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Thames Valley Air Ambulance has received funding from the Englefield Charitable Trust which has gone towards keeping the emergency response vehicles fully stocked with equipment that can help save a person’s life.
Thames Valley Air Ambulance, which has recently been rated as Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, is a vital service in saving lives in the Berkshire area. With equipment more advanced than a regular land ambulance, the highly trained doctor and paramedic crew provide advanced critical care to patients within Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire and are even qualified to complete minor surgery on the roadside.
The treatment a patient can receive in the first sixty minutes after an accident can make a difference to their survival. The helicopter and five Critical Care Response Vehicles are ready to go at a moment’s notice; something that is crucial in improving a person’s chances of life in what is referred to as the ‘Golden Hour.’
Despite being such an essential service, Thames Valley Air Ambulance receives no government or lottery funding, and relies solely on public donations and grants. This year the charity needs to raise £8 million in order to be able to continue to provide the worthy service it does now.
Amanda Collins, Philanthropy Manager, said: “It is a very expensive service, but an essential one, especially in rural Berkshire where the helicopter is a real advantage in getting to patients quickly.
“Every time the helicopter responds to an incident it costs £3,325. We are very fortunate that we have fantastic community support and donations from local people and businesses, like the Englefield Charitable Trust, which are the backbone of the charity.”
In 2019, the Air Ambulance was called out 2,670 times proving just how vital the services that the charity provides are.
Catherine Haig of the Englefield Charitable Trust said: “We are very proud to support the work of Thames Valley Air Ambulance to help it continue to provide life-saving care to the people of Berkshire.”
