Fears for St John boat's future
There are concerns that the future of a charity river cruiser carrying disabled and elderly people along the River Trent may be under threat.
St John Ambulance is reviewing projects not directly related to first aid, and they include its Newark Crusader boat.
The St John Water Wing has two boats — one moored at Farndon and one at Colwick.
Last year the Newark Crusader made 200 trips, carrying 2,100 people.
It makes two trips a day, five days a week, taking disabled adults and children and elderly people on trips along the River Trent.
This year’s season is due to start on April 23 as normal, but it is unclear what the future holds.
Former voluntary PR for St John Water Wing Mrs Lyn Churcher, of Orston, said if St John decided not to fund Water Wing after this year it would be a callous act.
“This behaviour has more in common with a commercial organisation operating in the private sector,” she said.
“St John will be abandoning years of proud service and their ethos which is, or was, caring for life.
“I witnessed at first-hand the joy and therapeutic effects that cruising on the Crusader river boat gave to profoundly disabled children and vulnerable adults.
“The many amazing and dedicated volunteers who have so freely given their time over years to establish and run this service must be feeling utterly betrayed.”
A spokesman for St John Ambulance said they were a first aid charity whose vision was to ensure that no one suffered for a lack of first aid.
She said the Water Wing, along with all non-first aid projects, was under review.
She said: “We are reviewing whether to support projects that, while they are worthwhile in themselves, don’t contribute to our mission to reduce unnecessary death.”
She said no changes had been proposed to the services run out of the Newark headquarters on Brunel Drive.
She said a new national structure of eight regions was needed to replace the current structure of 41 headquarters across the country, which would be less expensive and mean resources could be shared.
The superintendent at Newark division of St John Ambulance, Mr Philip Jessop, said they were due to have a meeting on April 21 where it might become clearer what was proposed.
A service will be held in Newark Parish Church on Sunday afternoon to mark the centenary of the Newark division. It will be led by the county chaplain, the Rev Reg Walton.
During the service a certificate to mark the centenary will be presented to Mr Jessop by the chairman of Newark and Sherwood District Council, Mrs Marika Tribe.
