Ambulance UK April 2024

NEWSLINE
AMBULANCE UK – APRIL
Air ambulance
charity and property
developers join
forces to save lives
Great Western Air Ambulance
Charity (GWAAC) has joined
hands with YTL Developments
to make Brabazon the first
heart-safe community in the
South West.
Brabazon is the new
neighbourhood for Bristol that is
being built on the historic former
Filton Airfield, where GWAAC
used to have its Emergency
Air Base.
The partnership is a
groundbreaking commitment to
community health and safety.
YTL Developments will pay for
and install defibrillators around
the neighbourhood through
GWAAC’s Great Western Hearts
defibrillator programme. The
lifesaving devices will be placed in
strategic locations at 300-metre
intervals across Brabazon. The
aim is for residents of Brabazon
to have an accessible defibrillator
within a three-minute-return walk,
helping to increase the chance
of survival for someone suffering
a cardiac arrest nearby by up
to 70%.
In addition, YTL Developments
will also donate £100 for every
house sold in the remainder of
the first phase and the entirety of
the second phase of new homes
at Brabazon.
Anna Perry, Chief Executive of
GWAAC, says: “Our team of
Paramedics and Consultant
Doctors treat the most serious
trauma and medical emergencies
across the region. But we can't
do this by ourselves. As a charity,
we can only remain ready to
respond thanks to the generosity
of community and business
partnerships like this with YTL
Developments.
“Through this partnership, the
neighbourhood will benefit from
a defibrillator within 300m of
every house. Every resident
will be given the opportunity to
learn how to use these devices,
alongside CPR. With this support
in place, we could see survival
rates for anyone suffering an outof-hospital
cardiac arrest jump
from less than 10% to nearly 70%.
“Not only this, but the donations
GWAAC receive for every house
sale will support everyone across
Bristol if they ever suffer medical
emergency. The funds will help
ensure our ‘flying hospital’ can
come to those who need it most.
YTL Developments are helping to
give people the best chance on
their worst day. “
GWAAC is one of three major
charity partners with YTL
Developments
As Brabazon is one of the largest
construction projects in the South
West, YTL Developments has
also forged a partnership with:
• Lighthouse Construction
Industry Charity, to help
support mental health within
the industry
• Southern Brooks, a charity
providing community
development opportunities and
health and wellbeing services
that support individuals and
communities
“We’re committed to building
thriving communities that work
not only for today but for many
generations to come. Our three
charity partnerships are designed
to form a comprehensive strategy
that supports the mental health,
physical safety and social
wellbeing of our staff, our supply
chain, residents and neighbours.
Our partnership with the Great
Western Air Ambulance Charity
will be a UK first in providing
a heart-safe community. With
the support of the Lighthouse
Club, we are seeking to tackle
the scourge of poor mental
health. And our partnership
with Southern Brooks is already
supporting new residents
both at Brabazon and across
North Bristol.
"These three charity partnerships
epitomise our Vision for
Brabazon. We want to live up to
the legacy of the community that
built Concorde, stewarding this
historic landmark and create an
inclusive new community that
will drive local prosperity for the
next century.”
Jon McDiarmid, Sales Director at
YTL Developments
London’s Air
Ambulance Charity
announces most
successful gala in
its history, raising
£1.2 million.
London’s Air Ambulance
Charity hosted its largest ever
single fundraising event on
7 February raising a record
£1.2 million at its gala at
Raffles London.
The charity is called to London’s
most severe trauma cases,
delivering life-saving emergency
medical care at the roadside and
conducting procedures usually
only seen in a hospital.
The money raised will go directly
to support the charity’s ongoing
appeal, “Up Against Time”. The
campaign, the largest in the
charity’s 35 year history, aims to
raise £15 million to fund two new
helicopters by Autumn 2024.
Support has never been more
needed. Despite the sum raised
at the gala, the charity still needs
to raise more than £5 million,
with just eight months left of
the appeal.
The gala was attended by the
charity’s royal Patron, His Royal
Highness The Prince of Wales.
The Prince met with doctors,
pilots and paramedics from the
service, speaking to the team
about their life-saving work. As
a former air ambulance pilot
himself, His Royal Highness has
seen the difference advanced
trauma teams can make when
time is short.
The Prince also met Milana, an
inspirational patient whose life
was saved by the London’s Air
Ambulance team in January
2022. Later in the evening, Milana
gave a powerful speech to the
assembled guests, sharing her
experience and talking movingly
about her rehabilitation - for more
information on Milana’s story
see below.
The event, held at Raffles London
at The OWO, was hosted by Tania
Bryer and Mark-Francis Vandelli
and attended by a number of
VIP guests, including Top Gun
star Tom Cruise and Arsenal
manager Mikel Arteta and saw
entertainment from disco legends
Sister Sledge.
During a speech at the Gala
Dinner, His Royal Highness
The Prince of Wales said:
“We gather tonight to help
as many people as possible
benefit from top class care in
the silhouette of London’s Air
Ambulance’s flying lifelines.
As a former pilot for East Anglia
Air Ambulance, I know just how
vital the work of air ambulance
teams across the country
is, and the truly life-saving
difference it can make to deliver
urgent medical care wherever
injury strikes.
Here in London, the current
aircraft have served magnificently.
But our capital city needs a new
fleet. And we are Up Against
Time. The clue really is in the
Appeal’s name. By September,
we need the two new red birds -
decked with the latest kit such as
night vision - in our skies.
You wouldn’t be here if you
needed much persuading, I
know. But just wait to hear
Milana’s story later of how the
Air Ambulance, and its incredible
teams, have given her a second
chance at life.
Anyway, an enormous thank you
to all for being here tonight and
for supporting such a wonderful
cause. You are all, each and
every one of you, lifesavers.”
Jonathan Jenkins, CEO of
London’s Air Ambulance
Charity said;
“Every day London’s Air
Ambulance is up against time
to save lives in London. Our
helicopters get to the scene
within 11 minutes to deliver
lifesaving care. But it has become
increasingly difficult to operate
them. We have a discontinued
model and there is a lack of spare
parts available worldwide.
We cannot operate an emergency
service if we need to wait for
months to replace a part. When a
life is on a line, we simply cannot
afford to lose time.
That is why the support at this
evening’s event will help save
lives in London; by raising this
money we move closer to our
fundraising target of £15million so
we can replace our helicopters.
We are honoured to have the
support of HRH The Prince of
Wales and have him attend the
Gala tonight. We would like to
thank our Patron, and those
who made the evening possible,
including our Philanthropy Board
and sponsors Chopard, Hinduja
Foundation, Corsair, Akademy
Club and Viaro Energy. Their
belief in our cause means we can
continue to be there for everyone
in London, whenever they
need us.”
London’s Air Ambulance delivers
an advanced trauma team, made
up of a doctor and paramedic,
to bring the hospital to the scene
via helicopter or rapid response
car when time is of the essence.
The expert teams can reach
anywhere in London in under
11 minutes.
AMBULANCE UK – APRIL
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For further recruitment vacancies visit: www.ambulanceukonline.com