First aid for more than 1,000 cyclists

Hampshire cycle rides

Fifty two volunteers from St John Ambulance Hampshire have taken part in the charity’s largest first aid duty – in terms of both distance and area covered.

Ten casualties

Members were responsible for first aid for more than 1,000 cyclists across the county – from Southampton to Hannington and from Stockbridge to East Meon.

They looked after 10 casualties and took two people to hospital. They were also called in by NHS ambulance colleagues to transport another patient to hospital.

I am grateful to all our volunteers, who worked together to provide medical cover for our usual community events, as well as these two large charity cycle rides

Richard Curtis
Deputy Commissioner (Operations)

And the Southampton branch of Subway looked after the St John Ambulance first aiders by providing 52 lunches – free of charge.

In all, St John Ambulance Hampshire provided:

  • 10 ambulance vehicles
  • 2 cycle responders
  • 14 first aiders
  • 3 nurses
  • 1 doctor
  • 2 paramedics
  • 8 call centre staff (for 11 hours)
  • 5 communications staff
  • 5 managers
  • 2 cadets and cadet supervisor
  • 50 blankets

Duty Manager Richard Curtis has been planning the charity’s involvement for more than three months: 'I am grateful to all our volunteers, who worked together to provide medical cover for our usual community events, as well as these two large charity cycle rides.

'This was a complicated duty because our potential patients were constantly on the move and we had to ensure our ambulances and first aiders were in the right places a the right times!

'We were able to mobilise our first aiders, minibuses, support vehicles, ambulances, cycle responders, nurses, paramedics and doctors throughout the county using our high tech control room and deploy them to emergencies.'

Mr Curtis added: 'I would also like to thank the Southampton branch of Subway for their generosity in providing free meals for all our volunteers. It was very much appreciated and kept us going!'

St John Ambulance Hampshire was booked to provide first aid cover for two different cycle rides taking place in the county on the same day. 

The Hampshire Hilly Hundred, started and finished at Sparsholt College, and was a 100-mile ride for experienced cyclists keen to climb the county’s hills.

Southampton-based charity the Sailors’ Society organised sponsored family rides around Mayflower Park, with the option of either 25-mile or 45-mile round trips as far as Stockbridge for more ambitious cyclists.