Update on humanitarian aid for Ukraine

During the harsh wintertime, the aid provided by our members is all the more needed and many JOIN members have increased their support efforts. Next to immediate emergency relief, transport services and support to refugees, our members work in close collaboration with their local partners and make requested transports. Just a few days after our Hungarian member delivered four ambulances to Ukraine, they also provided bedding, polyforms and 200 warm blankets to Berehovo. Our Polish members helped in the provision of bandages and medical supplies to the surgical unit of the Kirovograd Regional Hospital in the first week of January. Six emergency workers from all over Germany set out on 8th January to bring an ambulance and two personnel carrier vans to the Polish-Ukrainian border. The ambulance will be used for rescue missions in the city of Korjukiwka, northeast of Kiev. The first van was received by the youth centre in the city. The second van was given to a local partner organisation, which provides internally displaced people with food and hygiene items. Read all updates on our network's activity for Ukraine here.

67.645 parcels distributed in the Christmas campaign of Johanniter Austria and Germany

In Germany and Austria, a total of 57.200 parcels were donated for the Johanniter Christmas campaign in 2022. For the people in the target regions in Albania, Bosnia, Romania, as well as Ukraine and Moldova, the parcels not only bring urgently needed relief supplies, but also a sign of hope. In addition, 10.455 packages were made possible via dedicated online donations. The actual packages were then assembled, packed and distributed directly on site by partner organisations with the help of the collected monetary donations. The total number of 67.645 represents generosity, charity, cooperation and support, and last but not least, great joy and gratitude among the recipients.

Six Austrians and one English volunteer at the Ski Jump Tournament in Germany

The big Schattenberg ski jump in Oberstdorf (Bavaria) is one of the most important Ski Jumping Hills in the world. Every year, it attracts up to 38.000 visitors for the opening jumping competition of the Four Hills Tournament. Johanniter Germany welcomed six volunteers from Johanniter Austria and one from St John Ambulance who joined in the provision of first aid for the event from 28th to 29th December. Read here what Richard from Austria reports.

New Volunteer Swap opportunities

Our Volunteer Swap programme offers two new opportunities for all St John volunteers to provide first aid at two events in England and Sweden. You can join St John Ambulance already next month for the Ashbourne Shrovetide Event, an annual unique and traditional football match lasting two days throughout the town of Ashbourne from Tuesday 21st  to Wednesday 22nd February 2023. The annual game is said to be the world's oldest, largest and longest football game. From 7th to 10th of June, our Swedish member welcomes three of you at the Sweden Rock Festival, which has become one of the most important rock and metal festivals in the world with 35.000 annual visitors. Have a look at all 13 current Volunteer Swap opportunities here.

Poland: Joannici teach first aid to preschool children

The Netherlands: Johanniter Director visits care organisation

On 28th January, Lidwien van der Reep, Director of Johanniter Nederland and JOIN Board member, visited the employees of a care organisation in Arnheim, that organises fun activities for older people in their care facilities and senior residences. To help people to continue participating in society to the best of their ability and give them as much control as possible, the residents make regular trips. For all trips, the wheelchair bus of our Dutch member is used, driven by volunteers. In 2020 Johanniter Nederland acquired three wheelchair buses and put them at the disposal of three care institutions in the Netherlands where volunteers of our member are active. The buses help not only to enhance the quality of life of people but also raise the brand visibility for our Dutch member.

Urban Search and Rescue MODEX in Denmark

Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) missions in cold conditions are a special challenge for rescuers and their equipment. This was precisely what 146 participants from Azerbaijan, the Czech Republic, France and Italy practised from 20th to 23rd January in Tinglev. The exercise was planned and co-managed by Johanniter Germany with the scenario of an earthquake hitting South Denmark. The USAR modules and other response capacities regularly train to collaborate and assist in the aftermath of disasters in Europe and around the world within the framework of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism. Watch the video of the first EU Module Exercise of 2023 here.

Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network 1st anniversary

MED1stMR midterm review

From 12th to 13th January, the MED1stMR consortium gathered in Zurich for the project’s midterm review. After one day of preparation, the project partners presented the last 18 months of internal work to the EU project officer and two expert advisors with medical and technology backgrounds. The end-user focus was demonstrated and the mixed reality tool was shown in connection to the foreseen training processes. After the reviewers had the possibility to try out the system on site, the advantages and challenges virtual training will bring to the mass casualty preparedness of European first responders were discussed. MED1stMR received positive feedback and the consortium was able to align and discuss the challenges of the project. The second half of the project will be filled with data gathering, analysing, adapting and close agile development between end users and technology, which will be tested in six European-wide field trials starting from June 2023. Continue reading