The 1964 Committee - foreword

Glyn Brown - N Squad 1973

Paul Townley - P Squad 1975

Ray Lunt - T Squad 1978

Jan Barnes-Orme - B Squad 1991

The 1964 Committee was formed to help plan a celebration event in recognition of the 60th anniversary of the formation of the City of Liverpool Ambulance Cadets in 1964. There have been previous cadet reunions but there is a pragmatic realisation that this will be the last time that we attempt to host it for all squads.

Being part of or being associated with the City of Liverpool Ambulance Cadets is something that we should be proud of. The souvenir brochure is aimed at helping preserve the history of the cadets and it is a reminder to us all that we should make effort to capture and record it for future generations.

We hope that it is a celebration of timeless elegance and unforgettable memories and we promote that for future events we look beyond the cadets to include the great ambulance staff who served under the umbrella of Mersey Metropolitan and Mersey Regional Ambulance Services.

The souvenir brochure is aimed at helping preserve the history of the cadets

More importantly, it is a poignant opportunity to raise a glass and toast the memory of the late and great Chief Ambulance Officer Albert Guinney OBE who started it all.

This ability to dial 999 for help is a cornerstone principle of society. Being able to respond to a patient’s medical emergency and being able to say the simple and powerful words "Ambulance Service " has been and continues to be a source of great pride for the men and women who have served in the Ambulance Service. This pride exists in the Ambulance Service Club all over the world but for Liverpool, 2024 is the 60th Anniversary of the establishment of the City of Liverpool Ambulance Cadets and they are all proud of having been (or still are) in that Club.

Since its introduction on 30th June 1937, the ability to summon help via dialling 999 can be taken for granted. It is easy to forget how difficult it was to summon the right type of help for victims and trying to do that promptly in situations in which time truly mattered was near impossible.

From shouts of help, community runners, Policemen's whistles, Police Call Boxes, Public red telephone kiosks on street corners; through to the futuristic prevalence of the smartphone today.

Response and transportation have come in many forms; from stretcher bearers, wheeled stretchers, horse drawn carriages, a vast array of motorised vehicles to its current advanced fleet complimented by specialised rescue units and air support.

The Ambulance Cadets all have one thing in common in that they have dedicated themselves to respond to medical and traumatic emergencies at a moment’s notice with the overarching aim of saving life and reducing morbidity. In Liverpool, they helped shape the modern pre-hospital Paramedic Care of today.