St John’s mentor Mick part of new campaign

ST JOHN’S ambulance mentor Mick Cardiff is included in a Dublin City Council campaign, which calls on Dubliners to be kind to each other, reports Maurice Garvey.

Ballyfermot man Cardiff, a member of St John’s Ambulance for 49 years, features in the campaign, which runs throughout February.

Mick talks about his work installing defibrillators and providing first aid training to as many people in Ballyfermot as possible.

Two years ago, Mick and his wife Michelle were left with life changing injuries following a freak accident while walking home.

A collision between two vehicles on the road, saw one of the cars collide with the pair on the foorpath.

They were brought to St James Hospital after suffering serious injuries.

A GoFundMe page, set up by Becca Lynch, raised close to €60,000, which included a €20,000 donation from UFC champion Conor McGregor.

Mick worked with the National Ambulance Service, and his tireless work as the divisional manager of St John’s in Ballyfermot, saw him recruiting and mentoring new volunteers, providing first aid training and talks to groups and schools, among other things.

Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí de Róiste launched the new campaign ‘Always Brighter Stories’, which celebrates good work in communities.

“When I was elected First Citizen, I said one of the key themes for my year in office would be kindness,” said the Lord Mayor.

“So I’m using this new campaign to call on everyone, including myself, to be more kind to family, friends, neighbours and even strangers.

“We all know people in our community who selflessly give up their time to help others, never asking for anything in return.

“I want to recognize those people and encourage as many others as I can to follow their example.

“I believe it’s especially important, given what happened in our city last November, that we look out for each other more in 2024.”

Presented across digital platforms and out of home advertising throughout February, the campaign features a number of videos of individuals and groups including renowned journalist and broadcaster Charlie Bird, who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2021.