We are England's first aid charity

At St John Ambulance, we believe that you should be able to receive the first aid you need in a health emergency from the people around you. That’s why we put community first aid at the heart of what we do, to make sure we all have the confidence and knowledge to act in a health crisis.

What we do:

• Teach first aid. Our community of thousands of volunteers helps everyone feel confident in first aid. We offer free, online first aid advice and resources.
• Provide expert training and supplies for first aid, health and safety, and mental health. We use all the money from our training and supplies to fund our charity purpose to put the power of first aid into everyone's hands.
• Inspire the next generation with youth programmes offering children and young people the chance to learn first aid.
• Provide fully trained and equipped first aiders and ambulances for events.

St John Ambulance is a charity that depends on donations and fundraising to fund our lifesavers' training and supplies. You help us stay ready and able. Find out more about where your money goes.

In 2024 we...

• kept the public safe at over 10,000 events across the country
• recruited 27,000 Young Responders to help keep our streets safe
• reached over 356,000 members of the public during our flagship "Save a Life September" campaign

Our HEART values

Humanity: Treating others with compassion and respect

Excellence: Taking pride in an excellent job

Accountability: Delivering what we promise

Responsiveness: Constantly learning and improving

Teamwork: Working together effectively

We know that community first aid saves lives

Our work helps improve health outcomes through faster treatment, as well as reducing pressure on statutory services. If everyone learnt first aid, our communities would become safer and more resilient when facing everyday emergencies. St John Ambulance is not just a first aid charity, but a community that provides purpose, belonging and development opportunities for everyone, irrespective of age or background.

Our history

Our story goes back to 11th century Jerusalem, where the first Knights of St John set up a hospital to care for sick pilgrims. Since then, we have evolved into a modern and dynamic charity underpinned by our vital work. St John as we are today have been providing vital first aid and first aid training for over 140 years:

*Image(s) courtesy of the Museum of the Order of St John, London.