St John Ambulance has just announced a £240,026 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver a project exploring 150 years of community first aid, as the charity prepares to celebrate its foundation in 1877.
St John Ambulance has just announced a £240,026 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver a project exploring 150 years of community first aid, as the charity prepares to celebrate its foundation in 1877.
The project will bring the history of community first aid to broad and diverse audiences across England and inspire more people to get involved with St John Ambulance’s lifesaving mission. The team will spotlight the voices and experiences of volunteers over the last 150 years and the vital role that civilians have played in first aid emergency response. Heritage at risk will be protected through recording and preserving undocumented stories of post-war first aid, from the development of CPR to volunteers’ contributions during the Covid-19 pandemic.
With co-creation central to the activities, St John volunteers and young people will learn new heritage skills and explore the past, present and future of first aid through hands-on events and activities. They will be empowered and equipped to share these stories with the communities they serve. Their contributions will help the charity’s Museum, based in Clerkenwell, London, to develop new interactive people-centred and accessible interpretation that inspires visitors to join today’s first aid movement.
The fully funded activities will include:
Researching and curating a touring outdoor exhibition, working with volunteers and the Museum’s collection, which will explore the impact of community first aid over 150 years and travel to the North West, North East, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, South West, South East and London.
Creating a pop-up micro-version of the touring exhibition for volunteers to use at local community events across England.
Creating an immersive costumed tour for family visitors at the Museum, inspired by the experiences of St John volunteers during the Second World War.
Creating a short film highlighting key moments and innovations in first aid over 150 years, drawing on the photographic archive and involving St John Ambulance Cadets in the film’s production.
Refreshing the Museum displays in London to represent the full breadth of the charity’s activities, including post-war developments.
Running a participatory digital art project for 48 St John Cadets (aged 11-17) across England, using the photographic collection to inspire thoughts on the first aid of the future.
Carole Lawrence-Parr CStJ, Chancellor and Chief Commander, said: “We are thrilled to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players we now have an opportunity to enhance our Museum’s offering and turn it into a true representation of the impact of St John Ambulance since its foundation during the industrial revolution in 1877. The whole team here is excited to take these projects forward and involve volunteers and the public in the fascinating history of the nation’s leading lifesaving charity.”
Stuart McLeod, Director of England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We’re delighted to support St John Ambulance as it marks 150 years of lifesaving work in our communities. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, this project will preserve and share their remarkable stories for generations to come and inspire the next generation.”
