JOIN Board meets in Berlin

On 23rd March, the JOIN Board came together in the German capital for a regular meeting. The organisation of the AGM 2023 in Brussels was the first topic addressed, and the Board is looking forward to meeting with the JOIN delegates in Brussels in May. Further points on the agenda were financial information and the humanitarian aid provided by JOIN members to the regions of Turkey and Syria hit by the earthquake in February. The Board further discussed the continued efforts to deliver material, medical and financial aid to Ukrainian refugees and the JOIN Office gave feedback on the working groups’ activities, the Volunteer Swap programme and the MED1stMR project. Continue reading

JOIN Fundraising Working Group meets in Berlin

JOIN PRMC Working Group meets in Berlin

From 24th to 25th March, the JOIN Working Group for PR, Marketing and Communication met in Berlin. Johanniter Germany hosted representatives from Austria, England, Switzerland, the JOIN Board and the JOIN Office. The participants discussed topics of communication and public relations, updated each other on their new and recent activities and shared best practices. Topics were the recently introduced Corporate Identity and Corporate Design of Johanniter Germany, the Communication and Media Volunteers Initiative of St John Ambulance, as well as employer campaigns. Continue reading

JOIN Clinical Working Group meets in Berlin

With the aim to finish drafting the First Aid Manual for Young People, the JOIN Clinical Working Group met in Berlin from 24th to 26th March. Delegates from Cyprus, England, Germany and the JOIN Board came together to review the content of the manual written so far. Professional illustrations were also inserted in the manual. The overall document will be additionally reviewed by educationalists, and the final version is expected to be presented in May to the delegates of the Annual General Meeting 2023. Continue reading

Update on Humanitarian Aid for Ukraine

The aid of our members for the people of Ukraine remains uninterrupted. Next to immediate emergency relief, transport services, as well as support for refugees, our members operate arranged deliveries to Ukraine. With the increasing need for basic food reported in Transcarpathia, our Hungarian member delivered 200 kg of fine flour, 200 kg of crystal sugar, 160 l of cooking oil, and 100 kg of dry pasta to Nagydobrony. Johanniter Germany donated an ambulance to a maternity clinic in Lutsk in north-western Ukraine, which is now used as a free mobile gynaecological clinic, staffed by two doctors and two nurses. Twice a week it is on the road and available to all women in the community giving more women access to important screenings, like breast cancer screening, and reaching women and babies who are in acute emergencies. Read all updates on our network activity for Ukraine here.

Youth group of Johannita Segítő Szolgálat visits Johanniter Austria

On 15th March, a youth group of our Hungarian member visited Johanniter Austria at the rescue station in Vienna, where the visitors learnt about the services and activities of their sister organisation. The youth from Budapest are trained in first aid and also help at the annual summer camp organised by Johannita Segitö Szolgálat for young people and people with disabilities in Tereny (part of the Volunteer Swap). Most recently Johanniter Austria and Joahnnita Hungary organised an aid transport to Ukraine together.

First Aid service at the Northern Ireland Parades

This month we added another volunteer Swap to our programme: in Northern Ireland, numerous parades take place all over the Province from 9th to 13th July. Tens of thousands of people are involved in the parades that mark the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne, when William III - the Dutch-born Protestant better known as William of Orange - defeated the Catholic King James II in July 1690. The parades celebrate Protestant religion, heritage and culture in villages, towns, and cities all over Northern Ireland. If you want to participate in the first aid service provided to the marchers and the spectators, find all details here.

France: Special car rides for people with disabilities

On 18th March, our French member organised a charity day together with the Order of Malta where 70 people with disabilities could be co-pilots in 100 exceptional vintage and sports cars driving on the historical circuit of the Linas-Montlhéry Autodrome. It was a fun day out for all visitors with their carers and companions, the 100 amateur drivers and collectors, and 50 volunteers, that ended with a charity auction.

Germany: King Charles III visits Johanniter at refugee centre

The British King Charles III visited the Ukrainian refugees at the Ukraine Arrival Center TXL in Berlin-Tegel on 30th March. On a tour together with the German President and other delegation members, the British monarch learnt how the state of Berlin and the local aid organisations care for refugees on the site of the former airport. King Charles III visited the Johanniter in the so-called HUB and the new recreational area. There he spoke with Ukrainian refugees and thanked the Johanniter in Berlin for their multifaceted commitment. He also talked to the board of Johanniter in Berlin about the collaboration with St John Ambulance. Read a short article (in German) about the visit here. 

Johanniter Germany at the European Humanitarian Forum in Brussels

From 20th to 22nd March, the European Humanitarian Forum brought together representatives from the field of humanitarian aid, institutions, experts, and academia to discuss some of the most pressing issues and challenges that our world faces today. The European Commission, together with the Member States, pledged €8.4 billion to humanitarian aid in 2023. Susanne Wesemann, Director of Johanniter International Assistance, and Jens Schwalb, advocacy manager, were also present at the forum and its partner segment. They concluded: "The humanitarian system is at its limits because the needs worldwide are unbelievable, there are more and more crises and they last longer. Therefore, it is urgently necessary to find locally adapted solutions with local actors and to strengthen the networks. But it is also immensely important to promote global solidarity to be able to meet the ever-increasing needs.”

Upcoming MED1stMR webinars

The MED1stMR project is developing an innovative mixed reality (MR) training programme for medical first responders. As the project is a user-oriented, technology research project, we provide 3 free webinars informing on different aspects of the project starting next month:

1. Project & Research Approach, April 25th, 10:00 – 11:00 AM
2. Technology Approach, May 3rd, 10:00 – 11:00 AM
3. End User Point of View, May 31st, 10:00 – 11:00 AM 

See all webinars and registration links here.