St John Ambulance Cymru Aberystwyth

07/09/2025

CARDIFF HALF MARATHON UPDATE
***4 weeks to go***

Training for this half marathon has been a real challenge. I was never a natural runner, but over time it has become part of who I am. For me it is not about pace or distance, it is about moving, staying healthy, and keeping going when it gets tough.

That focus on health is something I have also found through my volunteering with St John Cymru. Being part of St John has been rewarding in so many ways. Our small Division has welcomed more than 200 volunteers, many of whom have gone on to follow careers as paramedics, nurses, doctors and other health professionals. Some of the people providing care in hospitals and communities today may have taken their very first steps in a St John uniform.

This half marathon is both a physical and a mental test, and I am running it for the organisation that has given me and so many others the chance to learn, grow and give back. St John Cymru is not just about first aid, it is about building a family of lifesavers.

If you have ever been helped by a first aider, or if you value the time and effort volunteers put into your community, please consider sponsoring me. Every donation is a huge encouragement as I head into the final weeks of training, and it will help St John Cymru continue creating more lifesavers for the future.

https://cardiffhalf25.enthuse.com/pf/gemma-atherton

05/09/2025

We were delighted to welcome our Commandant-in-Chief, The Duchess of Gloucester to our headquarters in Cardiff yesterday to officially re-open the refurbished building, 20 years after it was first opened by HRH alongside our Grand Prior, the Duke of Gloucester. Diolch o galon!

03/09/2025

St John People from our Radyr Division were recently invited to a barbeque by the Radyr and Morganstown Association as a thank you for supporting the group's fundraising efforts during their annual festival in May.

We are extremely grateful to have been named the RMA's charity of the year for 2025 and as a result were presented with a cheque for the £6,000 raised so far, with further events still to come before the year is out! Diolch o galon!

A Cheque for £6000 was presented to St John Ambulance Cymru last night for monies raised during the R&M May Festival

02/09/2025

We are recruiting Urgent Care and Falls Assistants in Cardiff, Llanelli & Wrexham. Deadline: 23.59 on 5/9/25. See link in comments for more information and to apply.

Rydym yn recriwtio Cynorthwywyr Gofal Brys a Chwympiadau yng Nghaerdydd, Llanelli a Wrecsam. Terfyn amser: 23.59 ar 5/9/25. Gweler y ddolen yn y sylwadau am ragor o wybodaeth ac i ymgeisio.

01/09/2025

Our campaign has returned to promote lifesaving skills to people all over Wales.

Click the link in the comments to see a full list of free first aid sessions, donate to support the campaign, as well other ways you can get involved!

30/08/2025

29/08/2025

We have spaces available within our Aberystwyth Badger Sett for ages 5 to 11. Badgers get the opportunity to learn first aid alongside other subject badges whilst they work towards their Super Badger Award.

Pop along to our open evening on Fri 5th at 645pm to meet the team or scan the QR code, visit https://sjaw.org.uk/register/ or send us a message for more details.

26/08/2025

Happy birthday to His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester, Grand Prior of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.

Penblwydd hapus!

25/08/2025

The past 3 days our volunteers have been providing medical cover at the The Big Tribute Festival – a massive effort with support from across Dyfed County. 🎶🚑

It’s been a busy weekend, but the teamwork, dedication and professionalism from everyone involved has been outstanding. A huge thank you to all our volunteers for giving up their time to keep festival goers safe. 💚

A special shout-out to our cadets, who joined us on duty and gained valuable real-life experience putting their first aid skills into practice. You’ve done yourselves proud! 👏

👉 If this looks like something you’d like to be part of, drop us a DM come along to our Open Evening: Friday 5th September at 19:30 to find out more about how to get involved.

24/08/2025

Our are out in communities all over Wales this Bank Holiday Weekend people need first aid. Diolch pawb!

Today, our team is out in Brecon supporting a fantastic charity event in aid of two incredible causes – Tŷ Hafan and Freddie’s Sunshine Fund at Bristol Children’s Hospital. 🌟

It’s also a special day as we welcome two of our newest members, starting their volunteer journey alongside our experienced team. 👏

From charity football to ice cream, bouncy castles and more, there’s something for everyone – all while raising money for such worthwhile charities. ⚽🍦🎈

We’re also delighted to see our friends Gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub CGC / MAWW Fire and Rescue Brecon joining the fun with their fire engine on show. 🚒

A brilliant day of community, teamwork, and giving back! 💙

22/08/2025

Some top tips on how to stay safe and help keep our emergency services over this bank holiday and beyond!

🚑 This Bank Holiday, please help us protect our services for genuine life-threatening emergencies.

Here’s how you can help:
✅ Pick up repeat prescriptions in advance
✅ Keep a first aid kit at home
✅ Use NHS 111 Wales💻, your GP, pharmacy, or Minor Injury Units for non-emergencies
✅ Check in on elderly or vulnerable neighbours

💡 You can also use the new NHS 111 Wales virtual assistant to help you find the right advice quickly.

🚗 If you’re driving:
• Always wear a seatbelt
• Stick to speed limits
• Don’t drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Stay focused and avoid distractions

Let’s work together and make sure our ambulances are there for those who need them most. ❤️

Read the full story on our website (link in comments).

21/08/2025

Our love taking the opportunity to pass on lifesaving skills at community events, so it's particularly rewarding to hear such positive feedback!

15/08/2025

We welcome any initiative that raises awareness of CPR and defibrillator skills, as early intervention in the event of a cardiac arrest is so vital. Our have put these skills into action to save two lives in the past few months alone, which demonstrates the real-life impact first aid can have.

We help 15,000 people gain lifesaving skills each year and would encourage anyone who wants to learn more to sign-up to one of our first aid courses or become a St John volunteer today.

15/08/2025

Our have had the honour of supporting a range of events to commemorate this week.

These words from the 1945 Order of St John Annual Report are particularly poignant as we remember the sacrifices that were made by so many.

14/08/2025

Congratulations to all those who were recently recognised for their work on behalf of our charity at our annual Investiture service.

Click the link in the comments to find out more about the amazing who received awards, were admitted into or promoted within the Priory for Wales of the Order of St John. Llongyfarchiadau pawb!

09/08/2025

Come and join St John Ambulance Cymru 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
We are recruiting volunteers across West Wales!

From providing event first aid and medical cover, to training in local schools and communities or teaching the next generation through our youth programmes - there is a role for everyone!

Want to know more? Visit 👉 www.sjacymru.org.uk/en/page/volunteer
Interested? Sign up here 👉 www.sjaw.org.uk/register

29/06/2025

Today volunteers from Aberystwyth Division were out in Lampeter providing medical cover for a YFC Sports Day. A fab day had by all.

04/05/2025

This bank holiday weekend, over 30 St John Ambulance Cymru volunteers are supporting Rugby Festival ☀️🏉

This is just one of the many events our will be volunteering at over the long weekend

27/04/2025

Today our Aberystwyth volunteers are back supporting the CWFA Football Tournament providing medical cover to participants and spectators. It's a beautiful, sunny day here and we wish all the players a lovely day of play.

Interested in volunteering with us? We’ve got a variety of roles available, no matter your experience level. From healthcare professionals to complete beginners, there’s a place for everyone. We also have amazing opportunities for young people to join our Cadet and Badger programmes—come find out how you or your child can get involved.

26/04/2025

Our Divisional Officer is smashing through her training for the Cardiff Half Marathon, running for our very own organisation St John Ambulance Cymru. 10 miles completed today with an Aberystywth Parkrun sandwich!!

Give her some support and drop a donation her way to help keep motivation going. Thank you!

https://cardiffhalf25.enthuse.com/pf/gemma-atherton

11/04/2025

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for our Badgers’ Open Evening & Presentation Night – your support meant so much to the young people involved, and really helped make the evening something special.

For those who might not know, Badgers are the youngest members of St John Ambulance Cymru (SJAC) – aged 5 to 10 – and they learn valuable life skills through fun, hands-on activities. From first aid and healthy living to teamwork and community involvement, they’re building confidence and learning how to make a difference in the world around them.

As part of their Helpful Badger Award, our Badgers took full control of the event. They planned and organised everything themselves – and it was a huge success! The evening included brilliant first aid demonstrations, heartfelt songs, a tasty bake sale, and even a table top sale to raise funds for their group.

We are so incredibly proud of their hard work, creativity, and confidence – and we’re equally grateful to the SJAC family and local community members who turned up to support them.

If you’ve got a child aged 5–10 who’d love to learn first aid, make new friends, and be part of something amazing – why not get in touch and find out how to join? We’d love to welcome some new Badgers to the sett!

Thank you for helping us celebrate these fantastic young people!

06/04/2025

🏃‍♀️ BIG NEWS FROM ABERYSTWYTH! 🏃‍♀️

We’re beyond excited to announce that our very own Divisional Officer, Gemma, has officially signed up to run the Cardiff Half Marathon this October—and she’s doing it for St John Ambulance Cymru!

Gemma has been volunteering with St John for over 20 years, and in that time she’s been the heartbeat of the Aberystwyth Division. From first aid cover at local events to training future lifesavers, delivering community first aid courses, and championing our youth programmes, Gemma has done it all—with passion, purpose, and heart.

Now, she’s swapping her uniform for running shoes and taking on this huge challenge to raise funds for the charity she calls home. We’ll be shamelessly cheering her on and sharing her training updates—because who doesn’t love a good underdog-to-half-marathoner story.
Sponsorship link in the comments—show her some love!

Here’s what Gemma has to say:

*“It only felt right to run for St John Ambulance Cymru. This organisation has been a huge part of my life for so long—it’s like family. I’ve made lifelong friends, grown personally and professionally, and now it’s time to give back in a different way.

My passion has always been helping others learn and grow, especially in first aid. Seeing people gain skills and confidence, and watching some go on to careers in healthcare, is the best reward!”*

We are incredibly proud of Gemma, and we hope you’ll support her journey by donating if you can—and cheering loudly every step of the way!

Want to get involved yourself? Whether you’re into running or not, we’re always on the lookout for new volunteers to join our brilliant team. Come and find your place in the St John Cymru family.

Sponsorship and sign-up links in the comments!

06/04/2025

We are out today supporting the CWFA Football Tournament, a long running event we have been providing medical cover for many years.
Wishing all the players and spectators a great day of football in the sun.

We are entering our busy operational season now with a huge variety of events building up to the summer. Keep an eye out for us on the side lines!

Interested in volunteering with us in a first aid or support role? We’re always on the lookout for new volunteers to join our brilliant team. Come and find your place in the St John Cymru family.