Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance has received a major £100,000 grant towards its new airbase near Southampton Airport – helping push the lifesaving project closer to completion in just a few weeks.
The funding boost has come from the Bradbury Foundation, Hong Kong, and will support the creation of the charity’s new ‘Bradbury Training Room’.
The dedicated facility will allow doctors, dispatchers, pilots and paramedics to practise vital emergency response skills through realistic simulation training designed to mirror the high-pressure incidents crews face daily.
The space will also be used for specialist major incident exercises and joint training sessions with ambulance services, NHS Trusts and partner organisations across the region.
In addition, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance plans to use the facility for its free ‘CPR Skills for Life’ programme, which teaches members of the public how to perform CPR and use a defibrillator.
More than 2,000 people took part in the training sessions in 2025.
Dr Rob Summerhayes, Clinical Education Lead, has said:
“We want to be able to deliver highly realistic training and ‘sweat the small stuff’ to help our clinicians be 100% prepared for operating under pressure in high tempo jobs.
Article continues below this advertisement “Having a dedicated training environment and associated equipment will allow us to fully immerse in our training, hone our skills, and give every patient the very best chance of seeing their families again.”
Since its launch, the appeal has so far raised £3.5million, thanks entirely to the generous support of members of the public, local organisations, community groups, and trusts and foundations, including the grant from the Bradbury Foundation.
As previously reported by Island Echo, the new Southampton-based airbase is within touching distance of completion and will drastically reduce response times, ensuring critically ill Islanders receive the medical aid they need in record breaking times.
70% of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance emergencies are to the south of the region: Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight – a considerable distance from the current airbase in Thruxton, Andover.
The move will mean the highly experienced doctors and advanced paramedics can reach almost every patient in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight within 10 minutes of take-off – in contrast to the current time of 20 minutes or more for some – saving vital minutes when treating critically ill or injured patients.
More than 13,000 donors have collectively raised £3.5million towards the appeal so far, with a further £100,000 still needed to complete the build.
Further information can be found at www.hiowaa.org/appeal.
Great news, if the island had a bridge or tunnel
Emergency services could reach the island rapidly by
vehicles too.