A valuable voluntary medical institution whose members perform a priceless public service at organised events across Keswick is in danger of folding.
Dwindling numbers of people joining the St John Ambulance, coupled with the organisation having no premises in which to store its training and event equipment, has left a question mark hanging over the future of first aid training in the town.
The Keswick unit is now urgently seeking new premises in which to store equipment – gazebo, tables and chairs – after the hut which it had used, near to the Rawnsley Centre, was sold at auction for £52,000 after the national headquarters of St John Ambulance said it was not fit for purpose and was not prepared to pay maintenance costs. The hut was expected to sell for around £6,000.
Acting unit manager Elaine Alston said there were plans to recruit more members in February, but without a place to store training and event equipment that could prove difficult.
The unit currently meets in a hired room at the Braithwaite Institute.
“We have some young ones who have taken different jobs and are not available any more,” said Elaine. “Ideally we need 10 to 12 people in the unit and we were looking to recruit in the new year.
“There is a danger that we could close because like every voluntary organisation it gets more difficult because people have money but time is very precious.”
The Keswick St John Ambulance unit, which has had a presence in the town for 130 years, attends events like Keswick Victorian Fayre, Keswick Show, Scruffs and Rock in the Park and has recently had to bring in volunteers from Carlisle and west Cumbria to help out.
Elaine said a dry garage or a hut, measuring around 25ft by 12ft, would be ideal for storing the unit’s equipment.
The unit now has only a team of four active members while in the past it had around 20 with past members pursuing careers in the medical profession or ambulance service.
St John stalwart Mike Armfield has also recently stood down after being involved with the Keswick unit for 50 years and his departure is seen as a big loss.
Anyone with suitable storage premises or who would like to get involved with St John Ambulance can contact Elaine on 077908 24796.
