Anglia Lift Off Issue 38 Spring 2015

ANGLIA

LIFTOFF

ISSUE 38 SPRING 2015 ANIMAL ANTICS Crew treat Andy after bull attacks

Page 5

EARLY SKILLS Paramedic teaches how to save lives

Page 4

IN THE MONEY Supporter wins nearly £20k on lottery

Page 16

EAAA doctor joins marathon running team

WE NEED YOU TODAY YOU MAY NEED US TOMORROW

CHARITY NO.1083876

Feel right at home with Barchester care homes

From expert care to delicious home-cooked food and engaging activities, our staff pride themselves on making everyone they care for feel at home. It’s all part of the first-class care and support that we provide to the people of Norfolk, Suffolk and beyond.

We have a range of services to suit all care needs, including: Nursing care • Residential care • Dementia care • Respite care Bariatric care available at Ritson Lodge If you'd like to take a look around – or just need a bit of friendly advice – your local Barchester care home will be happy to help.

www.barchester.com Alice Grange • 01473 333551 Ipswich, Suffolk, IP5 2GA

Hethersett Hall • 01603 810478 Hethersett, Norwich, NR9 3AP

Ritson Lodge • 01502 734000 Hopton-on-Sea, Norfolk, NR31 9AH

Ashfields • 01603 721720 Rackheath, Norwich, NR13 6PD

Hilton Park • 01223 811256 Bottisham, Cambridge, CB25 9BX

The Warren • 01603 426170 Sprowston, Norwich, NR7 8AF

Ford Place • 01842 755002 Thetford, Norwich, IP24 2EP

Oulton Park • 01502 539998 Oulton Broad, Suffolk, NR32 3AX

Woodside House • 01603 702002 Norwich, NR7 9XJ

WELCOME It’s lovely to see the signs of spring all around us at this time of year, symbolising new growth and hopefully better weather ahead. Gardens and parks bloom with colour, trees burst into blossom and the gardeners among us start to wonder how so much growth is possible after a fairly short space of time! It’s a bit like that here at the charity at the moment as we approach our 15th anniversary. Those who were with EAAA in the early days when we flew one small and aging aircraft, during daylight hours only and initially on just one day of the week could only imagine the service that we provide today and the difference we are now able to make to patients’ lives in their hour of need. Although a lot of hard work has taken place within our service, and particularly with the help of our helicopter provider Bond Air Services to get to this level, none of it would have been possible without your support.

2015 is shaping up to be an exciting year for us for many reasons and not just because of our anniversary celebrations. We will take delivery of our new helicopter in just a matter of weeks by the time you read this. Its capabilities will give our crews the ability to help more casualties and save more lives. You can read more about the new aircraft on page 4.

Our commitment to providing the best possible level of pre-hospital care at emergencies across this region means that our fundraising staff and volunteers are working tirelessly to achieve the income needed to support this. We are always looking for new and exciting ways to encourage people to help us and very importantly, enjoy themselves while doing so. Needless to say there are plenty of opportunities for this in 2015. We have a range of ideas about how to celebrate our 15th anniversary with us on page 15 (naturally) but we know that it’s by no means exhaustive. If you have a fun idea to raise money with a 15 theme do please let us know.

This year we are grateful to a group of people who are taking on their own endurance challenge in the form of the Virgin Money London Marathon, including one of our own doctors Vicky Smith and a patient we treated in 2013, Shaun Button, whose wife Laura is also running. Good luck to all of them between now and 26 April as they train for the event. Read more about all those who are running for us on page 18.

Finally when you next receive ‘Anglia Lift Off’ the magazine will look a little different.

From the summer issue in June we are reducing the size of the magazine to save costs – so please look out for a publication that will be about the size of a football programme in future. If you choose to read the magazine online or download the app this will save us more money in printing and postage costs.

Find out more on our website and if you choose one of these options please let us know by emailing your details to lottery@ eaaa.org.uk.

Thank you for supporting our work and taking the trouble to read this magazine.

Your contribution is vital to our service.

Together we save lives.

Melanie Nightingale Director of Fundraising

CONTENTS Helicopter upgrade

4

Cattle-truck call out

5

Medical students’ project

6

Pilot’s perfect parking

7

Be a First Responder

8

Forthcoming events

10

A star in Suffolk

11

Maisie’s selfless Christmas

12

Tea at 15:00

15

Lottery News

16

Doctor’s marathon challenge

18

Ride For Your Lives

20

How to help

22

CONTACT US

Your regional fundraiser: North Cambridgeshire/West Norfolk – Chris Donaldson 106 Culley Court, Bakewell Road, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE2 6WA. 01733 367208 email: christopher.donaldson@eaaa.org.uk South Cambridgeshire – Barbara McGee Melbourn Science Park, Cambridge Road, Melbourn SG8 6EE. 01763 262697 email: barbara.mcgee@eaaa.org.uk Suffolk – Nigel Donkin Whitehouse Distribution Centre, Whitehouse Road, Ipswich IP1 5NX. 01473 745007 email: nigel.donkin@eaaa.org.uk Norfolk – Holly Lambert Hangar E, Gambling Close, Norwich Airport, Norwich NR6 6EG 01603 489406 email: holly.lambert@eaaa.org.uk Bedfordshire – Kay Marter The Rufus Centre, Steppingley Road, Flitwick, Bedfordshire MK45 1AH 01525 718517 email: kay.marter@eaaa.org.uk General enquiries: 0845 066 9999 Website: www.eaaa.org.uk Email: info@eaaa.org.uk Lottery: lottery@eaaa.org.uk Charity number:

1083876

Editor:

Clare Phillips liftoff@eaaa.org.uk Marina Jacobs 07727 749208 www.barberjackson.com www.barnwellprint.co.uk

Advertising: Design: Print:

The unavoidable CO2 generated from this paper has been reduced to net zero through verified carbon offset projects.

Total carbon emissions for this publication are 5628 kilos of carbon, by offsetting the carbon this equates to 23,057 square metres of forest protection for 1 year, or 18,324 car miles prevented.

Cover picture: EAAA medical students in training (see page 6)

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NEWS NEW AIRCRAFT ON THE WAY Later this year East Anglian Air Ambulance will take delivery of a new aircraft which will make it one of the most modern helicopters in service as an air ambulance in England.

The EC145T2 model has only recently been developed and our helicopter will be the 12th off the production line and the first to go into service in this country. It’s currently being equipped to the highest possible standard for clinical care and night flying by Bond Air Services, which provides our helicopter service.

The aircraft will replace the helicopter currently flying as Anglia Two from Cambridge but ultimately we are working towards having an identical EC145T2 operating from Norwich under the call-sign Anglia One. This larger aircraft has more space than our current EC135s, which will give our clinicians more room in which to work allowing them to carry out procedures that are not possible in a smaller cabin. Inter-hospital transfer by air will be possible for the most seriously ill patients and the increased space will help with the ongoing training of medical crews.

This helicopter will also be able to carry more fuel, allowing it to fly for two hours instead of the 90 minutes possible in the EC135.

FIRST AID IN THE CLASSROOM Schools in Bedfordshire have been teaming up with EAAA to teach their pupils valuable lifesaving skills. Critical care paramedic Neil Flowers has visited two schools in the county – Barnfield Vale Academy in Dunstable and Firs Lower School in Ampthill to run special classes.

Using volunteers and a special CPR model to demonstrate vital first aid techniques Neil explained to groups of Key Stage Two pupils how to place someone in the recovery position before they tried out their new skills for themselves.

Barnfield Vale Academy has pledged to support EAAA throughout 2015 as its Charity of the Year.

Area Fundraising Manager Kay Marter said: “We are delighted that the school will be supporting us in this way and look forward to working with them in the coming months. It was great to see the youngsters so enthusiastic about learning how to save a life.”

An educational programme for schools across East Anglia is being developed by the charity and anyone interested in booking a similar session should contact Kay on 01525 718517.

SOCIAL MEDIA

HIGHLIGHTS Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for regular postings about news, events and pictures. Find us on Facebook as East Anglian Air Ambulance Charity and on Twitter as @EastAngliAirAmb. We also have Facebook and Twitter pages for each of the four counties we cover and we’re on YouTube and Pinterest too.

Here’s what people have been talking about recently:

Phil Davis

I would like to thank your team that responded to my brother on Monday. I thought you might like to know that despite very serious injuries, he was released from hospital on Friday afternoon.

@LapofAnglia

We’re pleased to announce that the 2014 #LapofAnglia raised £7,800, enough money for three @EastAngliAirAmb missions.

Donna Smith

I have just received my cheque as the lucky winner for this week.

Thank you!

@bedfordnews

East Anglian Air Ambulance lifesavers still flying high after 15 years.

Congrats @EastAngliAirAmb!

Bryson ‘Brick’ Walker

The East Anglian Reunion 2015 meeting is shaping up to be the meeting of the year on the East Coast. With 86 bangers booked in to appear, with all the old faces of the raceways including members of Kamikaze, Steam Team, United, Ant Hill Mob and others.

The meeting is being held in aid of raising funds for the East Anglian Air Ambulance Charity.

@SheerieF

@EastAngliAirAmb Molly-Rose happy to be putting her pennies in your charity box at Fakenham Christmas Tree Festival.

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I’M A REAL-LIFE ‘TONY ARCHER’!

When BBC Radio 4’s popular drama ‘The Archers’ ran a storyline before Christmas involving farmer Tony Archer being attended by the fictional Borsetshire Air Ambulance after being trampled by a bull that was being moved from a field - it all sounded a little too close to home for Cambridgeshire stockman Andy Maddams. In fact, as he listened to the episode unfold as he drove to a band practice he said it sent something of a ‘shiver down his spine.’

Andy spent 12 hours at hospital undergoing treatment.

During this time his fiancée Jen was approached by a team carrying out a study into head injuries similar to that Andy had suffered. She enrolled him onto the programme which has meant regular trips to the hospital for monitoring and MRI scans. It’s been something of a reassurance for Andy who added: “Although I have made a very good recovery, I’ve appreciated the opportunity to have such The accident happened on grazing land at Mepal near Ely. On this occasion close monitoring of my progress. Had any problems a herd of Limousin cows and their bullock calves were being moved back to developed later, the team would have their owner’s farm, where the calves would be weaned picked them up on one of the scans from their mothers. As the stockmen rounded them up – probably much sooner than I might to prepare them for loading onto the lorry they noticed have realised, because the patient Thankfully I’m they were more lively than usual and wondered whether is often the last person to admit that something had disturbed them the previous evening. not in a long-running something’s not right.”

Andy said: “With the cows on the vehicle, the last thing radio drama...

Now back to full health and enjoying I can remember is the ramp being lowered in order to drive the calves into the lorry. But the bullocks became the same quality of life as before the my ‘scriptwriters’ gave agitated and started circling. Nobody saw exactly what accident – including playing the drums me a better outcome happened but I was either head-butted or kicked by one in a local brass band and a 20s style of them and thrown back into the metal crash barriers band – Andy is confident a similar of the pen.“ incident won’t occur. “I don’t work as a stockman any more,” he said. “The It was clear that Andy had suffered facial and head day before the accident happened I had applied for a new injuries. His colleagues moved the bullocks to prevent him being trampled job working for a land drainage business – which I was and called 999. An ambulance service rapid response vehicle arrived, subsequently offered and accepted although the incident followed by a land ambulance and, soon afterwards, Anglia Two. On board didn’t influence my decision!” the helicopter that day were two doctors, Jeremy Mauger and Phil Morgan together with critical care paramedic Jemma Varela.

And joking about the similarities to ‘The Archers’ episode A little over a year earlier he’d found himself in a very similar situation when moving a herd of bullocks and the animals became agitated. Luckily for Andy his injuries were far less serious than the radio character’s. Where Tony Archer was crushed by a fully grown animal likely to have been around a tonne and a half in weight, Andy was on the wrong side of a bullock weighing perhaps around half that of an adult bull. Nevertheless his injuries were such that the crew of Anglia Two came to his aid.

The crew treated Andy at the scene and decided that the best course of action would be to travel with him in the land ambulance to continue treating him en-route in case it became necessary to carry out procedures that are more difficult within the confines of the helicopter cabin.

Andy added: “Thankfully I’m not in a long-running radio drama. The BBC scriptwriters have spun out Tony’s storyline for months. My ‘scriptwriters’ gave me a better outcome.”

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DELIVERING EXCELLENCE DOCTORS OF THE FUTURE Two student doctors have been working with the East Anglian Air Ambulance clinicians in Norwich as the first participants in a new scheme being developed by the charity to provide opportunities for medical students.

As part of their training medical students undertake an elective (an opportunity to experience an unfamiliar environment), which can be up to 12 weeks away from their home medical school in the UK or abroad. EAAA is developing a programme for students, in line with similar schemes offered by a number of other air ambulance charities around the country.

Encouraging new doctors to learn about pre-hospital care with EAAA is something that Medical Director Alastair Wilson is keen to progress. He said: “Although the organisation has offered occasional placements to medical students in the past, we know there is a great deal of interest now in the pre-hospital and trauma care side of medicine. It’s an area that has changed considerably in recent years and it’s no wonder that many ...it’s wonderful that medical students want to be involved with it. We’re now developing patients do take programmes which I hope will form a useful part of the students’ medical training and will also bring benefits to our operation.”

It’s certainly an area I’d like to work in after I qualify.”

Nathan added: “We’ve also had the opportunity to talk to all the clinicians here and go along to some of their training sessions the trouble to let and everyone has made us so The first two students to work with EAAA arrived in Norwich in January. the team at EAAA welcome. On my second day Nathan Williamson has completed three years at Newcastle University a patient came in to thank the but grew up in Norwich and has worked part-time at the Norfolk and know how they are crew and that’s something that Norwich University Hospital so was already well aware of his local getting on. is very rewarding for a doctor. air ambulance charity. He ultimately hopes to pursue a career in In a hospital environment it’s anaesthesia and pre-hospital trauma care. much less likely that doctors will Jessica Lewkowicz is studying medicine at Griffith University in hear from someone they have Queensland, Australia. Coming to EAAA for her elective was her first administered emergency care to and it’s visit to the UK but in the four weeks she spent with the charity she knew this was wonderful that patients do take the trouble an area of medicine she would one day like to return here to work in. to let the team at EAAA know how they are getting on.”

The students do not have direct contact with patients during their placement and although an opportunity for Jessica to have an observer day with the crew did occur, this is not guaranteed to those who are offered an elective at EAAA. Instead the students work on a project or audit devised by Alastair. Jessica and Nathan were asked to look at the data from missions involving major trauma in the last year and compile a report about the decisions involved regarding the choice of hospital the patient was taken to. Their findings were presented to the medical team at a clinical governance day.

Both Nathan and Jessica feel the experience has been invaluable and are looking forward to using the knowledge they have gained with EAAA as they continue their studies. Jessica said: “In Australia we have the Royal Flying Doctor Service, which is quite different to how air ambulances in the UK work. I’d also only worked in government funded healthcare there, so coming to a charity has been a new experience. I’ve really enjoyed working in such a positive environment and seeing how everyone contributes and I’ve loved meeting so many of the volunteers.

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Jessica and Nathan have been trailblazers for this initiative but as the elective programme develops it’s possible that up to four students at a time may be invited to work with the charity in placements lasting between two and six weeks.

RECENT MISSIONS We publish details of as many of our missions as possible on our website, where you can also find our mission map, and some will also be featured on our social media sites. It’s not possible to mention them all in ‘Anglia Lift Off’ but we hope this page gives an insight into the variety of incidents our crews attend.

If you take pictures of either of our helicopters out and about we are always pleased to receive them and, with permission, endeavour to use them in our magazine or online. Send your pictures to liftoff@eaaa.org.uk

FACTS AND FIGURES

MISSION

SINCE OUR LAST ISSUE

As we entered winter and the days grew shorter the number of times our aircraft flew at night increased noticeably. In fact during the months of October, November and December Anglia Two carried out 123 night vision flights. As well as treating patients, some of these flights would have been for training purposes.

October was a busy month for the service as Anglia One was tasked 71 times and Anglia Two 96 times. Between them the crews treated 113 casualties and 22 of those were flown to hospital In November we attended 127 missions and a total of 87 patients were treated by our crews. Our medical teams treated 64 of those patients at the scene of the incident, working alongside the ambulance service, before the patient was taken to hospital by road During December our crews were tasked 128 times and between them they assisted 81 casualties. There were more road collisions than any other type of mission but we were also called to a high number of cardiac arrest cases. In more than half the cases we were needed to give emergency specialist care at the scene before the patient was taken to hospital by road, sometimes with our clinicians continuing treatment in the ambulance. We took 26 patients to hospital by air, including one on Christmas Day.

M I S S ION EAAA supporter and ‘Anglia Lift Off’ reader Richard Flegg managed to capture this close up picture of Anglia One when the crew were called to an emergency in Diss, Norfolk. The doctor and critical care paramedic were able to give the patient advanced CPR at the scene before he was taken to hospital by road. The aircraft landed close to local firm Midwich, a company that has supported EAAA for the last two years. In that time the staff have raised £24,000 and presented their most recent cheque for almost £9,000 in January.

Witnessing the crew arriving at this incident, Midwich staff said they hadn’t realised the level of fitness the clinicians need to carry so much kit while running to the emergency.

M I S S ION

MISSION

Anglia One clinicians Dr Vicky Smith and critical care paramedic Jemma Varela are pictured here returning to the helicopter in a park in Lowestoft after treating patients at the scene of a road collision nearby. A total of three people were injured and were taken to hospital by road.

MISSION A pensioner was seriously injured in a road collision near a Bedfordshire school a week before Christmas. The Anglia Two clinicians worked with colleagues from the ambulance service and police before the woman was flown to Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

M I S S IO N The crew of Anglia One drove in a rapid response vehicle to assist at the scene of a road collision a short distance from Norwich Airport during the morning rush hour. A teenage motorcyclist was given emergency care at the scene by the clinicians who then travelled in the land ambulance to continue treatment on the journey to hospital.

A young man was flown to hospital by Anglia Two after an industrial accident in Cambridgeshire. The casualty had suffered a serious injury to his pelvis and was given emergency treatment at the scene by Dr Adam Chesters and critical care paramedic Mark Milsom.

It’s not always easy to fit the car neatly between the lines of the average parking space - so credit where it’s due to Captain Neil Waller who landed Anglia One in this Great Yarmouth car park. The medical crew treated a young woman who had been taken ill nearby and accompanied her to hospital by road to continue treatment in the ambulance.

MISSION Anglia Two flew an after-dark mission to treat a young boy who had been involved in a collision with a car in North Cambridgeshire. The youngster was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

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FUNDRAISING FIRST RESPONDER One of the most novel ways of raising money in 2014 for our South Cambridgeshire fundraising team was all thanks to EAAA volunteer Bill Rogers from Swavesey. He decided to put his Scalextric hobby to good use by going to events with a circuit of the popular car-racing game that was first developed in the 1950s and has been a winner with youngsters (and their dads) ever since.

But Bill would often spend longer assembling it all and taking it down everywhere he went than having it ready for play so when he was in plaster with a sports injury he hit upon an idea for a unique project. Using an old caravan trailer he built a detailed Scalextric circuit that could be towed to events ready to play. At the events he attended it was an instant hit, especially with people who hadn’t played since childhood. Donations flooded in and during the course of the year he raised almost £1,500.

Bill now volunteers for EAAA but also plays his own lifesaving role in his locality as an ambulance service Community First Responder (CFR) and his team gets called upon around four or five times a week. He signed up for the ‘immediate lifesupport’ service after being seriously injured in a motorbike accident around five years ago. Bill explained: “Although the CFRs are now part of the East of England Ambulance Service, when I joined they were organised by the charity Magpas. I had been attended by someone from Magpas when I had the crash and becoming a CFR was my way of giving something back. Fundraising for EAAA then became a natural extension of that.

“We always need more CFRs and it’s a rewarding and worthwhile thing to do,” he added.

COMMUNITY FIRST RESPONDER Q&A Who can become a CFR?

Anyone who is aged between 18 and 70, who is physically fit and who agrees to undergo training and have a disclosure and barring service (formerly CRB) check.

What do they do?

A CFR is a volunteer who is trained by the ambulance service to attend emergency calls in the area where they live or work.

Their aim is to reach a potential life threatening emergency in the first vital minutes before the ambulance crew arrives on scene.

Their role is to help stabilise the patient and, in doing so, keep the patient alive until the arrival of the road ambulance and other prehospital emergency care.

What does the training involve?

The 18 hours of training is usually held at weekends and aims to provide you with the knowledge and skills to act as an agent of the East of England Ambulance Service and to be able to attend life threatening medical emergencies.

As part of the course you will also be taught how to respond to an emergency call, communicating with patients, infection control and prevention and also administrative procedures.

How do CFRs get sent to emergencies?

A 999 call will be prioritised to establish if it is suitable to send a CFR to respond. If so, the nearest available CFR group is notified by a provided telephone. An ambulance will always be mobilised to every call that the responder group attends.

The CFR travels to the scene of the incident under normal road conditions and treats the patient. Being in the local community, the average time to reach the patient should not normally exceed 3-4 minutes, depending on location.

Once an ambulance arrives on scene, the CFR hands over to the crew and may be asked to assist. Once the patient is on their way to the hospital, the CFR telephones ambulance control to notify them that they are clear of the incident.

How can I find out more?

Visit www.eastamb.nhs.uk and click on ‘Get Involved’, telephone: 0845 601 3733 or email: responderadmin@eastamb.nhs.uk 8

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Nearly 400 stockists throughout the UK. Visit our website and find one near you!

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We are very grateful for the huge number of events that are organised to raise money for EAAA every year by our wonderful supporters. Although we can only feature a small number in ‘Anglia Lift Off,’ you’ll find a full diary of fundraising activities on our website www.eaaa.org.uk/events. If you are organising an event please contact us and we will help you promote it. We have fundraising teams across the region (see page 3 for contacts) who would be happy to support you.

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SATURDAY 21 MARCH

CHARITY BALL

MERCURE HOTEL, NORWICH This black tie event, generously hosted by the Mercure Hotel, is raising funds for EAAA and promises to be a funfilled evening – all for just £30 a ticket. Guests will enjoy a three-course meal with coffee and entertainment on the night will be from solo vocalist Glen Cooper. Tickets can be booked by phoning 01603 412520.

MAINLINE BIG BAND CONCERT

PARKSIDE HALL, AMPTHILL, BEDFORDSHIRE As one of the Mayor’s charities this year EAAA is delighted to be a beneficiary of this concert featuring music from the Glen Miller era as well as the hits of Elvis, The Beatles and Stevie Wonder. Tickets cost £15 and can be booked on 01525 404355.

SATURDAY 18 APRIL

VARIETY CONCERT

CHRISTCHURCH METHODIST CHURCH, GT YARMOUTH This event in aid of EAAA promises a great evening’s entertainment with music, magic and comedy among the different acts taking part. Tickets cost £8 and concessions £7. There will be refreshments and a raffle during the interval. To book tickets call: 01493 842887 or 01502 567427

SATURDAY 16 MAY

THE BOOTLEG SHADOWS

THE ARTS THEATRE, KING’S LYNN This charity concert will be raising money for EAAA with a tribute to these 60s favourites. Tickets cost £15, concessions £14 and children’s admission is £7.50. Book by ringing 01533 76486 10 LIFT OFF

SUNDAY 7 JUNE

OPEN FARM SUNDAY

BARWAY, CAMBRIDGESHIRE Vegetable growers G’s Fresh will once again be supporting EAAA with their Open Farm Sunday event which celebrates British Farming. Our promotional team will be there and many of the participants will also be helping to raise money.

MEET OUR FUNDRAISERS Our fundraising and promotional team will be out and about at some of the major events in the region so please do come and find us if you happen to be attending. Meet us at: 21 & 22 March

The Science & Nature Festival, Jimmy’s Farm, Wherstead near Ipswich

25 & 26 April East Anglian Game and Country Fair, Norfolk Showground 27 & 28 May

The Suffolk Show, Trinity Park, Ipswich,

28 June

The Two Counties Motor Show, Rowley Mile Racecourse, Newmarket,

MAKE A DIFFERENCE VOLUNTEER FOCUS CINDY FITSELL When you pop some loose change into one of our collecting boxes in a village shop or pub you might wonder how the charity keeps track of money raised in this way. Well, if that collecting box is in East Suffolk, the chances are that volunteer Cindy will be the person counting and banking the money.

In her local area around Leiston Cindy is known as ‘the air ambulance lady.’ To us she’s the eyes and ears of the charity and Helen Glenholmes from our Suffolk fundraising team said: “Cindy is a wonderful volunteer who does so much for us, we can’t thank her enough. In 2014 alone she personally collected, counted and banked over £5,500. We have around 600 collecting boxes in Suffolk and Cindy looks after more than 100 of them.”

How did you first get involved with EAAA?

ey Pratt Cindy with Lesl

BAGS OF SUPPORT

Around seven years ago a group from our local pub were undertaking a 25 mile bike ride for charity and asked me to co-ordinate it. I met the EAAA’s area fundraising manager at the time and after the bike ride I continued to help out and it just grew from there.

Cindy is pictured here changing the collecting box at The Railway Farm Shop in Benhall. Lesley Pratt at the shop has supported EAAA for four years raising over £230 from customers’ donations.

What does your role involve?

I mainly look after the collection boxes, but now I’m probably doing something for the air ambulance almost every week.

As well as travelling as far as Halesworth and Walberswick for boxes, I’ve attended events on behalf of the charity and also given talks about their work from time to time. This Easter I’m involved with a big collection for EAAA at the Leiston Co-op and I also attend craft fairs between April and Christmas. I’m fortunate to have a very supportive husband, Dave, who helps me with carrying things to the car and will come along to give me a break when I am running a promotional stall.

What do you enjoy about volunteering?

It’s a great way of meeting people. Through the work I do for the air ambulance I have got to meet all sorts of people that I would never have met otherwise. I’ve also been to events that I might not have had the opportunity to attend. A lovely evening was the Shakespeare production in the gardens of Glemham Hall a few years ago.

Would you recommend it?

Definitely! I really believe that we are all put on this earth for a purpose and God decided mine was to help the air ambulance. It’s certainly not a chore.

Teams of EAAA volunteers helped Christmas shoppers pack their bags at the till in branches of Marks and Spencer in Cambridge and Bedfordshire. Between the stores the generous customers donated more than £2,500. EAAA staff also gave up their time at some of the packing sessions including chief executive Patrick Peal (pictured).

Without the help we receive from volunteers, the numbers of patients we’ve been able to help in an emergency would be considerably fewer. We are extremely appreciative of those who give up their time for the charity and are always happy to hear from anyone who may be able to spare us a few hours whether that’s on a regular or an ad-hoc basis for the many different volunteer opportunities we have. Details of specific requests for volunteers can be found on our website but offers of help can also be made to our local fundraising offices – you’ll find details of these on page 3.

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FABULOUS FUNDRAISING Fundraising events help us to keep the two air ambulance helicopters serving the people of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk seven days a week. If you have organised an event why not send pictures and details of the day to Liftoff@ eaaa.org.uk and we will try to feature them in these pages.

If the stories here inspire you to try and raise some money then the fundraising manager for your area would be pleased to hear from you.

Contact details are on page 3.

FUNDRAISING DRIVE

Drivers at a charity stages rally in North Norfolk have donated nearly £800 from their latest event bringing the amount they have raised for EAAA since 2003 to almost £10,000.

The Lynn Charity Stages Rally saw 55 crews in nearly 20 different makes of car gather at Sculthorpe airfield near Fakenham for the event in October. The course, prepared

by Colin Shinkins and others from King’s Lynn and District Motor Club, involved more than 1,000 cones and dozens of straw bales to mark out eight stages and a total of 80 competitive miles.

After some exciting and closely fought stages the winners were Ross Daniels and Paul Mankin in a Subaru.

We’re extremely grateful to the club for their continued support both through the rally and collections at their static display in King’s Lynn.

For details of how to join Kings Lynn and District Motor Club and information about their other events go to http://www.kingslynndmc.co.uk/

THE EAST COAST MINI CLUB Meanwhile another group of drivers are planning to raise funds for EAAA this year through an annual car run. The East Coast Mini Club will be taking to the streets of Suffolk on Easter Sunday (5 April) in a run from Bury St Edmunds to Southwold. The club is hoping for around 150 Minis from the classic 1959 model to the latest from the 2015 showroom. They will take a scenic route through the county to park on South Green in the seaside town from about 1pm.

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THANK YOU...

Newborough young farmers have recently donated £1,000 making a total of £4,250 in last three years.

The Ipswich-based Birkbeck Singers supported EAAA during 2014 and raised over £600.

Around £2,000 was raised thanks to the generosity of those attending the Bedfordshire Business Awards.

MAISIE’S CHRISTMAS KINDNESS An eight-year-old from Norfolk who wrote a very special letter to Father Christmas has donated more than £1,000 to EAAA as a result. Maisie Moody wrote: “I know you don’t normally give cash but please please please can you tell everyone that wants to buy me something I don’t want presents I would like money please so I can give it to Anglian Air Ambalance (sic). They saved my daddy, that’s all I want is them to save daddys.”

Maisie’s dad Justin was given lifesaving treatment at the scene of a motorbike accident, then flown to hospital, four years ago. The Christmas letter made headlines in national newspapers and the family was overwhelmed with the donations Maisie received. Just after Christmas she visited the crew at Norwich to present the money and have a closeup view of the helicopter.

And Maisie wasn’t the only person to think of EAAA at Christmas. Among the others who did so were the Rotary Club of Ipswich who held a Santa collection and raised £700; Fakenham Christmas tree festival raised over £600; Mr & Mrs Hogg raised £900 through their Christmas lights display; Two of our Cambridgeshire supporters held different Christmas-themed events – Shirley Bidgood helped to raise over £1,000 and Wendy Warder raised more than £330; And Ron Horniblew from Luton runs a Santa school. He is very busy at Christmas as his alter ego and has raised almost £950 through these activities.

Having supported us in 2014, raising £2,000, Cottenham Point to Point have generously chosen us as their charity for this season too.

Lakeland in Peterborough have raised over £3,000 supporting EAAA for the last three years.

Abba tribute band ‘Almost Abba’ raised nearly £900 at a performance in Bedfordshire.

The Hadleigh Farmers Agricultural Association raised nearly £3,300 at their 175th Anniversary ball. They are now preparing for the annual Hadleigh Show which this year takes place on Saturday 16 May. Youngsters on the National Citizenship Scheme in Bedfordshire have raised a wonderful £2,000 through organising collections at local supermarkets.

To donate £5 to EAAA please text heli to 70500

SCHOOL PUTS THE FUN IN FUNDRAISING Students and staff at a Bury St Edmunds school have helped to raise £2,000 for EAAA and thousands more for their other chosen charities during a two week period of fundraising before Christmas.

Among the highlights of the events at County Upper School was an after school ice-skating trip enjoyed by 100 pupils, a talent show, a carol concert and a movie night. Other activities to raise money included balloon popping, five-a-side football and a staff netball match.

LIFT OFF 13

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CHURE

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15th ANNIVERSARY This year East Anglian Air Ambulance celebrates its 15th anniversary and special events to mark this are being planned all over the region. Our special celebratory activity this year is to invite supporters to hold a Tea at 15:00 (3pm) party.

We have a range of merchandise for sale to help you create the perfect tea party ranging from teapots to bone china mugs, cake cases, aprons and tea towels. If you’d like some for your special event please contact your local fundraising office.

Your event can be hosted however you wish. We have some fundraising packs available including posters and invitations so that you can promote your tea party. You can hold one party – or 15. You might like to choose the 15th of the month for it – or perhaps host it during National Air Ambulance Week which is 21 -27 September. Why not get together with friends and each hold a tea party for a fun competition in a ‘Come Dine With Me’ style?

Sell your cakes to friends or colleagues… charge 15p or £1.50. Bake a cake in the shape of the number 15 or perhaps invite 15 people to your party. And we would like to see your pictures too so that we can print them in ‘Anglia Lift Off”, display them on a special page on our website or share them on social media.

Let us know which elements of your tea party your guests enjoyed most. Did you offer 15 different types of tea? Or was there a cake that was everybody’s favourite? Perhaps take a leaf out of seven-year-old Grace O’Dowd’s book (pictured above). The Newmarket schoolgirl has been selling scones and jam in aid of EAAA and has raised £25.

Look out for Tea at 15:00 events taking place across the region. Shopping Centre ‘The Mall’ in Luton will be hosting one on Mothers’ Day – 15 March and an Alice in Wonderland themed Tea at 15:00 a few weeks later.

15 YEARS OF EAAA 2000

Jockey Frankie Dettori launches the appeal to start an air ambulance service in the region and

by December there’s enough money to fly one day a week.

2001

A fundraising lottery is launched as the service grows to five then seven days a week.

2002

The charity celebrates a year as a seven day a week operation and is recognised as one of the busiest in the country.

2003

The lottery celebrates signing up its 10,000th player.

2004

The Bullock Fair Charity Shop in Harleston, South Norfolk decides to make EAAA a beneficiary – 11 years on it’s donated over £600,000.

2005

The first helicopter a Bolkow 105 is replaced by a BK 117.

2006

The service flies its 6,000th mission.

2007

An appeal is launched to expand into Bedfordshire with a second helicopter.

2008

The Anglia Two service becomes a seven day a week operation.

2009

Our annual fundraiser The Runway Run is launched.

2010

East Anglian Air Ambulance celebrates its 10th anniversary.

2011

Cambridge airport becomes the permanent base of Anglia Two.

2012

A former patient and an EAAA volunteer are both chosen to carry the Olympic torch.

2013

EAAA becomes the country’s first dedicated air ambulance service to fly at night.

2014

It’s announced that HRH the Duke of Cambridge will join Bond Air Services as a pilot for EAAA. LIFT OFF 15

Lottery

BIGGEST EVERRIZE WON ACCUMULATOR P

LOTTERY JACKPOT WINNERS SINCE OUR LAST EDITION For full details each week of the EAAA lottery winners and the current accumulator prize please visit our website – www.eaaa.org.uk The results are published there first and as soon as possible after the draw is made. They remain available on the site for approximately one month. In the last quarter the £1,000 jackpot has been won by: Nov 07

Mrs J. S. Kemp

Wickhambrook, Suffolk

Nov 14

Mr K. Lazenby

Bedford

Nov 21

Mr P. Jacoby

Bretton, Peterborough

Nov 28

Mrs N. Vickery

Old Catton, Norwich

Dec 05

Mrs J. Crudgington Barham, Suffolk

Dec 12

Mr & Mrs Seaman

Worlingham, Suffolk

Dec 19

Mr G. Kirby

Lowestoft

Dec 29

Mr P. Riley

Newton St Faith, Norfolk

Jan 02

Mrs F. Edwards

Peterborough

Jan 09

Mrs M. Deadman

Heacham, Norfolk

Jan 16

Mrs M. Harvey

Kesgrave, Suffolk

Jan 23

Mrs B. Howard

Norwich

Jan 30

Mrs Kempton

Great Yarmouth

About our lottery

Supporting the East Anglian Air Ambulance lottery is one of the easiest and most sustainable ways to keep us flying and saving lives. There are 18 main cash prizes including a jackpot of £1,000 which is won every week. We also have an accumulator prize which rises by £500 per week. The maximum it can reach is £25,000 and we have had several of our supporters win significant sums. Everyone who plays the lottery is automatically entered into the accumulator draw.

16

LIFT OFF

en wedding ating their gold br le ce to d ar ing forw AA lottery’s le who are look anks to the EA th e yl st in so A Suffolk coup to do on will be able e anniversary so d only joined th . aw dson Joshua, ha an r gr ou accumulator dr g in un s yo er s ay with hi e other pl , pictured here win. Like all th s aw hi dr e re th fo be ith Ross Cameron s w th along ound three mon e accumulator ing for EAAA lottery ar as entered in th w had been build r e be iz m pr nu e ’s th r ss be Ro em aw ov d. dr N y de 7 kl ar wee ever aw he won on est sum we’ve prizes. When rg y la kl e ee th w – e 0 th r 50 fo of £19, using the stood at a total r win and will be ou ith w d le 39 weeks and ril wedding solutely th brate our 50th id: “We were ab holiday to cele on Mr Cameron sa ay aw ily m e whole fa prize to take th s.” a couple of year present Mr in y ar annivers ere delighted to w e “W : e id sa a fantastic tim er Mike Burt and his family m Lottery Manag hi h om is fr w ity d ar an the ch his prize e a donation to Cameron with generously mad ry ve ” e d.

H te g. ia in celebrat much apprec o, which is very his winnings to

THE ACCUMULATOR PRIZE Following the win by Ross Cameron (above) the accumulator prize has been won a further three times since then. Each week a total of £500 is added to the prize pot – up to a maximum of £25,000. When the prize is won the accumulator starts again the following week at £500. Everyone who plays our lottery is automatically entered for this draw and has the same chance of winning this as all our other weekly prizes. Details of how much it has reached each week and whether it has been won or not are posted in the Lottery News section of our website.

On December 5 Mrs W. Griffin of Mulbarton, Norfolk won £2,000 and the following week Mr N. Norton of Lowestoft won £500. Then on January 9 Mrs J. Ruffels of Great Cambourne, Cambs, won £2,000.

Congratulations to all our lottery winners and thanks to all who have chosen to make a donation to the charity following a win. We’d especially like to thank those who have completed a Gift Aid form when making a donation. This allows us to claim 20% tax back from the Government, if the donor is a UK tax-payer at no extra cost to them. The form is available from our offices or website.

How does it work?

How do I claim my prize?

Once we receive your completed membership application we enter your details onto our lottery system. You’ll be sent a letter and membership card with details of your lucky number. Each Friday the winners are randomly selected from all current paying members.

There is no need to make a claim as we automatically send out all the winners’ cheques by 1st class post on Friday afternoons.

A list of winners can be found on our website www.eaaa.org.uk. The results are also announced on Radio Norwich 99.9FM at 9am on Saturday morning. Some local newspapers also print our lottery results.

How much does it cost?

Each ‘chance’ in our lottery costs £1 and you can have more than one ‘chance’ each week if you wish.

LOTTERY MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION New Member Details (Please fill in your contact and payment details)

CHRISTMAS PRIZE DRAW WINNERS East Anglian Air Ambulance would like to thank everyone who supported our Christmas raffle. Many people also made very generous donations when buying tickets. The top prize of £3,000 was won by Peter Wyatt in Norwich. The second prize of £1,000 went to Richard Caualiere in Cottenham, Cambs and the £500 third prize-winner was P.D. Jarvis of Walcott, Norfolk. Ten runners-up won £50 each.

They were: D. Masterson, D. Bossom and E. and B. Longhurst who are all from Suffolk; A. Buchan, P. Herwin, J. Reed, S. Brame, C. Muffett and M. Button all from Norfolk and D.E. Matthews from Cambridgeshire.

Congratulations to all our winners.

Name Address

Postcode

Tel

For cheque payment:

No. of chances per week No. of weeks (min 13) Total amount due £

For direct debit payments: (Please fill in the form below)

Instruction to your Bank or Building Society to pay by Direct Debit

Service User Number

Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society

422746

To: The Manager

Bank/Building Society

Address

THANK YOU The East Anglian Air Ambulance charity is enormously appreciative of the support from our loyal lottery players. Your weekly contribution really does make a difference and has helped to generate millions for the charity since it started.

Without your continued support, it would be very difficult for us to maintain the service we currently provide.

However, please don’t forget to let us know if you move house, we send our winning cheques through the post each week so it’s vital that we have an up to date address for our players.

If you would like to help us save money by reading the magazine on our website or via an app please visit the ‘Anglia Lift Off’ page on our website where you’ll find full details of how to do so.

Postcode Name(s) of Account Holder(s) Branch Sort Code Bank/Building Society Account Number Reference:

Instruction to your Bank or Building Society Please pay East Anglian Air Ambulance Direct Debits from the account detailed in this Instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this Instruction may remain with East Anglian Air Ambulance and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my Bank/Building Society.

Signature(s)

Date

Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions for some types of account.

How do I join?

Simply complete the application form on these pages and return it to us at the address printed on the form. All players must be over the age of 16. If you would like to pay by cheque then don’t forget to include this in with your application form. Alternatively if you don’t want to cut out the form or you know several people who might like to join, then it’s now even easier to do so.

We have an ancillary remote licence from the Gambling Commission which means we can sign lottery members up via our website (visit the shop section to do so) and over the phone on 01603 489400.

If you are reading this edition of ‘Anglia Lift Off’ because you are already a member of our lottery then when you have finished it, why not pass it on to someone else who might like to find out more about supporting our work in this way?

The sum of £ Monthly (£4.34) First payment on

(Minimum payment of £4.34 per chance per month)

Quarterly (£13) /

/

Half-yearly (£26)

Yearly (£52)

and thereafter until further notice.

Please return your completed membership application form (with cheque made payable to Friends of East Anglian Air Ambulance) to: Friends of East Anglian Air Ambulance, Hangar E, Norwich Airport, Gambling Close, Norwich NR6 6EG Members must be aged 16 years or over, please tick this box to confirm Each chance costs £1 per week. All the data we hold is gathered and managed in strict accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998). We will not disclose any information supplied by you to any third party. We may contact you occasionally with information about other aspects of our work. If you would prefer not to receive these mailings please tick this box

Issue 38

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17

VIRGIN MONEY LONDON MARATHON On Sunday 26 April thousands of runners will take their place on the starting line for this year’s Virgin Money London Marathon. Several of them will be raising money for East Anglian Air Ambulance. Many of our runners have personal reasons for choosing to run for the air ambulance and between them they are hoping to raise thousands of pounds. Details of all their online fundraising pages are below but if you wish to make a donation in a different way please contact us (see page 3).

DR VICKY SMITH

Vicky is one of the EAAA’s flying doctors and is taking part in her first marathon. She has been part of our medical team since July last year.

Although she has never done anything like this before it has always been an ambition of Vicky’s to run a marathon. She said: “Through my work with EAAA, I have experienced first-hand the difference this charity makes to the people of East Anglia in their hour of need and how it helps save lives. I’ve been inspired by the commitment and support by members of the public who work so hard for this charity.”

Support Vicky at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving. com/VictoriaSmithEAAA

SHAUN & LAURA BUTTON

Shaun was airlifted by Anglia One a couple of years ago after the sudden onset of one of the rarest forms of migraine there is, caused him to crash his car on a remote lane. Following the incident Shaun vowed to support EAAA and this year he and his wife Laura will both be running in the London Marathon. The couple from Harleston in South Norfolk, who have two sons, are sharing their training progress on social media. They have previously supported EAAA in our Runway Run and have held a pamper evening to help boost their fundraising total.

Shaun said: “If it wasn’t for the EAAA my wife and two sons might not have a husband and father. I want to pay back the cost of the mission and say a huge thank you to EAAA. They arrived so quickly and looked after me, taking just seven minutes to fly me to hospital. They were brilliant.” Visit the couple’s fundraising page at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ShaunButton

18 LIFT OFF

STEPHANIE HUMPHREY

Holly (R) with Lucy

HOLLY MERCER

18 year old Holly is running the marathon in memory of one of her best friends Lucy Woolley who was fatally injured in a freak horse-riding accident. The two had been pupils at Ipswich High School for Girls together. Although Lucy was treated by the air ambulance clinicians and flown to Addenbrooke’s Hospital for specialist treatment she sadly did not recover. Holly said: “Due to the work of EAAA after Lucy’s accident, this enabled her family to spend a few more precious hours with her. As a thank you to them all the money I raise goes to this lifesaving charity.” This will be Holly’s first marathon and she hopes to complete it in around five hours. Her sponsorship page is at: http:// uk.virginmoneygiving.com/HollyMercer18

SIMON TOMLIN

Describing himself as ‘not the model of fitness’ Simon, from Ipswich, has even offered to post pictures of himself ‘in various levels of pain’ as his training progresses – in order to encourage people to sponsor him. It’s been a long held ambition to take part in the London Marathon and having also witnessed the EAAA team attend a child he saw first hand how quickly and effectively they could give a high level of medical treatment. Simon hopes to raise £3,000 at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SimonTomlin1

Stephanie has been running seriously since 2011, when she moved back to England from America where she had been at university on a tennis scholarship. Having been smashing her PB times since she started training she is hoping to complete the marathon in under four hours.

Stephanie’s aunt was attended by the air ambulance in 2010, but sadly died in hospital.

Stephanie said: “The team were simply amazing and due to this, we understand how important it is to have EAAA present in the case of an emergency and I want to give back to the charity that helps so many people.” Support Stephanie at: https://www.justgiving.com/StephanieHumphrey2/

JONATHAN HODGSON

Jonny has run half marathons in the past but has never tackled a full marathon before. As the partner of one of the EAAA fundraising team in Peterborough, he is only too aware of the lifesaving work carried out by the charity. Jonny first saw the air ambulance in action when he was at school and one of his friends broke his leg playing football. He has supported EAAA ever since and having secured a place through the ballot for the race hopes to raise £1,000 at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ JonathanHodgson1

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LIFT OFF 19

FUNDRAISING RIDE FOR YOUR LIVES In 2015 our annual cycling challenge, Ride For Your Lives, promises to be bigger and better than before. Now in its fourth year it has a great new location and route and some fantastic prizes on offer too.

This year it will take place on 28 June and our new family-friendly course will be suitable for all ages and abilities and just about any type of bike. As it’s our 15th anniversary year we’ve come up with a route covering a distance of 15km, which is about nine miles, around the Ferry Meadows Country Park in Peterborough.

The route takes in the Nene Park Trust grounds including Bluebell Wood, Orton Mere and Thorpe Meadows rowing lake and sculpture park. A detailed route and further information will be provided upon registration.

This year’s event has very generously been sponsored by Best Western Plus Orton Hall Hotel and Spa. A team from the hotel will also be taking part and hope that other local businesses or Best Western hotels from across the region will come along on the day to challenge them.

The event starts at 9am and cyclists can start on the course any time up until 3pm. There will also be a full programme of supporting activities including a cycle safety information stand run by the local police.

Rutland Cycling have very kindly donated a lightweight aluminium kids Frog bike as a raffle prize.

We’ve also had a very generous offer from Vivacity Culture and Leisure to make some adapted cycles available to enable people with disabilities to take part. The types of bike include tricycles, quadcycles, handcycle, wheelchair transporter and Tandem Quadcycle. You do not need to complete the whole 15km.

Registration is now open at a cost of £10 per single rider or £20 for a family so please visit our website for more information (look in the events section) or contact Leanne Tyers in the Peterborough fundraising office (details on page 3).

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BECCLES CYCLE FOR LIFE If you like cycling and are in the east of our region then you might like to take part in Beccles Cycle For Life. Once again the 2015 event is kindly supporting EAAA as one of the charities to benefit. There are five distance options of between seven and 50 miles and all start from Beccles Free School. Entries can be made in advance or on the day. More details are available from www. becclescycleforlife.org and we are very grateful to the Rotary Club of Beccles for their continued support and last year’s fantastic donation of £3,500, despite wet weather on the day.

SOHAM TEAM ARE TOP SCREWBALL FUNDRAISERS A group of friends from Cambridgeshire who entered the Screwball Rally raising money for EAAA have been crowned the Best Fundraisers from the car challenge across Europe.

Gary Warren, Rob Guy, Anthony Gardiner and Tim Clay (pictured above), all from Soham, completed the Top Gear-style driving marathon in five days, covering more than 2,300 miles.

The Screwball Rally gives teams of four the opportunity to raise money for a chosen charity, which this local group decided would be EAAA. Guidelines for the event stated that the car must not cost more than £750, so the team purchased a Mercedes Benz for just £300 and customised it in the style of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Unfortunately the car didn’t co-operate the whole time and needed a few pit stops along the way. It also couldn’t fly!

They began in Dover from where they crossed to Dunkirk in France, then onto Basel in Switzerland, Linz in Austria, Prague in Czech Republic and finally ending up in Hanover in Germany.

Almost 100 cars completed the challenge which began on 25 September and finished on 29 September with a party and prize giving ceremony in Hanover. Awards were handed to cars with ‘Best Theme’, ‘Spirit of Screwball’ and ‘Best Fundraiser’.

The Soham team were presented with the Best Fundraiser award after raising over £14,000 for EAAA, which was almost a fifth of the entire sum raised through the event.

EAAA deputy fundraising co-ordinator, Meg Davies, said: “We are so proud of the team for completing the challenge and raising such a fantastic amount. The group have done fantastic work to decorate the car and drive the 2,300 miles across Europe.”

THANKS Four triathletes who took part in the Elveden Estates’ Tearjerker Triathlon helped raise more than £2,600 thanks to generous sponsorship and a donation from the event itself who chose us as the beneficiary charity. We are very grateful to Rachel Stebbing (who was raising money for EAAA for the second time at this event), Ben Squires and Anne and Roger Jordan.

Alex Nagy from Haverhill celebrated his 21st birthday in style by undertaking a skydive and raising £554.

Turners of Soham have supported EAAA for some time and last summer organised, in conjunction with Soham Town Football Club, a sponsored bike ride to Southwold – a distance of more than 70 miles. They raised in excess of £2,100.

RUNNING TOTAL As well as the EAAA Virgin Money London Marathon runners featured on page 18 – dozens of other runners take part in other long and shorter distance races to help EAAA every year. In 2015 some of those include: Harriet Benstead who is taking part in the Colchester Half Marathon in March.

A group of staff from Cambridge Consultants running the Cambridge Half Marathon in the same month as part of a year of support for EAAA. And a team of EAAA staff will be running the British 10k in London on 12 July. Raising money for the charity will be Peter Smalley and Marie Harrison from our head office, Hannah Isted and James Perks from our communications team and Gemma McKail from fundraising.

LIFT OFF 21

HOW TO HELP US Regular readers of ‘Anglia Lift Off’ may remember that in our summer 2014 issue we talked about how to leave an additional legacy in your will using a codicil. Supporters who received the magazine in the post were also sent a codicil form which allows people to make an addition to their will without having to draw up a new will or make a major amendment if they change their mind about something. If you didn’t receive the form or you’re interested to find out more about how codicils work, full details including some useful links to sites explaining the process can be found in the Gifts in wills section of our website.

We promise never to ask for specific details but if you do tell us about a gift for EAAA in your will then we would like to thank you personally, and we often invite people to our bases to learn more about how your gift might help us. If you have made a will but wish to keep your decision to support us private, please accept our genuine thanks as well.

Leaving a legacy to a charity can be for a sum that’s as big or small as you want. We always want our supporters to think of their family and friends first and only consider us once your nearest and dearest have been looked after.

If you are interested in more information on leaving a gift to EAAA, or learning more about the charity and how your legacy can help, then please get in contact with Jess Down, whose contact details along with helpful information about making a will are on our website.

Since sending out the forms we have had a really positive response. We want to say a sincere thank you to everybody who has chosen to leave a legacy to the EAAA, it is a very personal decision and we really appreciate people considering us when making these arrangements. During 2014 we were contacted by more than a dozen people who told us they’d already left a gift in their will to the EAAA. Of course many people who choose to leave a legacy to charity do so in confidence, and we realise that there could be many supporters who we are unaware of.

HELP US SAVE LIVES

There are many ways in which you can support us, please help by ticking the boxes which interest you and completing your contact details.

Then simply return the form to: FREEPOST EAAA or email the area(s) which interests you with your contact details to: info@eaaa.org.uk or telephone: 08450 669 999. For more information about East Anglian Air Ambulance and for details of fundraising events in your area, please visit www.eaaa.org.uk

Thank you for your support

✃

Name Address Postcode Tel

Email

I’d like to make a donation and enclose a sum of £

I’d like information to help me raise money for EAAA

I’d like to find out about setting up a regular donation

I’d like information on how to leave a legacy

I’d like to know more about becoming a volunteer

I’d like to receive details about corporate sponsorship

Add 20p to every £1 you donate at no extra cost to you by ticking this box and signing below. This will enable us to claim GiftAid. I am a UK taxpayer and would like the East Anglian Air Ambulance to reclaim the tax on the enclosed gift and all gifts of money that I have made in the past 4 years and all future gifts of money that I make from the date of this declaration.

Signature

Date

All the data is gathered and managed in strict accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998). We will not disclose any information supplied by you to any third party.

We may contact you occasionally with information about other aspects of our work. If you would prefer not to receive these mailing please tick here

22 LIFT OFF

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