After the completion of business at the Annual Provincial Meeting held at Oakley House on September 29th, RW . Bro. Archie Torrance presented James London – Chairman of the Kent County Priory Group of the Order of St John with the keys to a brand new St. John Ambulance Patient Treatment Centre for the use of the charity here in the county. After the handover the Provincial Grand Chaplain VW. Bro. The Rev. Howard Pashley blessed the vehicle and those, who will be using it.
The unit is one of 52 vehicles which are being handed over in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands in a phased programme throughout 2018. They have been provided to the Order of St John by the Mark Benevolent Fund, with the specific aim of providing new ambulances, treatment centres and support vehicles to St John Ambulance, the Orderâs operational arm in England and the Islands.
The vehicles will be put to use at local events throughout the country as volunteers deliver lifesaving first aid to members of the public.
Upon handing over the keys, RW. Bro. Archie Torrance commented “The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons and the Mark Benevolent Fund are proud to have a long-standing relationship with the Order of St John and St John Ambulance. At the turn of the Millennium, the fund provided a significant contribution to help replace the organisationâs fleet of ambulance vehicles. These vehicles have served well over the last 17 years however technology and innovation in the world of medical health care has progressed at a phenomenal pace during this time. Once again the Mark Benevolent Fund has joined in partnership with the charity and donated £3.2m enabling a two year programme providing up to 52 replacement state of the art ambulances and support vehicles.”
This latest donation marks both the 140th anniversary of St John Ambulance in 2017 and the 150th anniversary of the Mark Benevolent Fund in 2018.