A recruitment event is being run to find new members to join the St John Ambulance team in Grays.

On August 11 from midday to 4pm, members of the public are invited to visit the unit building in London Road, Grays, to find out more about what the charity does in the local area.

During the afternoon there will be practical demonstrations of Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation and how to use a defibrillator, and visitors will also be able to look round a selection of vehicles that are used by the local volunteers when delivering life saving first aid at events and in the community.

Refreshments will be available and a tombola and raffle will be run to raise funds for the unit.

The unit has vacancies at all levels for people who wish to enrol and learn life saving skills, including adult first aiders, cadets, for children age ten to 17 and badgers, aged seven to ten.

Each group of volunteers has a weekly evening meeting at which first aid and a range of other skills are taught by existing volunteers and trainers.

The Cadets and Badgers work towards their own qualifications – the Grand Prior Award and the Super Badger Award – and are taught age-specific first aid.

Derek Wright, a volunteer paramedic at the Grays unit, said: "We’re looking forward to welcoming plenty of local people during our open afternoon and to showing them what it is like to be a first aider and volunteer for St John Ambulance.

"We are a busy and friendly unit, supporting events in the local area and helping people in the community, but we would like to grow the number of volunteers in all age groups so we can do even more in the coming years.

"It’s an amazing feeling knowing that you are able to save a life so please do consider enrolling with us and learning these vital skills."

Anyone interested in volunteering is encouraged to visit the unit on 11 August or to email east-volunteering@sja.org.uk