A NEW man has been appointed as youth development officer for St John Ambulance in North Yorkshire and Teesside.

Based at Thirsk, John Spikings, 25, covers a huge area bounded by Hartlepool in the north, Selby in the south, Settle in the west and Filey to the east.

His mission, a large part of which will involve school visits, is to recruit and retain voluntary youth officers and assistants – what he describes as "the backbone of the organisation."

He said: "Any organisation will fade and die if it doesn’t constantly strive to attract younger members, so I see my job as being vital for the future of SJA in this area."

He added: "It’s important to stress that there’s a lot more to our organisation than just first aid.

"We offer a massive and varied programme of activities providing children and young people with opportunities to develop their full potential.

"So often nowadays, problem youths are the first thing to hit the headlines, yet our young people are a real credit to this organisation, their families and the community. I have great faith in them. They demonstrate the best side of youth."

John previously worked for the organisation in South and West Yorkshire. He and his partner, Stephanie, also a member of SJA, are expecting their first child this summer.