ONE of the teams based at the Kassam Stadium has welcomed news that a new first aid unit will be based there on match days.

St John Ambulance is to set up the unit dedicated to providing first aid at the Grenoble Road stadium during sporting events involving London Welsh and Oxford United.

They will deal with everything from sprains and strains to heat exhaustion and heart attacks.

London Welsh spokesman Damian Dolan said: “St John Ambulance has always provided London Welsh with a fantastic service at the Kassam Stadium on match days and we wish them well with this new specialist unit at the ground.”

St John Ambulance has a long-standing contract with both Oxford United football club and London Welsh rugby team to provide first aid at the Kassam.

But at the moment matches are covered by volunteers from nearby St John Ambulance units.

The charity has decided to set up the new unit to allow first aiders to work more closely with match day officials and it is now looking for volunteers.

St John Ambulance district manager Craig Heigold said: “I can certainly say that being a St John Ambulance volunteer is extremely rewarding and it’s great to be able to give something back to your local community.

“You could be the difference between a life lost and a life saved.

“Of course anyone volunteering to be a first aider at the Kassam Stadium will have the benefit of seeing some of the matches.

“However, a first aider must be alert at all times to the medical needs of those around them, so anyone interested in joining must have first aid at that forefront of their minds.”

St John Ambulance was founded in the UK in 1877 by the Order of St John, a Christian order and operates around the world.

For more information visit sja.org.uk and look under the volunteer section, email south-east-volunteering@sja.org.uk or call 0303 003 0101.