In every community, there are unsung heroes who dedicate their time, energy, and hearts to making a difference. These volunteers embody selflessness and commitment, often working tirelessly behind the scenes to support various causes. Their efforts not only uplift those in need but also inspire others to get involved.
Today, we want to take a moment to recognise one of our volunteer heroes, Richard Salter.
Richard is a National Youth and Volunteering Manager. He has volunteered for St John for a decade, leading on the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award offer for all young people in St John across England. He currently volunteers as an Advanced First Aider at events, a first aid trainer and assessor, and was the volunteer lead of a vaccine centre.
When the Covid pandemic began he volunteered at the Excel Nightingale Hospital and cared for many patients in intensive care. He also took part in a BBC One documentary with Stacey Dooley ‘Lockdown Heroes’ to share the story of fellow volunteers. He inspired many volunteers to support their communities.
“I joined St John Ambulance 11 years ago at Warwick University. I am currently an Advanced First Aider volunteering at events across London, including the London Stadium, Queen’s Jubilee, Queen’s Funeral, London Marathon, Hackney Half Marathon, etc.
My main volunteer role is as the National DofE Manager, leading our Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme. This allows St John Ambulance cadets and young adults to access this internationally recognised self-development programme and get further recognition for the brilliant volunteering they are already completing with St John. I love volunteering with young people, seeing how they can develop and grow and preparing them for future life.
I have had some great opportunities with St John to travel the world, including creating and delivering a Train the Trainer programme with St John Sri Lanka and volunteering at events in Germany, Malta, and Northern Ireland.
In my day job, I am an Agile Coach in the Western Europe eCommerce team at the LEGO Group. I help individuals, teams, and organisations to be as effective as they can be.
Many of the skills I learn and develop as a volunteer are transferable to the workplace. Working with diverse teams, implementing new changes, communicating effectively, and improving processes are things I am always doing in both my volunteer role and my day job. I believe volunteering has allowed me to progress further and faster in my career due to the extra experience and confidence volunteering has given me.
Volunteering gives me great joy and a real sense of purpose. It’s great for my wellbeing. It makes me a better employee in my day job.”
We want to take this opportunity to celebrate all our wonderful volunteers wide-world, for the profound impact they have on our lives and the fabric of our community. Their stories of compassion and resilience remind us that together, we can create a brighter future.
Let’s honour these remarkable individuals who make the world a better place, one act of kindness at a time.
