties - plus the open days , displays fundraising and recruiting drives The Volunteer Centre UK has produced a free resource kit sponsored by Whitbread which advises organisations on poss i ble events and how to organise them The kit also contains a poster hints on obtaining media coverage and lots of other useful information. The slogan for the week is " Volunteer - anyone can do it" and the kit has helped many of those taking part to organise events the easy
1 -7 November 1909 way
Fourteen organisations - including the Order of St John , the National Trust , the Samaritans , and Women s Royal Voluntary Service - have formed the Consultative Group helping to plan the week " We are delighted that St John people have played a very active part ," said Sheila She believes it is not too soon for those who are not involved this time to start thinking about participation next year The dates for next year s UK Volunteers Week are earlier - from June 1-7 - and it s hoped that commerce and industry will playa growing role Already the Centre is in touch with counterparts on the Continent discussing a European volunteers week for 1992
The Volunteer Centre UK at B erkhamsted did a survey to try and discover what makes people volunteer " It showed that there are very many different reasons - most want to do something for the community and some have a skill they want to use Others are looking for new relationships and as well as helping others , volunteers certainly do get something outof it," said Sheila Dave Lewis knows exactly what made him volunteer While on hol iday from college he worked as a cash er at the Tesco supermarket i n Molesey, Surrey " A woman had a stroke in the store and I felt helpless not knowing what to do," he said " Then another lady collapsed and I asked the manager if he would like me to fetch my friend John Sions a St John Cont in ued overleaf
at the Gate
Volunteers (continued from previous page)
Ambulance member who lived nearby
" John came and dealt w ith the situation but he said he wasn going to run down to the supermarket every time someone hurt themselves and asked me if I would go on a public first aid course ." A smart piece of recruiting!
Dave enjoyed the course and decided to join the Brigade, doing 400 hours of duties - at Twickenham rugby, Wimbledon speedway, Leicester Square cinemas and West End theatres, local fetes and fairs - in his first four months
" In some ways we are mad to do it without pay, but then there 's the feeling of satisfaction when the child who came in hurt and crying goes away happy It s the old cliche of helping people I ve made quite a few real friends and all the young people I' ve met are full of enthusiasm and willingness to help
" I didn't have much confidence in myself before I joined but now I have There are occasions when I'm proud of my unifo.rm People recognise that the black and white means caring people." According to Meryl Latham , County Staff Officer, Northumbria , St John or any other voluntary service is "like Topsy - it grows " She added: "The more time you have available, the more people ask if you manage to dothis or just find time to do that! "
She believes that initially most people join because they care about others " Then it gets into the blood and you learn to love the organisation too I've done my fair share of sitting out in fields at point to points in mud and rain asking myself why on earth am I doing this - is it because I'm a masochist?
" It is because we care and we are expressing love for our fellow men - although I know that sounds over the top."
Down in Sidcup St John is a way of life for the Atkinson family Jane Atkinson is Leader of the Badger Set, her husband Ivan is Divi4
STJOHN W €O RLD Air Raids and Ambulances
STJOHN .
W€O RLD
Grand Prior visits Cambridgeshire
sional and Badger Treasurer, sons James and Simon are both corporals in the cade ts , Matthew s a cadet , and eight-year-old Ruth is a Badger
Jane , a teacher, did a publ ic f rst a d course and her two eldest boys jo i ned the jun iors They thoroughly enjoyed i , became cadets , and before long Jane was inv ted to run the Badgers Now family l fe revolves around St John and the Badgers take up most of her ' free time
Why does she do it? " Because I m mad !
My mother was a volunteer with t he WRVS and I suppose I was born with that ethic
'I'm very interested n children s welfare
Ch ildren need something worthwh le to belong to , something that will stand them i n good stead for the rest of their ives They need all the help they can get nowadays , because life is so fraught with difficulties and caring for others at a very young age is obviously good for them
" Whether or not they remain volunteers when they get older, I think the caring attitude will remain ."
She believes it is impossible to get to the bottom of why St John people volunteer
" They are usually extremely modest They won t say anything about the fact that they may have saved a number of lives and all they will say is that they joined because they wanted to help people and do something worthwhile "
Back to Christine Davies who decided to volunteer after proving doctors who told her she would never walk again were wrong
"If people tell me I can t do a thing I remember how I learned to walk again and set out to prove them wrong ," she said
" As a result of my own accident I can understand how people feel when they have been hurt. Some people think we are nuts to do what we do for nothing But if we don t do it , who will? That's basically what being a member of St John is all about."
The Mayor of Islington (left) examines a wartime gas mask and talks to Lord Grey of Naunton, the Lord Prior, at the opening of the Museum's Air Raids and Ambulances exhibition at St John's Gate. (Below) Some of the fascinating exhibits.
HRH The Duke of Gloucester VISIted Cambridge
St John Ambulance on duty at the East of England
Show
Hurricane Hugo
Halts SJA instructor courses in Caribbean
" It was a bit of a blow," admitted Sheila Whitehead and MOira Boyce With typical British understatement, on their recent return from hurricane-ravaged St Kitts
The phrase was double-edged For Sheila, an instructor-tutor from Hemel Hempstead DiVision, and Moria, a fulltime tutor from Welwyn Garden City, had their hopes for an intensive three weeks of tuition on St Kitts, Montserrat and Antigua dashed by Hugo
Sheila and MOira had been asked to run the courses for potential instructors In the East Caribbean - an area without a single qualified instructor. Their expenses were met by M r Robert Pooley, preSident of Hemel Hempstead DiVision and chairman of the Ophthalmic Hospital's Society, who often visits the region on business , and National HO's overseas department.
Arriving a week before the hurricane hit the island, Sheila and Moira were
Mrs MOira Boyce (left) and Sheila Whitehead, both from Herts on their return from hurricane-swept Sf Kitts
celebrating the success of their first course on St Kitts when rumours of the approaching hurricane reached them They were delighted with their class of 12. Of the nine who successfully completed the course to become qualified instructors, Moria desCribed two of them as exceptionally competent'.
All except one (who was a Red Cross member) were St John volunteers and their occupations ranged from teachers, prison customs and excise officers , to a lay preacher
The last severe hurricane hit the island some 60 years ago, so the local people seemed confident they would be spared this time But the driving rain and winds, "like the rushing of a tube train," lasted over 24 hours
SJA to benefit from video
St John Ambulance is one of three charities to benefit from sales of 'Emergency 999', a video produced by TVS in conjunction with British Te lecom, which was launched in September by Michael Aspel.
The video is Intended to show viewers what to do in a wide variety of emergencies 50p will be donated to St John , the British Red Cross and the RNLI for every video sold
The idea for the video sprung from the lTV's weekend of live Coverage of the emergency services screened to mark the 50th an niversary of the 999 services in 1987
Chairman ofTVS Entertainment, Lord Boston of Faversham, said : " We felt it was important to make the programmes available as a video tothe general public, but that the profits should be donated to charity."
The Video is available from retail outlets at £9 99.
out and about
Having offered their he lp as first -aiders to the hotel staff, Sheila and Moira and holidaymakers in their hotel tried to conquer their anxiety and concentrate on games of , Scrabble'.
In the aftermath of the hurricane, the appalling scale of the destruction was visible Allover the island property was destroyed, trees uprooted making roads impassable, power and telephone lines severed Miraculously, they were not aware of any injuries to people on St Kitts.
But the proposed courses had to be abandoned Sheila and Moira eventually arrived home safely. 'Now we know what 'in the service of mankind' really means!" remarked Sheila.
In Peterborough in July. The Duke , accompanied by Or EllIS , ChIef Commander, meets Or Burton , Commissioner for Cambrtdgeshire (Photo Cambridge Newspapers Ltd)
-
in Northern Ireland
ST JOHN AMBUlANC
youth
Each year Northern Ireland D str ct holds a fun day for its Cadets Areas take it in turn to host the fun day and this year Antrim dec ided to enlarge the event to a festival of youth and young St John people between the ages of 6 and 25 years were inv ted Sponsorship was sought and the largest donation of £500 came from the TSB ; a total of £1000 was raised and the event was held at the Antrim Forum , a large sports complex on the outskirts of Antrim town
700 people from all over the province took part in what turned out to be a hugely successful day and the Commissioner-in-Chief , John Sunderland , and his wife Audrey came over for the event.
The Mayor of Antrim and the management of the Forum threw their support behind the venture , along with the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Royal Irish Rangers. Events ranged from face-pai nti ng to five-a-side football , swimming to table tennis and scuba diving to athletics
6
N Ireland launches 'Energy'
Lord and lady WestbUlY, Supenntendenl-ln-Chlef, made a flying visit to Northern Ireland over the weekend Sept 15-17 to launch the Energy Programme They were interviewed on radio and TV, visited the Great Ideas Show In Belfast (left), and called on most areas of the Province
STJOHN . '., . . in class
W ® RLD Schools Project
This summer has been exciting for the Schools Project, with sales of the video keeping up very well In August teachers bought the video in preparation for the new academic year The appeal of the video has also widened to include YTS, prisons and other providers of training forthe young and not so young.
An exciting new competition has been launched for schools participating in the Three Cross Aw ard Scheme. It is for a p oster to be used as part of a national campaign to raise the awareness of the scheme The prizes are trophies for the winners , plus Laerdal Ltd have been most generous in donating two resusci-annes for the winners' school. The competition as a whole is being sponsored by B P and all schools have been mai l ed with details
Five pupils from TheHlfl School Westerham , Kent receiving their Three Cross Awardcertificates along with a refresher book from Anne Macleod
The C-In-C, John Sunderland and his wife C-in-C joins Cadet Fun Day
Thanks to Antrim Area Staff Officer (Cadets) Andrew Cooper and his wife Hazel who organised the entire festival , the Portaferry Cadet Choir and to the many sponsors , helpers , guests , Cadets and Badgers who gave their support.
Face painting competitors
Badger Competition • winners
The Pr ory Badger Set of London District were judged to have subm itted the best Safety Badger Project F le Congratulat ons , Badgers! You ' ve won a day tr p to Alton Towers!
The 20 lucky w nners of the Elastoplast competit on , who drew a picture and wrote about Bertie Badge r preparing for his holidays and pack ing his Elastoplast plasters , have also been announced.
The competit ion attracted over 300 entries of an extremely high standard and each of the winners receives an Elastoplast travel first aid kit, a Walt Disney waterproof watch , a selection of plasters and a tube of Nivea suntan cream
A list of the winners appears on the back of the Badger Buzzz magazine with this month's Sf John World ''The decision was very difficult," said an Elastoplast representative "The children have all worked extremely hard and been very creative ."
If you know of a school teaching the Three Cross Award Scheme that is not aware of the competition , please let us know at Headquarters We will then forward details to that school. The closing date forthe competition is May 18 1990, and the winners will , of course, be seen receiving their prizes in S f
John World next summer
Scout i ng for St John
The Schools Project was invited to ex h ibit the Three Cross Award at the annual Scout Association reunion at Gllwell Park , in the beautiful surroundings of Epping Forest. Anne Macleod and Pia Sutcliffe were there and were very pleased by the tremendous response they received
Many Scout and Guide leaders already teach first aid and found the prospect of using video as a teaching aid very exciting ; as one Scout leader told Pia : " A video is far more interesting to look at than I am ."
Many of the visitors to the stand wore different hats Not only were they Scout or Guide leaders but also teachers or youth training scheme lecturers. The day itself was and the setting idyllic, but most Impressi ve of all was the enthusiastic involvement of so many youth leaders from all ove r the wo rld, enjoying the company and the vast range of creative ideas being Dresented.
Schools nominated for the One Cross Award Special Certificate : Suffolk
Bacton Middle School , Stowmarket Wil tshire
Id minston Sc ho ol, Porton, Salisbury
Joh n Be ntl y Sc hoo l, Caine, Chip p enham And for the Three Cross Award Special Certificate : W ltsh re Chu rc hfi elds Schoo l, Sw ind o n Greate r Mancheste r St Edmunds RC Pri m ary Sc hoo l, M on sall
Thirty-four pupils from St Benedict 's Roman Catholic School Midsomer Norton, Avon , receiving their Three Cross Award certificates from SJA 's Barbara Kelly
One Cross Award certificates for 40 pupils of St Edmund 's RC School Monsall , by Greater Manchester police inspector Ian Tootell who IS also
National First Aid Competition British
Grand Master visits. . . . .
STJOHN w e RLD
The Order FESTIVAL 2. of CAROLS
will be held at GRAND PRIORY CHURCH
ST. JOHN 'S GATE on TUESDAY, DECEMBER U
With the CA TaRES A D VINCULA CHOIR
DlRECTORofMu c JOHN WILLIAMS
TheOrderofStJohnMu ical ociety pon ored by The national We tmin ter Bank. Enq uirie phone 01-251 5680
Malcolm
on Heard this one?
The
One of my tasks at the Financial Times
is to produce a sort of gossip column or Diary called Observer. Most newspapers have them : they are a useful way of presenting items that ought to be in the paper somewhere, but have no other natural home. The aim is to be informative, sometimes irreverent and, if possible amusing. The items must be kept short and, ideally, should provoke readers into a response. If you tell a story about what happened to Mr X in Kenya, someone will ring up and tell you what happened to Mr Y in Tanzania.
A lot of the items are about people. Soandtso has just become a director of a bank. It is a surprise appOintment, so you try to find out what is behind it. That incI udes speaki ng to the person concerned, but you cannot rely on that alone. If you do, you might be taken for a terrible ride
People rarely tell the whole story about themselves and, if they do, what they say is not always accurate. Thus you try to find out some of the background as well, and take in what other people think.
There are other subjects, of course. Ilike to introduce the odd statistic. For instance, there was a survey the other day about ties. How many ties do British men have?
The answer is an average of 17, upfrom 15 two years ago What is their favourite colour for a tie? The answer is blue, although red is coming up fast. The favourite material is silk and most men prefer to buy ties for themselves rather than be given them as presents , because then they can exercise their own choice.
Useless, frivolous information perhaps , but still quite interesting because most men wear ties and most women notice them. Even if they do not talk about them mUCh, they might like to know what the general trends are Anyway, it is a change from reading about interest rates, takeover bids and the state of Eastern Europe
One can also be serious and throw in the odd comment about the Chancellor of the Exchequer's latest speech or the new exhibition at the Royal Academy Such comment is often effective precisely because it is short and comes between a couple of anecdotes.
Quite the hardest task, however, is the jokes. Everycolumn like this must have a joke, preferably several. In particular, there must be a joke at the end: what is known in the trade as a tailpiece
One of the problems is that there is virtually no such thing as a joke that is new.
Even if you think that you have found one, someone will invariably tell you that they have heard it before - or worse , that you got the punch - line wrong For example , the story about the Spaniard who asked an Irishman what was the Gaelic for manyana' The Irishman thought for a while , then said very slowly : " I don ' t think we have a word that expresses quite that sense of urgency " Old as the hills , you w ll be told
Or this one : " What is worse than find ing a maggot in the apple that you are eating?
" Answer : " Finding half a maggot ."
Someone will tell you that they heard it at school
A reader wrote the other day to swear that he had heard a aBC announcer slightly the worse for wear, proclaim in a slow, deliberate voice : "I am now going to play a marvellous piece of music by Rimsky Korsakov called ' The bum of the flightle bee '." It turned out that the story had been doing the rounds for years
I liked the one about the policeman who went into a golf club to investigate late night drinking. "What's your profession? " he asked one man "Accountant." "Where do you live?" " Cheam ." " What are you drinking?" "That's very kind of you officer," said the man. "I'll have a whisky and soda." Probably that's apocryphal as well.
St John members from all over Surrey marched through Cranlelgh at the end of June when the county colour was transferred from their diviSion to Staines. Carrying the colour was Sgt C Croxford, wtth escorts Cpl Ken Shelley, Cpl Glenys Stow, NM Andrew Brown and NIM Rachel Chittenden. The parade was followed by a service at St Nicholas ChurCh. (Photo: Surrey Advertiser)
A fine turnout at the annual awards evening of Ludlow NurSing Cadets who , says their DIS Mrs J Oeakln have no recruiting problem They nearly always have a waiting list for membership
Christine Smith a canteen assIstant at Safeway's Bow store, pedalled on her exercIse bike all morning to raise £400 for St John Ambulance (Photo Greater London & Essex Newspapers)
Devon County Commander Mr Ian Moody presented Braunton DivIsion s new ambulance dunng July
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
Cardiff
Cardiff City Divi ion organi ed tran port and e corts for 75-year-old old soldier Clement Morri who wa in ho pita!, to attend the tercentenary parade of the Roya l Regiment of Wales, which a well as receiving the freedom of Cardiff wa to be pre ented with new colours by the Prince of Wale
DIO Pamela Chapman and AIM Ken Jury took Mr Morri to the City Hall by car and then 10
After the march
Falmouth, K St J, Lord Lieutenant and President of Council, and cadet leader of the year, Natasha Kilner
Three bnght Haverfordwest cadets
Joanne, a Grand Prior Cadet. recently won the Cadet of the Year competitIOn for Walc'i and received the trophy in Cardiff from The Dukeof Glouce'iter She was also been awarded the Haverfordwe'it Town Council Youth of the Year Laurel s av.ard She has completed over 800 hours 01 voluntary duties and should achieve 1000 by the end of 1989 Joanne is a member of the DiVISion's competition team, v. inning her section when the team finished third overall in thl'" year's count) LOmpetitions. She has heen a cadet for seven year , joining In Ledbury Bethan Morns has heen with H<lverfordwe t Division for three year, and has completed over duty hour, She I'> holding her Grand Prior certificate, which she received this year from the Grand Prior, The Duk.e of'Gloucester he IS also In the Division's competition team and has a nursing career at Heath Ho"'pital. Cardlil
llson Oa\ has been with the DI\ ISlon eight year..,. he IS holding the Rilhard Hayes cup awarded to the Pembroke..,hlre Cadet of the Year he received the award from the new Prior for \\ales. Capt onnan Lloyd - Edward at the annua l county in"'pectlon
Three bright girh indeed
Retiring NIM Miss Elsie Jones and DIS George Bullimore, who receIVed their long service awards (30 years) from Area Commissioner Peter Easte/l at a recent ceremony Six new members were welcome. (Photo North Norfolk News)
The county recruiting caravan is chosen as a background for Madam Blanche 's brides at the County Show
Pro uses Set, Whitleight, Plymouth has Devon's first Super Badgers, (L to R) Terri Clark, Nadine Thompson and Emma Davey, with Badger Leader Shirley Lioyd (left) and County Badger leader Chris Crago (right)
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
Carnival Queen and attendants
Haverfordwest is rightly proud of three cadets(L to R in photo above) Joanne Shepherd, Bethan Morris and Allison Davies.
SJA Commander Robin Morris presents gifts to singer Mary O'Hara and instrumentalists after a concert by MISS O'Hara which raised £2,000 for the county appeal
Assistant Commissioner Mervyn Evans presented certificates to members of the Sunninghill Adult Training Centre , Ti'edegar Mrs Wendy HIli (left) County Training Officer, Instructed the ten members of the class
Bager carnIVal prince and princess
bands and people In many different co Wme ThiS year Carnival Queen Katie HISCOck, In a ycllov. Rolls Royce. wa attended by Cadet Leader
Susan Dy mond (recently awarded her Grand Prior). on her right. and Joanne Lyna on her left
The Badgers were well repre ented In a large Iloat and their CarnIval Pnnce, Thoma O·Leary. and Princess. Adele Barbaf'), thought It great fun Each year Staff Officer Marion Fuller and huband Mr A R Fuller, Area Pre ident (both East Sussex) are 1m ited to judge orne of the carnival cla<;ses
Hdsea College Cadet DI\ ISlon IS one of the Lev. 'closed' St John Ambulance diviSIOns attached to a <;chool The diVision. which ha been in operation for five years. has a hea\ y schedule of duties ranging from motorbIke scrambles to \anous horse riding events
Jntcnsiw fund-raiSing activities have enabled the di\ lsion to buy and equip two Ford TranSit ambulances and this year they have added a cara\an. \\ hich V. til be used as a fir..,t aid unit. to their fleet'
Hungerford
Leeds
Leicestershire
At Hungerford DIVISion's open daY-In which everyone, including retired members, was Involved - Kennet Badgers Alexander Pye, Jonathon Newcombe, Sally Newcombe and Adam Brown show their conservation work for the Hobbies Badger
Ilfracombe
For many years Ilfracombe Division have organtsed the annual carnIvals and the main event consist of a long proces ion of colourful floats.
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
London (East)
DIS John Pullen, of 89122 Ash Grove Division, receives a £100 cheque from John Bibby, of London Buses Ltd, a donation from London Transport Corps
Londonderry
ThreeSt John generatIOns
Portland
Stafford
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
Torquay
A St John Family. Mrs Kathleen lempie ( eated) of Waterside Nursing Division, ha 35 year ervice. Her daughter, Mrs Eleanor Wright, is superintendent of Offerton and Great Moor Quad Division, Manchester, with 27 years service. And Mrs Wright's sons, Robin (right) and Ivan, have both been cadets for four years.
Monmouth
St John training at Wolverhampton enabled Richard Downing, the owner of this sixweek-old kitten Sandy, to revive her when she got stuck behind a gas fire and appeared to be choking Mrs Downing described how her husband brought the kitten around: 'He breathed In her mouth and her eyes opened.' With Mrs Downing, it is obvious that Sandy the kitten has made a fUll-recovery! (Photo: Wolverhampton Express and Star)
Plymouth
Monmouth Round Table presented a £856 cheque raised from a sponsored cycle ride to Div. President 0 Brewer with Officer-in-Charge Ken Morgan. (Photo: Monmouthshire Beacon)
Nottingham
Anew ambulance, anambulance coach anda garage block (for six vehicles) were dedicated recently at Nottingham City Area
Badgers from West Devon took part in the Lord Mayor's procession and won second prize! The theme was "Heroes of History" and they are pictured with their Scott of the Antarctic Expedition.
A 20-piece assortment of penguins, husky dogs and explorers rode on the lorry as part of a convoy of over 100 floats, dancers, bands and various other entries.
It was the third year that West Devon Badgers had taken part and their success seems to have encouraged them to have another go. A big thank you to those who made costumes, scenery and organised Badgers. We are looking forward to next year and maybe a first prize!
CongratulatIOns were the order of the day at Portland Quadrtlateral 01\ j'ilt)o\ inspection, which of the extreme temperature was held outside, much to passing moton'ih. After speakmg to each member. the County Commander, Mr Mark Agnew, the first aid cup to Cadet Maria Hawe , 16. The rel1rIng Vice President. M r'i Margaret Baxter, donated a 'ihlcld for the Cadet of the Year which she presented LO urslng Cadet amantha Hodges, 16.
Portland may be only a smdll division. but It dedication to the Order of t John is 100%
Prescot
Four Stafford Odeon nursing cadets _ Eve Lacey, 16, Usa Hume, 16, Gillian Cooper. 14, and Caroline James, 14received their Grand Pnor Badges recently from ASSistant CommiSSioner William D'Arcy
St Albans
The benefiting chanty
Torquay cadets PatriCia Cossey and Nicholas Wnght give a demonstratIOn to children who attended their summer fete during July to raise funds for a new resuscl-ann. (Photo Herald Express, Torquay)
Walsall
Each lady gue t. on arrival. \.liaS presented \',:ith a rose and followlOga champagne receplion with dl llnguished gue ts in the Round Room of Birmingham Art Gallery, a splendid dInner was served To herald the 1989 Super Prix there was a firework dl play In ChamberlaIn Square. followed by dancing to the earl} hours About £10.000 is expected to be received a a result of the evening. The photograph (abO\e) hows the St John peronnel \\ ho helped at the evening. together \\ Ith the toa tma ter. Da\ld Tilt.
Weybridge
Prescot Badgers received a cheque from Safeway at the opening of their new superstore in St Helens
Shaftesbury
Badgers and Cadets \ ere among the 200 or so IlsitOrs \\ ho wenr along to meet the ne\\ Mayor of t Albans. Counc.Illor Ken Da\.les, and 'at home' at the to\" n's CI\ IC Cenrre earlier thiS year. (Photo Sf A/bOilS Obsen er)
Swansea
A newly-furbl hed publIc relation and exhibition unit ha., gone Into operatIOn 10 the Walsall Sandwell Area for ue by Wet Midland count\ Follml, ing the hard work put 10 b) PhIl anLl hiS team (Area Transport officer). the unit ha already been u ed e'(tensl\ el) at major events throughout the West 1idlands. IncludIng the recent Historic Vehicle Parade at Sandwell
West Midlands
Shaftesbury members who camp in the middle of the Dorset Steam Fair for a week during August to provide first aid cover for the event. Of the 175.000 whO attended the fair, 480 needed treatment
Fonner officer-in -charge Mr ' Sandra MogriLlge (now CSO), of Swansea Central Division, receive the Division's 60 year certificate SIX years afLer it wa due (they forgot to apply for it) from Dr Williamson, Chief Commissioner for Wales. The certificate was then handed to Peter Meehan (right), now in charge.
Mrs Beryl Powell. deputy Area Commissioner, with some of the pupils of Locarno JUnior School Tipton, which has 150 Three Cross Award winners. the highest in West Midlands
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
Beaconsfield
Stretcher Run ends at apub
Isn t she heavy?
Those who know the Beaconsfield St John presidents - Gordon Kirby, Jim Russell and TV Weatherman Bill Giles - would expect that any fund raising event there is bound to have some connection with licensed premises. And if you go to the annual Beaconsfield Stretcher Race , you will not be surprised that each lap ends at a pub - and there are eight sectors to cover!
This year Gordon insisted that I attend, so on a gloriously hot summer evening of June
22 my wife and I repaired to Beaconsfield
Being in St John uniform helped to secure a car parking space outside the 'Greyhound' - where else?
We were met by a harassed looking Gordon who had just despatched the first of 48 teams on the course. Jim was finalising a few details with the police and Bill was downing a pint of beer. We then went to meet the 8t John contingent who were acting as race marshals , timekeepers and first-aiders at the
same time , with enthusiastic help In the first two areas from the Rotary, Rotaract , Round Table, Police and 41 Club A large crowd was cheering on the teams - four runners carrying a stretcher with casualty I then ran into our superintendent - Jen· ny Russell (Jim s Wife) - who was in charge of the 12 first-aiders, two ambulances and first aid unit on parade Jenny suggested we
Continued on next page
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STOP PRESS
Badgers Sighted In Scotland! Thanks to Safeway pic and St. Andrew's Ambulance. from October 1989 we shall registering Badger Sets all over Scotland Get set for news of the launch and our first Scottish Badgers In the Christmas edition of Badger Buzzz
For further details please contact Mr G Scott Batley (0924) 472403 Immediate deliveries - only a phone call away
Just as you and I wrap up warmly and use extra heating In our homes when colder weather comes, birds and animals need to make special arrangements for the winter too Some animals move to warmer Countries (migrate). others sleep dUring the coldest months (hibernate) and some animals even adapt their bodies to cope With the Conditions
During autumn. animals can sense that winter IS approaching because the days get shorter. Many small animals collect stores of food to last them through the cold Weather and these can be qUite enormous Gerbils for example. bUild food piles outSide their burrows up to 3m long and 1m
high A hamster IS able to store
100kg of food In Its burrow When as protection against the Wind these animals start their hibernation and snow their muscles relax. their Creatures who are unable to do r, temperature falls. their heartbeat thiS migrate Instead They often slows down and their breathing travel a great distance to warmer , becomes slower and deeper The climates where there IS more food barrow ground squirrel of Alaska and less overcrowding Many birds hibernates for 9 months of the year spend the summer north of the but animals usually only sleep for equator and travel south In the two or three weeks at a time and winter Butterflies and moths also need the store of food for when migrate and the Monarch butterfly they wake up can fly 11 7 hours Without stopping Larger animals. reptiles and The California grey whale migrates Insects can often protect 12 000km and mountain animals themselves by changing their such as goats sheep and reindeer bodies Frogs and arcti c Insects move down to the valleys for produce a special anti - freeze the winter chemical which keeps them alive If you had the chOice how wou ld and wolves and bears are able to you like t o spend the cold au tumn grow the r fur an extr a 65 mm lo ng a n d w in ter m on th s l
Did you all have a good summer? I know that lots of you were working on your safety project flies and as you can see from the photos Safety Badger Week got off to a very special start with the help of some Badgers in Hyde Park
!;9-UJrt:..d. W<>!tRr on t:1-u.
David and Emma Thompson from the 1st Flnchley Badger Set met the Prime Minister dUring the City of London Flag Day on 24 May and are seen here presenting Mrs Thatcher With a flag
Bertie IS really enJoYing his VISit to Alaska and would lik e to thank all those Badgers who wrote In suggesting America It gave him the chanc e to meet up with Alaska Sam and bnrm you a great comRetition and recIpe. Anyl&eas fpr his next trip?
FACTFILE
Every day of the year something somewhere is being celebrated This IS especially true In the autumn months when crops are gathered and preparations are being made for winter.
The Harvest Festival celebrates a successful gathering of the crops and today It IS an occasion fo sharing our food With those In need People u to believe that the SPIrit the crops would die at harvest time and so they made the last sheaf of corn Into a corn dolly to keep the SPirit alive ThiS was bUried In the land when planting began again to help the new crops grow.
The Dogon Dancers I West Africa perform a special dance at harvest time wearing straw skirts and wooden masks made to look like dogs and lizards A Similar festlva I held In Japan It IS called "Furyo" and lasts for 3 days In October Masked dancers shake their heads and beat the drums In the hope of rain and a good harvest
Thanksgiving Day In the USA occurs on the fourth Thursday of November
Originally It was held to give thanks for the harvest but today It IS a public holiday celebrating the American way of life Families get together and traditionally eat turkey and umpkln pie
Dlwall is an Indian estlval held for 3-5 days dUring the autumn after India's rainy season.
Dlwall IS Hindi for "row of lights" and everyone decorates their home With lights dUring the festival hese lights represent ew beginnings and new opes for the future
Badger Buzzz Introduces you to Alaska Sam
Sam stars In his very own children's comic which tells of his adventures With his best friend, Sal ly Seal. It's an action-packed comic With a special activity page and any Badger who would like a free copy should write to Alaska Sam Comic Offer, PO Box 512, London SE5 7EH
Alaska Sam has such a great time plaYing In the Alaskan snow that he IS offering thiS great prize so that you can learn one of his favourite sports. The lucky winner of our Alaska Sam Competition will Win a weekend of free skiing or skating lessons You choose what you want to do and we make all the arrangements I The top fifty runners - up will Win a special Alaska Sam
cookery apron - especially useful when making the Salmon Fishes on the back page
All you have to do is answer these three questions and complete the tie breaker
Send your answers on a postcard to Sarah Harris , 1 Grosvenor Crescent , London SW1X 7EF to arrive no later than 31st October and make sure you write your full name, address and Set on the card
1) Which of these outlines IS the correct shape of I Alaska?
2) How many lakes are there In Alaska? a) over 300 b) over 3,000 c) over 30,000
3) How many species of Alaskan salmon are there a) 5 b) 7 c) 9
Comp lete this sentence : I like Alaskan canned salmon because ,
When Bertie plays hiS party games He has hiS box of tricks
And always , when hiS friends come round He gets them In a fix
One dark and misty Hallowe'en HIS friends played trick or treat
So Bertie had to give them
Lots of lovely things to eat.
An apple pie he promised them
But first they had to play A game called "ducking apples" To pass the time away
And so he went to make hiS pie While water they were spilling But then he found to hiS dismay They'd eaten all the filling
MAKE FOR YOURSELF - ON FISHES
Ha v e you ever tried canned salmon?
Sa lmon is a very nutritious food and Alaska Sam has given the Badgers this delicious recipe to show you how tasty It can be as well. Alaska canned salmon IS available In your local supermarket.
Just look for "product of USA" on the label.
450g / 11b peeled potatoes
450g / 11b Alaska pink or red salmon , drained (skin and bone removed)
1 x 15ml tbsp chopped parsley salt and pepper beaten egg to bind seasoned flour dry breadcrumbs oil for frying tomato and cucumber for garnish
1) Boil and mash the potatoes
2) Flake t he fish and add to the potato with the parsley Add seasoning and a
litt le beaten egg to bind Mix together we ll and leave to cool then chill
3) Divide the mixture Into 12 and mould each cake Into an oval fish shape Dip each cake into seasoned flour, beaten egg and finally the breadcrumbs Press the surface lightly to firm and reshape if necessary
4) Sha l low fry the fish cakes In hot 011 until golden brown, turning them over as necessary Drain on kitchen paper towel and keep warm
5) Using slices of firm tomato and cucumber cut wedge - shapes for the tails of the fish and tinY pieces for the eyes and smiling mouth
6 ) Arrange the fish cakes on a serving dish and garnish with the cut shapes
ALL THE ABOVE MUST BE CARR IED OUT UNDER ADULT SUPERVISION
Elastoplast* COMPETITION WINNERS
Each winner will receive a super waterproof watch , a travel first aid kit a selection of p lasters, a tube of suntan c ream
Garet
V
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
Back
Holah
'LENDING A HAND'
STJOHN w e RLD
thank St John Ambulance for aSSl tanceparticularly the Brigade m Sheffield where the programme wa made - "They were a very nIce team to work with and made It pos ible for me to make the kind of programme which willI hope result in many more volunteers commg forward
BEDFORDSHIRE SAFEWAY STORE OPENS
Earlier thl year a new Safeway store opened at Lelghton-Lmslade In Bedfordshire. A at all ney,. store opening , from the local Set were on hand to receive a cheque for £150. The B adgers are pictured here with the local district council chairman, Isobel Bee ley and chairman of the Argyll Group. which owns the Safe\N'ay chain, Mr Alistair Grant.
ST JOHN HOUSE CLUB
Mrs Norma Nicoll. WIfe of the ecretal) of the St John Hou e Club. Major Sydney Nicoll Me. died suddenly on 17 October The Nicolls have run the club Ince 1983 and Mrs Ntcoll's cheerful welcome was well known to the many who VISit the club. She wIll be adly mlsed. Major icoll has already indicated that he mtends to continue as Secretary of the Club.
Commander
Ruth Morwenna Graham Lady Hawley (Wiltshire)
Gwendollne Joan Mrs Digby (Norfolk)
Kathleen Ada. Mrs Burdett (Leicester)
AlrCommodore Michael Alan Pailister, BA MB MRCGP
MFCM MRCS LRCP DTM&H DPH DIH RAF (RAF)
John Coward (North Yorks)
Helen Edith MISS Grtbble , SRN SCM RNT MTD ON (SJA HO)
SylVia Joy Mrs Jones RGN NON HV FWT FETC
CMS (Here/Worcs)
Officer
Gillian Jessie Mrs Jeffens (Essex)
Thomas Martin Jefferis (Essex)
Robert James Lake RGN ON RNT (Avon)
Ian George Ridgway (Salop)
Margaret Eileen Mrs Snowdon (Oxon)
Margaret Dorothy MISS Hughes (axon)
Brenda Jane Mrs Clements (Avon)
George Stephenson Richardson (Notts)
DeniS Harold Groves (Cheshire)
Derek Rice. JP (Warwick)
Ruby Eileen Amy Mrs Bridges. RGN (Willshlre)
Patricia Margaret MISS Bailey (Notts)
Bnan Walter Kempton (Warwick)
Albert Thomas Godfrey Rut! ( Bucks)
RObert John Downing (London)
Chnstopher Robert, Poole (Derbys)
Francis John , Eastell (Norfolk)
Kenneth. Harvey (Lancs)
Miriam Harriett , Mrs Cox Met. Police)
DaVid William Hayward (Devon)
William Chaplin Fry. (London)
Aldermanic Sheriff Paul Henry Newal TO MA
DL (London)
Robin Vincen t Kirk (Notts)
Michael Warwick Cunvin
RGT RCNT.. (London)
Dennis Richard Baldwin (Essex)
Nicholas Harold Phillips (Beds)
Barbara Irene. Mrs Langstone (London)
William James, Hogarth (SJ AirW ng)
Mervyn Godwin. Beadle (Oxon)
Florence, M rs Hyde (Gt. Manchester)
Bernard Arthur Bro wning (Warwick)
James Ro bert, Holme (Lancs)
Dere k Charles, Eaglestone (London)
Joan Pa riCia, Mrs Gilbert (London)
Edmund Terrence Hawkins , FBCS ACIB (London)
Ern est Ral p h Sandles (Oxon)
Francis Reginald Clark (Devon)
(Left) David Shannon, ex-Staffordshire police sergeant who retired on medical grounds , using his 8 -yearold son David as a 'patien becomes a Serving Brother. Teaches first aid and is a competition judge
in the Grand Priory Church
Order Investiture
by The Lord Prior, Sept 19
June Gladys Westgate Mrs Ma n SRN SCM (London)
Geoffrey Ball SRN (Here/Worcs)
Serving Brother or Serving Sister
Sqd Leader James Hugh Witherow, MBIM MITD (SJA HO)
Jean Georgina Beatnce.
MISS Winchester (Surrey)
Douglas Charles Self.. (St JAlHO)
Ian Richard Buckmaster (London)
Arthur Craddock (London)
Janice Ida Anne Mrs Aspinall (Essex)
Betty Mrs Armfield SRN (Merseyside)
James Lester Beechlng TO FRICS (Cornwall)
Captain Robin DaVid Roddam Chandler (Hants)
Edward Alfred George Herbert (Avon)
Lionel Alfred White MC (Essex)
The Revd Dr Lawson Chase Joseph Nagel (Sussex)
The Revd John Charles Manchester (N Yorks)
Philip William Read (Avon)
James Slater (Lancs)
Henri Sutcliffe Heap MRCS LRCP LAH (S&W Yorks)
Wing Commander Edward Guy Nichol
Cappucclttl (Norfolk)
Eric Mal colm All cock (Notts)
Hilda Mrs Airey (Gt Manchester)
Jean Margaret Dr WatkinS , MB BS MRCS LRCP
MRCGP DRCOG DCM (London)
John Everitt Dexter (Sussex Pol ce)
Ian Simpson McRobble MB ChB MRCGP MFOM DIH
DObst RCOG (Post Office AlC)
Rosamund Mary Godfrey Glenfield , Mrs Shearman.. " (North Yorks)
Edward William O Clarey (Essex)
Bernadette Margaret Patr cia Mrs Gavey (Jersey)
Marguerite Miss Day (Cornwall)
Sybil Millicent , Mrs Sutton (Devon)
Anthony Chlnneck BSc MRAeS (London)
Warrant Officer Terry Charles Harr is (RAF)
Peter Hams (Here/Worcs)
Richard Patrick Treacy (Eire)
Er ic Humphries (S&W Yorks)
Jeremy Layton Hurry Riches (Salop)
Robert Taylor (Staff Police)
John L. McGralh (Eire)
Peter John Stead (N Yorks)
Robert William Perry (Sussex Pol ice)
Dav d Albert Shannon (Staffs)
Alfred John Atk in (London Transport)
Eric Foster FCA (S&W Yorks)
Stuart Munro McVe igh (North Yorks)
Geoffrey Gladders (Cleveland)
Steven Gerald Blackmore (Devon)
Albert Rutt , Princes Rlsborough Division's Supermtendent, with
Officer of the Order.
with Jenny Badger at R isborough day centre, Mr Ruff is talkmg to Timothy Raison MP (left)
W€O RLD
Cadet Help and Information Pages
Hello and Welcome to the November edition of C*H*I*P*S, which if you have not realised by now is a numonic for Cadet Help and Information Pages!
November, I am sure, will be a particularly busy time for Divisions, especially with the evenings drawing in and November 5th bonfire duties.
This month we look at some more programme ideas, and also a roundup of the 1989 Cadet Camps.
Programme ideas - road safety
Every year thousands of children are killed or injured in road accidents and the most common cause, statistics reveal, is 'running into the road'. The five to nine year age bracket is the most vulnerable and , being involved with young people of this age , Cadet Off icers can obviously play a very imp ortant part in making their charges aware of the dangers.
Road safety, like most safety' subjects , can appear to be a somewhat turgid 'do this', 'don't do that' session if not handled carefully, but, with a little imagination, it can be made into an exciting project that Cadets will enjoy.
Black-spot map
Obta in a large-scale map of your area (or the local town, if you live in the country) Ask your Cadets to list accident 'black-spots' and then mark them on the map From this the Cadets should then work out the safest places to cross Ic;>cal roads. Safe play areas could also
be marked If you men mount tne map on a slightly larger piece of thin card , you could add around the edges colour photographs (taken by the Cadets, of course) of all the black spots you have identified Using drawing pins and coloured wool, join each photograph to the black spot it identifies
Traffic lights
Make a poster or training aid to show the sequence of traffic lights
Spot check
Make a spot check of the b i kes on which Cadets came to the meeting. Make a followup check a week or two later to see if things have improved or deteriorated
Bike safety
Produce a set of photographs showing common faults of bicycles, i e saddle too high ; worn tyres; no back light ; worn or badly aliqned brake blocks ; loose chain
Cycling proficiency test
Encourage your Cadets to go in for the
Whoops! - There he goes, Royston Ambulance Cadets' DIS Jakubiak We wonder whether It was the result of a good push? By cadets of course See story with picture below
National Cycling Proficiency Tests when they are run in your area
Road safety quiz
Run a div isional safety quiz , either mak ing up the questions yourself beforehand , or let the Cadets ask each other questions (but penalise any who cannot supply the correct answer to their own quest i on!)
Road signs
Prepare a set of cards showing road s gns and another with the meanings of the signs
Thiscan be run asa relaygameforthewhole
Division
Road safety team
Many Councils have a Road Safety Team and if you are lucky there will be one n your area These teams will be only too pleased to come along with films and demonstrations to back up the areas that you have already covered. Contact your local Councilor police Station to find out if there is a team near you
Stevenage Ice Bowl was taken over earlier in the year by 329 cadets and their families and friends from Nor· them and Western Herts for 2Vz hours of 'who can stand up longest.' In fact as can be seen in this picture most did stay on their feet There's going to be another session at the rink on January 7, 5 to 7.30pm. Cost £1.25 per person. Ring 246364, DIS Jakubiak, for details
edited by andy bull
Round-up of camps
Since C " H" I" P" S requested news of your 1989 camps , an endless supply of articles has been arriving Here is a small selection
Ouse Area, N. Yorks
The camp was held at a small village called Lythe , a few miles north of Whitby The farm site is well known throughout youth organisations for being very accommodatng The location allowed a varied programme , with somewhere for the campers to go during their free time Most days were taken up with some activity, with in the mornings Cadets be ng instructed in proficiency subjects The afternoons were spent off camp at such activities as rowing , canoeing and a treasure hunt around Wh tby
Every evening was a free period , but some form of recreat ion was organised for those who w sh to stay in camp The camp was enjoyed by everyone , espec ially the Friday nights ' campfire entertainments Prizes were
Chips challenge
Just to round off November s C'H*I " P " S, please find below a tale of mystery and suspense
Dear Chips , Does Olney Cadet D v is on hold the record for the furthest travelled Essent ials of First Aid Certificates? An unusual query? Here s the story
My first Action Cadets took their EFA exam on 23 1 89 and I duly sent oH the paperwork and then forgot about it as I was busy do ing other things with Cadets
Sometime towards the end of March an envelope came through my door addressed to me with a Span ish stamp on it , wh ich puzzled me as I don t know anyone in Spain
Inside was another envelope addressed to me , postmarked with a second class stamp from Buckingham (where our local Associa(tion Secretary lives) and dated 20th Feb 1989
Written on the second envelope was the message-
" Dear Mrs Knight - How this ever turned up on my desk in Madrid is a puzzle I just opened it to see if there was a connection YOurs sincerely, Bella Surley."
Inside the envelope were the Cadet EFA certificates!
Obvio Jsly, somehow my letter from Bucking 1am containing the certificates had got cau jht up in the post of this unknown lady in Spain
Unfortunately she did not give her address, so I have been unable to write and thank her But for her initiative in returning them to me, the EFA certificates would undoubtedly have been lost in the post.
awarded for the best Cadet , Best Work Team Best Tent and treasure hunt teams
D/S Steve Coward, Huby Division
South Western Area, London
This year the South Western Area camp was their largest since they moved to the new site at St Helens , Isle of Wight - 80 Cadets and Badgers , with 20 Adults After months of uninterrupted sunsh ne the m ddle week of August brought strong winds and damp weather, but never-the-Iess everyone had a great time
Among the varied activit es was a treasure hunt around the village and across the harbour The boys of Tent 1, from Kingston on Thames and Shirley Divisions , set off at a fast pace determined to w i n The results depended on both time and the correct solv ng of the clues on the way round Making good time (they were f irst away) they came across an elderly man who had fallen on the causeway and hit his head ,
which was bleeding As might be expected the incident was someway from the road and any assistance Two of the boys set oH for the village to get help , leaving the others to care for the pat ient and his companions The local GP was eventually persuaded to come out and see the casualty and he took h i m off in his car The Cadets then helped the companions home with their belongings Needless to say, the team had lost a lot of t ime, but there would still be the marks for the clues - but they
ASO Alan Croft,
PLAY THE ALCOHOL GAME
STJOHN
T
The Surgeon-in-Chief, Or Brian LewIs , meets Big John at the Finals.
he of the judges for the nursing tests are below and once again all have commented on the need to assess and plan the care required - this refers to both adults and cadets alike. Advice regarding the tendency of competitors to rush in and start giving care without first taking stock of the situation, so that they give only relevant care, seems to go unheeded year after year. If only competitors would realise that careful planning would gain them valuable time for the actual giving of care , then the overall standard could be higher.
It was encouraging to learn that communication skills had improved, in particular concerning the cadets, and this year problems regarding safety of the patient or competitor were noted in only two of the tests
Once again the judges stressed the need for manual skills in training seSSions, actually helping someone to dress with bra, pants and tights, and assisting the paraplegic patient to stand and walk were just two of the procedures
In 1990 the second edition of Caring for the Sick will be the manual used for the setting of the tests. It will be interesting to see what situations are set by the judges and how the competitors respond
On a personal note, I would like to thank all the judges, and, in particular the two who stepped in at the last minute to replace those unable to take part. Also, a special mention of the stewards on the sets Their hard work and efficiency - particularly in the speed with which they cleared the sets and packed up all the equipment - meant that the whole of the nursing competitions ran very smoothly this year.
Perrot Shield team test
Scenario: The setting for this test was two adjacent chalets in a holiday camp. One 20
STJOHN STJOHN
Brigade Finals
What the judges thought of your performance
chalet was occupied by Mr and Mrs Fox Uunior) and their teenage daughter Julie, and the other by Mr and Mrs Fox (senior) They had arrived the previous day and their problems started almost immediately. Mr Fox Uunior) had slipped by the swimming pool , grazing both legs and aggravating an old neck injury Mr Fox (senior) felt unwell in the train and dismissed it as travel sickness but during the night this had developed a severe attack of d iarrhoea and vomiting
Mrs Fox (senior) suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis and experienced a lot of pain when moving She normally required help with washing and dressing , assistance which her husband was able to give At home she used a zimmer frame and wheelchair but , although requested these had so failed to be provided by the hol id ay camp
Mrs Fox Uunior) was a fit lady but now harassed , not knowing which of the fam ily to attend to first , and Julie , who had been asked to tea and toast for the family, was agitating to get out and meet other teenagers at the organised entertainments During the course of the test two maids arrived , anxIous to gain access to clean the chalets
The judges' comments were on the whole favourable The majority of teams took time to assess the situation , although some vital points were missed They coped well with all the distractions The planning of care was not so well done , but in spite of this most teams were quick and achieved a lot of work
The nursing care was given w ith enthusiasm and understanding , special mention being made of very good communication skills. A common fault in the nurs ng team test was once again demonstrated - that of the competitors tending to work as individuals and not utilising the potential help available , except for one team which proved it could be done
One disturbing very basic fault mentioned
by the judges was that of putting equipme nl on the floor ; and also leaving the patient 's feet on the floor while renewing the dress ings to the legs Overall , the judges felt tha most teams coped well , with skill and ca n. fidence , in a busy and distracting situatio n
Individual test 1
The setting for this test was a bedroom Th e patient was a middle-aged lady recoverin g from bronchitis who had been allowed outo f bed for the first time to spend the afternoo n in an armchair At the start of the test the patient complained of feel ing tired , part ly due to her pers isten t coughing , sore th roat and painful chest. On enquiry the compet itor should have discovered that she required an inhalation and that a dose of cough linct us was due The lady was alone in the hous e but a neighbour called in a lunch time 10 provide a snack , which was sufficient until her husband returned from work an d prepared the evening meal.
The judge commented on the genera lly good standard of nursing given In a cari ng and understanding way Competitors were very considerate for the patient s comfo rt but not always so thoughtful for their own personal safety. The assessment of need was well done the patient being involved In this and the subsequent planning of care
Individual test 2
ThiS test was set in the living room of an efderly lady who lived alone A neighbo ur (the competitor) had let themself Into the house as the back door was open , concerned because the place was In darkness and the old lady had not been seen for two days The time was 8pm On entry the room was found to be in turmo i , the bulb miSSing from the table famp and a very confused lad y becoming increasingly agitated over the loss of her purse One of her stockings was torn , reveal ing a nasty graze on her leg , where she had bumped into an open cupboard door in the dark
SUPPLIES UPDATE
We 're now approaching the peak season for Christmas cards, diaries and gifts. So avoid postal delays near by ordering now. A catalogue of the complete St John Christmas range was included with the October St John World and extra copies are available by ringing Salesline on 01-251-0004
A number of special offers are still available, and there's the chance to save money if you order early.
There were two hiccups on the supply of new products in our autumn mailing Ourqualitycontrol procedures identified manufacturing errors in the Essentialsof First Aid badge for Cadets and the new range of model ambulances We had to reject initial supplies, but the outstanding orders from September have been cleared
The competitors should have attempted to calm the lady prior to assessing her needs and planning a course of action However, the majority were distracted by her agitated state and the situation was not assessed well and therefore planning was inadequatethey tended to deal with each event as it arose
During the course of the test the patient 's daughter arrived with two thermos flasksone of hot soup for her evening meal (which she should have been given) , the other a hot drink for the night. There was no food in the house and many competitors found it a difficult situation to accept , that elderly confused people lived alone in such circumstances The judge who set this test took it from a real life situation Had the competitors made more use of the daughter they would have discovered that the lady was due to be admitted to residential care in a few days ' time , and thiS care was the best that was available in the int erim The judge commented that there was a def nite need to use time at the start of the test to take stock of the situation before muddling through the care
Dunbar Nasmith Cup
Individual test 1
This test was set in the bedroom of a 70-yearold lady who lived alone At the start of the test she was sitting In her nightdress bes de the bed , supporting her left wrist which was bruised and painful. The patient felt unwell , was perspir ing and had a painful cough She had tripped over the carpet when she got up to make a cup of tea Fortunately this was a Saturday morning when a cadet (the competitor) normally called to do her shopping or other errands - on this occasion the cadet had brought a fr iend
The judge commented on the overall high standard shown in this test. The competitors asked a lot of relevant questions and were able to make an adequate assessment of the situation Some could have given more thought to the planning of the care , which would have resulted in better use of the limited time available - improved utilisation of the friend would also have helped in this respect. All competitors communicated well , demonstrating an excellent manner and caring concern for the comfort of the patient.
Individual test 2
This test took place in the patient's bedroom
The 60-year-old lady had suffered a 'stroke' six months previously and still had some paralysis of the right arm and leg There was no speech difficulty but some confusion with names and relationships of people not seen every day. The patient was a widow and lived with her daughter.
The competitor (a granddaughter! son) found the patient wrapped in a towel and sitting on a chair beside the bath The patient told them that her daughter helped her to bath each day, but this morning had been called away to an urgent and lengthy telephone call The competitor had to assist the lady to dress, attend to her hair and help
Kent's Westgate branch, with 22 members, raising funds for the Ophthalmic Hospital with tea in a member's garden
StJohn Fellowship
As I write I have just had the pleasure of meeting Mr and Mrs Sidney Crow of Weiland Chapter, Ontario , Canada. They decided to celebrate their Golden Wedding with their first visit to England. They were staying at St John House and were thrilled to attend an investiture at St John 's Gate. Mr Crow, a founder member of the Weiland Division in 1947 and a first aid instructor, is now an Officer of the Order.
He is chairman of the Weiland Fellowship and, as he put it, it has 'chan ged his life' Although he is still active in St John locally, he now feels part of the worldwide service given by the Order, and knows that he will never lose touch
I want to emphasise that the Fellowship exists to enable everyone who has served the Order in any way to continue that service after they have retired from the uniformed Brigade or perhaps from fulltime service at a Headquarters. Their her apply make-up
The judge commented that insufficient time was taken at the beginning to establish the needs of the patient although these were recognised as the test proceeded In view of this , there was little planning of the care to be given
Communication skills were good and the competitors showed a very caring attitude towards the patient , being friendly and helping her to feel at ease Manual dexterity was lacking in this test as most competitors did not have the necessary skills to help a patient to dress The judge commented that a lot more practise was required in this respect. The safety of the patient when standing was often neglected
Individual test 3
This test concerned an elderly lady who had recently had a stroke and was now living with her daughter There was paralysis of her right arm and leg and some speech difficulty She understood what was said to her, but had a problem in speaking the correct word in reply At the start of the test the patient was lying flat in bed in an obviously uncomfortable position The competitor was required to show the daughter how to care for her mother by making the bed and using such aids as a backrest , bedcradle and extra pillows; and how to help her out of bed to walk to an armchair and assist her tosit , well supported in a comfortable position
The judge commented that the competitors were diffident in talking to the patient
expertise is still needed and can be of great value to St John in counties and their local community.
Of course we enjoy our Branch meetings and our reminiscences over a cup of tea - just as we enjoyed both while in the Brigade. But I know that Fellowship members get the most satisfaction out of doing something worth while; it may be fund-raising, catering, assisting at exercises or competitions or (a high priority) visiting their housebound colleagues. It may still be instructing or welfare activities
I hope counties will appreciate and make use of the goodwill in their Fellowship branches.
Sheila Puckle National Secretary St John Fellowship St John's Gate, Clerkenwell, London EC1 M 4DA.
and therefore did not ask suff c ient questions to be able to assess the needs and plan the care The actual giving of care was curtailed and some competitors consequently did not give due consideration to the comfort of the pat i ent. On the whole the helper was not included sufficiently in the care although this was an essential requirement of the test. Some competitors made ' patient care ' their real priority but on the whole this aspect was lacking
Individual test 4
This took place in the living room of an elderly, frail gentleman who suffered from bronchitis At the start of the test he was sitting slumped in an armchair, having difficulty in breathing This situation was not being helped by the fact that his daughter (with whom he lived) was smoking a cigarette The patient had been feeling unwell for the past two days , complaining of pain in his chest , especially when coughing The competitor was required to transfer him to a h igh-back chair, loosen constricting clothing , take his temperature and pulse rate prepare and give a dose of cough expectorant , and advise the daughter on the value of a clean environment.
The giving of care was rather clumsy in some instances, thought to be due to nervousness ratherthan roughness. Once again the helper could have been utilised more.
Helen Gribble Deputy Chief Nursing Officer
2.
1.
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Manchester City Football Club wish to show appreciation of the wonderful service provided by the St John Ambulance Brigade.
DINNER THEATRE
The Mill at Sonning Theatre would like to thank the local division of St John Ambulance Brigade for their continuing dedicated upport and constant rea suring pre ence.
DOWN PATRICK RACE CLUB
The Directors, Officials and Racegoers would like to thank those who attend our race meetings and do such an excellent job at Downpatrick Race Course
IRISH RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION
Iri h Rugby Football Union (Ulster Branch) extend their warm thank to St John Volunteer for their valuable service.
would like to take this opportunity of thanking the St John Ambulance members for their work on Monday evenings during the 1989 Speedway Season and we look forward to seeing them again in 1990.
THANKYOU AND BEST WISHES TO ALL THE
Accept
We at R eading Borough Council wi h to thank the St John Ambulance Volunteers for their a istance and support at our event.
CONTRIBUTIONS
Contributions
SUSSEX GOES SILICONE
SUBSCRIPTIONS
EDITOR
When he is not pounding the beat Kent policeman David Billings will be changing his uniform for a tutu to play an outsized fairy in a special St John show for the elderly and disabled during the run-up to Christmas
" The things we do for St John! " said Divisional Officer Margaret Avery, of the Westgate Combined Division , Isle of Thanet. Margaret the show s organiser persuaded lots of the cadets to take part as singers and dancers
" But they said they would do it only if PC Billings , who is in charge of our cadets would perform as well ," explained Margaret. " So he s agreed to go on stage as a fairy And now there s no getting out of itl"
Although few will wish to emulate David Billings , St John people countrYWide will be doing their bit as usual over the holiday With the panto season In full swing , even if they are not performing many members will be involved in organising special outings to the theatre for the elderly or disabled , or providing first -aid cover during the theatre s specially busy season
Of course in a first-aid role they will also be out in force at the many football matches , race meetings , motorcycle scrambles and other major events over the holiday
But It IS at Christmas more than any other time that the disabled and many lonely old people appreciate that St John is not just a first-aid organisation It is a time when the caring side, although present and active throughout the year, is in higher profile
It IS not that St John welfare workers seek the limelight Far from It - details of their sacnfice of precious time that could be spent With their own families over the festive season usually have to be dragged out of them
It is simply that the help given at special
with StJohn
Cadets and Badgers often play special roles at Carol Services - here In Northern Ireland shopping sessions for the elderly and disabled , the ferrying of patients to relatives and the visits by carol-singing cadets to old folks ' homes inevitably attracts more attention than the routine behind-the-scenes welfare work that fills the rest of the year
The potential for this work , especially at Christmas , which can be the loneliest time
Help for the elderly (below) at that special time of the year
of the year for the frail elderly IS enormous
As SJA's Chief Welfare Officer Mrs Jeanne Mercer has emphasised , everyone should try to recruit into St John people who are interested in care and would like to specialise in it rather than first aid And such specialisation is made easier under the new Energy Programme
First aid and welfare roles blend for the special pre-Christmas shopping sessions for the elderly and disabled up and down the country
Typical is H igh Wycombe , B uckinghamshire , with its three adult and three cadet divisions " Again this year we will be taking pensioners and the disabled to three major local shopping events ," said Tony Hudson , County Staff Officer for the d istrict. They will be providing first-aid cover, vehicles to bring the shoppers in and then join other voluntary organisations in pushing wheelcha rs , carrying shopping and generally helping the occasions to go with a swing
" We get a great buzz out of it too ," said Tony " All the divisions get involved and the cadets especially enjoy helping the pensioners It's all very festive and our people generally end up draped in tinsel! " Allover the London area the black and white uniforms w i ll be in eVidence in theatreland football grounds - in Trafalgar Square when the New Year is welcomed by large crowds of revellers - and at many other events , but many St John people will also be helping at special pre-Christmas shopping sessions
" There will be an awful lot of St John people not at home for part of the Christmas holiday," said London D strict Staff Officer Gladys Kaye
continued overleaf
a good time... .
Why do they do it? "There is the satisfaction of helping someone less fortunate than yourself It's something inside yourself How do you put it into words? I can't," said Gladys.
Down on the Isle of Thanet as PC Billings limbers up for his fairy role in the St John Christmas show at Birchington Village Centre during the first week of December, Westgate Combined Division is also planning a series of visits to local nursing homes.
"The elderly love our youngsters coming round singing carols," said Margaret Avery " We always work very closely togetheradults , cadets and Badgers - and although there's a special theme of caring for Christmas, as far as we re concerned it's caring all the year round ."
But Margaret admits: "Christmas is a bit special and the cadets especially love mixing with the elderly then They see them cry with happiness because someone is taking an interest in them And it helps the youngsters realise how lonely their own grandparents could be if they don t visit them."
They take the old folk Christmas cards, but the cost of taking them presents is becoming too much " Still, you can ' t give a lonely old person a better present than a visit ," said Margaret. Over in Oxfordshire St John will again be heavily involved in the special shopping sessions as well as carol singing by cadets at hospitals and providing first-aid cover at the many seasonal events.
They are also again standing by to deal with requests to take patients to spend part of the holiday with relatives Said County Staff Officer Ian Simpson : " When you see how glad people are to see their relatives and be together as a family over Christmas , I think that brings its own reward ."
Chelmsford Cathedral will be the setting for a special St John county carol service on December 9 and if last year s highly popular event is anything to go by it will again be
packed Deputy County Commissioner Mrs Joan Logan explained that the invited guests include many elderly and disabled people from local homes and long stay hospitals Cadets will help with wheelchairs and Badgers will perform a nativity play
The Badgers have made more than 200 Christmas cards for their guests " The old people appreciate young people who care ," said Mrs Logan
Before the service there will be a party in the Cathedral Hall for elderly St John people, including a lady who is well into her 90s. " It's very popular They love chatting about days gone by. Our three area commissioners will be waiting at table Theydon ' t know i yet but I ve got aprons lined up for them!"
At the service members of Tilbury Combined Cadet Division will play some of the carols on the ir hand chimes and another
51 John Fellowship
A Christmas message from Major-General P.R. Leuchars, Chairman, 5t John Fello'wship:
It is at Christmas particularly, the season of goodwill, that the aims of our Fellowship are highlighted. As the year ends we can look back with pride on all that has been achieved in our aim of helping others and he/ping the Order, of which we are all so proud to be members.
I take this opportunity to wish you all and your families, wherever in the world you or they will be, a very happy Christmas. In the New Year may the Fellowship continue to expand its work and its membership; that is the responsibility of each one of us, and in that I wish you all every success.
STJOHN weRLD
4 We welcome two new branches th is
Nearly 40 Badgers and Cadets from Portland in Dorset enjoyed a fancy dress Christmas party last year Photo Dorset Evening Echo
highlight for the guests Will be the enactment by Badgers of the nativity story
" Last year one of the pages had a large ostrich feather to carry and didn t know what to do with it so he started tickling everyone In sight. It was very hard to keep a stra ight face ," said Mrs Logan
" There were more smiles when one of the little angels got up and walked away leaving a small puddle behind These are the sort of things the old people love - and make you realise that Christmas is for both young and old ."
SI John House Club
Don't forget about the facilities available at the St John House Club in London Situated close to National Headquarters at 50 Eaton Place , London SW1 , the club is easily accessible and has eleven comfortable bedrooms. There is a bar and drawing-room open to residents and the Mountbatten Room provides the ideal location for meetings
The annual subscription for 1990 is £25 and life membership is available for those 60 or over at £165.
Forthosewhowould liketosupportthe club in other ways, donations or gifts in kind are always welcome. In particular the following items are currently needed 10 hairdryers, 50 good quality coat· hangers, 6 electric kettles, luggage racks 10 small table lamps, 10 small bedspreads, breakfast china, bedroom rugs a year's supply of tissues and a year's subscription to national newspapers. For more details, please phone the Club's secretary, Major Sydney Nicoll, on 01-2352732 before 2 pm or after 5 pm.
A very Happy Christmas
and New Yiear
from Crystal Palace F.C. and many thanks to all
staff at
8t John Ambulance
for their assistance
Polls
Opinion polls began in Britain in 1937, and I have been looking through some of the earliest findings One of the very first for example, showed that nearly half the adult population went to the cinema at least once a week; 18 per cent went at least twice a week
The favourite wireless programmes were variety shows, followed by light or dance music. Those were the days when the BBC was at the height of its influence and almost had a monopoly. Yet, when the questioning went further, it turned out that 68 per cent of those polled said that they also listened to the new commercial programmes coming from France and Luxembourg.
Polls, however, are not only about what people do; they are about what people think. Thus in October 1937 a question was asked about whether people thought there should be cycle tracks on main roads : 75 per cent said 'yes' and only 13 per cent were against, although it is fair to add that at that time there were far more cyclists than car-owners.
The late 1930s were a very political period because of the threat of war, and the polls have a lot to say about that as well. Whatever politicians and historians may argue with hindSight, there is no doubt that the efforts by the Prime Minister, Neville Chambelain, to
keep the peace were remarkably popular
Only a few months before war was declared 68 per cent of the respondents said that they had full confidence in him ,
Shortly after the war started, meat rationing was introduced An opinion poll quickly found that around 20 per cent of the population could not afford to buy even the small amount of meat that they were allowed. More than half the population thought that the war would be over in less than three years, and a significant minority thought it would last only a few months As it turned out, those people were wrong, but the polls are still an interesting measure of what people thought atthe time.
There was not much polling during the war years, partly because of a shortage of staff and partly because the idea of polling had not fully caught on. It would never have occurred to the Government in those days to conduct a poll of its own to find out what people were thinking
Towards the end of the war, however, polling began to increase, and here I came upon one of the most fascinating results of all. The Gallup polls in 1945 came very close to predicting accurately the general election results of 1945, when Mr Churchill was defeated and the Labour Party won a landslide victory
No-one took much notice at the time because hardly anyone had heard of opinion polls in 1945, and even fewer thought that they should be taken seriously But Gallup went about its questions in a very systematic way. It asked what people cared most about. The answer was housing, which was streets ahead of any other subject including full employment, which came a poor second The obvious explanation was that virtually no new houses had been built during the war years, many had been destroyed and expectations, as well as the population, were rising
Gallup then asked which of the political parties was thought to be most likely to solve the housing problem. Here the answer was overwhelmingly the Labour Party. And that is how Gallup began to move to its correct conclusion that Labour would win As I say, nobody took much notice then. But we know better now - or should do Do not be put off by the thought that because you have never been approached by Gallup or any other opinion poll institute, the polls must be an invention They can work on a very small sample - 2,000 people for the whole country if the sample is random, around 1000 if the sample is selected according to socio-economic groups What the polls do not always do is provide a guide to the future. But, give or take the odd percentage point, they produce an accurate snapshot of opinion at the time the poll is taken Incidentally, as an illustration of the way opinions change , by 1946 public concern number one was no longer housing. It was food shortages because that had become the issue of the time
in the Holy Land Christmas in Jerusalem
Christmas is a particularly appropriate time to turn our thoughts to the Order'S work in the Holy Land. The St John Ophthalmic Hospital (right) continues to serve the people of the West Bank and Gaza. Sir Stephen Miller, the Hospitaller, offers a timely reminder of the work being carried out in Jerusalem.
The St John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem , an institution establ ished in 1882 and run by our Order of Chivalry, is quite a remarkable achievement. Desp ite the increased sophistication of modern eye surgery and all that has happened politically in the Middle East since its foundation , the Hospital's doors are still wide open to an inta ke of 50,000 patients a year and it provides major surgery for 5 000 of them irrespective of their creed , class or colour
But this is not its only service A training school for nurses is an active on-going enterprise and training of doctors in ophthalm ic surgery is undertaken , a function of great import ance in a region where schools and universities are more often closed than open Nor s that all. Primary health care and the prevention of blindness , which is six times more common in the West Bank than in the Un it ed Kingdom , is carried out in the villages by a team of dedicated doctors and sisters who spend two days a week screening children and the elderly, and teaching mothers the elements of eye health care.
And finally, since the rise of the Intifada in December 1987, weekly visits have been made to the Gaza Strip (not without danger to our staff) to perform superb surgery in most pr imitive conditions. Any other organ isati on would be shouting from the roof tops in rightful pride of such disinterested service to an impoverished community, but the members of our Order prefer to carry out their good works almost by stealth so that some are barely aware of what is be ing done in their name. These efforts have been made possible by the help of volunteers and contributors at home , in the USA, the countries of the Commonwealth and lately by the welcome support of several Government
STJOHN w e RLD
institutions for which the Order is most grateful. It is hoped to raise the interest of the World Health Organisation in the remedial blindness among its population due to diabetes -a major problem which has not yet been addressed.
But this great endeavour, good though it
is, costs money By watching every penny the budget of the hospital runs to 1.7 million pounds sterling annually, a sum which is almost impossible to achieve With regularity Our low profile means that hidden from most eyes is an institution which has the respect of both Sides of the great divide in Israel, because it appeals to the bulk of moderates who form a significant number in both camps I am sure you would be impressed if you could see for yourselves what is being done , day in and day out, thanks to a body of generous folk who subscribe to the motto Pro Utilitate Hominum' It is an example of a motif brought down from the ivory tower of idealism into the stark reality of the living world, plastic bullets with metal centres and all the rest. It is the epitome of 'service to mankind which I know means so much to all
A little Arab boy ... and his mother
A little Arab boy, tightly clutching his mother's hand, walks slowly out of hospital into the heat of a Middle-Eastern afternoon Eight-year-old Abdul Salim turns to shyly wave goodbye to his nurses - and his broad grin says it all. For when he went into the St John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem he was almost blind.
STJOHN
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1989 51 John Rallie
The National Raffle raised the tremendous sum of £108,265.
Congratulations to all those who took part.
The draw was as follows :
1st Prize
Metro City Car (by kind arrangement with Austin Rover)
J. Hyam, 32 Glendale Road, Burnhamon-Crouch , Essex
2nd Prize
Video Recorder (donated by Greenham Trading Company)
Hilary Thorning, 19 Glanmor Park Avenue , Newport, Gwent.
3rd Prize
£200 Clermont Travel Voucher (donated by Clermont Travel Ltd)
Mrs Chisman, 128 Northmoor Way, Wareham, Dorset.
4th Prize
Dinner for two at the Hyde Park Hotel (donated by the Hyde Park Hotel) Stewart Graham , 2 Enville Street, Latchford, Warrington , Cheshire
MPs help Hospital
During October, MPs travelled in style to Battersea Park, London, for the House of Commons Motor Club's classic car charity run, which this year was in aid of the St John Ophthalmic Hospital. They came from all over the country in 41 classic cars to the rendezvous point, where they had the opportunity to look at London District's publicity bus fitted out with information about the hospital. The Transport Secretary, Cecil Parkinson, posed with cadets for photographers, and a London Weekend Television cadets.
Now he can see.
A cataract operation on one eye has restored its sight and his mother has been told that similar surgery on the other in the near future should also be successful, which proved to be the case. A young life has been salvaged Abdul can go back to school and will soon be playing football with his friends again
At a reception at the House of Commons the MPs were then given a brief outline of the hospital's work by Sir Stephen Miller, the Hospitaller, who also presented a first-aid kit on behalf of St John to the driver of the oldest vehicle, Jeffrey Rose, chairman of the Royal Automobile Club.
The Secretary of State for Transport, Cecil Parkinson, at the wheel
(Above) The St John OphthalmIc HospItal , Jerusalem. (Below) A child receiving treatment In the hospital
Superb surgery
getting together SI John Alliance meel in Helsinki
The Lord Prior, accompanied by Lady Grey, and the Chancellor, headed a Grand Priory party attending the annual meeting of the Alliance Orders hosted by the Finnish Commandery in Helsinki, September 21-24. The President of the Alliance, Count Carl Johan Creutz, who entertained us at his magnificent and historic estate, Malmgard, and members of the Finnish Commande ry gave us a marvellous insight into Finnish life in Helsinki and surroundings and some excellent lectures on Finnish history and social conditions Not many people realise perhaps that Finland, situated between the strong monarchies of Sweden and Russia in the last centuries , was the scene of long struggles between the two; nor that as an Archduchy directly under the Tzars until the Revolution it was a showpiece of unusual liberal tendencies of the Tzars and that, for example, Finland was able to have in 1909 the first elections in Europe in which there was universal female suffrage.
Our meetings showed again how modern progressive society leaves enormous gaps to be filled by volunteer social work. Our confreres from Germany, Sweden, Holland, France, Sw itzerland and Hungary all had different and fascinating tales to tell. The Germans have added yet more high-grade
Badgers meet Duke
At the recent opening of Southall and Norwood Division's new headquarters, Badgers with the Divisional President Hayley Mills say 'Hello'to The Duke of Westminster; Pre sident of London D ist rict.
STJOHN w e RLD
STJOHN
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Goodbye ••••• Hello!
The fine neoclassical Cathedral in Helsinki , built under the Tzars , in which the Alliance Orders held a service before theIr meeting hospitals and rescue teams to their substantial operation. The Dutch have had great success in new initiatives to arrange individual holidays for the handicapped The Finns have acquired new ambulances to pick up young drug-addicts who are extremely vulnerable on the cold streets of Helsinki at night. The Swiss provide bursaries for theological students from Eastern Europe, while the Hungarians have been very substantially involved in sending food and medicines to Transylvania where suHering among the Hungarian-stock population has risen dramatically Every Commandery and Order showed their anxiety to meet new and developing challenges for which there
is no oHicial support.
Our Hospital n Jerusalem was widely praised and admired Its work is very well known and the Alliance gave us another £7,000 towards it. We also discussed the problem of the Chr stian population in Jerusalem Our confreres In Europe were delighted to hearof the cont i nuing high level of St John Ambulance activity In the UK
They much welcomed , and often echoed from the i r own experience our reports of increasingly close relations with the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
The meeting made it clear to us aga n that there will be more and more to do , often jOintly, and more to learn from each other
La dy Wes tbury In re p ose' (a p Ic tu re she li kes) rymg out a new s re c he r on a VISIt to Northumb na
After 6 1/2 years as Superintendent In Chief , Lady Westbury retires at the end of th s month Energet c leader Lady Westbury continually has her staH (notably Myrtle , her secretary) flYing around desperately trying to keep up w ith her ! Well -known all around the country Lady Westbury has made hundreds of vis its to count es and d vis ions far and wide She has also received countless vis ts at headquarters - just last month a mere 70 Badgers from Devon were seen scrambling up the sta rs at Grosvenor Crescent to reach her office
The Great St John Party, our centenary
year c elebrat ion has to be one of the h ighlights of Lady Westbury s t i me at Grosvenor Crescent. A magnif cen t feat of organ sat i on , that was enjoyed by well over 150,000 people on June 201987, was ach eved largely thanks to the ti reless efforts and enthus iasm of our Super i ntendent in Ch i ef , Major Parker, Dav d Barnes and Myrtle However ret rement from her present post w i ll not mean ret rement from Stjohn ; Lady Westbury w ill , of c ou rse , c ont nue to ac company Lord Wes t bury on h is dut es as Ba l iff of Eg le and she w ill be jo n ng the ranks of the St John Fellowsh ip Lady Westbury w ll certa inly be a hard act to follow but her successor 's credent als are mpeccable
Mrs Phy lli da Stewart-Roberts , who becomes Super ntendent in Ch ef next year, IS no stranger to St John For many years she h as been very i nvolved w ith the organ isat ion In Sussex , as D v s iona l Pres dent of Lewes
D v is on , Deputy County Pres ident and since 1983 County Pres dent. Her family has St John connections and her mother- n-law was i nvolved n organ i s ng hyg ien iC food handl ng courses at headquarters Marr ied w th two grown-up ch il dren , Mrs Stewart -Roberts has been active n voluntary work of various k nds She i s a trustee of the group k nown as Commun ty Serv ce
M rs Phyllida Stewart -Robe rt s , who ta kes o ver as Su perin tenden t n Chief f ro m nex t y ea r Volunteers , a nat ional char ty wh ich enables young people to g ve serv ce n the commun ity She is currently a member of the board of management of a hous ng associat on for people w th spec al needs and s also cha ir man of a hostel for t he d sabled n south east London If that were not enough to keep her occupied , Mrs Stewart-Roberts is also a mag istrate work ing with young people in nner London ! A though she knows it is a ' large ob ', Mrs Stewart-Roberts says she is look ing forward enormously to tak ing over the challenge of be ing Super i ntendent i n Ch ief.
Ambulance Dispute
7am I received a phone call from our Area Public Duty OHicer asking me to report w th our ambulance to Brixton Police Station as soon as poss ible I phoned Chr is, the driver, and at a.30am we reported to the police station
Our feelings about the dispute were mixed ; I am a first-year nurse at St Thomas Hospital , as also is Chris , but in his third year at Long Grove Hospital , Epsom Wh le we sympathise with the Ambulance crews ' grievances , as nurses and St John Ambulance members a humanitarian call to assist the public could not be ignored
At the police station nobody seemed aware of the situation concerning the provision of an accident and emergency service for London It later became apparent , however, that 999 calls were being relayed to police stations across London via a control room at Scotland Yard
At our police station , a general purpose car and a trans t van were made available for carry ng non-urgent 999 casualties Throughout the day it was ev dent that these facilit i es were a poor subst tute for an ambulance
Our own St John vehicle , equipped to normal London ambulance standards , was used many times during the day W ith a policeman on board to navigate , we attended incidents throughout the whole of the south of London These ranged from road traffic accidents to collapses in the local ma r ket. The reception that we received at hospitals varied enormously ; while some considered us strike breakers others were pleased to see us
On the Tuesday, we found ourselves being called from Brixton to both Mitcham and Wimbledon On arrival at St George s Hospital Tooting , in the afternoon , we were
Informed that ours was the only ambulance that they had rece ived all day
In all , we carr ed eight patients on Monday and two on Tuesday One of our first patients on Monday proved to be the most serious ; we were faced with the awful situation of a casualty who could not be resuscitated This was all very diHerent to dealing with a broken leg or a fractured collar bone that we normally take to hospital from a public duty Work ing a 12-hour shift on Monday, doing full-t me emergency ambulance work , taught us a lot about ourselves , about i mprov sing when treat ng casualties , and gave us a greater insight i nto the d ispute itself. We s ncerely hope that we don t have to be used again in a dispute of this type
Hampton Court and Molesey Divisi on , London
Driver : Chris Cleveland - Peck
Attendant : John Sions
puzzle time Christmas Puzzles
4
3
4 Top ha i ry part of the head 5 )
5 Strange ; unpa red (3 G i ve starword ., ,
o 1 Organ of hear ng (3 )
2 Chr stmas show br efly ( 5 )
3 Hurt ; harmed (7)
HIDDEN
Banbury ambulancewoman Margaret Booker has become Britain's first ambulance person of the year (below) Margaret, who had just returned from holiday, thought her colleagues were joking when they said she had won the title. "I really thought they were having a bit of ajokewith me at first," shesaid. "It just came as a complete surprise ,"
Ambulance
Margaret, who joined the service at Banbury just over 15 years ago when women were first accepted, had always wanted to be an ambulance driver.
She and her three daughters were all keen members of the St John Ambulance Brigade for a number of years until women were finally accepted Into the Oxfordshire Service in the early 1970s
her
Beccles
Three year old Jasmine. daughter of Beccles Cadet Supt Nicola Loveys gettmg ready for the day when she can Jom the Badgers She s with Badger Anna Robmson of Framlmgham
Berkshire
person of the year, Margaret Brooker is congratulated by
Banbury colleagues (Photo : Banbury Guardian)
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
Hertfordsh ire
Four hundred BaLlgef\, were at the l'\)Unty\ Badgers. Bangers and Bean" Bash (sounds like a least) held in the the barn nf Gorhambur} [ state. near Alban.., the home of the Deput) County Commissioner. the Counte..,.., of Verulam
The main rea..,on for the get-togdher ""'as to pn:..,ent Badger Flags. donatl'd hy Te"cn Store\, tn the county\ 21 Badger. eh In aLldllion to the tlag presentallon \\ hich \l,.ere made h) John Ea..,toe of lcsco. there wa.., [I IlllP.,IC conte..,t filr hands and choir won hy Watford Set. a harbecue and dl"cn.
Kings Lynn
On a visit to Redwings Horse Sanc t ury, Frettenham, King's Lynn Badgers adopted Rusty, a chestnut pony who is one of the 600 horses and donkeys saved by the sanctuary The Badgers will contrib u te to his upkeep
Kirklees Area
In appreciation of the help and support given by Safeway Store staffduring the working-togetherweek in June. the Dewsbury DIVISIOns presented the ASSistant Store Manager. M ike Waldie with a St John plaque (photo next page). Abo at the presenta ti on was M iss Kate Drury winner of the Ba ll oon Race and prospect ive Badger Mock acc ldenL,> we re staged In lhe supermarke t car park, an d fund s were raised with va rio us eve nts, including guess the we ight of the ca ke, va lu e of hamper, n umber of Coca-cola ca ns in a ,>tack. wit h pr izes supp lt ed by Safeway. as we ll as a car was h
AROUND THE DIVISIONS
Kirklees Dewsbury members say thanks to their Safeway store manager
London
A driver operator and a conductor at Hollo""ay have oeen commended 0) memoers of the publil: fl)r their help on two on route.f3. repons London Tram,pon\ Bu\wlk
DrI\er/Opl'rutor Lawrence Stack\ aid experience proved Invaluable when a man waltin o at a bu" top let I amI crad etl hi head on pavement.
Lawrence. a member of St John Ambulance \\ ho al""avs his own first aid kit. swun!l into when he "LlW the injured man. A ncr stemming the hleeding. he tayed With his patient until an ambulancl' arrived.
The grateful pallel1l. in a letter of thanks to Lnndon Buses. said " Il) mc he a knight of the road and if there \\u" a Good Samarita;\ medal hc dl'..,ene t\"o."
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Prescot cadets heard all about the OphthalmIc Hospital from Sister Jane Adamson who is currentlyon leave from Jerusalem
Slluthenu '\Uf'-oJOg Di\ iSlon 10 ltheir \woden first alLi post at Shoeburyne"" In the October 1987 hurricane For two year the\' borrowed a tent from the local toco\er-e\ent" '\0\\ their nc\\ brick built pOL ha been opened arter much local help. The cnuh contributed and a local builder. W. \\ Hardy.
The proces"ion to the Order Church Go..,ll)rth, onJune II hy the SeLrelary-General E\crard
Oxford
South Yorks
OxfordClly Badgers prize winning flag which they made for their picnic in August
At the marriage of two Syston members, NIM Carol Smith and Cpl John Kershaw. the gua rd of honour held crutches aloft Best wishes, Mr & Mrs Kershaw!
1 Which casualty would you treat in this manner?
Questions on Caring for the Sick and the 5th edit ion First Aid Manual
Series 2 , Number 17
BRUCE COLTMAN , Northumbria Police Centre
FESTIVAL OF CARO
A
In attending the event should phone 01-251 5680.
HEADQUARTERS TRAINING COURS ES
Have you appl ied for your place on the cou rse you are interested in'? Details of all coures are available in the Course 1990 \eanet from your county office or the Cadet and TraInIng Department at ational Headquarters (01-235 9758). Closing date for applications for places on the following courses are due 'ioon. Apply now to avoid mi sing the deadline. Making Presentations Course 23-25 Marchclosing date 26 January. Links Course -3 March - clOSing date 2 February.
NURSES STUDY DAY
A study day for London Dlstnct Nursing Officer IS to be held on Sunday. February 25 1990 at the Pri ncess Alexander College of N uri ng. Phdpot Street. London El.
Subjects under scrutiny include Changes to resuscitation. New Heathrow Disaster Plan. ProfeSSIOnal Accountability. and Major Incidents In London.
The day is open to all nurses on or training for the UKCC register. Tickets. which include lunch and refreshments, are £10 each from Mr S. CornwelL 30 Cecil Avenue. Barking, Essex IGIL
SCHOOLS'SURVEY
REVEALS LACK OF FIRST AID PROVISION
The results of the St John Ambulance survey of 14
,>chools released on 27 o\cmbcr. reveal that a startling figure at nearly -lOl''c of the -+.265 ,>chools '" ho reponded to the havc no staff member with a statutory first aid qualification One in five scools do not ha\c .1 member of '>talT \\ ith even [he most first aid training
Calling forthe emcrgenc) aid nceds of children to be taken more senously. Robcrt Balchm J\ Director General said "The GO\ ernment\ gUldl ines on the pro\ ISlon of fir-,t aid in ,-chonl" are clearly not ,>,. orklng I believe an urgent change In the law IS required to compel all school governmg bodies to prlwlde proper first aid cover In schools
All work paces with more than 150 employees are ob\tged by la," to have qua\tfied first on site St John Ambulance IS campaigning strongly for the same regulJIJons to be applied in schools; at the moment no account i taken of the number of pupils. so that only the extremely small number of schools with 150 members of staff are subJect to the Health and Safety (First Aid) RegulatIOns. 1981. This survey reveals that more than 75 % of schools do not havc a ratio of one first dider to 150 puptls
Other findings of the survey. which was in the form of a questionnairc to Just over half the schools in England and Wales. were that almost 50% of these schools have no first aid roOJl1 and three-quarters do not have a prominently displayed list of first aiders Sixty per cent do not display a list of local hospital casualty depallments and phone numbers.
"In the year ending March 1988, there were 8.000 Injunes to puptls in ,>chools. some of them fatal. I have not the slightest doubt that lives could be saved if more teachers attended a short first aId course," continued Mr Balchin. "A recent sad case. in which a 12-year-old boy died, In school. prompted a coroner to support better first aid training for teachers."
Of our sample 4,265 schools. nearly 40% (38.6 %) across the country do not have a properly qualified first aider (qual ified as a First Aider at Work). In primary schools the situation is even
wor e With almost 50'!; of "1.: lwllb lucking an) appropriately trained starr. Thl: PllsltllH11ll \\>el h schoob i" the worst \"ith an ll\l!rull 01'56 (;, of "chooL \\ Itlwut a fully tr:'lIned fiN ,Iiller. and 65 '1 In primary ,chooh London ha'> the ne,t result with more SLi10l)is %) ha\ 109 qual i lied fi r"t aiders l1n the prenmcs The surn:y rC\eah that an unacccptank \C\\!1 llf l)f school... in England ami Wale" have no-nne \\ Ith an) training in fiN aid The "ltuatilll1 in primal) schnob IS partlcularly pOOl with 29 o/c ot'schools national I) \\ nhoLlt any fir\! :lId COVCI. Wchh primar) ,>choo\<. re\ea\cd the wnr t regional figure With -l1 7r lackin\.! a first rllder \\ hilst the East ha\e the pCfcentage (10%) of school... Without a tir t aider
Gl.!rlcrally a \ er) ,ad picture is epo,>ed wJlh 'er) few "chool" complying \\ ilh the basics of tir,t <lId legislation as it relates to places of work
Where "choois do ha\'e first :'\Jders. the ratio or first aider., to pupJls is very poor throughout the country Whik 60% of London ,chools ha\'e the desircd ratio of one fully qu: tlitied member 01 "taffto 150 pupils. only 177c have thl" ratin in the Ea'>t Midlands Fe," schools (27 %) display lisb of first aidcrs or ca,ualty departments and GPs with l.!f11ergency telephone numbl.!rs (37 % ). Most schoob do. howl.!ver. appear to have adequate numbers of first aid boxes With Greater London and the secondary sector generally ha\ ing the best proviSion
A very high percentage of primary schools (61 %) lack any kind offirst aid room The situation is much better In Welsh primary schools (only 23.7 o/c do not have first aid rooms) and worse in the South West with 85 6% of primary schools lackmg thIS essential facility ationally. only just over halfofthe choots surveyed have a first aid room
Most schools do, however. have an awareness of the special needs of PUPIl<. with dlsabtlitics. medical conditions or akrgies and few have fail ed to acknowledge the importance of knowmg what speCial procedures are reqUIred to reduce the risk of HIV transmIsSIon.
2 When treating a casually who has toothache what would prevent you from using oil of cloves?
3 When treat ing snake bites what , apart from the injury, may be eVident?
5. How would you attempt to control th is bleed ing from a var icose ve in?
When treat ing a nose bleed , what are you adv ised to prevent the casualty do ing? 9 What is the treatment for cramp of the hand muscles?
4 When treating frostbite what are the five things that you do not do?
6 When carrying out the abdom inal thrust , if your initial thrust fails to dislodge the obstruct on what should you do next?
7. When treating internal bleeding why is it important to undo cloth ng at neck , chest and waist?
11. When using Holgar Nielson ' s method , why should you not app
much pressure?
on page 17
Cadet Help and Information Pages
Hello and Welcome to the Christmas portion of C*H*I*P*S, the column within St John World written for adults with Cadets in mind. This month C*H*I*P*S endeavours to give you some ideas to keep your Cadets amused during the rather long school holidays!
A Christmas Challenge
In the late 70s and certainly early 1980s , we had certainly heard of the decline in industry - the recession Will Christmas 1989, w ith its high interest rates , be quite as grim? We can hope that the 1990s will bring improvements , but what of th is Christmas? At our divisional meetings we can assess the situation according to the area in which we live What can we do to make Christmas exc itin g for our Cadets who may be getting less. Or in deed , can we show those who are not suffer in g how they can share their happiness with those who are not so fortunate A Chr istm as Challenge , set in the form of a Chr istm as card from the Officers to the Cadets , may help to fill a few days with activity during the school break Activities should include :
• Make a collage using old Christmas cards and wrapping paper
• Makesomething useful from gift boxes or odds and ends
• Cook a simple meal using leftovers.
• Make daily weather recordings, eg, rainfall, snowfall , sunshine, wind direction
• Chart traffic increase over holidaysuggest one hour morning or afternoon
• Identify any plants or wildlife visible at this time of the year.
• Carry out a good turn selected by yourself.
• show someone else how to playa new game received at Christmas
• Write a thank you letter, either on behalf of the Division or for yourself.
• Take part in a Divisional duty
• Find out about a local place of interest.
• Do a survey on prices of goods in shops - perhaps a new item of equipment needed in the Division Was there any dif-
Three hiking Birstall cadets - Cpl Andrew Collins, Leader Rachel Womack and Cpl ClaIre Marshall - who were one of 130 teams of three in the 16 mile Boys Brigade Charnwood Hike, whIch Includes obstacle and imtiatlve tests every two miles The adult Division covers the hike.
ference in the price after Christmas? Could a small prize be offered to everyone who completes the Challenge With a speCial prize for the winner? The Cadets could decide for themselves which is the best completed Challenge
Games for Christmas
Coming-in Act ivity
Old Christmas cards cut Into various shapes and scattered round the room before the divisional meeting On arrival Cadets are given one section of the card and asked to find the remaining sections and make up the original picture. Cadets who finish qUickly could be asked to make up a story about the picture which may be used later at a divisional meeting.
Having a great time! Dees ide nursing cadets use their divisional officer. Mrs Carol Higgins, to demonstrate bandaging to Badgers at a divisional open night
STJOHN
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Filling Santa s sack
Equipment : One cardboard box per six Cadets, balloons
Relay game. Each Cadet blows up a balloon which he/she takes to the NCO/Cadet Leader holding the box (Santa s Sack) The NCO/Cadet Leader who can keep the largest number of balloons in the sack wins the prize
The C*H*'*P·S Festive Quiz
(1) The customary greeting for two mature Cadets is:
(a) ' Dib, Dib, Dib'
(b) Haven t seen you somewhere before?
(c) Salute and whistle We re riding along on the crest of the wave?
(2) The strength of the Division is measured by:
(a) The number of live members?
(b) The number of dead members?
(c) The numberof live members divided by the number of dead members?
(3) The word 'Division ' implies that :
(a) A split into sexes of young people?
(b) A split of young and old people working together?
(c) A crack , elite group of well motivated young people?
edited by andy bull
(4) Once in the Division, members have the opportunity to :
(a) Argue with a DiVisional Superintendent?
(b) Wear a variety of different uniforms?
(c) Become a Grand Prior Cadet?
(5) Entry into the Division is :
(a) By scholarship only?
(b) By begging letter?
(c) Usually announced in the New Year Honours List?
(6) You know something is wrong Within the Division when:
(a) They assemble en masse for Church Parade?
(b) They are all wearing the same uniform?
(c) They can name at least three other Cadets?
(7) Your Division IS known for its ability to :
(a) Make tea?
(b) Adjust to the situation?
(c) Apply bandages Without referring to manuals?
(8) An ideal book for Cadets for Christmas is :
(a) The Brownie Annual?
(b) Jim Bond meets the Daleks?
(c) Five go off to Camp by Enid Blyton?
(9) The evenings meetings may end:
(a) On a pre-arranged signal , leaving the Superintendent to do the washing-up (b) In a punch-up?
(c) With diplomatic relations being suspended with the local Adult D ivision?
(10) When Henry V said; " Once more into the breach , dear friends ," he was :
(a) Referring to a cracked water pipe in the Divisional HQ?
(b) Organ sing a Cadet Camp?
(c) In dire need of a breach ' ?
(11) This is an odd number of questions for a quiz 00 you :
(a) Think that s a funny number of questions , when 10 would be a nice round number?
(b) Answer number (5) twice?
(c) Add on four when nobody is looking? Unlike other quizzes thiS one offers no prizes or answers It isn t intellectually demanding After all , it is Christmas So when you are stumped and bored , witless at the never ending quizzes , bumper crosswords and Trivial Pursuit , drop everything and fill in your own answers! Goodbye 1989!
Wolverhampton Area Commissioner Ron HiggIns, with SIX Area staff officers, presented 100 certificates to Sedgley Quad Division, which included cadets Nicola Jukes and Lee GWInnet, and Badger DaVId Price
(RIght) Bury (Lanes) Corps Sharon Lenard, 15, took the nursing and first aid cups the best cadet shield, her re-exam and fire-fIghting certIfIcates, and was made corporal!
You came with a flurry of antiCipation and excitement. You heralded the ending of a new age - the dynamic, computerised chipped eighties
You have given us challenges, adventure and excitement. You have given us sadness and tragedy, too From your precious days we have all gained something, however small , however hidden 1989 will be remembered by each and everyone of us for various and often very personal, reasons. You must pass now, another milestone in our lives. For the Division , too, you will always be remembered We close the pages now of our Divisional Diary and open yet another for the coming year.
!hanks 1989, you were magic in your own little way. I hope you all enJoy a wonderful and happy Christmas. And send you Best Wishes for the 1990s.
Do you know your Manuals? - Answers
1 An asthmatic.
readers letters
SJ Cross mystery
While in Canada recently (where I met many Stjohn people) I stayed in Quebec in a large hotel called Le Chateau Frontenac , which is named after the first governor of that city, who w as a knight of t h e Sovereign Military
O rd er of St John.
The first morning there , I drew back the curtains of my bedroom to look out on to the City and was surprised to see a St John Cross carved in the stonework of the hotel building Under it were the words : Stone carved for the Priory of the Knights of Malta ,
Q ue b ec 1647' The hotel I learned later, was buil in 1892
I made enquiries at the hotel , in Quebec and throughout Canada about the origin of the stone but without success The Vancouver O rder historian , Col Bill Bailly, also knew nothing of it. All I did learn from a g entleman in Quebec was that he believed the hotel was built on the hill site of a hospice
A n O rder hospice? wondered Jack Hewitt Dover
A record?
O n Au g ust 24 our Division was asked to do a trans p ort duty from Tooting Hospital to a nursin g home n Lancaster w th a patient , and th e n to bring him back The round trip was 530 mil es with the patient and 40 m i les to an d from the hospital.
This ha s since been quite a topic of d iscussi on in the Division and we wondered if it was a record distance for a transport duty? The ambulance was manned by D/O J Horne a nd NM H Silvester The total time for the journey was 19 hours P Walbourn Secretary Upminster and Hornchurch Div i sion
In Hereford
H ave yo u b e e n to Hereford? If so , I am sure yo u visit ed the beautiful cathedral. B ut did you visit t he little Stjohn medieval museum only a few hun d red yards away in Widemarsh S treet? If you didn t , it was probable that, lik e me, yo u were unaware of its existenc e, a lt ho u g h a member of the B rigade for over 40 yea rs and interested in anything con-
Readers' views and opinions, which should be sent to the Editor, although published are not necessarily endorsed by the Editor or the Order of St John and its foundations.
Although readers may sign published letters with a pen name, writers must supply their name, and address to the Editor.
nected with the Order. It is a pity, as this is a little gem in the history of the Order It is housed in the Conngsby Hospital , founded by Sir Arthur Coningsby n 1614 to house twelve ret red serv cemen and bu ilt on a site of a forme r hostelry and chapel of the Kn i ght s Hospitallers of St John and adjoin ing an anc ent monastery of the Order of Blac k Friars
The chapel and hall were thoroughly restored in the 19th century The twelve residences have now been modern sed and converted into six modern dwell i ngs and th e din ng hall and first floor i nfirmary house the museum. The beautiful little c hapel IS preserved and used on special occas ons
The infirmary conta ns models of forme r nmates being nursed and m in stered to by the chaplain
One interesting exh bit under a glass panel in the floor is a ske l eton wh ich IS thought to be that of a knight of St John or a member of the Order of B ack Friars
The museum is open da ily (except Mondays and Fridays) from 2 to 5 pm , from Easter until the end of September, and adm ss ion is 25p Eddie Fi sher, ASO London
Much earlier
David McDine writes in his article St John in Action (August issue) that in 1968 Weybr dge Division began operating one of the earl iest mobile units '.
Here is an extract from the annual report
In Herefordthe StJohn Museum , Conngsby Hospital
of Guildford Corps for 1935
" Guildford has earned a reputation for leading the way with many new things , and I am proud to report that we have des gned and built the f i rst recorded Mobile Dressing Station in the Brigade It was po ssible to use th i s at the Buckingham Palace duty for the first time During the day 80 patients were treated in this dress ing station , which has all the fac ities of a small surgery."
The unit cost £139 1Os 6d and continued n service w th Gu ldford unt i 1966, when t was sold for £25 I believe it went to another d vis on and became a stat ic unit on the vil lag e green
J o hn Ty zzer
0 /0 G ui ldf ord
RAF Hospital
I read with great Inte rest the a rt ic le NurSing at RAF Hosp tal , Ely (Oct ssue ). In 1941, as a 20 -year -old a rm a n I was s tat ioned there for med i cal tra ni ng It was then n ewly opened and since when passing I have not iced how It has grown
I am now a retired CSO, With 50 y ears of St John serv ce n Wale s. Ther e m ust be many more members who passed throug h that ho sp tal and re memb er it wi th aff ec t on I W Brockway CStJ Porthcawl
Oh for a laugh !
The Norman W sdom f il m A St tc h in Time (Sept letters) c an be h ired n 16mm pr in t from Film Bank , Unit 8 , Spaceways , North Feltham Trad ng Estate , Fe ltham , M dd x , England
Keith Edwards , DIS Wandsworth Division
Malta 's Vincen t
was Interested to read the letter from John Bent of Dudley (June edition) concern ing hiS holiday in Malta when he met Divis ional Superintendent Vincent Bugeja
I have known V nce for many years , havng met h im n the Capua Court Hotel In Sllema when attended the St John D amond Jub lee celebrat ions n Malta n 1969
I can heart ily endorse Mr Bent s remarks concerning Vince For many years lorgan ised holidays in Malta for Br gade members after 1969 and Vince with several of his members would meet us at Luqa A irport , no matter what time of the day or night we arr ived and escort us to our hotel. Vince would also organise visits to many places of on the islands and he and members of hiS Division would entertain us at their Headquarters
I know many people who , because of the help they have received from Vince , have returned to Malta time and time again.
Incidentally there is a spelling mistake in the name of the road in which Vince lives It is 126/4 Rudolph Street
Bernard Cutcliffe
Bristol
STJOHN
W 9 RLD
Bryan Bougourd became a compulsive marathon runner about two years ago
A member of Guernsey s St John Ambulance and Rescue Service, he doesn t run to win - his fastest time is 4 hours 33 minutes
He does it for the camarader e he f inds among marathon runners , and for the opportunity t g ves him to travel
In two years he has ru n over 12 marathons , including New York , London , Moscow, Copenhagen , Berl in , Malta and Jerusalem
And his plans forthe end of th is year i nc ude a run in Barbados
He certainly would not consider himself a hero His only claim to fame is the number of marathons he has completed Yet his fellow runners on the Jerusalem marathon a year ago referred to h m as just that , follOWing what they thought a m i racle
It was December 1988 i n the Holy C ity, With preparat ons for Chr stmas well in hand
A party of runners from Europe had assembled for the Sea of Galilee marathon , truly the lowest' In the world , for the whole c ourse i s some 600 feet below sea level!
Temperatures dur ng the race were n the eight es , and several runners pulled out , includ ing one from Carlisle , who said he was not feeling too well B ryan came i n last , i n 5 hours 12 m inutes Always ready with a wisecrack , he cla imed his feet had been clamped by the local pol ice because they had been stat onary for too long!
Two days later many of the runners decided to take part i n the Peace Run , a short course of about five miles from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Mount of Olives It was a salutory reminder of the troubles in that part of the world when all on the run were searched at a military check po int before enter ing the Old C ty
Steep clim b
Towards the end of the course is a steep , rough climb up the Mount of Olives , where several of the runners walked As they reached the top they heard Jim s down! and turned to see Jim Barton , the runner from Carl isle who had pulled out of the full marathon , had collapsed
At first they thought he had fainted , but by the time Bryan Bougourd reached him his colour had changed , and i t was apparent that he had died
The ambulanceman from Guernsey was joined by Arthur Neuburger, a fireman from Munich and together they started resuscitation Others called an Israeli jeep, which had followed the Peace Run , and asked them to get an ambulance
Signs were that the man , 60 years old , had had a major heart attack , but the two kept working on him
"Three times in 25 minutesthey lost Jim ," another runner said afterwards " But Bryan and Arthur kept working , Bryan applying mouth-ta-mouth and Arthur heart massage "
After about 30 minutes an ambulance with cardiac facilities arrived and took Jim off to hospital.
Christmas Miracle in Jerusalem
The incident had a shattering effect on the closely - kn i party of runners breakfast was eaten i n silence , and ittle was sa i d as they boarded a coach for an arranged tr p to Bethlehem and the Church of the Nat v ity
While they were there , news filtered through to them that Jim had surv ived a massive coronary attack He was in intensive care and h s chances were not good
With just three weeks to go before the world celebrated the nat vity, seemed an ideal place to pray for a miracle Runners and the r aids of ten d fferent nationalities
Oined to pray for Jim s life : Afr can , Australian , German , Ital an , Br it ish , Iceland c and others
The coach courier, Isaac , translated , and told them they could not pray for a miracle n a better place He offered to take a cross made from olive wood and a B ible from the party to the hospital.
The runner s relatives had flown out from England to be at his bedside The following day four of his fellow athletes were allowed to visit him They reported that he was sitting up in bed and talk ng as if nothing has happened! He knew nothing of the incident , and had clearly lost a day of his life , talking as if it were still the day of the Peace Run An English-speaking doctor told them , " You ve witnessed your miracle No-one suffers a coronary of that extent , with 25 minutes of treatment in the street , and survives ."
Bryan Bougourd was not h s usual Jok ing self merely say i ng that he d id what he was tra ned to do and d d not want a lot of fuss
Although he had worked for the Ambu ance and Rescue Serv ice n Guernsey for years , and was aware of the Order s or g ns in Jerusalem , he felt talk of a m racle would make people think he was pUblic ity-seeking. His only concern was to quash any suggest i on from the running-is-bad-for-you lobby that the coronary had been caused by marathon runn ng The doctors said h s attack was noth ng to do w th runn ng and that h is overall tness helped h s recovery " Besides ," Bryan said " he had h s attack on an early morning run , where help was at hand Normally people would be i n bed at that time If he 'd had his attack at home , i n bed with no help at hand , he would have been dead ." J m Barton was flown home two days before Chr istmas and is now allowed to do some gentle running and cycl ing and lives a relatively normall fe /! was three months before the story became known B ryan had entered the London marathon , and was appealing for sponsors for his run in aid of the national Ambulance Services Benevolent Fund One of the first to respond was a retired runner from Carl isle
Neil Tucker PRO
Bry an (left) on home ground, and (above) WIth h IS dog Sammy and medals ( Photo : Guernsey Press)
one-in-a-million duty
A trip to remember
To New York by QE2 : back by Concorde
JEAN LOVER reports
O n a warm, sunny September evening
the air was full of excitement as I approached Southampton Docks at the start of a most privileged escort duty As a member of St John Aeromedical Services I had been asked to escort a wheelchair bound lady sufferer of multiple sclerosis on the QE2 to New York and then return with her on Concorde.
I had known about the trip for six months and had assisted Sheila on regular visits to her home in Sussex with the bookings and planning. This helped us to get to know each other. It was great fun and morale boosting for Sheila, who had been widowed for four years.
OE2, the pride of the Cunard fleet, is a dazzling sight: 13 decks high, 903ft long (more than three football pitches) , 105 ft wide, 900 staterooms, and carries 1,850 passengers and crew - a floating hotel of grace and beauty.
We arrived early on the great day and were fascinated to watch from the dockside as thousands of tons of provisions were loaded for the five day cruise. Check-in time came and we were soon on board to see the dazzling splendour It was hard to believe we were on board a ship. Cabins were called staterooms , and beautifully furnished. Champagne was in the fridge, strawberries in a bowl, flowers on the dressing table This was the life.
At midnight time was put back an hour to ease the transition to New York time, which is five hours behind the UK. A good enough excuse to stay up late watching the cabaret and still get to bed at a reasonable time It was very easy for both of us to adapt to life on board There was no need or desire to hurry anywhere. Luxury was the key note. Gourmet food was served at all meals, and if you were still hungry after a five course breakfast, mid-morning bouillon and coffee was soon to come, then lunch, afternoon tea, and then an enormous dinner. And there was always the midnight buffet. No, I didn't put on weight, pushing a wheelchair saw to that.
At breakfast the waiter brings a trolley of 20
STJOHN W8RLD
&.00
QE2 s upper deck
25 different marmalades, and suits you they will bring more All the food is beautifully presented - on one main course dish we counted 14 different vegetables , many of wh ich are used on Iy to garn ish and colour
The biggest surprise was how rough the Atlantic can be and its effect on such a large ship. All thoughts of sunbathing on deck were forgotten, as most transatlantic crossings are usually cold , cloudy and misty OE2 rolls and pitches through the waves , the wood-lined cabins creaking and groaning , which takes getting used to Communication with land is maintained by a daily newspaper printed on board and delivered to your cabin. And of course you can phone home at £10 a minute!
Cocktail parties
The captain talks to everyone over the intercom system tw ice a day, and meets all passengers at some time during the various cocktail parties Next morning there will be a new array of photog raphs to scan th rough as mementos of the previous night s party
On board at deck C6 level is the fully equipped hospital complete with operating theatre , wards , dentist , X-ray, pharmacy and pathology lab. Any emergency can be dealt with , plus there is a helicopter landing pad on deck.
Most seasick passengers , and there were always some (not us!) , are treated in their cabins by the nursing sisters , who can be seen scurrying round with syringes of Stemetil We were lucky enough to have a tour of the hospital, as Sheila was a health visitor.
Life on board is never dull. There is a daily activities programme to suit all tastesshows, cabaret, talks, demonstrations, sports, swimming, lectures computer classes, or a visit to the library. One afternoon we watched a hypnotist - I wonder if the smokers have given up!
There are also shops on board - including a Harrods, and next door a beauty
salon where Sheila and I had a complimentary make-up One afternoon we l stened to a humorous talk by the First Officer, on Driving the Hotel ', which ncluded pur ify ng the water and disposing of the waste - not to be repeated here
We had a fright one even ng at about 9 o clock when the QE2 broke down All lights , except the emergency ones , went ou t. There was silence from the engines and a ir condi· tioning We rolled w thout progress for 14 hours and were very rel i eved when the engines restarted , which nc identally, v brate disconcertingly throughout the sh ip desp te the recent overhaul in Germany to cure the problem The sh i p has nine eng i nes , each the size of a London bus
On the f ifth morn ng , and all too soon , dawn broke to a new horizon - land !
Through the m isty sun rise we c ould soon see the skyscrapers of Manhattan We passed under the huge Coney Island br dge towards the Big Apple , and berthed in our allotted dock
When we d isembarked - and my lost luggage was retr i eved from another passenger - we were taken in a large car with a guide on a tour of New York , before arriving at the Waldorf Hotel our base for two nights Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers may have danced here but there are no facilit ies for disabled people managed to get Sheila (plus wheelchair) into a taxi to take her to the World Trade Centre. At 107 floors up - what a spectacular view across New York!
Helicopters looked tiny a long way below us
We even managed some shopping , despite the numerous kerbs to negotiate , and so
Sheila had quite a taste of life in New York
But all too soon it was time to return home
But here was more excitement as we approached the Concorde Terminal at Kennedy Airport Supersonic flight - the ultimate flying experience 0 to 240mph in 9 seconds Altitude 58 ,000 feet. Speed
1,360mph , twice that of sound Grey leather seats Superb food Gifts , Champagne.
continued on page 23 ,z
Recognizable by:
• Disposable head bag , making cleaning unnecessary and elim inat ing the risk of cross -Infection between students
• Unique, patented personal face mask also reducing potential for cross-Infection
• Breathing IS done In lifelike fashion, through nose and mouth , not through anothe r part of the body
• Chest rises and falls , stiffness adjustment simulates chest compliance ranging from a young child to an adult.
• lifelike stomach expan d s if insufflation technique is wrong
• Sop h isticated instrumentation monitors insufflation techniqu es, pressure and hand posit ions as well as air volume. Displ ay can be read from both sides, prOVIding co nve nie nt instruct or /stude nt interaction
An offer this good , turning in your tired , outmoded non A mbu ® training doll for £105 reward towards the purchase price of a new Ambu ® Man , can t last forever
So make your m ove now ! A
Jean explores
A
to remember (coni.)
Remem ber also to take advantage of the sav ng on F rst A id Quest ons and Answers
The extra discount offer is open unt January 6 and there s a coupon on page 7 of the Autumn Suppl ies News g v ng a sav i ng of 40 % on 10 copies or more
We have now cleared all of the back orders for Badger folders - there was a delay wh le artwork was redes igned to accommodate the changes necessary for expans ion i nto Scotland At the t me of writ ng , the Emergency Resusc itat on Chart P03200 s also being redesigned The next pr nt ng of the First Aid Manual means an increase in ts pr
Atlantic flight - returning down the aisle rosy cheeked and grinning from ear to ear We were met at Heathrow by Chris and Rose from Caterham Stjohn , who had taken us to Southampton a week earlier. And by my daughter Sue and her boyfriend Robert Soon we were on ourwaytoSussex , tired but happy
It was a trip to remember A trip of constantly assessing widths of doorways and conditions of floor surfaces An exciting trip in a short time Of fr endsh p and experi ences Not to be forgotten
