The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance marked the launch of ‘Minutes Matter’, a fundraising campaign to raise £1.5 million in cash and legacy pledges, at the ExxonMobil Fawley Refinery Base at Fawley near Southampton yesterday (Wednesday).
An investment of £1.5 million is required to enhance, expand and sustain the vital emergency service provided by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, enabling them to:
- Extend current flying hours towards the goal of up to 24 hours a day throughout the year. Flying additional hours will allow the charity to provide maximum air ambulance cover in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight region.
- Meet the target of having a doctor on board for every mission by October this year. When minutes matter the presence of a specialist trauma doctor can make all the difference.
- Further upgrade the Hampshire and Isle of Wight helicopter, in order to deliver a more comprehensive night-flying service.
A total of £820,000 has been raised to date, thanks to the generous support of the people of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and corporate partners ExxonMobil, Santander, Southern Water, Serco, Beaulieu Motor Museum and The Hendy Group.
HIOWAA receives no government, statutory or national lottery funding for operational purposes, and the charity is entirely dependent on gifts received from members of the public, companies and grant-making bodies to fund their work.
