What we do

The Order of St John traces its origins back 900 years when the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem was established in the holy city by monks who wanted to care for the sick and the poor. As a result our inspiration comes from our motto “For the Faith and in the Service of Humanity.”

When the modern Order of St John was incorporated by Queen Victoria in 1888 at the time of the industrial revolution, St John Ambulance volunteers were providing vital first aid and ambulance services across Britain. While these remain at the core of St John’s work around the world, many other services have been developed to care and support communities in need.

Click on the links to the left to find out more about the services that St John organisations provide around the world.