St John Ambulance
June 2022
I was asked to do some work on a Campaign for St John Ambulance for advertorials in News UK publications including The Times and Sunday Times.
They wanted to tell the stories of some of their volunteers, and raise awareness of what they do. I didn’t realise that St John Ambulance is a Charity mostly staffed by volunteers. They provide first aid , event and even ambulance support, with anyone being able to be trained to help the community.
I met Chloe Ann Manley, above, who joined during Covid and has found that volunteering for them has helped her build her confidence and make new friends, especially at a time that she felt quite isolated. I photographed her at their HQ in London and at the historic church yard and the order of St John museum. The charity has been going for 140 years but the Order of St John goes back to 11th century Jerusalem where the first Knights of St John set up a hospital to provide free medical care to sick pilgrims. The St John emblem, of an eight pointed cross on a white background, was worn on the robes of those first knights as it is still today.
The second volunteer was Luke Cutts, who as well as being a volunteers is also a medical student. He is just finishing his exams to become a qualified doctor. He found volunteering a useful, additional, practical training to supplement his studies and give back to the community.
