Following a national reorganisation throughout Wales, the new Western region of St. John Ambulance is on the look out for a treasurer and a medical advisor.

The former St. John Ambulance divisions throughout the Principality have been re-organised into regions under new Chief Commissioner David Williams, with the counties of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire making up the Western region under the control of Regional Commissioner Linda Jones and Deputy Commissioner Nigel Lewis.

"We would now like to hear from anyone interested in volunteering for the posts of treasurer and medical advisor for the region," Mr. Darrel John, the region's public relations officer, told the Observer this week.

A well-known First Aid instructor, Mr. John explained that St. John Ambulance in Wales was a charitable foundation of the Order of St. John, which itself took its traditions of caring for the sick and injured for the medieval knights of St. John, the Knights Hospitalers.

One of only two Pembrokeshire people to be invested with the Order of St. John in Cardiff earlier this year, Mr. John, who is also chairman of the Knights Hospitalers in Pembrokeshire, revealed that the order had its origins in a hospice for pilgrims to Jerusalem around the time of the Crusades.

It later developed into a military religious order, with their headquarters successively in Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta.

The order was dissolved in England by Henry VIII in the 16th century, but in 1887 was revived as the St. John Ambulance Association to continue the tradition of caring for the sick and injured by providing training in First Aid and to provide a trained reserve for the Armed Forces medical services.

Ten years later, the St. John Ambulance Brigade was formed, providing highly trained volunteers to deliver First Aid treatment at public events and to organise an ambulance service to remove the sick or injured to home or hospital.

A separate administrative 'Priory' was established in Wales in 1918, which now boasts some 6,000 members freely giving well over 200,000 hours of their time every year to provide First Aid cover at public functions and other events.

In addition to adults, membership is also made up of Cadets, aged between 10 and 16, and Badgers (six to 10), who are also trained in First Aid techniques.

St. John operates well over 100 vehicles, including ambulances, in Wales, many of which are fully equipped to an equivalent standard to that of the professional ambulance service.

There are also three inshore rescue divisions, with craft based at Ferryside, Pembroke Dock and Barry, which act in a supportive role to the RNLI.

At present, there are some 80 members of St. John Ambulance active in Pembrokeshire, with bases at Pembroke Dock, Haverfordwest, Milford Haven and Fishguard.

Mr. John also explained that, in addition to providing cover at organised public events, St. John Ambulance was also heavily involved in providing First Aid training to members of the public in general, commercial enterprises and industrial organisations, teaching participants the practical skills and theoretical knowledge required to deal with any emergency situation in the home, place of work or during leisure activities.

Such training courses for the public are held regularly, both during the day and in the evening.

Since 1985, the organisation has also been operating its Three Cross Award scheme in schools throughout Wales, with over 150,000 certificates issued, including many to students at Tenby's Greenhill School.

Mr. John pointed out that the regional treasurer would be expected to advise the commissioner on all matters relating to the finances of the region and to assist and advise on the financial accounting and budgeting systems. The role would take approximately 12 hours a month.

The medical advisor would be expected to provide support and advice on all medical matters and attend regional staff meetings, a task that would again involve some 12 hours a month.

Anyone interested in either of these voluntary posts, or in First Aid courses, can contact Mr. John at 6 Pentle Close, Pentlepoir.