Vivienne with her late husband, David.
I became a volunteer First Aid Instructor with St John Ambulance in 1981 and remained in that role until I retired in 2014, a total of 33 years. At the same time, I was also an active member of the NSW Rural Fire Service, having joined in 1973. In August 2026, I celebrated 53 years of service with the RFS.
During those years, I taught first aid to the public, including members of our Operations Branch (now Event Health Services), as well as my RFS colleagues. This led to my professional employment as an Instructor and Examiner in the corporate sector, where I worked for 12 years from 1984 to 1996. On weekends, I continued volunteer first aid training and operational firefighting. I was also Chairman of the Hornsby/Kuring-gai Training Region (later known as the Hornsby Sydney North Region) for 14 years.
My late husband, David, and I became part of the Training Branch’s Special Division established in 1997 in preparation for the Sydney Olympic Games. Following the Olympics, in 2001, we were invited to run the University of New South Wales Division. This division was made up mainly of the University’s medical students. Although we both retired from the Operations Branch at the end of 2011, we continued running first aid courses until retiring from the Training Branch in 2014. I am also President of the Hornsby Cadets and a member of the Order of St John (CStJ).
As a Field Liaison Officer, I would spend weekends visiting instructors in my area, conducting appraisals, mentoring new trainers, and assisting with any concerns they had in teaching first aid skills.
My passion has always been teaching first aid and equipping people with the skills and confidence to make a difference in someone else’s wellbeing. As an Operations Branch member, I was also able to help people who were unwell or injured, reassuring them that someone was there to care for them until medical assistance arrived.
I believe that, as women, mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers, we have the ability to continue doing all these things with the support and understanding of our loved ones. It is possible to enjoy life with family and friends while also giving your very best in everything you do.
St John Ambulance Australia acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities on the Traditional Lands on which we work Australia wide. We acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the Canberra region, where our Australian Office is based. We pay our respects to elders past and present. At St John Ambulance, we are an inclusive organisation. We welcome and respect people that come from all backgrounds, cultures, religions, genders, sexualities, bodies, and abilities. Access to First Aid and its knowledge are fundamental human rights. Every person deserves access to life saving support, no matter who they are.
St John Ambulance Australia’s nationally recognised accredited courses are delivered by way of third-party arrangement with other organisations (for example, with our St John States and Territories). These St John states and territories (except WA) are authorised to deliver nationally recognised and accredited training on behalf of St John Ambulance Australia Ltd (RTO 88041).
St John Ambulance Australia acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities on the Traditional Lands on which we work Australia wide. We acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the Canberra region, where our Australian Office is based. We pay our respects to elders past and present. At St John Ambulance, we are an inclusive organisation. We welcome and respect people that come from all backgrounds, cultures, religions, genders, sexualities, bodies, and abilities. Access to First Aid and its knowledge are fundamental human rights. Every person deserves access to life saving support, no matter who they are.
St John Ambulance Australia’s nationally recognised accredited courses are delivered by way of third-party arrangement with other organisations (for example, with our St John State and Territory agents). These agents (except WA) are authorised to deliver nationally recognised and accredited training on behalf of St John Ambulance Australia Ltd (RTO 88041).
