The good will of the public is invaluable to St John and the organisation must never lose sight of that fact.

This is the message from Norm Harris, Knight of St John, to those who attended the opening of the new Katikati St John Ambulance Station on Saturday.

Norm, a former Katikati resident, congratulated the community on raising $800,000 for the new station, a feat he says is not altogether surprising, given Katikati's previous generosity to the ambulance service.

In 2006 Katikati raised more than $200,000 to pay the salary of a second full time St John officer for the town.

In the 1980s, the community got behind the construction of its previous station, which was part of the town's community resource centre.

Norm urges St John to value the support of communities like Katikati, saying it is the actions of its officers, volunteers, area committee and members of its youth wings which create public goodwill, not the size of the organisation's PR campaign.

In front of around 100 invited guests, Norm, on behalf of St John, officially took procession of the new station, in a ceremony during which Mike Williams, chairperson of the Katikati St John Area Committee formally gifted the complex to St John.

Before the gifting ceremony, kaumatua Paeahi Wanakore blessed the building, as he led the official party inside.

Well respected local brothers Gary and Kevin Taylor unveiled the plaque commemorating the official opening; a duty they were asked to perform in recognition of the contribution both in kind and in funds, they had made to the complex through their company Taylor Brothers.

Mike Williams told the gathering that when the area committee and a co-opted fund raising committee embarked on the project to raise $800,000, they felt the task was daunting, but achievable. In fact with a sense of optimism, the fund raising venture was called 'St John 365, build in year”.

The project received an early and welcome boost of a $500,000 bequest from a local Katikati resident and the town went on to raise $320,000 thanks to donation from individuals, families and organisations, and from a number of events including the Rocky Horror Halloween ball.

An artwork by Shayne Bartlett in the foyer of the building names the individuals and organisations who donated funds to the building.

Construction of the building came to a temporary halt when the main contractor went into voluntary liquidation but thanks to local builder Ian West of Westco who stepped up to complete the building, it was finished on time.

Mike says St John is grateful to Ian and the local contractors who continued to support the project, even though some were hurt by the failure of the original contractor.

The new building, he says is earthquake and future proofed. It has storage and sluice facilities, over-night accommodation, showers and toilets, offices and a common-room-kitchen plus an adjoining meeting room which will be available for community use.

The invitation-only official open was followed by an 'open-station” event in the afternoon when the public was invited to view the new facility.

Kaumatua Paeahi Wanakore and Rev Brendan Gibbs led the guests into the building, watched by St John representatives, during the blessing of the new Katikati St John Ambulance Station.

A St John colour party presents the St John colours during the official opening of the new Katikati St John Ambulance Station.

Well respected local brothers Gary and Kevin Taylor unveiled the plaque commemorating the official opening of the new Katikati St John Ambulance Station.

Norm Harris, Knight of St John and Mike Williams, chairperson of the Katikati St John Area Committee at the new Katikati St John Ambulance Station.