Tuesday 30 April 2024: St John Ambulance volunteers in North Walsham are preparing for a weekend of celebrations to mark the centenary of the charity’s first aid unit in the town.

On Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 May, a range of activities are planned in the town and members of the public are welcome to come along and take part.

On the Saturday, there will be gazebos in the paved area of Market Street and the local St John Cadets (10- to 17-year-olds) will be running a sponsored 100-minute CPR-a-thon from 10.30am. There will also be a tombola and a display of the history of the unit in the town since 1924. Between 1.30pm and 3.30pm the volunteers will be running more general first aid demonstrations and passers-by are welcome to stop and learn some life saving first aid techniques. At the same time, the Cadets will be dressed in historic uniforms.

For vehicle enthusiasts, St John’s County President in Suffolk will be present with his own 1960s ambulance which has been beautifully restored to how it would have looked when in service, including items of historic first aid equipment.

Finally, the charity’s fascinating museum at Preference Place will be open between 11am and 3pm on 4 May and visitors are welcome to come and learn more about the history of the North Walsham unit.

On the Sunday, there will be a celebratory Church Service at St Nicholas’s starting at 3pm, followed by an invitation-only celebratory tea. The Deputy Lieutenant for Norfolk, Patrick Peal, plus local MP Duncan Baker and representatives from the County, District and Town Councils, will be in attendance at the service and tea, along with current Regional and District St John Management Teams and, of course, current and past volunteers at the unit. This service is open to all and those interested are asked to be seated by 2.50pm.

Richard Earl, Cromer and North Walsham Unit Manager for St John Ambulance, said: “We’re thrilled to be celebrating such an impressive milestone in the history of the North Walsham unit. We’re really looking forward to sharing the weekend with members of the public and VIP guests who have provided invaluable support for St John in the local area over the years. There are a lot of activities for visitors to get involved in or watch and we hope that people will take the time to come and learn some first aid, cheer on the Cadets as they undertake their CPR-a-thon and talk to current and former volunteers about the vital role they have played in the town and surrounding villages over decades.”