St John Ambulance has been awarded a £240,026 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver a project exploring 150 years of community first aid, as the charity prepares to celebrate its foundation in 1877. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to explore, share and celebrate our heritage with our volunteers and the communities we serve.

This project is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery Players.

We are seeking to commission a freelance historical interpreter to develop and deliver a one-hour immersive guided tour for family audiences. The tour will be led by a costumed Second World War Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) Nurse or Ambulance Driver and forms part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund Project Saving Lives Together: 150 Years of Community First Aid. The project celebrates the 150th anniversary of St John Ambulance, engaging new audiences with our heritage while furthering our lifesaving mission.

Set at St John's Gate, the tour will follow the story of one of these characters arriving to sign up. Delivered through first-person interpretation, the experience will explore the historic site, the role of St John Ambulance during wartime, and the organisation's origins in the Industrial Revolution. Through storytelling, performance, and audience interaction, the tour will bring to life the lived experiences of St John Ambulance volunteers and their contribution to community first aid.

The script and resources will become part of the Museum's repertoire, and we may choose to train additional guides if there is sufficient demand.