A free first aid app, created by St John Cymru Wales, has been honoured at a charity awards ceremony in Cardiff.

The app was a runner up in the Best Communications category at the Wales Council for Voluntary Action’s Third Sector Cymru Awards. The awards honour the hardest-working, most inspirational third sector groups across Wales.

The Class award for Best Communications awards groups with effective or innovative ways of communicating their message to service users and volunteers.

The St John Wales' free first aid app was launched in July last year and contains advice on how to deal with common accidents and injuries such as choking, fever, burns and scalds and other medical emergencies such as how to give CPR.

It’s available for iOS, Android and Windows phones and has already been downloaded more than 13,000 times.

Suzanne Cass, St John Wales’ Director of Marketing, PR and Fundraising said, “We are really proud of our app and are delighted that it was one of the three shortlisted for the Best Communications award.

“We know that the app has already saved at least one life. Roger Van Praet from Carmarthen contacted us to say he was having a heart attack, which he only identified after reading the advice on the app. He called the ambulance and was treated in hospital and has since made a full recovery. We would urge anyone to download it so it’s there if they ever need it.”

The app was funded and developed by BT, is fully bilingual in English and Welsh and is compatible with iOS, Android and Windows phones. It is available to download here or through the iTunes, Google Play and Windows stores by searching ‘St John Wales’. 

The WCVA Third Sector Best Communications Award was won by The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution. Time to Change Wales were the other runners up.