"Popular" CEO steps down as charity copes with covid impact

Thursday 04 March 2021

The CEO of St. John Ambulance will be returning to the UK after the first aid charity was forced to make cuts due to the impact of the pandemic.

Faced with covid-depleted funds, the charity needs to reduce the salary of its CEO, making it too difficult for Barry Marsden (60) to afford to continue renting in the island and travelling to/from the UK where his family are based.

He will be leaving at the end of May after five years at the helm of the local first aiders' organisation.

Originally from the UK, he moved to the island after leaving his role of Chief of Police and Director of Emergency Service in the Falklands. 

With his directorate based in Jersey, Barry visited Jersey regularly and developed a love for the island. When the opportunity to work in the island presented itself, he jumped on it.

Pictured: Barry spent five years at the helm of St. John Ambulance.

During his time at St. John Ambulance, Barry says the charity went through “an awful lot of organisation changes” as well as financial difficulties and started 2020 in “in a much stronger position”. 

“We were in a good financial position - as soon as covid allows, we will bounce back,” Barry said. 

“This time last year, at the beginning of the pandemic, we had the best quarter of year trading, thanks to our new courses for mental health and wellbeing.

“Everything was looking rosy, and the pandemic kicked in in March last year, so we stopped doing the courses, there were no public events. We actually lost a considerable amount of income, it’s been really challenging.”

Barry estimates the charity lost £50,000 in the absence of public events as well as up to £7,000 as a result of people not renting parking spaces whilst working from home.

Even with public events being cancelled, St. John’s volunteers were kept busy, helping with the antibody testing programme, the ambulance service, the delivery of PPE and driving nurses for the covid tests carried out at home. More recently, they have also been providing first aid at the vaccination centre at Fort Regent.  

Pictured: Volunteers from the charity has been providing first aid for islanders getting their jab at Fort Regent.

“Our volunteers have done a fantastic job,” Barry said. “The feedback has been absolutely amazing. They have carried out 700 hours of voluntary work in assisting the health authorities and it’s a small number of volunteers as some of our volunteers are in the vulnerable category.”

Luckily, the charity managed to pull through thanks to “the generosity of people” who gave “an incredible support through donations”.

Islanders’ support for local charities is one of the things that has marked Barry’s time with St. John Ambulance.

“What I have noticed is the tremendous support people give to St. John Ambulance and other charities,” he said. “It really is noticeable how generous people are and how they value long-established charities such as St. John Ambulance which was established 137 years ago.

“It is as meaningful now as it was when it was created when there was not a States of Jersey health service. People understand that charities need to be maintained.”

“When you have an island community, you have got what you have,” he added. “It’s important to have resilience to cope when things out of the ordinary, like covid, happen. Obviously having so many charities and it being so well-structured gives us resilience.”

Despite the “great donations from the fantastic people of Jersey” it has received, the charity still had to make some difficult decision to reduce its costs, which has included reducing the number of staff and looking at other cost saving opportunities.

The charity eventually came to the decision that it also had to reduce the costs involved with the role of CEO and reduce the post’s salary to a level it can afford.

Unfortunately, this means that it would not be viable for Barry to rent in Jersey and travel regularly to the UK, where his wife still lives. 

Barry’s departure also fits in with the charity’s succession plan. With the Chairman set to leave in 2022, it will give his successor time to train and a full year to find his footing in the role.

With the charity looking to develop its youth groups and care support programme within Jersey's new model of healthcare, Barry’s successor will need “good experience of working in a business”. “We need to generate money to allow the charity to deliver for the island,” Barry said.

The ideal CEO will also be “a people’s person”, able to motivate a large number of volunteers and “a small number of dedicated staff, who are not motivated by finances”.

Pictured: Barry says he "thoroughly enjoyed" his time as CEO of St. John Ambulance.

“It needs to be a strategic and operational person, who can be a secretary, a CEO and multi-task,” Barry said. 

“My advice would be to harness the skills of the volunteers and the staff. The actual skill set of the people in the organisation is far greater than any single person could have.”

Looking back on his time with St. John Ambulance, Barry says he “thoroughly enjoyed” it. “It’s a fantastic charity, I was so fortunate to work here,” he said. “I did not know much about it when I came here but it really is part of the fabric of society here in Jersey. If it was not for the volunteers, many public events would not take place.

“I spent a number of years working for a charity which actually does make a difference. Every time our volunteers actually perform something which potentially saves a life or provide first aid to another person it is so rewarding.

“It was an honour to put three volunteers up for the Royal Humane Award Scheme after they saved a man’s life. Our AED’s saved seven lives in Jersey - it is so rewarding to know that.”

Pictured: Barry loves the island's green lanes and countryside.

Barry says he was amazed with “the fantastic complimentary emails” he has received since the news of his departure came out.

“What has been absolutely amazing is the words of support over me leaving,” he said. “I did not realise how popular I was. It’s amazing to see all the people coming out of the woodwork.”

While he will be returning to the UK at the end of May, where he says his house is needing his attention, Barry will be looking for “another adventure in the very near future”. He also plans on visiting the island with his wife once again very soon.

“I absolutely love Jersey, I love the green lanes and the countryside,” he said. “We will be visiting as tourists sometime in the future once restrictions allow. We want to continue our walks and go to the excellent restaurants.”