Invercargill-based power company PowerNet has received a Priory Vote of Thanks from St John – one of the organisation’s highest honours for clubs, institutions, businesses or individuals who show exceptional support for the work of St John - in recognition of its long-standing relationship with St John in Southland.
At a presentation in Invercargill today [August 6], PowerNet chief executive Jason Franklin was presented the special award, authorised by St John Prior, Her Excellency The Rt Hon Dame Patsy Reddy GNZM QSO DStJ, and recommended by the Priory Chapter.
The Priory Vote of Thanks was awarded to PowerNet to acknowledge the company’s six-year-long relationship with St John in Southland. This financial year alone their sponsorship will reach a total of $600,000. To date it has funded 64 public first aid courses throughout Southland and Otago and rental support for the St John Training Centre in Invercargill, which holds 18-20 courses every month. The PowerNet sponsorship has also assisted the ASB St John in Schools programme in Southland/Otago and has installed 13 publicly accessible AEDs (automated external defibrillators) around the region.
“PowerNet’s support of St John in Southland/Otago has been invaluable,” says Craig Stockdale, St John Regional General Manager of the South Island.
“Not only has PowerNet enabled St John to train 1,032 people in life-saving first aid skills, (that’s about 1% of the Southland population), we have also equipped 33,890 clever little life savers from 219 schools visited through ASB St John in Schools programme. Furthermore, one of its donated AEDs was used to help save a woman’s life. We are very grateful for this support.”
"We’ll always continue to strive towards being a world-class provider of emergency ambulance services and now we also want to deliver more to our communities, both geographically and to those ethnic groups where the need is greatest. We’re investing even more to strengthen our existing community programmes, by lending a hand to help build more resilient, connected communities, we hope to make it easier for people to stay well and enjoy their lives,” says Mr Stockdale.
PowerNet chief executive Jason says, “We are extremely proud to receive this award from St John. Our partnership with St John is directly benefiting the people of Southland and Otago, whether through the ASB St John in Schools Programme, making AEDs readily accessible in the region, and directly funding first-aid training.”