St John duo honoured with admission to ancient Order
Date published: 03 April 2009
TWO Oldhamers with a total of 64 years of service to St John Ambulance have been royally commended for their community service.
Leslie Peart, from Failsworth, and Martin Needham, from Hathershaw, were invested as members of the Order of St John at a special ceremony in the historic Grand Priory Church in Clerkenwell, London.
To become a member of the Order people must demonstrate exceptional service to key charities — one of which is St John Ambulance, the nation’s leading first-aid organisation.
The Order of St John is a Royal Order of Chivalry and each investiture is approved by Her Majesty the Queen.
Leslie, who has been a volunteer for 43 years and celebrated his 50th birthday on the day of his investiture, was admitted to the Order as an officer.
He said: “I have so many fantastic memories, two particular highlights being my trip to the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada, and my presence at Princess Diana’s funeral in London, both as part of the St John Ambulance team.
“I now work as the operations lead for Greater Manchester County and I am delighted that this enables me to let others achieve their goals and enjoy similar opportunities and experiences.”
Martin, a volunteer for 21 years, is a superintendent in the Rochdale Division.
He was admitted to the Order as a serving brother and said: “I feel very proud to be here today and never expected to receive this honour. Being a member of St John Ambulance has given me the chance to serve my community, make friends and learn life saving skills, so to have my work recognised like this is the icing on the cake.”
Both were presented with the Order’s insignia by the Prior of the Priory of England and the Islands, Sir Brian Jenkins.
He said: “Leslie and Martin are being honoured in recognition of their dedicated service to St John Ambulance. As two of our 43,000 volunteers, their work has been integral to our work in communities across the country. It is with great pride that I invest them today into the Order of St John.”
The investiture ceremony takes place three times a year. Around 100 people from all walks of life are invested on each occasion, the majority of whom are St John Ambulance volunteers.
The Order of St John traces its origins back 900 years to the Knights Hospitaller, from which it derives its inspiration and joined mottoes: “For the Faith and in the Service of Humanity”.
St John Ambulance, which has 43,000 volunteers, emerged as a branch of the Order in the 19th century. The Order and the charity are now distinct, although they work in partnership to promote volunteer work dedicated to caring and saving lives.
