AT large events where hundreds or thousands of people are gathered there are inevitable incidents.

Someone could have a fall, suffer from a particularly bad asthma attack or even a heart attack.

It is reassuring, then, to know that if you get into trouble at an event like this, the St John Ambulance will more than likely be there to help out.

The world-wide voluntary organisation has some 300,000 members from Antigua to Zimbabwe. It provides first aid training to the public and to members that go out and provide medical care for events.

It also has a hand in nursing, providing care for families and the elderly and during large emergencies acts as a back up for the blue light services.

The Malvern division, one of the oldest in Worcestershire after being set up in 1916, has around 30 members and covers over 100 events a year. Members donate over 5,000 hours of their time for no financial reward.

Duties covered include Malvern Theatres, which it has done for over 35 years, hill walks, sponsored swims, The Three Counties Show, local fetes and Upton Water Festival.

This week the division has, of course, seen its members out and about attending bonfire and fireworks displays all over the Malvern Hills area.

So what is the motivation behind it?

Caryn Hall has been a brigade member for over 20 years around the UK. A full time environmental health officer, she gives up sizeable chunks of her time off for the division.

"The bottom line is that you can save someone's life," she says.

"A lot of people want to help the community, they want to put something back. It is very much like the TA, you get a rank so you get leadership skills and a sense of worth really."

As well as first-aiders the organisation also has fully trained doctors and paramedics, who all treat a range of ailments from blisters on feet during sponsored walks to heart attacks, which they are able to treat with defibrillators.

"We recognise that we are not a blue light service in that sense, but we like to say that we sustain life until more advanced medical care can come in," says Ms Hall.

"Malvern is one of the most active divisions I have been involved in. It's quite a young division, most are aged around 18 to 30, we socialise as well, it's not just about first aid."

The Malvern division has two ambulances, one regular one and an off-road Ford Maverick needed due to the local terrain.

However, the lack of somewhere to keep the vehicles is proving somewhat of a strain.

The division doesn't have a garage, and the ambulances are kept outside all year round. A garage is just one of the things that the division is looking for.

Mechanics that are willing to donate some of their time to service vehicles would be much appreciated, as would anyone who would be willing to build the division an interactive website, where people could book them online.

The foot and mouth crisis hit the whole organisation hard, as many of the events they rely on for funds were cancelled.

"We still have to service our vehicles and so on," said Ms Hall.

It's not just adults that take part in activities. Children aged six to ten can join the Badgers, and then from ten to 18 they can be part of the St John Ambulance Cadets. The division regularly visits schools and also teaches other organisations such as the scouts.

The Malvern Division meets at St John Hall in Portland Road, Malvern.

Badgers meet between 5.30pm and 6.30pm on Mondays, Cadets meet from 6.30pm on Mondays and Adults meet on Tuesdays at 7.30pm.

Anyone interested in joining St John Ambulance should contact the Malvern Division's superintendent Lorraine Odell on 01684 574961.