A state of the art vehicle will be seen in Bridlington and around the region after St John Ambulance took delivery of a new electric car.
The vehicle arrived at the Hull depot recently as part of a project to replace existing support cars across the country thanks to a generous donation from the Medlock Charitable Trust.
The generosity of major donors makes a huge difference to St John Ambulance, with local communities, patients, volunteers and the environment benefiting from the investment they make in its lifesaving work.
In August 2022, the Medlock Charitable Trust pledged to match the fundraising efforts of St John and communities across England, of up to £1 million, enabling the charity to purchase greener, cleaner, more efficient emergency vehicles, over three years. The matched funding incentive helped to endorse local and national fundraising across the country and, in total, St John raised nearly £130,000 towards the electric cars.
The electric vehicle, which will be used in the Hull, East Riding and North Lincolnshire areas as well as areas further afield as and when required, and the teams are delighted to be able to use it. Look out for it being used around the Bridlington area!
Neil Spencer, District Fleet Officer at St John Ambulance, said: “Here at St John Ambulance, we are a forward-thinking and future-ready organisation, and nothing highlights this more than the introduction of our new Kia Nero electric vehicles which have a wide range of uses.”
Initial plans in St John Ambulance’s 10-year fleet strategy include the purchase of 12 electric cars and 15 community support units, plus the replacement of ageing ambulances with state-of-the-art new vehicles. As a charity conscious of their impact on the environment, St John is looking at alternatives to petrol and diesel, and how their carbon footprint can be reduced. With the disposal of old diesel vehicles and replacing them with new greener alternatives, St John is on the road to achieving its sustainability goals.
For more information about St John Ambulance and the work it does, visit sja.org.uk
