The Museum of the Order of St John has been awarded £48,307 from Art Fund, the national charity for museums and galleries, to transform access to our uniform collection. The funding is part of a total of £1.3m awarded through the latest round of Art Fund’s Reimagine programme, supporting innovative collections projects in museums and galleries across the UK. This funding has been made possible thanks to support from The Kirby Laing Foundation, Art Fund members and supporters of Art Fund’s Expanding Horizons appeal. The project will run from January 2026 until December 2027.                                        

The Museum’s uniform collection of over 2100 garments dates from the late 1800s to the present. Through new research we will explore how St John Ambulance’s uniform has changed over time and what this can tell us about changes in society, the development of first aid and the lived experiences of volunteers. Through close visual and technical analysis, we will learn more about how garments were constructed, worn and used – from mass-produced to tailor-made items. Working closely with a textile conservator, we will improve the physical care of the collection and make it more accessible through new online resources and oral histories. All this activity will be a springboard for future creative projects with St John Young People, community and university partners. 

The Textile Society are kindly supporting the project with a Special Award of £1500 towards a Conservation Training Day and resources for our project volunteers.  

New discoveries will be shared through the Museum’s blog, socials and e-newsletter so sign up below to follow our progress! 

To learn more about Art Fund please visit: www.artfund.org  

To learn more about the Textile Society please visit: www.textilesociety.org.uk