As St John Ambulance approaches delivery of an extraordinary one million volunteer hours given in support of the Covid-19 response and the vaccination programme, our charity’s volunteers continue to demonstrate their value to local communities throughout the country.

I would like to pass on my sincere personal thanks through your paper to all of our volunteers and staff, particularly as we approach St John’s Day on June 24, a focal point for the St John family year, when this year we celebrate the work of our charity over the past year of the pandemic, and plan our support to communities who need our help in the future.

I am delighted that many buildings and local landmarks around the country will be lit up in green on that evening to celebrate the tireless work of St John volunteers and staff.

Everyone at St John is immensely grateful to the owners and custodians of those buildings for helping us to make the day a special one.

Meanwhile, we remind everyone of St John Ambulance’s work through our nationwide Ask Me campaign (www.sja.org.uk/AskMe) which launched yesterday. I am sure that our powerful combination of billboard posters and advertisements will keep our volunteers in the forefront of everyone’s minds and encourage your readers to get involved with St John, or to find out more about our charity’s work in their local area.

Surgeon Rear Admiral LIONEL JARVIS CBE KStJ DL

Prior of England and the Islands of The Order of St John & Chair of St John Ambulance