FEDs celebrate 11 years at North Shore Northern Region | Thursday 9 May 2013 This week marks the 11 year anniversary of the first group of Friends of the Emergency Department (FEDs) commencing their amazing full time work at the North Shore Hospital. The pilot FED programme actually began on 5 November, 2001 at Auckland Hospital with seven FEDs and the renewed full time service started there on 13 May, 2002. It is hoped that at this time next year eight FEDs will qualify for their 12 Year Service Medal. St John now has just on 300 FEDs and Hospital Friends (volunteers in smaller hospitals with no ED) in Northern region and around 900 in 23 hospitals throughout the country. It’s been a marvellous programme which could not have worked without the hundreds of volunteers who have given months or years of service in the 11 years thus far and the various leadership teams throughout the regions who have made it work - thank you.