We are excited to announce that thanks to the phenomenal response from the communities we serve, our urgent appeal to buy our air ambulance helicopter has rapidly reached the £1 million goal in just six weeks!
This means the future of our helicopter, which is so fundamental to our lifesaving service, has been secured as a lifeline for the people of Kent, Surrey and Sussex.
It also means we will save half a million pounds a year from owning rather than leasing the helicopter and this will enable us to fly for longer, to reach more patients and save even more lives.
The cost saving will also enable us to improve and develop our lifesaving service, including our ability to fly in more challenging weather conditions as well as grow our Patient and Family Aftercare Service and introduce more community-based prevention and education activities.
Although the £1 million goal has been reached, with so many people still donating and fundraising, we are now focused on raising even more vital funds as we encourage our communities to go even further, above and beyond, the £1 million goal in the final few weeks of the appeal. Every extra penny raised will be spent on our lifesaving helicopters which will allow us to reach more patients and save even more lives.
We are still offering the unique opportunity for individuals, businesses, schools and community groups, to donate £100 or more to have their name, or the name of a loved one in their memory, on our air ambulance helicopter. This opportunity is available until Friday 28 June with all funds raised also being spent on our lifesaving helicopters.
This has proved to be very popular with supporters across Kent, Surrey and Sussex, and there’s still time for everyone to take up this opportunity, meaning you can be a part of every lifesaving mission as the air ambulance soars through the sky with the our specialist lifesaving crew and equipment on board.
David Welch, our Chief Executive, said: “This amazing achievement has only been made possible by the extraordinary kindness of individuals, businesses, trust and foundations, schools and community groups, who have so quickly and generously responded to our urgent appeal. We’ve been completely overwhelmed by the remarkable response so far and would like to thank everyone for their incredible generosity and inspiring messages of support.
“Every single penny and every single second counts when lives are on the line, so we’re now encouraging our communities to go even further above and beyond our £1 million goal in the final few weeks of our appeal. Every extra penny raised will be spent on our lifesaving helicopters which will enable us to reach more patients and save even more lives, keeping more families together.”
To donate to the appeal and to have the opportunity to get your name, or a name of a loved one, on our helicopter simply visit www.aakss.org.uk/helicopter.
