General News
25 April, 2025
Call for Horsham St John volunteers
St John Ambulance Victoria is calling on locals to step up and join the Horsham division of the service as growing community demand increases the need for more volunteers.
Horsham divisional manager Rhys Webb is leading the call.
Mr Webb has volunteered with St John for more than two decades, having started his journey at the age of seven in New Zealand before continuing in Australia.
“People don’t realise how much we do in the community,” Mr Webb said.
“With the bushfires and floods, our volunteers play a critical role in emergency management alongside the CFA, police and other local emergency services.
"If we don’t have enough volunteers, the entire community suffers.”
St John Ambulance formed its Horsham division in 1969 after a series of accidents on the Western Highway left people in need of urgent medical assistance.
Over the years the division has met in several buildings around Horsham and previously ran cadet programs for children aged eight to 17.
Volunteer numbers have fluctuated, but the division has remained a familiar presence at events and emergencies across the Wimmera.
In earlier years, volunteers supported Ambulance Victoria on weekends when regular crews took breaks.
They continue to work alongside CFA, SES and Ambulance Victoria during major emergencies such as bushfires and floods.
Mr Webb said the organisation had evolved over time to maintain best practices and high clinical standards, ensuring the best outcomes when administering first aid.
Volunteers currently meet at Horsham Anglers Club, which Mr Webb describes as an excellent venue for training.
Volunteers provide first aid services at community events ranging from local agricultural shows to major emergencies.
They also deliver first aid training to the public, supply first aid kits and assist with patient transport.
Mr Webb said the current call for volunteers came in response to a broader trend.
“St John, along with all service clubs, has seen a decline in community members serving in volunteer roles," he said.
“We require more members to ensure we can cover all event requests for our local community.
“As divisional manager I want to ensure we have longevity in our community.
“Without volunteers, our communities wouldn’t survive.”
He said the division welcomed all kinds of people.
“Anybody can be a volunteer as long as you are over 18 and can pass a police and working with children check and a small fitness component.
“We have roles for everyone: emergency management portfolio, stock and supplies, vehicle maintenance, attending events, enjoying being in our community and providing first aid.
“We have members from all sections of our community and anybody can be a volunteer with St John.
“We welcome everyone from all backgrounds and feel we are a very friendly group as what we want are people who want to serve their communities and provide first aid.”
Mr Webb said all training and uniforms were provided by St John through its induction process.
“It’s very exciting as we haven’t had a course run here for a few years but people going through the course end up with a national certificate in advanced first aid, anaphylaxis, medication management and many other qualifications.”
He said the support from the Horsham and Wimmera communities remained vital.
“Horsham community support, along with the Wimmera region, is vital to keep our volunteer organisation going.
“Our motto is ‘For the service of mankind’, which I think shows that we're here to serve everyone in our communities.”
Mr Webb said he hoped to grow the division in the coming years: "to expand our small but amazing membership to ensure we can cover any event or disaster we need to".
“We want to be around serving the Wimmera district proudly for many years to come,” he said.
St John Ambulance Victoria aims to recruit 500 new volunteers across the state by 2026.
Locals interested in joining the Horsham division can attend an online information session on Tuesday April 29 at 6.30pm to learn more about how they can make a difference.
Interested people can also visit www.stjohnvic.com.au/volunteer to register.
