Dr Tessa Turnball turned the first sod of the new St John Ambulance site in Katikati this morning, ahead of construction on Monday.

Kaumatua Paeahi Wanakore and Vicar Brendan Gibbs led a party of St John volunteers, members of the St John 365 fund raising committee and representatives from Te Rereatukahia Marae on a solemn prayer walk to bless the site before Dr Tessa Turnbull turned the first sod.

Dr Tessa Turnball (front) turned the first sod on the site of Katikati's new St John Ambulance Station this morning.

BayCom Construction, which built the adjoining Katikati Fire Station, has been awarded the contract following an intensive campaign which saw the Katikati community raise $811,000 in around 12 months.

Jonette Thompson of the St John 365 fund raising committee says she never doubted Katikati would reach the target but did think doing so in 12 months was somewhat ambitious.

'However, this community is amazing. So many people contributed from just a few dollars to significant amounts and as a fund raising committee we had very few costs, so everything raised went into the building fund.”

The project received a significant boost early on with $500,000 bequest from a former Katikati resident. In October 2014 Richard O'Brien of Rocky Horror fame and his wife Sabrina staged a Halloween party at the Katikati Primary School and generously donated the $30,000 it raised to the appeal.

Tessa Turnbull says it's an honour to be asked to turn the first sod for the new building.

She has been involved with Katiklati St John since she first arrived in the town in 1981, often accompanying ambulance volunteers when they attended emergency call-outs, as well as assisting with their training.

The new station is urgently required as the current station, built around 18 years ago, is too small now Katikati St John has two ambulances and four full time ambulance officers, supported by up to 20 volunteers.

There is only garaging for one ambulance which means the other must stay outside. The over-night accommodation for officers on call is no longer adequate, nor are the office, kitchen and training facilities.

When the original station was built, Katikati had a population of around 2500 but today that figure is closer to 5000, and there are another 5000 people in the rural area the brigade also serves, and a further 2500 at Omokoroa.

The new station will also serve as a civil defense emergency centre and will have room for both ambulances, and possibly the Katikati Red Cross emergency trailer too. There will be accommodation and locker facilities for staff, a sluice room, storage for medical supplies and linen, a training room and a kitchen.