In an emergency, the first few moments can shape everything that follows. Before an ambulance arrives, it is often the actions of the people already there that help keep someone safe, supported, and alive.

A calm voice. A helping hand. Someone stepping forward with the confidence to check for danger, call for help, begin CPR, or simply stay with a person until emergency services arrive.

First aid is more than a skill — it is practical knowledge that helps people respond when it is most needed. It gives communities the ability to care for one another when every second counts, and every day across New Zealand, Hato Hone St John helps build that knowledge and confidence.

Building More Prepared Communities

While many people know Hato Hone St John for ambulance services and frontline emergency response, first aid knowledge matters long before the sirens are heard. In homes, workplaces, schools, and public spaces, it can help preserve life, reduce harm, and support a person until professional care takes over.

Through first aid education and community programmes, Hato Hone St John equips New Zealanders with practical skills that make emergencies feel less overwhelming and communities more prepared to respond.

In the past year alone:

• 110,102 tamariki participated in St John in Schools
• 96,730 people received physical or mental health first aid training
• 905 St John defibrillators are now available in communities across Aotearoa

These numbers represent more than statistics. They reflect people who are better prepared to act in those crucial early moments — people who know how to assess a situation, give immediate care, and support someone until further help arrives.

Confidence Comes From Preparation

For many people, first aid training is something they hope they will never need to use — but when an emergency happens, that training can help turn uncertainty into action.

Training builds confidence by giving people simple, practical steps to follow under pressure. Instead of feeling helpless, they are more likely to stay calm, make decisions, and provide care when every second counts.

That confidence is one of the most valuable outcomes of quality training. One recent participant from Cohesive Construction Central Otago Ltd shared their experience after attending a Level 2 First Aid course in Alexandra:

“The First Aid Level 2 course I completed with Hato Hone St John in Alexandra was the best I have ever attended. The detail and scope of the material presented was comprehensive and excellently conveyed by tutor Ethan.

I have been to many of these courses over my 30 something years in the construction industry and both Ethan and the course material was the best I have experienced.”

“Hato Hone St John are at the frontline of medical response, providing ambulance services throughout NZ and it’s evident they have used this experience to provide such care and effort into their first aid training courses.”

It’s a powerful reminder that training grounded in real frontline experience can help people feel ready to respond in real-life situations — not perfectly, but practically, calmly, and with greater confidence.

Why This Matters to Makana

At Makana Confections, we believe care often begins in small, everyday moments.

Whether it’s checking in on someone, supporting your local community, sharing a thoughtful gift, or simply being there when needed, small actions can have a lasting impact.

That’s one of the reasons we’re proud to support the Hato Hone St John Light the Way Annual Appeal.

This year’s appeal is helping fund the building and repair of vital ambulance stations across New Zealand — supporting the teams who respond to emergencies every single day.

Because behind every emergency response is a wider network of people, places, training, and preparation — all working together to improve outcomes when time matters most.

Supporting the Annual Appeal

Throughout June, Makana Confections is donating $3 from every box sold of our Limited-Edition Dark Macadamia Butter Toffee Crunch to the Hato Hone St John Light the Way Annual Appeal. Available for a special June price of $26.90, this limited-edition release helps support ambulance station projects that allow frontline crews to rest, recharge, and prepare for the next callout.

You can learn more about this year’s campaign, Light the Way, here: Light the Way Annual Appeal

If you’d like to go one step further and directly support the appeal, you can also make a donation here: Donate to Hato Hone St John

Every contribution helps provide crews with the fit-for-purpose ambulance stations they need to be at their best for you and your loved ones.

 

Small Actions Matter

Not everyone will work on the frontline of emergency response. But everyone has the ability to make a difference.

Whether it’s learning first aid, supporting community organisations, checking in on someone around you, or contributing to this year’s campaign, every action matters — especially the ones that help someone respond quickly and confidently in a moment of need.

Together, those small actions help create stronger, safer, and more connected communities across Aotearoa.