The first IGHI Education Community event took place on the evening of Thursday, 11 April 2024. Organised by the Student Wellbeing in IGHI Postgraduate Education (SWIPE) team, in collaboration with St John International, the event welcomed guests in the surrounds of the Museum of the Order of St John’s historic Chapter Hall.
IGHI students and staff, alongside guests from the Order of St John, had the privilege of hearing an engaging and eye-opening series of talks from esteemed speakers from both the International Order of St John and St John Ambulance England.
The evening began with a short presentation by Susan le Jeune d’Allegeershecque, Secretary-General of St John International, which provided a whistlestop tour of the history of the Order and its operations in the present day.
She was followed by James Radford, Chief of Staff at St John Ambulance England, who discussed St John Ambulance’s position and role within the UK health system and its interactions with the NHS. Mr Radford stressed the importance of relationship building and the benefits for an organisation of creating a clear identity and staying true to it.
Mr Richard Lee, Chief Operation Officer of St John Ambulance England, delivered the final talk of the evening. Mr Lee’s presentation focused on the role St John Ambulance played during the COVID pandemic and provided an enlightening explanation of how the organisation mobilised, trained, and deployed close to 30,000 volunteers to deliver COVID vaccinations within an 8-week timeframe.
The presentations were rounded off by a panel discussion, facilitated by Joe Kerr, during which the speakers shared their thoughts on lessons learned from the pandemic, the impact of changes in the political landscape on third-sector planning, and the experience and lessons learned by transitioning from a 36-year career within the Foreign Office to a senior leadership role within a third-sector organisation.
Drinks and a networking session followed, providing guests with the chance to partake in refreshments, chat, and enjoy the splendid atmosphere of the Chapter Hall.
The SWIPE team wish to thank St John International, St John Ambulance England, and the Museum of the Order of St John, for their help in organising this event. Future IGHI Education Community Events are in the process of being planned, so keep your ears to the ground and make sure to join us for the next event!