St John funding 'taken for granted’

Press, 10 January 1987, Page 6

St John funding 'taken for granted’

If more Canterbury people were aware of how the St John Ambulance Association was funded it would probably not be in financial difficulty, according to its general manager, Mr Bernie Chatterton.

He confirmed yesterday that the association in Christchurch had to carry over a 1986 deficit of about $42,000 into this financial year. “Most of the people who we ask to contribute a donation to the service don’t realise that without

their support we cannot function adequately," Mr Chatterton said. “They tend to either take our funding for granted or think that the Government and Canterbury Hospital Board cover it” The chairman of the Christchurch subcentre for the association, Mr Ray West, said yesterday that the brigade activities, including attendance at sports meetings and fairs, was funded completely by donations. "We provide a lot of

services for Canterbury rugby players and I think they could be more generous with their support than they have been,” he said. “The Canterbury Hospital Board provides 75 per cent of the annual $2 million ambulance service and the other 25 per cent has to come from donations. The association asks for a $2O donation from people who use the ambulance service for nonaccident reasons. Mr West said that less than half of these people , contributed any money towards the association.