Who We Are
The Order Today
Photo by Tony Haresign
The Order of St John is supported by thousands of volunteers in 40 countries around the world who share its commitment to help people in sickness, distress, suffering or danger. It is organised from centres, known as Priories, in eight countries: Australia, Canada, England and the Islands, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, the United States and Wales.
As well as the eight Priories, there are 33 Associations in Antigua & Barbuda; Barbados; Bermuda; Cyprus; Dominica; Fiji; Ghana; Gibraltar; Grenada; Guyana; Hong Kong; India; Jamaica; Kenya; Malawi; Malaysia; Malta; Mauritius; Montserrat; Namibia; Nigeria; Pakistan; Papua New Guinea; Saint Lucia; Singapore; Solomon Islands; Sri Lanka; Swaziland; Tanzania; Trinidad & Tobago; Uganda; Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Republic of Ireland is also an associated country.
Activities vary from country to country, although the majority operate an ambulance service. In some situations, countries join forces to support each other, for example, after the tsunami at the end of 2005 which affected four countries where St John operates - India, Kenya, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. The St John family received a call for help from its Sri Lanka Association and responded with people, materials and money.
Individual members contributed generously to the £28,000 provided by the Priory of Scotland. John Strachan, the Deputy Lord Prior with special responsibilities concerning St John Associations, visited Sri Lanka and wrote,
"I believe that the St John Association of Sri Lanka is to be hugely commended for their outstanding efforts in mobilising their members and utilising their skills to help those in need. In addition to their first aid and disaster relief work, they were instrumental in ensuring the smooth flow of goods received from St John establishments to the areas affected."