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The relationship between Northern Ireland and Cyprus goes back to the 1980’s when the Commandery of Ards of N. Ireland and the St. John Association and Brigade of Cyprus (then St. John Ambulance) twinned; during the first half of the 1990’s there were exchanges of visits from both sites at functional level as well at top policy making level; later these activities subsided and came into picture about two years ago, when at a St. John Mediterranean Meeting in Malta the issue was raised as to the need for having information on training issues in first aid. At that juncture of time the idea of developing a kind of co-operation emerged and in two years, after concerted action this idea materialized.

 

Our two instructors who visited Northern Ireland last November were Ms Pavlina Kleanthous, a qualified nurse with the Limassol General Hospital and Ms Marina Parouti, an employee of the Cyprus Telecommunication Authority. Pavlina is amongst the most energetic trainers in first aid of our District Committee in Limassol and is also a qualified instructor for the automated external defibrillator. Marina is amongst those we call the new blood of the Association; she is very enthusiastic and dependable and always willing to render her services and help. Both of them are very valuable to us.

 

During their stay in Belfast our two trainers visited the offices of St. John and followed the FAW and FAW-Requalification courses; they also attended classes pertinent to City and Guilds; these classes were of great interest to them as they enable somebody to exercise teaching duties. Finally they observed actual teaching work where they realized the importance attributed to the teaching abilities of the instructor.

                

 

As: 5.2.2.1

 

 

28 March, 2013

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