StJohnWales Latest News

St John Wales given police grant

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:21:06 +0100

St John Cymru Wales has been awarded £3330 by the South Wales Police Youth Trust, an independent grant giving trust.

The grant has enabled St John Wales to provide essential training, buy equipment and produce promotional material to facilitate the delivery of the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award to young people, aged 14-25 years old, from Cardiff, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea. The first expedition with nine young people from the Llanederyn Division is taking place this Bank Holiday weekend in the Gower.

St John Wales will deliver the Duke of Edinburgh scheme with the aim to increase the number of participants each year; from 15 in the first year to 30 in year two and 45 in year three.

Chief Constable Peter Vaughan says “The South Wales Police Youth Trust is delighted to be able to assist St John Wales in delivering the Duke of Edinburgh. The award is renowned for empowering young people by helping them to develop essential life skills and promoting self worth, which in turn helps divert young people away from crime and anti social behaviour.”

St John Wales has 4,600 volunteers with over 75% of its membership under the age of 25, and many from disadvantaged communities. This grant will help allow St John Wales to offer the Duke of Edinburgh award to those who may not ordinarily have access to the scheme due to financial constraints.

The Duke of Edinburgh award programme has been positively endorsed by current St John Wales’ members through feedback gained at Youth Leader Development workshops and Youth Leader conferences.

Damian Thomas, Director of Youth at St John Wales says “We were delighted to be given this money and have used it to buy outdoor equipment, such as tents and backpacks, which will be essential for us to deliver the Duke of Edinburgh scheme to our youth volunteers. Every donation we receive helps us to encourage more people to learn life-saving first aid and goes towards achieving our aim of having a first aider on every street in Wales.”

As a licensed provider of the Duke of Edinburgh award, St John Wales’ Unit Youth Leaders will maximise access to this development programme by promoting the scheme, organising and delivering expeditions.

For more information about South Wales Police Youth Trust, please visit www.south-wales.police.uk/more-about-us/south-wales-police-youth-trust/

Award winning PR and Marketing team to drive forward Welsh charity

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:19:25 +0100

St John Cymru Wales, the leading first aid charity, has strengthened its PR and Marketing department, with the appointment of two experienced managers.

Katie Chappelle and Nicola Ingledew will drive forward the charity’s strategic intent to have a first aider on every street in Wales with an integrated PR, communications and marketing strategy.

Katie, 33, who is from Cardiff, joins St John Wales from award-winning public relations agency Warwick Emanuel PR, where her clients included national utilities companies and housing associations. She also advised clients on using social media to communicate with customers and set up the Wales Blog Awards, in conjunction with Media Wales.

Prior to that Katie worked as a broadcast journalist on regional radio stations including Real Radio and Red Dragon FM, where she won Sony Radio Academy Awards for her work.

Nicola, 36, who is originally from Pembrokeshire and studied marketing at Cardiff University, joins St John Wales from Bluestone National park Resort in Pembrokeshire, where she was a campaigns manager during its highly pressurised start up phase.

In her former roles she worked as marketing manager for Punch Taverns and Molson Coors

Nicola will use her corporate marketing background to expand St John Wales’ presence and increase brand awareness across Wales.

Katie and Nicola will work alongside the charity’s web and social media officer. The team will drive forward the charity’s brand awareness through a strategic direct mail campaign, online presence overhaul and high profile advertising campaigns.

The team have already had success in launching St John Wales BabySafe campaign – encouraging parents and carers to learn first aid for children and infants. The launch of the series of first aid films led to a 76% increase in visitors to their website.

Suzanne Cass, Director of Marketing, Fundraising and PR said, “Both Katie and Nicola have proven track records in their fields and I’m thrilled they have joined the team.

“I’m sure we will build on the success of our BabySafe campaign through both the traditional channels and through an increased presence on social media.

“Our aim is to have a first aider on every street in Wales and Marketing and PR will be key to delivering that. I am confident both Katie and Nicola will be a great asset to the charity.”

St John Ambulance was set up during the industrial revolution to train people in first aid and provide an ambulance service at public events. St John has existed in Wales since 1918 and was the only ambulance provider until the NHS was founded.

Today the charity offers first aid training, first aid supplies and patient transport services and its volunteers continue to offer first aid cover for public events.

Worldwide charity leaders see life-saving work in Wales

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:37:14 +0100

Volunteers from St John Wales, the country’s leading first aid charity, have demonstrated the work they do to delegates from around the world.

The showcase event in Cardiff included first aid demonstrations, a simulation of dealing with a road traffic incident and a talk from James Cory, a university student from Carmarthen, whose life was saved by St John Wales volunteers when he had a cardiac arrest at his university campus.

James, 20, was with friends when he suddenly collapsed on the dance floor at Trinity St David University in Carmarthen in September last year.

St John Wales First Responders Andrew King and Matthew Jones were in the town centre and were on the scene in less than five minutes and able to shock James with a defibrillator, bringing him back to life.

James said, “I owe my life to Andy and Matthew. Without St John being able to respond so quickly, I wouldn’t be here today.

“It was fantastic to be invited to the showcase event, not only to be able to say thank you to the volunteers for the amazing work they do, but to be able to tell delegates from around the world first-hand about my experience.”

The event kicked-off a week of activity for the worldwide governing body for the order of St John.

St John Wales Chief Executive Keith Dunn said, “It’s an honour to welcome delegates from all over the world to Wales for our Grand Council meeting. The annual event is used for members to discuss the overall strategy of the St John charity, in addition to the successes and challenges facing the charities world-wide.

“I’m proud to be able to showcase the work our volunteers and paid staff carried out on a daily basis in their communities in Wales.”

Other events planned for the week-long event include a reception hosted by the First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, dinner at Cardiff Castle and an Evensong service at Llandaff Cathedral.

Childminder urges parents to watch first aid films after saving her own daughter’s life

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:57:15 +0100

A Welsh childminder is urging parents and carers to watch St John Cymru Wales’ new BabySafe films - after her first aid skills helped save her daughter’s life.

Louise Pitman, 39, from Undy in Magor took part in a BabySafe course while training to be a childminder. She knew it was a legally required skill for looking after children, but didn’t realise quite how quickly she would need to use it on her own child. Louise said: “Just two days after finishing the course my daughter Aimee, who was two at the time, and my eight-year-old son Morgan were eating fruit, along with some other children I was looking after. I turned my back for a moment and Morgan starting shouting, ‘Mum, quick, Aimee’s choking!’.

“Aimee was red in the face, unable to breathe and was getting very distressed, but thanks to the training I knew exactly what to do. I grabbed Aimee and placed her over my lap, giving her two sharp blows to her back and the grape popped out. I felt calm and confident and was able to help Aimee without panicking and causing the other children to get upset.

“Since then I’ve had to deal with a few minor bumps and bruises with children in my care, but thanks to my training I feel confident I can deal with whatever medical emergencies come my way. I would advise anyone who has contact with young children, particularly parents, to attend a BabySafe course. Even if you’re not a childminder, basic first aid knowledge could arm you with the skills needed to save a life.”

Every year, more than half a million children under five need to go to hospital after having an accident at home. A further 67,000 are injured or killed simply playing in their gardens.

St John Wales is launching eight films at the Senedd in Cardiff today, with advice on how to deal with common accidents and injuries such as choking, fever, burns and scalds and other medical emergencies.

The films form part of the first aid charity’s BabySafe course, which is run in local communities and at its training centres throughout Wales.

Angela O’Sullivan, first aid trainer at St John Wales, said: “I’ve delivered child and infant first aid courses to groups of parents and carers across Wales. It’s very rewarding and the main feedback I receive is how confident they feel after learning these vital first aid skills.

“Louise’s experience shows that knowing what to do in those vital first minutes of an emergency situation could dramatically increase your chance of survival and I’m so pleased to hear that Aimee was OK, thanks to Louise’s knowledge.

“Our aim is get a first aider on every street in Wales and I’d advise new parents and anyone who cares for a child to contact us and sign up to a course in their area.”

The eight BabySafe films, supported by Legal and General, can be viewed on St John Wales’ website www.stjohnwales.co.uk and YouTube channel www.youtube.com/user/stjohnwales.

St John Wales’ BabySafe project provides free first aid courses to young parents in the South Wales Valleys. Due to support from Legal and General the project has now provided first aid training to more than 1,000 young mums and dads in Merthyr and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

St John Wales has recently secured Lottery grants to roll this programme out to young parents in Rhyl and Bedwas.

For your free first aid guide and more information on the courses St John Wales offers, call 0845 678 5646 or visit the website at www.stjohnwales.org.uk.

Llanelli Mum is running the London marathon in aid of St John Cymru Wales

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:15:38 +0100

Bethan Hopkins, 49, from Felinfoel in Llanelli, is running the marathon in aid of St John Cymru Wales this weekend.

It’s the mum-of-two’s first marathon and she is currently training around three times a week. Bethan is hoping to complete the course in under four and a half hours.

Earlier this month she spent the day at St Elli Shopping Centre on an exercise bike, where local shoppers donated £265 toward her £2,000 target.

Alex Jones from St John Wales’ Llanelli Division said: "Bethan is taking on a massive personal challenge all in aid of St John Wales, raising funds to continue our work in the community. Not only does Bethan give up her free time as one of our volunteers, but to take on such a challenge at a national event in London is a fantastic achievement."

You can sponsor Bethan at http://www.justgiving.com/Betty-Hopkins

Parents in Russia taught first aid by Welsh youth volunteers

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:23:26 +0100

A group of young first aiders from across Wales have spent two weeks at a children’s centre in Smolensk in Russia, teaching vital life-saving skills to local people.

Seven St John Cymru Wales youth volunteers delivered a BabySafe course to 40 parents and carers – teaching them how to deal with common accidents and injuries among children and infants such as choking, fever, burns and scalds.

The team also spent time doing some odd jobs in the respite centre for disabled and homeless children – including shovelling the snow to make the centre more accessible.

23-year old Joanne Dwyer from Cardiff was one of the team that took part in the trip. She said: “The people we met were mostly children with physical disabilities or behavioural problems, who live in a respite centre in the town. It was so rewarding to be able to arm them and their parents or carers with vital life saving first aid skills.

“We also learnt a lot about Russian culture and taught the people we met about life in Wales. We even cooked them Cawl and Welshcakes, which went down a treat.”

Damian Thomas, Director of Youth at St John Wales said: “Smolensk was coping with the worst weather for many years and we saw temperatures drop to minus 17 degrees while we were there. The volunteers were only too happy to help out by shovelling snow, which meant that the centre was no longer cut off from the road, and parents were able to visit their children.

“This is another fantastic example of St John providing its young members with once-in-a-lifetime experiences. We are always striving to deliver cultural exchange opportunities and we are passionate about developing our overseas work.”

The trip is part of a three-year partnership with St John Wales, the British Humane Society and UNA exchange, which promotes and supports international understanding, cultural exchange and community development whilst at the same time enabling volunteers’ personal growth and development.

St John Wales passionately supports overseas projects that give young volunteers experience in areas where first aid can have a dramatic impact on social welfare. To become a St John volunteer, please visit www.stjohnwales.org.uk

Daughter’s first aid training helps save Dad

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:36:21 +0100

A Cardiff woman has thanked St John Cymru Wales first aid trainers after she helped to save her Dad’s life, just hours after learning what to do on a first aid course.

Helen Constantine, 45, from Whitchurch, called in to see her 78-year-old dad, Anthony, on her way home from the three-day course in Cardiff after he phoned to say he was feeling unwell.

As she walked through the door Helen saw her dad was pale, clammy and complaining of chest pain – all signs of a possible heart attack. She quickly called 999 before giving him the life-saving treatment she had learnt.

Helen was sent on the course by her employers but never anticipated it would help save a family members’ life. She said: “The course trainer Andrew was enthusiastic and informative but I didn’t think the skills I’d learnt would be put to the test so quickly.

“I popped in to see my Dad after finishing the course, because he’d called me earlier that day to say he was unwell. He was complaining of pain in his chest and looked pale and clammy. I remembered everything I had been taught and gave Dad an aspirin, without any liquids - as the trainer had advised if you suspect someone is having a heart attack.

“I was able to stay calm and call the ambulance without panicking. If I had not attended the first aid course, I’m sure I would have been upset and unable to make any sense at that point.”

Helen’s Dad has now made a full recovery and is back at home. But their experience shows that knowing what to do in those vital first minutes of an emergency situation could dramatically increase your chance of survival.

Helen added: “I would like to say a massive thank you to St John and the trainer Andrew in particular. Without them, things might have been very different.”

Andrew Carnell, first aid trainer at St John Wales, said: “My colleagues and I teach life-saving skills to around 15,000 people every year. We know that first aid saves lives but it is still so incredibly rewarding when we hear how these skills have been put into immediate practice - making the difference between life and death.

“Helen’s experience shows how vitally important it is to have a basic knowledge of first aid and I’m pleased to hear that her Dad is recovering well.”

For your free first aid guide and more information on the courses St John Wales offers, call 029 2044 9600 or visit the website at www.stjohnwales.org.uk.

Ammanford needs Life-saving Volunteers for Round the Clock Cover

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:17:44 +0100

St John Cymru Wales, the country’s leading first aid charity, is urging people in Ammanford to give their spare time and help save lives.

Community First Responder volunteers are trained to attend emergency calls received by the ambulance service and provide lifesaving treatment until paramedics arrive. The scheme in Ammanford was set up in December and operates as a community partnership between St John Wales and the Welsh Ambulance Service.

David Thomas, the Regional Transport Officer for St John Wales’ West Wales Region says they need more volunteers and equipment to ensure the scheme operates ‘round the clock. Mr Thomas said: “At the moment we have five members of the Ammanford division and another five in training. But this isn’t enough to provide cover 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year – which is our aim. At the moment, a First Responder is only available 40% of the time in Ammanford.

“We’re also looking for donations to buy medical kits for any new volunteers, which cost £2,500 each. We’re really hoping people and businesses in the Amman and Towy Valley will help us out. It could be the difference between life and death for someone in our community.”

Each member of the first responder team carries a range of life-saving equipment, including a defibrillator and resuscitation kit, and is in contact with ambulance control via their mobile phones.

James Shaughnessy, Director of Operations at St John Wales says, “The First responder service really does save lives. Earlier this month our First Responders in Cardiff were able to attend to a man having a cardiac arrest before the Wales V England Six Nations decider. He was shocked twice with a defibrillator at the scene and has now fully recovered.

“We want to ensure that this life-saving service is available throughout Wales, and that’s where our volunteers really make a difference. You will be fully first aid trained by St John Wales and can commit as much or as little time as you like.”

If you would like to know more about becoming a St John Ambulance responder and you are over 18-years-old, have a full clean driving licence and access to a car please visit our Headquarters in Margaret Street or contact us on 07920 585179 / 07920 152760

If you would like to make a donation then please go to www.justgiving.com/ammanfordcfr-kit.

St John Wales assist North Wales NHS in winter weather conditions

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:08:12 +0000

St John Cymru Wales were drafted in to support the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust in North Wales during the extreme snow and wintry conditions at the weekend.

The St John members used their 4x4 vehicle to transport renal and cancer patients to their much-needed appointments throughout the day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

James Shaughnessy, Director of Operations for St John Wales said, “The Welsh Ambulance Service contacted us on Friday to say their normal land ambulance could not get to patients needing dialysis, radio therapy and other urgent treatments, due to the continuing bad weather. The snow was 3 feet deep in some areas, but luckily our 4x4 vehicle was able to make it through and convey these patients to hospital for these urgent appointments.

“The extreme winter weather has been teamed with an incredibly busy period for us, in the last week we’ve had 31 vehicles out supporting the Welsh Ambulance Service across Wales, as the cold weather has brought a rise in the number of patients needing hospital treatment.”

The first aid charity has its own fleet of over 100 ambulances across Wales including 20 4x4 vehicles which provide regular backup support to the NHS during busy periods.

St John has a range of vehicles and trained staff situated across Wales who could be mobilised at short notice to assist at any type of incident.

St John will continue to assist the Welsh Ambulance Service throughout this difficult period and will have staff and volunteers on duty ensuring that the communities of Wales receive high quality care despite the terrible conditions.

England fan receives the shock of his life thanks to St John Cymru Wales

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:14:31 +0000

An England rugby fan received the shock of his life before the Six Nations rugby final in Cardiff last weekend when he was given life saving treatment while suffering a cardiac arrest.

The First Responder Cyclists (FRCs) initiative – a partnership between St John Wales and the Welsh Ambulance Service – was only officially launched on Saturday morning and soon after the FRCs were called to a cardiac arrest patient in the city centre.

The England supporter was shocked twice with a defibrillator and was taken to the University of Wales Hospital, where he is now conscious and stable.

St John Wales volunteer and FRC Dean Williams was first on the scene. He said: “Thanks to the bicycles we were there in just over two minutes. I’m so glad we have been able to give the gentleman, who was an England supporter heading to the match, a chance and I hope he recovers.

“We attended another five calls during the day, including a very young child having a fit. I’m just proud to be part of the team, and so grateful to all the organisations which have kindly sponsored and supported us.”

Each member of the team carries a range of life-saving equipment, including a defibrillator and resuscitation kit, and the FRCs are in contact with the ambulance control via their mobile phones.

Keith Dunn OBE, Chief Executive for St John Wales said: “The fact that they were called to save a life only hours after the official launch highlights how important the FRCs are. This is particularly evident on a day like Saturday when the emergency services are stretched, due to high-profile events such as the Six Nations Final.

“I am delighted that the scheme is growing in numbers and that, through the generosity of the sponsors, vital lifesaving equipment has been provided to make the difference – saving lives.”

The launch of the First Responder Cyclist scheme in Cardiff follows a successful pilot period over Christmas and New Year. St John Wales and the Welsh Ambulance Service in partnership have provided a team of seven FRC volunteers. The team work on shifts using specially modified mountain bikes to cover the city's streets, pedestrian precincts and shopping arcades on Saturdays, and providing additional shifts when they are available.

In many cases, the trained FRCs will be able to reach patients quickly ensuring that any essential life saving skills can be commenced immediately. As in all call-outs for Community First Responders, an Emergency Ambulance or Rapid Response Vehicle (with a Paramedic on board) will also be sent to each incident to ensure that a full clinical assessment of the patient can be completed by a qualified ambulance clinician.

The cyclists have support from St David’s/Dewi Sant Centre which has provided a base for them in the precinct, and sponsorship from Cardiff Metropolitan University (UWIC), Cardiff Bay Rotary and Cardiff East Rotary.

The Ambulance Trust’s Head of Service for the Cardiff and Vale area, Bob Tooby, commented: “The pilot over Christmas and New Year dealt with 31 patients with a mixture of conditions including cardiac arrests and falls. The trained voluntary community first responders provided a fantastic service with the longest response time being 4 minutes. The main advantage of this scheme is the fact that the cyclists are able to weave their way through traffic and pedestrians and get to a patient’s side quickly, even if they were in one of the arcades or large stores.”

The service has more than 1000 Community First Responders across the country who are trained to provide an immediate response to patients in their communities and provide basic life support skills where they are required. They are essential to ensure that the chain of survival, which is key to ensuring that as many lives as possible are saved in the event of a cardiac arrest, is in place.

We’ve teamed up with The People’s Operator

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 09:22:40 +0000

We are delighted to announce our new partnership with The People’s Operator www.thepeoplesoperator.com

The People’s Operator is the new mobile network that gives you top deals, great coverage and shares 25% of its profits with good causes. All you have to do is switch network.

If you are interested. You can get a free SIM card at www.thepeoplesoperator.com.

25% of The People's Operator (TPO) annual profits go to the TPO Foundation, to support charities, community groups and organisations doing great things across the UK.

Not only that, but you can direct The People’s Operator to give a further 10% of your monthly bill to a cause of your choice, at absolutely no extra expense to you.

While you’re at it, you get to enjoy TPO’s affordable rates and top mobile deals, like free TPO-to-TPO calls and texts. So it’s now easier than ever to help causes that are close to your heart, at absolutely no extra cost. TPO does all the work for you.

First Responders will ‘pedal their business’

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 15:32:39 +0000

In a joint initiative between the Welsh Ambulance Service (WAS) and St John Wales, Community First Responders are piloting a scheme of First Responder Cyclists (FRCs) in the centre of Cardiff in an effort to deal with the influx of shoppers and party-goers who will flock to the city in the coming weeks.

The scheme will see the use of mountain bikes on the city’s streets in December.

The FRCs will cover the city's pedestrian precincts and shopping arcades during the year’s busiest weeks.

In many cases, the trained FRCs will be able to reach patients quickly ensuring that any essential life saving skills can be commenced immediately. As in all call-outs for Community First Responders, an emergency ambulance or rapid response vehicle will also be sent to each incident to ensure that a full clinical assessment of the patient can be completed by a qualified ambulance clinician.

Each of the FRCs will be equipped with a mini defibrillator and a resuscitation kit.

WAS Head of Service for the Cardiff and Vale area Bob Tooby commented: “The main advantage of this scheme of course is that the cyclists will be able to weave their way through traffic and pedestrians and get to a patient’s side quickly even if they're in one of the arcades or in a large store.”

Keith Dunn, Chief Executive of St John Wales, said: “This is another great example of St John working in partnership with the Welsh Ambulance Service to benefit the wider community. Our volunteers dedicate thousands of hours each year providing vital first aid care in Wales. This new pilot scheme will ensure people in Cardiff receive lifesaving treatment quickly and effectively and we’re really pleased to be involved.”

Each member of the team will carry a range of life-saving equipment. The Responders will be in contact with the ambulance control via their mobile phones, and the scheme will run on a shift basis.

WAS have more than 1000 Community First Responders across the country who are trained to provide an immediate response to patients in their communities and provide basic life support skills where they are required. They are essential to ensure that the chain of survival which is key to ensuring that as many lives as possible are saved in the event of a cardiac arrest is in place.

Prestigious Awards Ceremony to Recognise Inspirational Young First Aiders

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:03:00 +0000

St John Wales will be showcasing the achievements of young first aiders at its annual Youth Awards at the Wales Millennium Centre on Sunday December 2.

Exceptional St John volunteers, including a youth member who saved the life of a 20-year-old cardiac arrest victim, will be recognised at the glittering event.

It will be a star-studded occasion hosted by BBC Newsreader and X-Ray presenter Lucy Owen, who has been an avid supporter of St John for many years.

St John members from across Wales, aged between 5 and 25, will be receiving accolades ranging from lifesaving commendations to Duke of Edinburgh awards.

Only Men Aloud singer Craig Yates, Falkland’s War veteran Simon Weston OBE and BBC weather presenter Sue Charles will be in attendance along with 20-year-old James Cory whose life was saved by two young St John volunteers.

The first aid charity will also be announcing its newly crowned Badger and Cadet of the Year at the event. These titles are awarded to exceptional young members who will act as Ambassadors for St John Wales’ 2,700 youth members in 2013.

Damian Thomas, Director of Youth for St John Wales, said: “The 2012 Youth Awards will be a fantastic way to recognise the hard work and dedication of our young members who make a real difference in communities across Wales. It’s really pleasing to be able to give something back to our committed young volunteers and acknowledge them for all their efforts over the last 12 months.”

Local dignitaries and BT Director of Wales, Ann Beynon, will also be in attendance to present awards.

The ceremony will commence at 2pm and will be attended by more than 250 people at the WMC in Cardiff Bay.

St John Wales Calls On Universities to Keep Lifesaving Equipment on Campus

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:45:29 +0100

St John Wales is calling on universities and colleges in Wales to keep lifesaving equipment on campus after a 20-year-old student suffered a cardiac arrest on a students’ union dance floor.

Sports studies student James Cory owes his life to the quick response of St John Wales volunteers and is living proof defibrillators can make all the difference.

Mr Cory collapsed on a night out at the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David in Carmarthen and was treated by two St John medics stationed near by.

Volunteer Andrew King, 27, said: “When we arrived, he was in full cardiac arrest and wasn’t breathing.”

Mathew Jones, 21, a St John member for three years, attached the defibrillator to Mr Cory’s chest and he was brought back to life.

He regained consciousness in Carmarthen’s Glangwili General Hospital two days later, and is continuing his recovery at Morriston Hospital in Swansea.

The student said: “I don’t remember anything at all about what happened. I owe my life to Andy and Mathew.

“Without St John being able to respond so quickly, I wouldn’t be here today. I had no idea I was ill. I’m young, I keep fit and I never contemplated that something like this could happen to me. These volunteers are amazing and I’ll be forever grateful.”

Keith Dunn, St John Wales chief executive, said: “This highlights the need to have trained first aiders and vital equipment nearby. The earlier the defibrillator is deployed the better the chance of survival.”

Stephanie Lloyd, president of the National Union of Students in Wales, said: “James is lucky. But other students may not be unless universities and colleges around Wales heed the call to keep defibrillators on site. ”

St John Wales is offering universities and colleges a 20% discount on automated defibrillators and training. Visit www.stjohnwales.org.uk