A new door-to-door fundraising campaign is being launched next week by St John Ambulance who will be asking people in Wiltshire to help make a difference in the coming months.

A team of fundraisers who will be calling house to house in areas around North and West Wiltshire and Kennet from April 2.

They will visit Cricklade, Purton, Wootton Basset, Calne, Lyneham, Chippenham, Malmesbury, Corsham, Ramsbury, Marlborough, Pewsey, Devizes, Ludgershall, North Tidworth, Bradford On Avon, Melksham, Holt, Trowbridge, Westbury and Warminster.

They will be asking local residents to support the work of St John Ambulance in their community so the charity can continue being the difference between lives lost and lives saved.

The team will not be collecting cash or cheques, but instead asking people to consider becoming long-term supporters with a voluntarily chosen donation, for as long as they like. Anyone wishing to do so just needs to complete a simple form, which can be done on the doorstep.

Each fundraiser will be dressed in St John Ambulance branded clothing and will also be carrying identification which residents are encouraged to check carefully before signing any documentation.

The police and local neighbourhood watch groups have been made aware of the fundraisers’ work in the area and if anyone has any concerns over the credibility of the team member who visits their home they are able to contact the supporter hotline number 0845 222 99 11 (local rate).

The first aid charity encourages as many people as possible to learn basic first aid skills, which could one day be the difference between a life lost and a life saved.

As well as recruiting supporters, the team of fundraisers will be issuing residents with a free first aid guide providing advice on how to deal with common life threatening conditions so that if someone chokes, has a heart attack, stops breathing or cuts themselves, some useful information will be close at hand.

Robert Bruce, county executive officer for St John Ambulance Wiltshire, said: “We depend heavily on private and corporate donations, as we receive no core government funding in carrying out our first aid duties.

“We are confident that by handing out the first aid guides we will also be empowering others to be the difference too.”