About St John Ambulance

St. John Ambulance has more than 45,000 volunteers who are committed to providing training, care and First Aid.

Every day, St. John Ambulance volunteers give 10,000 hours of voluntary service to the public and travel 5,000 miles providing patient care. Each year, these volunteers treat more than 200,000 casualties.

With well over half its members under the age of 18, St. John Ambulance is a major youth organisation. Through participation in a structured programme of First Aid and care activities, young people can develop both personal and social skills.

Badgers (aged 6 to 10), Cadets (aged 10 to 18) and LINKS members (students in higher education) receive training in First Aid and other subjects that help them to take an active and useful role in their communities while meeting new friends and having fun.

In recognition of the increasing numbers of vulnerable people in society, St. John Ambulance has also developed a network of caring services across the country. Fully trained volunteers give more than half a million hours of care to their communities each year. 

For example, in Manchester, Leicester and London, St. John Ambulance volunteers provide First Aid, care and advice for homeless people from mobile Primary Health Units.

St. John Ambulance also has more than 200 training centres across the UK and a network of skilled and expert trainers who train over half a million people each year, running a number of First Aid courses for children, the general public and the work force.

As a charitable organisation, St. John Ambulance relies heavily on volunteers, donations and fundraising to carry out its vital lifesaving work.

Our history

Just over 900 years ago, a group of monks in Jerusalem set up a hospital, attached to a church dedicated to St. John, to care for sick pilgrims.

In 1113 these Hospitallers were officially recognised as an Order. The Brothers of St. John flourished across Europe and the Knights in Britain built their headquarters in Clerkenwell, London. The Order continued to prosper in Britain until Henry VIII confiscated all the lands and property donated to them over the years. 

In the 19th Century, members of the Order – then based in Rome – decided to revive the English branch. 

So in 1877, the St. John Ambulance Association was founded. At this time Britain was in the midst of the industrial revolution when work was unpleasant and dangerous. Rarely was anyone trained to give treatment to those who suffered accidents, so St. John Ambulance ran classes on First Aid, published information and set examinations for First Aid certificates.

Before long, thousands of people received their First Aid certificates and many of them wanted to use their training to help the public. 

At first, groups called Ambulance Corps were formed and then in1887 the St. John Ambulance Brigade was created. The aim of the Brigade was to provide a service of First Aid and ambulance transport at public events.

St. John Ambulance is now the UK’s leading First Aid, transport and care charity.