Plans go in for St. John Ambulance’s new training facility

Monday 04 March 2019

St. John Ambulance has submitted plans to create a purpose-built training room that will help the charity deliver more courses in the community, and generate more money.

They include a new canteen and accessibility improvements, including a toilet for people with disabilities and a lifting platform, as well as a shower to encourage 'green' travel.

Barry Marsden, the Commandery Executive Officer, explained that the new training room will be created by converting the caretaker’s flat as well as two of the garages located near the headquarters. 

“We will convert the two berths and the flat into one big classroom and storage facilities, we will only be knocking internal stuff,” Mr Marsden explained. “We need a large floor space to get the mannequins out, especially when we do CPR training.”

Pictured: The charity's premises in St. Martin. (Google Maps)

The plans have been created following a Strategy Review of the charity’s two premises, St. Martin Hall, which is a single block building and the Headquarters on Midvale Road. “St. Martin Hall was starting to look its age and we were going to spend money to make it look more fresher,” Mr Marsden explained.

“But the review also showed that our headquarters were very busy, and it was decided that we needed a purpose-designed classroom to give our clients a better experience.”

Mr Marsden said the main issue was that youth group meetings, which take place four nights a week, were conflicting with the adult courses, limiting the number of courses the charity could offer. “Training courses are our main sources of income,” Mr Marsden said, “We are hoping to expand our advertised courses, as well as our bespoke courses, which we offer to companies.”

Pictured: The charity needs a lot of space for its first aid courses.

The Commandery Executive Officer said all the money raised through the “internationally recognised courses” goes back into the charity. “It allows us to do our charitable work, which includes the youth groups; community courses, which are lower costs; as well as our attendances at events.

“By attending one of our courses, you not only get first aid training for yourself but you are also allowing us to do our lower cost community courses. It all goes back into the community.”

If the plans are approved, the charity will then have to decide whether to use its reserves to fund the works or raise funds. Work should then start early next year, and Mr Marsden hopes it will be done in stages so that the charity can continue to operate from its premises.

“This is an opportunity to upgrade our facilities,” Mr Marsden added. “We want to give a better customer experience, with nice surroundings, comfortable seats and good audiovisual systems.”