Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance is on the cusp of hitting £1 million towards its Operation Airbase appeal by Christmas, having raised £860,00 in just 12 weeks.
The charity needs to raise £3.6 million to convert and equip an existing building into a purpose-built airbase and office space.
Operation Airbase is the charity’s biggest fundraising appeal in its 17-year history, as it prepares to relocate from its current airbase in Thruxton, Andover, to a site near Southampton Airport.
The move will mean the highly experienced doctors and 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.
70% of the charity’s call-outs are to the south: Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight – a considerable distance from the current airbase which sits on the north-western edge of Hampshire.
Now, almost a quarter of the way to its target, the charity is urging people across the region to donate and bring the helicopter and its crew one step closer to the community that it serves 365 days a year.
Richard Corbett, the charity’s CEO, said:
“Most of us will know someone whose life has been affected by the air ambulance in one way or another – this move will mean we can get to even more patients, affect even more lives. The support we’ve received so far has been nothing short of phenomenal, and we can’t thank everyone enough for their generosity.”
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Helen from the Isle of Wight donated to the appeal and said:
“Their work is vital to those of us living on the Isle of Wight. They have saved the lives of many, including my mother-in-law and my business partner.”
Visit hiowaa.org/appeal for more information.
Why don’t the Council roll out permit parking
Islandwide and give the revenue raised to the Air Ambulance
The island would be lost without it, such a wonderful
Life saving service.