A VOLUNTEER who has dedicated 60 years to volunteering with St John Ambulance Cymru was among those recognised at the charity’s Mid and West Wales Regional Awards for 2025.
The ceremony, which was recently held in Swansea, saw a range of volunteers and staff receive awards and commendations for their work in a range of fields from responding to emergencies to securing funds from trusts and foundations to support the charity’s work.
St John Ambulance Cymru’s Assistant Chief Commissioner (Mid and West Wales), Beth Francis OStJ said: “This ceremony gave us a valuable opportunity to come together to celebrate the great work of St John People from across our Mid and West Wales counties of Dyfed, West Glamorgan and Powys and all they have contributed to their communities.
“The number and quality of the nominations we received was a reminder of the positive impact the charity has on a daily basis, and I know the panel had a difficult task in choosing the winners from the strong list of contenders.”
Eunice O’Hara received an Ultra Long Service Medal and 2 Gilt Bars for her 60 years of dedicated service as part of St John Ambulance Cymru’s Fishguard and Haverfordwest Divisions.
Her long and distinguished career as a volunteer and fundraiser saw her become an Officer of the Order of St John, as well as a member of the Gorsedd of the Bards with the title Eunice Urdd Sant Ioan (Eunice of St John) to signify her synonymity with the charity she has dedicated so much effort to supporting.
Another significant award presented during the ceremony was the Gerallt Davies MBE CStJ Memorial Award, presented in memory of the former paramedic and National Paramedic Officer for St John Ambulance Cymru, who sadly died in 2020.
The cup is awarded to a St John Person who is active, dedicated, professional and aims to maintain and develop the highest standards whilst engaging and leading their colleagues. It is judged by an independent panel made up of external partners and members of Gerallt’s family.
The runner up, who received commendation for their impact was Gwion Morgan of Dyfed County, while the winner was Sam Davies, Operations Manager for Dyfed County, who also scooped the Volunteer of the Year Award.
There was also a Lifetime Achievement Award for Will Wall of the Abertawe Division in West Glamorgan, who has been a devoted member since 1988. In this time he supported events at Swansea’s Vetch Field for other three decades and has subsequently been on duty to support 200 games at the Swansea.com Stadium, as well as other events across the county.
Julie Carrod was the other recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, having dedicated almost 30 years of service to St John Ambulance Cymru in a range of roles including first responder, County Training Manager and Deputy Commissioner in Powys.
To find out more about St John Ambulance Cymru and to sign-up to volunteer with the charity, visit St John Ambulance Cymru’s website.
