December 2013 | Issue 46

Sharing news from the Order of St John

Relief in Phillipines after typhoon Haiyan: Johanniter

Typhoon Haiyan is one of the most severe typhoons ever to have hit South East Asia.
In total 618,000 people lost their homes and according to the UN, 9.5
million people are affected by the typhoon. Now, in the aftermath of the
devastation caused by typhoon Haiyan the people are struggling for
survival. The situation in the affected areas is chaotic; many regions are
cut off from the outside world. In cooperation with its local partner
organisation Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Johanniter International
Assistance, the department responsible for humanitarian assistance
within the German St John association and JOIN member JohanniterUnfall-Hilfe supports the affected people.
Doctor Pramendorfer treating a patient

The affected regions are slowly recovering from the recent disaster,
according to reports from the medical care team. They report that
water supply is restored in many places, important roads are
again open to traffic, rubble is cleared away and some schools
and shops have reopened. However, many people in the affected
regions will continue to need aid to maintain health and, for the
future, to rebuild houses and shelters, and the whole
infrastructure of the area.
The Johanniter International Assistance operation centre, at the
federal office, is prolonging its aid assistance. A new sevenperson team of volunteers flew into the Philippines from Frankfurt
on 22 November.
The portable water station is able to produce
1,200 litre of clean water per day.

In addition to first aid provision, the Johanniter is distributing food in

the disaster areas. Food packages are distributed to 1,000 families per day. The German foreign ministry has
donated 350,000 Euros for relief supplies. Also, a second Johanniter "Health Kit" has been flown to Manila to
be distributed to affected regions. This delivery includes 50 wheelchairs, which arrive as an assembly kit and
will be put together on site. Local helpers will be trained in adjusting the wheelchairs by a voluntary
orthopaedic technician from the Johanniter partner organisation "Balay Mindanaw Foundation."
Jrgen Schill, the Federal Office Unit Manager for Volunteers, expressed his gratitude to team
members: "You are doing a great job. The information flow to the emergency helpers is great. That is
motivating for everyone remaining at home or otherwise engaged."
The Johanniter are gratefully accepting donations. For more information visit: www.johanniter.org

New Lord Prior announced

On 18th November, Professor Mellows, the current
Lord Prior, announced to the Heads of all
Establishments that HM The Queen, as Sovereign
Head of the Order of St John, has approved the
selection of Dr Neil Conn AO to be his successor as
Lord Prior from St Johns Day, 25 June 2014.

Professor Mellow said:

Dr Conn will be known to many of you as the
Immediate Past Chancellor of the Priory of
Australia, and I know that when I hand over the
reins on St John Day next year, the Order will be
in very safe hands.

For the Faith and in the Service of Humanity

www.orderofstjohn.org

News from around the world...

Chris Howe

Sub Prior and Deputy Sub Prior

Chris Howe

We thought wed to tell you more about your new Sub Prior and Deputy Sub Prior who were welcomed
to their posts earlier in the year on St Johns Day.
Sub Prior Stuart Shilson will steer the Orders International agenda. He started work as
a barrister and joined McKinsey and Co consultancy group in 1997. In 1999 he left to
work at the Cabinet Office and two years later he became Assistant Private Secretary to
HM The Queen. Returning to McKinsey & Co in 2005, he now advises on all aspects of
strategy. Stuart was President of Richmond & Mortlake
Division, St John Ambulance, from 2000 to 2007 and has
assisted the Order since 2004 on various committees.
Canadian John Mah QC is the new Deputy Sub Prior. John has a background of
professional, charity and advocacy experience, having been a Partner in Law firm
Chomicki Baril Mah LLP since 1986; and serving on a number of charity boards; and
dedicating over 20 years of his life to service with St John including the position of
Chancellor of St John Canada.

International Office visit from

Archbishop Desmond Tutu
On Thursday 21st November the St John International team hosted
celebrated social rights activist (and Prior of St John South Africa)
Archbishop Desmond Tutu at our offices in London.
The Archbishops packed London tour, on behalf of St John, involved a
private audience with HM The Queen at Buckingham Palace; a visit
with St John International staff to discuss growth and its new focus on
international development programmes; and the Archbishop also attended The Order of St John Knights and
Dames Investiture ceremony, conducted by HRH The Duke of Gloucester, the Grand Prior.
Archbishop Tutu kindly agreed to conduct an interview in support of the Order, and in launching our new
identity of St John International (see the back page for more info). With the help of the communications social
enterprise, Goodwork, we have some beautifulvideo footage of the Archbishop talking about St Johns work.
You can watch these on our St John International YouTube channel. Through adding his voice in support of St
Johns new Mother and Child Programme on this visit, Tutu advocates for more people to support St John in
our efforts to improve maternal and newborn mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa a region which still
accounts for 56% of global maternal deaths.
The International Office has lots of high quality
photos available for anybody in the St John family
who would like them. Please
contact Saffi or Louisa at
the International Office.

For the Faith and in the Service of Humanity

www.orderofstjohn.org

News from around the world...

St John Western
Australia Youth
Initiative
Tony Ahern (CEO of St John
Western Australia) talks of the
new focus for the St John Youth
Programme - Making first aid a
part of everyones life.
In March 2013, St John Ambulance
Western Australia introduced its
new program to achieve its primary
objective of making first aid training
a part of everyones life. We
required an innovative approach to
engage more young people in
achieving this goal.
We decided to move away from the
traditional activities to focus on first
aid for young people, having
already been successful with free
schools-based First Aid Focus
programs, which taught 75,000+
students last year.
In the current program, enrolments
have dropped by over 50 per cent
in ten years. The new program will
help reverse this trend and bring

first aid skills to thousands more

school children.

youth program, our goals for young

people are:-

An important aspect of
the program is the
establishment of a "first
aid unit" within schools
or youth groups, in which
participants can practice their skills
at events under the supervision of
St John Ambulance volunteers.
This will help instil an ethos of
community service and giving back
to the community, and will help
students develop communication
and leadership abilities and
improve their confidence.

Teach every school student in the

First Aid Focus program, which has
short courses with modules for
students of different ages.

The response to the program since

it began in June has been
overwhelming. Enrolments quickly
reached over 500 students
double the previous enrolment
numbers. The new program will
help us train thousands of young
people in first aid over the next
decade. It will help young people
considering careers as health
professionals or those interested in
volunteering as first aiders.

Engage up to 10,000 students in

partnership with the State
Governments Cadets WA program
to teach a more comprehensive
first aid program and facilitate the
practice of first aid at school or
community group events.
Provide transitional opportunities
for 16-18 year olds to practice first
aid to facilitate career opportunities
in health areas.
St John Ambulance
Western Australia
remains committed to
investing in our
youth. We are sure
this program will enrich the lives of
our children by equipping themwith
the necessary skills needed to care
for the sick and injured thereby
making them better citizens.

With the new Western Australian

Free healthcare brings hope to poverty-stricken in Nairobi

Disease is rife in poverty-stricken slums of Nairobi, Kenya. With poor sanitation, infection spreads quickly,
which can be fatal for children. Many people in the informal settlements die because they cannot afford
medical treatment or care, or transport to hospital.
Virginia Muthee, 24 toils to make ends meet in Lunga Lunga. The little money
she gets from odd jobs does not cover food for her three sickly children, and
she was losing hope. But Virginias despair turned to joy as a team of doctors
from St John Ambulance and the Presbyterian Church came and gave her
children free checkups and medication. Virginia is one of thousands of needy
residents of slums in Nairobi who benefited from the free medical camp
organised by the St John Ambulance partnership with the Presbyterian
Church. Dr Steve Nigel, a volunteer from St John Kenya, says many who
were treated had respiratory tract infections, diarrhea, and arthritis.
Grateful residents urged organisers to consider setting up a free or low cost hospital for needy people in slums.
The new Kenyan Constitution guarantees proper medical care for all, but healthcare is inaccessible to the poor
as public hospitals are limited and cannot meet the demands for the expanding slum population, which is about
2.2 million in Nairobi. The free medical attention shall go a long way in improving the quality of life for the
needy living in slums.
For the Faith and in the Service of Humanity

www.orderofstjohn.org

News in brief....
Live Webcast links for
International Cadet
Camp Be a part of it! As

Organ Donation Awards

In the UK around 3 people die every day due a shortage

of organ donations. In partnership with the UK National
Health Service, the Order of StJohn has created an
award to posthumously recognise the contribution that
featured in edition 44 of the Link, St
organ
donors have made
John Australia will be hosting the
to
many
others
and
to
celebrate
the bravery
International Cadet Camp this
January. You can find a live webcast of their loved ones. The Award also raises
awareness of organ donation across the UK
of the event on
and represents a shared belief in the
YouTube
invaluable role of organ donation across all
www.youtube.com/user/
faiths and backgrounds.
stjohnambulanceaus
The Award was launched in glittering style
at St James Palace, London ceremony where TRH the Duke and
Website
Duchess of Gloucester, awarded families of 33 organ donors. The Award
www.stjohn.org.au/ICCTV
is now subsequently available to the next of kin of all UK citizens who
have posthumously donated organs after April 2012 and there will be
Twitter
regional ceremonies taking place throughout the UK.
#ICCTV

St John Mauritius opens a new St John Ambulance Division

St John Mauritius were celebrating a new Division in Rodrigues Island, one
of the smallest islands in the world, with a population of approximately
30,000, situated 350 miles off the coast. There are 12 members who are all
professional firefighters working for the Establishment.
The designate Divisional Superintendent, Mr Christian Roussety, seen in the
photo in a white uniform, taking an Oath of Allegiance with his counterparts,
Ex-Officio members of the Council of St John Mauritius.
@stjohninternat

Find us on Social Media as

St John International
The Order of St John may be one of the oldest
charities in the world but we're modernising.
We're adapting to the world of other global
charities. You can find us at St John International.
Please follow, subscribe, join in, get involved its a great way to connect with all of St John
around the world!
Were also reaching out for your support and
accepting donations. Please visit our website
for more information.

y....
r
a
i
he D Kenya, Nairobi
t
r
o
f
sf
d
iory o
Date - Inauguration of the Pr ternational Office close

facebook.com/stjohninternat
Linkedin as St John International
You Tube St John International

Farewell Esther - Esther Bloom who, for 9 years

has been the PA to the numerous Secretary Generals in
the International Office is moving on. Esther has seen the
International Office transform over the past decade and
remained a consistent and loyal employee. We thank
Esther for all of her brilliant work and service to St John,
she will be dearly missed by all.

4 In
ry 2 0 1
a
u
n
a
,
2n d J e a r
ber a p o re
ecem and New Y
f Sing
D
o
y
th
r
4
s
2
e Prio
ristma
n of th
for Ch
uratio
g
it,
u
a
In
su m m
nuary
amme
a
r
J
g
o
r
th
11
ild p
pore
r & Ch
s,
Singa
Mothe

eeting
y
r
anua
ittee m
J
m
th
m
7
o
1
gC
13th teerin
ia
and S
C
A
Zamb
H
-O
ruary
th Feb
0
2
th
19
n
Londo

5th D

ber
ecem

Log onto the private area of the Orders website today

by visiting www.orderofstjohn.org/members-area.
Contact [email protected] if you need the
username and password.

If you have any stories you would like to be

covered in The Link or you would like
information on any of the news featured in this
edition, please contact Saffi Jones at the St John
International Office at
[email protected]
or ++44 (0)20 7251 3292