ST JOHN Ambulance NSW Broken Hill is holding a recruitment drive, inviting adults and youth to apply to help the community.
Divisional superintendent for the Broken Hill Cadet Division, Sandra Haring, said the 2025 recruitment welcomes all young people aged eight to seventeen years old to come along and see what the cadet division is all about.
“They learn life skills, first aid, have some fun, go on camps,” she said.
“We do different courses as well, not just based on first aid.
“They meet new people that they probably don’t associate with in their schools.
“We also have some people that are home-schooled that will come down to us and join in.
“It’s just different lifelong skills that they can learn.
“We do cookery and nutrition, animal care and different badges depending on what camp we go on.”
Ms Haring said that following COVID, the group had a decline in members they are only just recovering from.
One member that stayed during the pandemic and continues to work with the organisation’s new members is Anna Loechel, who was recently awarded the Young Citizen of the Year award at the 2005 Australia Day Ceremony in Broken Hill
“We’ve managed to rebuild back up to what we had prior to COVID,” Ms Haring said.
“Anna is such a great mentor to the younger ones we’ve got in the division.
“She really promotes what you can do in the division.”
Once teens reach 18 years of age they can move into the adult division, which Ms Haring said really needs more members.
Adult members volunteer at events, such as the St. Pats races or speedway events, offering first aid if needed, which cadets can also get involved in.
“We’ve got St. Pat’s coming up so there’ll be cadets out there hopefully running around with us helping out and assisting,” Ms Haring said.
For those interested, Ms Haring said anyone is welcome to turn up on the night.
“For cadets and juniors, turning up on the night is probably the best way to get involved because we’d like to give them three weeks to see if they like it,” she said.
The recruitment for 2025 is open to anyone between the ages of eight to seventy, and those interested should attend a meeting.
The cadet division meets every Wednesday evening from 6.45pm to 9pm (except school holidays) at the St John Ambulance Hall, 3 McGilivary Drive starting Wednesday, February 12.
For adults, meetings are every second Tuesday evening from February 18, 2025, 6.30pm-8.30pm.
For more information contact Ms Haring on 0419 408 132.
