Eight vehicles which have supported St John Ambulance Cymru’s lifesaving work in communities across Wales have been sent to Ukraine to provide emergency medical assistance on the front line.
The first aid charity for Wales’ retired ambulance vehicles were filled with donations of surplus or expired medical supplies and equipment from NHS Wales, Welsh Ambulances Services University NHS Trust, South Wales Police, Medserve Wales and the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS).
The project was in partnership with 100 Ambulances for Ukraine and SMART Medical Aid, a charitable foundation established with the sole aim to provide expert-level humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
St John Ambulance Cymru Chief Executive, Richard Lee MBE CStJ QAM FIMC FCPara, said:
“We are pleased to be able to work with SMART Medical Aid and 100 Ambulances for Ukraine to make sure they are able to carry on their lifesaving work in very difficult circumstances.
“These vehicles have kept communities in Wales safe for many years and we wish them every success in their new homes in Ukraine.”
The vehicles were collected from the charity’s Cardiff headquarters at the end of July, heading first to Dover before leaving the UK to continue their journey to Ukraine.
They will be replaced by seven newer more fuel-efficient vehicles, which will be used by St John People across Wales to support St John Ambulance Cymru’s work to provide first aid at community events and patient transport, while helping the charity to lower its carbon footprint and save on maintenance costs.
Cerbydau ymddeoledig St John Ambulance Cymru i gefnogi gwaith achub bywydau ar reng flaen Wcráin
Mae wyth cerbyd sydd wedi cefnogi gwaith achub bywydau St John Ambulance Cymru mewn cymunedau ledled Cymru wedi cael eu hanfon i Wcráin i ddarparu cymorth meddygol brys ar y rheng flaen.
Llenwyd cerbydau ambiwlans ymddeoledig elusen cymorth cyntaf Cymru â rhoddion o gyflenwadau a chyfarpar meddygol dros ben neu wedi dod i ben, gan GIG Cymru, Ymddiriedolaeth Brifysgol GIG Gwasanaethau Ambiwlans Cymru, Heddlu De Cymru, Medserve Wales a'r Gwasanaeth Adalw a Throsglwyddo Meddygol Brys (EMRTS) Cymru.
Roedd y prosiect mewn partneriaeth â 100 Ambulances for Ukraine a SMART Medical Aid, sefydliad elusennol a sefydlwyd gyda'r unig nod o ddarparu cymorth dyngarol ar lefel arbenigol i Wcráin.
Dywedodd Prif Weithredwr St John Ambulance Cymru, Richard Lee MBE CStJ QAM FIMC FCPara:
“Rydym yn falch o allu gweithio gyda SMART Medical Aid a 100 Ambulances for Ukraine i wneud yn siŵr eu bod yn gallu parhau â’u gwaith achub bywydau mewn amgylchiadau anodd iawn.
“Mae’r cerbydau hyn wedi cadw cymunedau yng Nghymru yn ddiogel ers blynyddoedd lawer ac rydym yn dymuno pob llwyddiant iddynt yn eu cartrefi newydd yn Wcráin.”
Casglwyd y cerbydau o bencadlys yr elusen yng Nghaerdydd ddiwedd mis Gorffennaf, gan deithio i Dover yn gyntaf cyn gadael y DU i barhau â'u taith i Wcráin.
Byddant yn cael eu disodli gan saith cerbyd newydd sy'n fwy effeithlon o ran tanwydd, a fydd yn cael eu defnyddio gan Bobl St John ledled Cymru i gefnogi gwaith St John Ambulance Cymru i ddarparu cymorth cyntaf mewn digwyddiadau cymunedol a chludiant claf, gan helpu'r elusen i leihau ei hôl troed carbon ac arbed ar gostau cynnal a chadw.