Ambulance UK June 2022

NEWSLINE
Rhondda Cynon Taf
ambulance worker
is tackling Mount
Kilimanjaro to raise
money for The
Ambulance Staff
Charity (TASC)
Darren Panniers, Welsh
Ambulance’s Head of Service
for the South East Region, will
be taking on the gruelling climb
to Africa’s highest point later
this year to raise vital funds
for the national charity that’s
dedicated to supporting his
ambulance colleagues in their
time of need.
Just eight weeks after his 50th
birthday, Darren will be setting
off on his journey to Tanzania to
begin his bucket-list challenge. He
will leave Kilimanjaro basecamp
on the 17th June 2022 and over
the following seven days Darren
will face a steep 6km climb to
the mountain’s summit and back
which will take him through
tropical rainforest and snowcapped
peaks.
At 5,895 meters (19,341 feet)
Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest
mountain in Africa and the tallest
freestanding mountain in the
world. According to Tanzania
National Parks, Kilimanjaro
attracts 50,000 climbers a year,
about 50 times the number
attempting either Everest. Darren’s
love of walking and hill climbing
first started during his career as a
Royal Marine. Darren says:
“I love the outdoors and to climb
one of the highest peaks in the
world has always been on my
bucket list. I’m really excited to
get started and have been doing
lots of training and hill practice.
My only slight worry is how I’ll
handle the altitude challenges, as
it’s almost impossible to prepare
for, but I’m not letting it stop me.”
An Cwmaman-native, Darren has
spent over 20 years in the Welsh
Ambulance Service and has
performed many roles throughout
his career. Originally joining the
service in 1999 as an Emergency
Medical Technician, Darren has
also served as a Paramedic,
Clinical Team Leader, and
Operations Manager. Darren is
currently the Head of Operations
for the South East Region which
includes Caerphilly, Blaenau
Gwent, Monmouthshire, Torfaen,
Newport, Cardiff and the Vale of
Glamorgan.
Darren is taking on this oncein-a-lifetime
challenge to raise
money for TASC, The Ambulance
Staff Charity. Launched in 2015,
TASC is the national charity
dedicated to caring for the
mental, physical and financial
wellbeing of the UK’s ambulance
community including serving
and retired staff, their family
members, ambulance service
volunteers and paramedic
science students. Speaking
about why he’s supporting TASC,
Darren said:
to reach £5,000 by the time he
starts his climb, which could
help TASC pay for 112 mental
health support sessions or
139 hours of physiotherapy
for ambulance staff injured
in the line of duty. Darren is
raising funds through an online
JustGiving page:
https://www.justgiving.com/
fundraising/darren-panniers
Karl Demian, TASC’s Chief
Executive Officer, said:
“We’re very grateful that Darren
has chosen to fundraise for
TASC to help his colleagues.
Demand for TASC’s services
is growing rapidly, and we’re
seeing a 400% increase in
people contacting us when
compared to 2017/18.
Ambulance staff have one of
the most stressful jobs in the
UK and the long-term impacts
of Coronavirus are making their
job that much harder. Right now,
ambulance staff need TASC
more than ever, and we need
the support of the general public
“I have seen first-hand the great
work ambulance staff do to
support their patients; however,
the job can take a real toll on
staff, and sometimes they need
to ensure TASC can continue
being an independent source of
support for the UK’s ambulance
community in their time of need.”
a bit of extra help to get back
on top. From my experience as
a paramedic and as a manager,
I’ve seen the difference TASC has
Jason Killens, Chief Executive
of the Welsh Ambulance Service
said:
AMBULANCE UK - JUNE
been making to my colleagues,
not just with their mental health,
but their physical health and
finances too. The work TASC
has done for Welsh Ambulance
staff is fantastic but we’re just a
small part of the UK’s ambulance
service. I’m doing this climb for
TASC because I want to give
back to the charity so that they
can continue providing their vital
support to my colleagues across
the UK.”
So far, Darren has raised over
£3,600 for TASC and is aiming
“After a long delay due the
pandemic travel restrictions,
the moment has finally arrived
for Darren, and we couldn’t be
prouder of him for choosing to
support TASC.
Ambulance staff across the UK
have faced what may prove to
be the most challenging period
of their career of late, and the
wellbeing services that TASC
provide free of charge are
proving vital. Good luck, Darren.
We’ll all be rooting for you back
in Wales.”
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