Future lives

Cornwall Air Ambulance is appealing for your urgent support.

With the closure of charity shops, the cancellation of community fundraising events and the loss of income from the tourism sector, lifesaving charities across Cornwall are suffering. And not least, the Cornwall Air Ambulance, that is predicting an annual loss of income of around £1.5 million.

The charity says the unprecedented shortfall in income could significantly impact the service it provides across the county and so it needs your help to safeguard the future of the helicopter service amid this significant funding shortfall, due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Every year the helicopter responds to over 700 emergency calls for help and is on-scene at an incident in an average of just 12 minutes. Combined with the charity’s nightly critical care car cover, the crew were tasked to a total of 1,144 missions in 2019. It costs more than £4.5 million a year to run the lifesaving charity and the £1.5 million shortfall could have consequences on the service it provides.

Air Operations Officer, Steve Garvey, said: “We don’t want anyone to be left behind because of the knock-on impact of this pandemic. We have a brand-new aircraft, with increased capabilities, and we want to make sure we can continue to use it to its full potential.

“The aircrew have worked hard to keep flying during the pandemic, and we have adapted our ways of working and the protective measures in the helicopter. With your help we will be able to continue to bring the level of care we currently do to as many seriously sick and injured patients as possible in the future.”

Paula Martin, Chief Executive of Cornwall Air Ambulance, said: “Cornwall Air Ambulance is an independent charity, and although we have NHS paramedics in the team, the charity is not eligible for the millions of pounds raised for the NHS. Cornwall Air Ambulance is not immune to the effects of Coronavirus. The more people who can step in now, take action and support the lifesaving work of the charity, the greater the chances are that we can preserve the maximum service levels and reach the patients who need us most in their hour of need. Future lives depend on the support of the amazing people of Cornwall.”

DISCOVER MORE

To donate, go to cornwallairambulancetrust.org/donate

CORNWALL AIR AMBULANCE

01637 889926

www.cornwallairambulancetrust.org