Young people have been a vital part of St John Ambulance since its very beginning, and in 1922 the organisation officially established the Cadets as a nationwide programme for under-18s. To celebrate the centenary of St John Ambulance Cadets in 2022, young people from across the charity interviewed their predecessors from the 1940s to the present day.
You can listen to excerpts from these interviews in a new online exhibition.
The full-length oral history interviews, transcripts, and the photographs and records donated to the Archive by some of the interviewees have formed part of the Museum’s Archive collection, and a guide to the Cadet Voices archive collection is available to view here. The interviews, transcripts, and accompanying records are all available to listen to or view in-person at the Museum. Appointments are free of charge but require a minimum of two weeks’ notice, and subject to the availability of staff to supervise the visit. If you would like to make an appointment, please email museum@sja.org.uk
It has been a privilege to listen to the former Cadets as they have generously shared their memories and explained the often-significant impact being a Cadet has had and continues to have on their lives.
The project was kindly funded by St John Ambulance, the St John Fellowship and a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
