St John Ambulance appeals for volunteers for a new Cadet unit in Blackpool

The unit will be based at the existing St John Ambulance building on the corner of Park Road and Hornby Road in Blackpool (postcode FY1 4HT).

When the Unit Manager and two or three Youth Helpers have been recruited, plans can move forward for a new Cadet unit to open in the town. A regular weekly meeting evening will then be chosen and young people can begin to volunteer for the charity in Blackpool.

Cadets are the charity’s volunteers aged between 10 and 17, who are taught first aid and a number of other important life skills by Youth Leaders and Youth Helpers at a regular weekly meeting. They work towards their Grand Prior Award, which is the culmination of a structured programme of study covering 23 subjects, and can also take the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award with the charity. Older Cadets are given the opportunity to go on duty with adult volunteers, delivering first aid to people when they need assistance in the community and at events.

The Unit Manager will be responsible for the overall running of the volunteer team and the recruitment of new members. The successful applicant will focus on developing a unit which provides a safe and inspiring location where young people can learn how to save a life and be the next generation of first aiders.

No prior first aid or volunteering experience is required for the Youth Leader, Youth Helper and Unit Manager roles as all necessary training will be given at a weekly meeting. Applicants must be aged 18 or over and will be required to pass an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. Successful applicants for Youth Leader roles will start as Youth Helpers will also be taught first aid so they can pass on these skills to the young volunteers and, if they wish, go on duty delivering first aid in the community and at events. After time as a Youth Helper, those who want to can undertake further training to be a Youth Leader.

Alice Longson, Project Development Lead at St John Ambulance, said: “Local people will know that the Blackpool unit temporarily closed last summer. It runs from a St John building and we are very keen to grow the community support for the unit again and rebuild a dedicated team of local volunteers to support a number of events in the area like the lights switch-on and the yearly air show. We’d love to hear from enthusiastic local adults who can dedicate a few hours each month to help us turn these plans into reality.”

If you are interested in any of these opportunities, please contact Alice for an informal chat at [email protected].

For further details about becoming a St John Ambulance Youth Helper or Youth Leader please visit https://www.sja.org.uk/youthteam.