New president for St John Ambulance Berkshire

Leading chartered surveyor Peter Goodacre has been appointed County President of St John Ambulance Berkshire.

Acting as an ambassador

Mr Goodacre was chosen to replace outgoing president Brigadier Tony Verey because of his wealth of key contacts in the county, leadership skills and his commitment to charitable causes.

The role of county president is a senior voluntary position, which involves acting as an ambassador for the nation's leading first aid charity and supporting and encouraging the presidents of St John Ambulance divisions throughout Berkshire.

Mr Goodacre, 64, is married with two grown up daughters and has lived in Sonning with his wife Christina for the last 40 years. He is chairman of the Friends of St Andrew’s Church in Sonning and is also a trustee of several other charities.

'It's a great privilege to be given the opportunity to become involved with such a wonderful and highly respected organisation whose members are so often the difference between life and death. I've always been interested in well-run organisations that promote the good of others,' he said.  

Previously, Mr Goodacre was President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, an international organisation with more than 100,000 members. He also served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve from 1965 to 1992, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

Later, he became a lecturer at the University of Reading and was Principal of the College of Estate Management for 15 years.

He chaired the Works and Building Committee of the Greater London Territorial and Reserve Forces Association and was a member of its council.

Mr Goodacre has also been a non-executive director of the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority and was until recently Chairman of the James Butcher Housing Association and a non-executive director of the Southern Housing Group. He is currently a council member of the National House Building Council

St John Ambulance Berkshire County Chairman Simon Frost said: 'We're delighted to welcome Peter who I feel sure will be a huge asset to us. He already has a high profile in Berkshire and has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving his local community.'

'He joins us at an exciting time for St John Ambulance which is developing as an increasingly forward thinking organisation leading The difference campaign.'

St John Ambulance Berkshire has more than 500 members who rely on public donations to continue their work in the community as the charity receives no core funding from the Government or the NHS. They provide first aid cover at hundreds of public events across Berkshire each year.