St John Ambulance Cymru Rhayader

21/10/2026

At 9:15am on 21 October 1966, the tip above Aberfan gave way. 144 people lost their lives, 116 of them children.
St John Ambulance volunteers from Aberfan, Merthyr Vale, Troedyrhiw, Treharris and Merthyr were there within half an hour. There was no time for uniforms. They dug just as they were, beside miners, rescue teams, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, police, firefighters and hundreds of local people.
David Wilson, then 23, drove a van full of St John nurses to the village. Sixty years on, he has shared his memories with us. "I've never, ever forgotten it," he says.
Today we remember the children and adults of Aberfan, their families, and everyone who answered the call. Please join communities across Wales in the minute's silence.
Read David's story: https://www.sjacymru.org.uk/en/blog/post/aberfan-60-years-on-the-people-who-went

16/10/2026

Today is Restart a Heart Day.

It is every year on the 16th October, and is a day that reminds us that anyone can save a life with CPR. This year, we're sharing the story of Roy, a marathon runner whose life was saved by our volunteers.

Roy was nearing the finish line of the Newport Marathon when he suddenly collapsed. Our volunteer team acted quickly using CPR and a defibrillator to restart his heart.

You can read Roy's incredible story here:

https://www.sjacymru.org.uk/en/blog/post/restart-a-heart-day-the-minute-that-saved-roy-s-life

15/10/2026

Roy took off his hat for the photo finish. Seconds later, his heart stopped. ⏱️
Tomorrow is Day. Come back to hear how our volunteers saved his life.

Tynnodd Roy ei het ar gyfer y llun wrth y llinell derfyn. Eiliadau'n ddiweddarach, stopiodd ei galon. ⏱️
Yfory yw . Dewch yn ôl i glywed sut achubodd ein gwirfoddolwyr ei fywyd.

15/10/2026

Heddiw yw diwrnod Siwmae – diwrnod i ddathlu’r iaith Cymraeg a pharchu’r bobl sydd wedi cadw ein hiaith yn fyw.

Os wyt ti'n siaradwr Cymraeg, yn dysgu Cymraeg, neu dim ond yma i fwynhau, rydym yn eich herio i ddechrau sgwrs yn Gymraeg neu ddysgu gair newydd heddiw.

Dyma rai o’n hoff eiriau Cymraeg. Beth dy un di? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿💚

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Today is Shwmae Day – a day to celebrate the Welsh language and honour the people who have kept our language alive.

Whether you’re a Welsh speaker, learning Welsh, or just here to enjoy, we challenge you to start a conversation in Welsh or learn a new word today.

Here are some of our favourite Welsh words. What’s yours? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿💚

15/10/2026

Would you know what to do if someone collapsed in front of you?

This morning our Chief Executive Richard Lee joined Dot Davies and James Williams on BBC Radio Wales Breakfast. He talked about why CPR and knowing how to use a defibrillator matter so much, and why women are less likely to get CPR from a bystander in public.

It’s a short listen that could make all the difference. Skip to 1:42:20 👇
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0032pl1

14/10/2026

We have some exciting news.

We are working with Dynamic Business Services to create an interactive, immersive 360° e-learning course that allows you to explore a virtual environment and identify potential hazards that could lead to a fall. The course will also explore the main reasons people fall and why effective falls management is so important.

The course is designed to help care homes recognise falls risks and create safer environments for residents.

More information coming soon!

10/10/2026

Today we celebrated our St John People by holding our annual visitation at St David’s cathedral. A massive thank you to everyone who made the event happen, and congratulations to all those who received an award

10/10/2026

Today is World Mental Health Awareness Day.

The day aims to raise awareness about mental health and encourage people to support their own wellbeing and that of others.

Take a moment to check in with yourself and those around you. Small conversations can make a big difference.

08/10/2026

It's 👁️
Did you know St John Ambulance Cymru is part of a worldwide family that has been saving sight since 1882?
The St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital treats patients in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza regardless of ethnicity, religion or ability to pay. Last year that meant more than 232,000 patients – half of them children.
Here in Wales, our Hospitallers' Committee has supported the hospital for decades. In January they presented a cheque for £30,000 to the Eye Hospital Group.
You can help too: £50 = a child vision screening kit £250 = more sight-saving operations £500 = towards a new ophthalmoscope
Donate today: https://sjacymru-eyehospital.raiselysite.com/

05/10/2026

Our Division travelled on Saturday along with other Powys Divisions to deliver our vehicles ahead of St John Ambulance Cymru’s biggest deployment of the year. On Sunday we joined over 200 colleagues to provide the medical cover for the Cardiff Half Marathon.
The day started with a mass briefing for those that would be staffing treatment centres that contained Cold Water Immersion baths, these are used for runners that require their core temperature to be lowered.
Following the briefing we deployed to Konak Treatment Centre, our home for the day. It is wonderful working alongside other St John volunteers and those Health Care Professionals that also give up their time and volunteer for St John Cymru. We all pulled together, supported and helped each other putting our training and knowledge into practice.

04/10/2026

A massive thank you to all our runners who are doing the Cardiff half today in aid of our lifesaving work in Wales. Diolch! 👏😊

03/10/2026

03/10/2026

27/09/2026

Now that our busy summer schedule of attending events is easing the team are spending their time training. Today we had members training in various roles and scenarios. Our newer members learning techniques in moving patients safely, airway management and patient extrication from difficult locations.

Whilst other division members started to put the foundations in place to bring back First Responding to Rhayader and our surrounding communities. First Responders or as they are now called ‘Volunteer Ambulance Responders’ will in the near future be responding to calls via Welsh Ambulance Service Trust, hopefully enabling our community to receive urgent medical care whilst awaiting an ambulance response.

07/09/2026

Please feel free to pop in and meet various organisations within our community. St John Rhayader will be on hand to tell you more about the organisation within the your area and offer demonstrations on life saving skills.

Community Information Fair - Wednesday 16th September - 11am - 2pm at Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells
Everyone Welcome - please come along to see what our community organisations have to offer.
There will be demonstrations from St John Ambulance Cymru Rhayader
Health checks and discussions by Bwrdd Iechyd Addysgu Powys / Powys Teaching Health Board Health Protection Team
Free hearing checks from RNID
We will be joined by -
Alzheimer's Society, RNIB, Wyeside Arts Centre, Dyfed-Powys Police, Kaleidoscope, Accessibility Powys, PAVO, Gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub CGC / MAWW Fire and Rescue, Builth Wells Ladies Choir, Age Cymru Powys, Friends of Builth Wells Library, Llandrindod Wells Foodbank, Maethu Cymru Powys / Foster Wales Powys, Groe Builth Wells 5K Your Way, Move Against Cancer, Mid and North Powys Mind, Breathe Studio & Beyond: an Arlais Health & Wellbeing CIC project., Llais Powys, Builth Wells Heritage Society, Cathie R-Talbot Sense Cymru and many more!
Please share

02/09/2026

Rhayader Division members Tudor and Nicola recently supported our colleagues at The Big Festival in Aberystwyth, where Tudor came across three Rhayader ladies in disguise, and Nicola travelled to the Talybont-on-Usk show.

02/09/2026

Today we had the pleasure of welcoming Rhayader Community Nursery to the station. The children had great fun dressing up, colouring and exploring the ambulance. So nice to engage with this fantastic group of children and leaders.

If you’re involved in a group and would like a tour of the station or to discuss first aid training then please drop Steve an email.

30/08/2026

Not all St John volunteering duties are in Wales. Recently Gary, a full time paramedic and StJohn Ambulance volunteer, visited the Isle of Man to help provide first aid cover for the world famous Isle of Man TT 🏍️