In an emergency these are the ones already on the spot

Members of the Warwick Ambulance Assocation - who as we reported in earlier this year were involved in an acrimonious split with St John Ambulance - are proud of the new uniforms they have bought with the support of a £1,500 grant from the town council.

The original association dates back to before the First World War when helpers used to transport people from the railway station for hydrotherapy sessions at Leamington Pump Room.

Until January they shared their premises in Emscote Road with the St John team and most volunteers were joint members of both charities.

But the Warwick association’s chairman, Mike Cornes, was among 23 first aiders involved in a mass resignation from St John after the organisation became more regionally administered and began to use the ambulances they had raised money to buy to carry out patient transfer duties as back-up for the emergency 999 vehicles.

From St John’s point of view it was a good way of raising extra revenue for the charity.

But Mike Cornes, who for two decades was a joint member of both groups, was among the 23 Warwick-based volunteers who resigned in protest at the fact that ambulances and support vehicles bought for use in the Warwick area were no longer always available and might be called into service as far away as Birmingham.

Mr Cornes said: “The use of these ambulances in Birmingham and the fact that all calls for first aid cover began having to be handled there as part of a new regionalisation programme was the straw that broke the camel’s back for us.

“Everyone has their own way of doing things but the Warwick Ambulance Service has always been a volunteer-based organisation where nobody gets paid - in our view that makes for a stronger community.”

Last week, after months of rowing, a reasonably amicable settlement was negotiated which has left St John taking charge of two of three ambulances that were jointly-owned along with one of the support vehicles. The local group has kept one ambulance and bought another and will also have the use of a Land Rover Defender and Toyota Land Cruiser.

Mr Cornes says they are now actively recruiting more trainee first-aiders who might want to attend sessions in Emscote Road on Monday nights when ten to 16-year-olds are welcome from 6.45pm, followed by clases for adults from 7.30pm. For more information he can be contacted on 07970 622391.

n At St John headquarters in Birmingham, regional director Keith Hunter said they too are looking at the possibility of starting a new group and progress is being made to find a suitable venue. As soon as this is settled they too will be looking for new recruits.