St John Association of Gibraltar
Who we are
The Order of St John’s links with Gibraltar can be traced as far back as the sixteenth century. The Order owned land in Gibraltar on which it erected a church. Its grounds also included a cemetery, which was the burial place of the Knights and other members of the Order.
In the sixteenth century the Order was one of the greatest naval powers in the Mediterranean.
The historical predecessors of the Order, namely, the Tongue of England, one of the national branches into which the international Order was divided in medieval times, was abolished during the Reformation, although Titular Grand Priors of England continued to be appointed in Malta, then the headquarters of the Order.
In Britain it did not resume effective existence until the revival of the Grand Priory in 1831, and in the year 1888 the Order of St John of Jerusalem was incorporated by Royal Charter by Queen Victoria.
In 1883, only six years after the foundation of the St John Ambulance Association in England, and five years before the incorporation of the Order, Lady Brassey started the Gibraltar Centre of the St John Ambulance Association.
Gibraltar at a glance
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory shares a border with Spain to the north. Gibraltar has historically been an important base for the British Armed Forces and is the site of a Royal Navy base.
The sovereignty of Gibraltar is a major issue of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations. Spain requests the return of sovereignty, ceded by Spain in perpetuity in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht. The overwhelming majority of Gibraltarians strongly oppose this, along with any proposal of shared sovereignty.
The British military traditionally dominated the economy of Gibraltar, with the naval dockyard providing the bulk of economic activity. This has however diminished in the last twenty years, and it is estimated to account for only 7% of the local economy, compared to over 60% in 1984. Today, Gibraltar has an extensive service-based economy, dominated by financial services and tourism.
The population of Gibraltar was 27,967 in July 2007.
What we do
St John Gibraltar’s mission is:
- To prevent and relieve sickness and injury and to act to enhance the health and well-being of people of all races and creeds anywhere in the world.
- To provide Gibraltar with an efficient and cost effective Emergency Ambulance Service and Patient Transport Service
The Association provides:
- Patient Transport Service
- First Aid at Public Events
- First Aid Courses for the General Public