St John Ambulance Sussex volunteers recognised for outstanding service
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Volunteers from across Sussex came together in Worthing earlier this month to celebrate the dedication, commitment and impact of St John Ambulance volunteers across the county.
The St John Ambulance Sussex County Member Awards Evening was held at The Charmandean Centre on Wednesday 7 October, recognising achievements including from 2024 and 2025. Volunteers and their guests joined Mrs Alison Mooney BEM, Darren Owen, County Commissioner for Sussex, and Alex Ingham Clark, County President, who presented the awards.
The event celebrated volunteers reaching service milestones ranging from three to 55 years. Awards marked three, six and nine years of service, with the Service Medal of the Order recognising ten years and additional bars marking longer service. Gold medals recognised 50 years of commitment, with a further bar marking 55 years.
Darren Owen, County Commissioner, said "I always feel completely honoured to be able to present the hard-working volunteers of Sussex, not only their awards certificates but also their years of service.
"This year, for the first year ever, the number of volunteering years awarded is actually longer than St John Ambulance’s whole existence, being formed around 1079 AD. As next year celebrates 150 years of St John Ambulance, these dedicated volunteers will be providing more care, volunteering hours and CPR awareness to the community of Sussex than has ever been given."
Operational awards recognised contributions of 50 to 1,000 or more hours in a year. Certificates of appreciation and excellence achieved during 2026 were also presented, recognising volunteers who had gone above and beyond in their operational roles and local communities.
Alex Ingham Clark, County President, said "Our annual awards are always a highlight of our year, celebrating the achievements and dedication of our volunteers across the County. As always, a big thank you to all those who were recognised and indeed our whole St John family who work so hard to make a difference in Sussex."
The evening also highlighted the collective impact of volunteering in Sussex. Over the period recognised by the awards, volunteers contributed more than 24,000 hours of service and had a combined total of 1,051 years of volunteering experience.
To find out more about volunteering with St John Ambulance in Sussex and the roles available, visit https://www.sja.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering/.