World’s longest-serving St John volunteer reaches 80 years
Murray Bridge’s David Heard has now served the community through St John Ambulance longer than anyone else in history.
If you’re looking for an inspiring example this Volunteers Week, look no further than Murray Bridge’s David Heard.
The 91-year-old has been involved with St John Ambulance for 80 years this year, making him the organisation’s longest-serving volunteer anywhere in the world.
He joined the Colonel Light Gardens team as a cadet in 1944, when he was still in primary school.
Today he still serves as treasurer of the St John Ambulance Historical Society.
After all, he has been around for more than half of the organisation’s South Australian history.
He was on duty at the corner of King William Street and North Terrace, in Adelaide, on the day victory was declared in World War II.
“People were cheering and hugging and kissing – they were crammed in,” he said.
“I’ve never seen anything like it since.”
He began volunteer ambulance work on Friday and Saturday nights in 1950.
“One day I just happened to be going past a motor car crash when the passenger, a woman, had scraped her knee quite badly,” he said.
“I had a fresh laundered handkerchief which I used to bandage her knee.
“A week or so later she sent it back to me in the post, freshly laundered and ironed thanking me for my help.”
In time he shifted to St John’s Murray Bridge team after moving to the town to help manage the property owned by his late wife, Joy.
He helped establish ambulance services at Mount Pleasant and Meningie, through St John’s Mannum and Tailem Bend teams; and contributed to St John cadet programs which started up in Murray Bridge, Mannum, Tailem Bend, Karoonda and Mount Barker.
He was awarded a St John service medal in 1958, has since had 10 bars added to it, holds the rank of Knight of the Order of St John, and has been honoured for his service by governors and the late Duke of Edinburgh.
St John Ambulance SA CEO Mark Groote credited Mr Heard for his tireless commitment.
“St John volunteers are among the most special, skilled and selfless people in our community … (and) David is the epitome of service,” he said.
“We are extremely grateful for all he has done and continues to do, along with all … volunteers who support our organisation and the South Australian community.”
Mr Heard said he had no plans to quit the service anytime soon.
“I might get tired but I’m not retiring,” he said.
“I’m still learning.”
He had made many friends through St John over the years, he said: “That’s the thing about volunteering – you meet good people”.
All four of his children became St John cadets, and one daughter and two granddaughters still volunteer with the organisation.
“It’s in our blood,” Mr Heard said.
- Read more: Join in … with St John Ambulance SA
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