St. John has new Knight Commander

Sunday 04 December 2022

Guernsey resident John Hollis has been appointed as a Knight of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem - more commonly referred to as the Order of St. John.

His appointment was announced in The Gazette, the official public record, having been sanctioned by His Royal Highness, The Duke of Gloucester, on behalf of His Majesty The King.

Mr Hollis (pictured top) will become the Knight Commander of St. John in the Bailiwick. He will represent St. John at events in Guernsey and England and chair the Commandery, a board of directors which sets sets strategic direction for, and has oversight of, the various sections of the St. John charity locally.

"I am honoured to have been appointed as Knight Commander and look forward to working to support and develop the many activities of St. John in Guernsey," said Mr Hollis.

"The organisation serves and cares for our community in so many ways, from event first aiders to community first responders, Badgers and Cadets, first aid training and the emergency ambulance service.

"Not long ago, we stood on our doorsteps every Thursday to clap the bravery of frontline medical staff, emergency services, volunteers and essential workers in Guernsey. We said we would not forget what they had done for us during the pandemic. Therefore, I am pleased and grateful to be able to help this generous and caring group of people in any way I can."

Pictured: John Hollis enjoyed an international business career in retail customer service and logistics and was a member of States' committees.

He has chaired the boards of the St. John Guernsey charity and St. John Ambulance & Rescue Service since 2021, having previously been involved in two reviews of the emergency ambulance service during his time on States' committees.

He takes over as Knight Commander from Andrew Henton, who served in the role for five years. A formal investiture ceremony is due to take place at the historic Priory church of St. John in Clerkenwell in London next year.

The full title is Knight Commander for the Commandery of St. John in the Bailiwick, which reflects that St. John is a Royal Order of Chivalry with all members appointed at the discretion of His Majesty The King.

The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem has its roots in a hospice in Jerusalem in the 11th century. Today, the international charity provides health care and support in more than 40 countries through a dedicated team of around 250,000 volunteers and staff.

In addition to being commissioned to provide the Emergency Ambulance Service, St. John Guernsey’s further charitable services include first aid volunteers, the Flying Christine marine ambulance, the Badger and Cadet youth programme, Community First Responders, Caring Callers, the Community Library, first aid training and a healthcare shop.