St John Ambulance
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About us

St John Ambulance is the charity that steps forward in the moments that matter.

A photograph of a group of St John volunteers smiling. They are outdoors and standing in front of a St John ambulance.

We are England's first aid charity

At St John Ambulance, we believe that you should be able to receive the first aid you need in a health emergency from the people around you. That’s why we put community first aid at the heart of what we do, to make sure we all have the confidence and knowledge to act in a health crisis.

What we do:

  • Teach first aid. Our community of thousands of volunteers helps everyone feel confident in first aid. We offer free, online first aid advice and resources.

  • Provide expert training and supplies for first aid, health and safety, and mental health. We use all the money from our training and supplies to fund our charity purpose to put the power of first aid into everyone's hands.

  • Inspire the next generation with youth programmes offering children and young people the chance to learn first aid.

  • Provide fully trained and equipped first aiders and ambulances for events.

St John Ambulance is a charity that depends on donations and fundraising to fund our lifesavers' training and supplies. You help us stay ready and able.

Learn more about what we do.

In 2024 we...

  • kept the public safe at over 10,000 events across the country

  • recruited 27,000 Young Responders to help keep our streets safe

  • reached over 356,000 members of the public during our flagship 'Save a Life September' campaign

Read our latest Annual Report
Three volunteers wearing high-vis Medical Response Team jackets stood outside on an empty city road.

Our HEART values

  • Humanity: Treating others with compassion and respect

  • Excellence: Taking pride in an excellent job

  • Accountability: Delivering what we promise

  • Responsiveness: Constantly learning and improving

  • Teamwork: Working together effectively.

We know that community first aid saves lives

Our work helps improve health outcomes through faster treatment, as well as reducing pressure on statutory services. If everyone learnt first aid, our communities would become safer and more resilient when facing everyday emergencies. St John Ambulance is not just a first aid charity, but a community that provides purpose, belonging and development opportunities for everyone, irrespective of age or background.

A group of Badgers inside standing in front of a Youth Leader smiling. Some of the Badgers have their hands up.

Dylan's story

Just a couple of months after becoming a Cadet, Dylan gave his mum life-saving CPR. His incredible story is just one of many.

Read the full story
A photograph of Dylan and his mum. Dylan's wearing his St John uniform.

Our people

Meet our Trustees and our Executive and clinical teams.

  • Our history

    Our story goes back to 11th century Jerusalem, where the first Knights of St John set up a hospital to care for sick pilgrims. Since then, we have evolved into a modern and dynamic charity underpinned by our vital work. St John as we are today have been providing vital first aid and first aid training for over 140 years.

    You can learn more about our history at The Museum of the Order of St John.

  • World War II

    We were there providing medical and welfare support for British civilians and soldiers.

    A black and white photograph of St John volunteers carrying a patient on a stretcher. They are surrounded by men in uniform.

  • 1980s riots

    We were there on the frontline, keeping communities safe.

    A black and white photograph of female SJA volunteers attending to large numbers of casualties.

  • 7/7 attacks

    We were there providing emergency support to the London Ambulance Service.

    A photograph of SJA volunteers working with NHS paramedics. Ambulances and medical tents can be seen in the background.

  • Covid-19

    We were there supporting the NHS to vaccinate people and care for older people across the country.

    A photograph of SJA volunteers and patients at a vaccination centre. A line of tables stretch into the background, with a volunteer and patient sat at each one. Everyone is wearing face masks.

  • Young Responders

    We are still here training young people in life-saving first aid skills. Our free Young Responders programme inspires and empowers young people from underserved communities by teaching them life-saving first aid skills.

    A photograph of five Cadets meeting Princess Anne, who is wearing ceremonial uniform.

  • CPR Bra

    We are still here making first aid available to everyone, regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation. We launched the world's first CPR Bra, aimed to 'Bust the Taboo' and tackle gender disparity in CPR.

    A photograph of Millie Bright wearing the SJA CPR Bra and standing in front of a dark green background. The CPR Bra reads: It's OK to save my life.

Our sister organisations

Support us

From fundraising to volunteering, there are so many ways you can help us to carry on our vital work.

Get involved
Three St John Ambulance volunteers stood in front of two treatment centre vehicles. One volunteer is wearing a 'Doctor' badge, another has a 'Technician' badge and another has a 'Treatment Centre Manager' badge.

*Image(s) courtesy of the Museum of the Order of St John, London.