St John Media release, 19 June 2009

Flash a Light for St John Appeal

People in need are always relieved to see the flashing lights of a St John ambulance on the way to help the seriously hurt or unwell. Now it’s the turn of St John to ask for help.

“The flashing lights of St John are well recognised throughout New Zealand. The St John Appeal is asking people to ‘flash a light’ in support of St John by making a donation,” St John Chief Executive Jaimes Wood says.

The “Flash a Light for St John Appeal” to the public runs from Sunday 21 to 28 June 2009.

As a charity, St John relies on members of the public to make donations to help fund our vital work in communities throughout the country. St John provides the ambulance service to 85 per cent of New Zealanders and a range of community and health-related services throughout the whole country.

Public donations help St John meet the shortfall in ambulance operations funding – expected to be $12 million this financial year. Public support is also needed to help run St John community support programmes such as Caring Caller (a telephone friendship service), the Friends of the Emergency Department and Health Shuttles. Volunteers and paid staff work side by side nationwide to make these programmes happen.

The story featured on the St John Appeal envelope this year is about a young boy named Levi, aged 6, who helped his family when his grandmother Sharon suffered serious breathing problems during the night. Sharon was treated at home by St John ambulance officers and taken to hospital. Sharon has since retuned home to be with her family. This story helps encapsulate the spirit of St John - caring for communities, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

By donating now you can ‘flash a light’ for St John, you will be helping us to continue to provide that care.

St John community partner ASB Bank supports our work and is participating in a range of activities to help St John raise the funds we so greatly require during the “Flash a Light for St John Appeal”. ASB Bank branches are ready to receive your donation for St John now.

Ways to donate:
 at www.flashalight.org.nz
 by visiting any ASB branch
 by phoning 0800 ST JOHN (0800 785 646)

To find out more about the “Flash a Light for St John Appeal” visit www.flashalight.org.nz

St John statistics:
Did you know that every year St John touches the lives of hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders?

Statistics for St John in the 12 months to April 2009:
Patients treated and transported by St John ambulance officers: 353,445
Number of emergency incidents attended by St John: 295,980
Number of ambulance and operational vehicles: 553
Kilometres travelled by St John ambulances: 16.2 million
Students trained in first aid: 57,848
Children participated in the St John Safe Kids programme: 43,649
Events serviced: 8,654
St John Caring Caller clients: 883
St John Friends of the Emergency Department volunteers: 770
Total volunteers (head count): 7,594
Total paid staff (head count): 2,294
Youth members: 5,518
Total membership (head count): 15,406

* Total Paid Staff – Full Time Equivalent (FTE): 1,507 FTE

ENDS

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