More than 700 people donned fancy dress, neon face paint and glow sticks as the Isle of Wight’s Dash in the Dark returned for a record-breaking 5th year, raising over £27,500 for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.
The popular charity event took place at Robin Hill on Saturday, with record crowds turning out to support the life-saving service.
It was the first time Dash in the Dark had been held at Robin Hill, with participant numbers increasing by 40% compared to last year’s event.
Runners and walkers dressed in their brightest outfits, with fluorescent accessories and colourful costumes lighting up the night as they came together for the fundraising event.
The £27,500 raised is enough to fund up to 8 emergency missions, helping the charity continue responding to critically ill and injured patients across the Isle of Wight and Hampshire.
Keith Wilson, Director of Income and Engagement at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, has said:
“I am blown away by the response we’ve had to this year’s Dash in the Dark. This is by far the biggest year we’ve ever had, with more than 700 people joining us on the night.
Article continues below this advertisement “Whether they’ve supported their air ambulance for many years or this is the first time they’ve encountered us, each person is now playing their part in helping to save lives across our region. On behalf of our charity and our future patients: thank you!”
The record-breaking fundraiser comes as the air ambulance continues to see significant demand for its services, with its doctors, pilots and paramedics responding to almost 2,000 emergencies so far this year.
In June, the charity completed its relocation to a new airbase near Southampton Airport, a move designed to improve response times to incidents across the Isle of Wight.
As previosuly reported by Island Echo, the charity relocated from its former home at Thruxton to the purpose-built airbase adjacent to Southampton Airport, which is has significantly reduced response times to incidents across the Isle of Wight and the wider region.
The move set about significant financial commitment, though. The site was purchased using £9.2million from reserves, with a further £3.6million required for interior fit-out works through the Operation Airbase appeal. Around 50% of the building is set to be leased out to generate a sustainable revenue stream for the charity.
Following this year’s success, plans are already in place for Dash in the Dark to return on 2nd October 2027.
You can sign up for early bird tickets for next year’s event, avaliable at a discounted rate here.
