St John Ambulance worker earns New Year honour after 60 years of service

A St John Ambulance volunteer from Lee has been recognised for his work and achievements in the New Year Honours List.

Keith Schnaar, 76, of Newstead Road, has received the British Empire Medal (BEM) for his tireless work for the first aid and healthcare charity over 64 years.

Keith first joined the charity in 1952 and has had several roles since then, including working with adult volunteers and St John Cadets, particularly ensuring that the younger volunteers got the best from their time with St John and progressed into adult units.

Thanks to his passion for the history of the charity, Keith now volunteers as a guide at the Museum of the Order of St John in Clerkenwell several times a week.

His vast knowledge of St John’s heritage is shared with many visitors during tours of the charity’s estate at St John’s Gate, and Keith has also inspired many thousands of cadets to find out more about the charity’s history.

A founder member of the St John Historical Society, Keith has served as chairman and president over the years, bringing well-known and respected speakers to the society to lecture to its members.

Since 2018, Keith has been deputy Priory Fellowship Secretary to the St John Fellowship, the organisation’s large group of volunteers who wish to support the charity.

His experience and contacts meant that he was able to ensure that these often older volunteers were able to stay in touch with the charity during the Covid-19 pandemic.

His support for the charity also now extends to looking after the beehives in the St John Cloister Garden, even harvesting the honey so that it can be sold to raise money for the charity in its museum shop.

Keith said: “In the St John family, there are many people deserving of national honours, so I am proud to be recognised. I am only sorry that Sheila, my dear wife, is not here to share this with me.”

Pictured top: Keith Schnaar (Picture: St John Ambulance)