To celebrate his installation as Sub-Prior of the Order on December 7, 2022, Dr Steve Evans talks about his vision for St John, the strengths of our Order, and what he does in his spare time.
What is your vision for your new role?
My vision for my new role is to reinforce our strategy principle, which is to continue to be the world leader in the delivery of first aid and medical response to community health needs. I also want to continue to grow our youth programme so that we can ensure our continuity in expanding the membership of our Order, which is very important, and finally to maintain my commitment to increasing diversity in all its forms within the Order.
What do you believe is the biggest strength of the Order of St John?
Without a doubt, it is the people of St John. There are a huge number of volunteers within our organisation who are all passionate about St John and give freely of their time. They give hundreds and hundreds of hours of service to save lives and provide healthcare needs within their community.
Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” I think that is true for everybody at St John.
Is there any advice you would give to someone thinking of joining or volunteering with the Order of St John?
I would welcome anyone wanting to join our organisation and tell them that they are going to have a great opportunity to make a real difference to members of their community, either on an emergency basis, or in other activities that St John undertakes.
What do you do in your free time?
I don’t have a lot of free time, but most of it is spent with family, grandchildren, and my new black Labrador, Jed, who requires exercising every day, as I do. I’m also a passionate fisherman, and when I’m not spending time with family, a lot of my time is spent fishing during the summer months in New Zealand.
