ST JOHN NT
NEWSROOM

To celebrate National Volunteer Week St John NT is shining a light on those who dedicate their time to ensuring the safety of the community across the Northern Territory.

From those who give a little of their time or a lot, the charity organisation wants to thank them for their passion, dedication and commitment as St John Volunteers, who collectively gave more than 16 000 hours across 650 events last financial year.

One of those who has worked tirelessly is Christopher Trotter who has committed more than 1500 hours of his time in the past year.

Chris, who has been a volunteer for more than three decades, commits his time and shares his knowledge and skills through teaching, mentoring and leading other volunteers.

 “St John is a great way of learning about first aid skills and applying them in real-life, whether you are 8 years old or 50 years old,” Chris said.

“If you are not sure of becoming a nurse, paramedic, or doctor, then volunteering with St John is the right path to take, as it is a great place to start exploring healthcare and medical emergency response services careers within the community.”

Cadet First Aider Anais Henry-Martin is an outstanding role model for younger members who is dedicated to supporting the community through her volunteer work.

Last year, Anais won the “Youth Volunteer of the Year Award”, which recognises volunteer members aged 12 to 17 years who have demonstrated enthusiasm, compassion, caring towards others and shown a willingness to attend public events and provide outstanding service.

“I’m involved because I really enjoy it, the connections you make with the community around you and learning from the other people involved in volunteering. I enjoy attending community events and dealing with different casualties and incidents where you can use what you have learned to support people,” Anais said.

“Being recognised as part of Volunteer Week is special because it shows that young people play their part as volunteers and are important contributors to the community.”

Over the past seven years as a St John volunteer, Anais has had several opportunities come her way locally and internationally due to the skill set she has gained as a youth member, with her skills being utilised in day-to-day situations outside her work with St John.

“St John has opened up a lot of opportunities for me both within St John locally and internationally due to my experience and skills, but what I really enjoy is helping support people in the community,” she said.

“I have also been able to utilise the skills gained with St John at school and home where I have seen things happen to people and I have been able to support them.”

Anais has competed in national and NT competitions and is currently improving her training and commitment through studying to achieve Certificate 2 in medical response.

“I hope to continue to volunteer with St John in whatever I do in the future.”