Fundraising for National Air Ambulance Week

The chance to try flying an ambulance without leaving the ground will be available in Basingstoke’s Festival Place shopping centre on Saturday 29th September.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) will be bringing its Helicopter POD to the centre as part of the fundraising National Air Ambulance Week.Visitors will be able to make donations and find out more about HIOWAA and its associated charities.

Flying an average of four to five missions every day, the air ambulance is estimated to incur operational costs of £3,600 for every day it flies – a figure that is only raised through donations.

HIOWAA chief executive John Perry said: “We receive no funding from the Government or the National Lottery for operational purposes, and so we rely on the generosity of the people of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to maintain the service.”

HIOWAA has flown 3,946 missions in its first five years, many of which have saved lives.
Ten fundraising events will be taking place across the region for air ambulance week. For details of all fundraising events across the county, visit hiow- airambulance.org.uk.

New students to be given drinking advice by paramedics

On Tuesday 25th September, Will Lodge of the Daily Gazette writes that freshers at Essex University will be given life-saving lessons and safe drinking advice by ambulance teams.

Crews from the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) are visiting freshers’ fairs in the region promoting their What to Do When Your Mate’s Had a Few campaign.

Paramedics at Essex University’s event on Saturday October 6 will also be teaching students first aid skills including CPR and advising students to register with a local doctor.

Help needed for this year’s Commando Challenge

Can you help?  Devon Air Ambulance Trust is looking for volunteers to help at their biggest fundraising event of the year – which takes place on the weekend of Saturday 6^th and Sunday 7^th October.  The annual Commando Challenge, now in its 22nd year, starts at Bicton Arena and volunteers are needed to marshal the route across Woodbury Common to the Royal Marines assault course.  Thousands of  participants are booked to take on the challenge over the two days, with the warm up training and support offered by serving Royal Marine Commandos.

Caroline Creer, Fundraising Director of Devon Air Ambulance Trust, explained, “This event is always so well supported and every year the teams say what a fantastic time they have had.  It’s the only time of the year that the course is open to the public and, with the help of the Royal Marines themselves, it really is a unique challenge which also raises significant funds for both the Trust and ‘C’ Group, the Royal Marines charity.   As with any event of this size, however, the safety of participating teams is paramount and that relies on the goodwill and help of a great number of volunteers.  We would be really grateful to hear from anyone who can come along on either of the days to offer a hand.”

If you would like to help at this event please call Caroline Creer of Devon Air Ambulance Trust on 01392 466666, or indeed, if you have grit, determination, a terrific sense of humour and a team of people to help you along the way (minimum team of 4,) then why not enter this year’s Commando Challenge.  Entries are still available on the day - visit www.commandochallenge.co.uk for further details or email c.creer@daat.org

Ambulance Service Opens its Doors to Members of the Public

Members of the public are being offered the chance to have a behind-the-scenes look at their local ambulance service at an open house event held by Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

The event, which will provide an opportunity for people to meet with a range of staff including members of the Trust Board and frontline clinicians, and to look at some of the Trust’s vehicles and equipment, will be held from 8.30am to 9.00am on Tuesday 25 September 2012 at The National Coal Mining Museum for England, Overton, Wakefield.

Dr Dave Macklin, Associate Medical Director at Yorkshire Ambulance Service, will then deliver a presentation from 9.00am to 9.30am on the work of the Medical Emergency Response Incident Teams (MERITs), which provide advanced medical care on scene at a range of emergency incidents.

The Trust’s Annual General Meeting, which will begin at 9.30am and last for approximately one hour, will then highlight the ambulance service’s achievements during 2011-12 and plans for the future and formally present the annual report and accounts for this period.

This will be followed by the Trust Board Meeting in public which will begin at 10.45am and finish at 2.30pm.

David Whiting, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “We’d like to extend a warm welcome to members of the public who would like to come along and find out more about what we do, ask us questions and share their ideas.

“The involvement of patients, carers, and residents across the region in what we do has never been more important to us, especially as we continue our journey towards becoming a foundation trust.”

The Foundation Trust team will also be at the event to answer any questions about membership and becoming a Governor.

Members of the public are asked to confirm their attendance at the event by emailing: foundationtrust@yas.nhs.uk or by telephoning: 01924 584416. Attendees can also raise questions with the Trust Board regarding items on the agenda ahead of the Trust Board meeting using the same contact details.

AMBULANCE STAFF SCORE FUNDS FOR CHARITY

 Ambulance staff from around the country battled it out on the football field this weekend in a bid to raise money for charity.

The tournament organised by West Midlands Ambulance Service Paramedic, George Shakeshaft, managed to raise over £2,000 for The Donna Louise Children’s Hospice * in Stoke.

The event which kicked off at Goals Soccer Centre in Stoke in Trent on Saturday saw 14 teams complete in the six a side football tournament. A number of the teams were made up of West Midlands Ambulance Service staff, including staff from the Trust’s patient transport services, front line emergency ambulance staff and support staff. A team from London Ambulance Service was also warmly welcomed to the event.

 

Stoke City FC Mascot Pottermus with Tom Mallam from WMAS’ Patient Transport Service and DJ for the day.  

A family fun day ran alongside the tournament which included refreshments, bouncy castles, face painting, donkey rides and much more.

Talking about the event George said: “A superb day was had by all. The football tournament went extremely well with the winners and runners up being awarded their trophies at a special awards ceremony held that same evening. The evening event was enjoyed by 140 guests, who were entertained by live music from Mathew Street and DJ Aaron Wilkes who kept the party going until midnight.

“I’d personally like to thank everyone involved for all their hard work and generosity, from the stall holders to the entertaining figures of DJ Tom Mallam, Dandelion the Clown, Stoke City FC mascot Pottermus and of course all the football players who took part in the event and those who came along in support.

“I hope to be able to make this an annual event and hopefully see more teams from other ambulance services around the country become involved in any future events.”

Melanie Mills, Director of Fundraising and PR at the Hospice, added: “This was a great event by George and the team at West Midlands Ambulance Service. The valuable funds they have raised will be used towards funding our £2.4 million running costs and will certainly help to brighten up the lives of local children.”

Agatha Christie Sea Swim now cancelled

After much consideration, it is with regret that this year’s Agatha Christie Sea Swim at Goodrington, in aid of Devon Air Ambulance Trust, is now cancelled.

Caroline Creer, Fundraising Director for Devon Air Ambulance Trust, explained the reason for the cancellation,  “Following the very poor summer, the sea temperature remains lower than usual and we think this may be one of the reasons we have had fewer registered participants this year.  The weather has really not encouraged people to train and, unless you swim that distance regularly, to swim a mile in the sea really does need a degree of training!  We are grateful to all those who have already registered and, as we will re-arrange the event for next year, we are offering their entry money back or the opportunity to hold it over for entry to the 2013 Sea Swim.”

The next event in the Devon Air Ambulance calendar is Commando Challenge; a unique opportunity to ‘get down and dirty’on the Royal Marine’s assault course on Woodbury Common on the weekend of 6^th & 7^th October.

For further information about this, or any other, event for Devon Air Ambulance Trust, please telephone 01392 466666 or visit www.daat.org