Flight for Life - Spring/Summer 2019

SPRING 2019

ehaat.org

LAST YEAR’S FIGURES SHOW

BUSIEST YEAR EVER

FOR ESSEX & HERTS AIR AMBULANCE!

A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS AND SPONSORS… BERESFORDS GROUP

DAVID WATSON TRANSPORT

BERRYWORLD UK

GCS ALARMS

BLUE BEAR ANIMAL REHABILITATION

JAMESONS ACCOUNTANTS WILKIN & SONS

GET IN TOUCH We love hearing your fundraising news and receiving your feedback.

EMAIL US: contactus@ehaat.org CALL US: 0345 2417 690

CONNECT WITH US: @ehaat_ / EssexandHerts AirAmbulance

WRITE TO US: Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, Flight House,

ehaat_

The Business Centre, Earls Colne, Colchester, Essex, CO6 2NS

Leaving your county with life-saving support is easier than you think.

Leave a gift in your Will.

Your gift will never be forgotten because it could help to save a life.

Phone us on 0345 2417 690 or email contactus@ehaat.org for more details. ehaat.org | Charity Number: 1108989

2

FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

WHAT’S INSIDE THIS ISSUE? 04 News

WELCOME

TO THE FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE

08 Features 09 Lottery 10 Fundraising 13 Events 14 Volunteering / Retail

JANE GURNEY

16 Clinical / Operations

Chief Executive Officer ESSEX & HERTS AIR AMBULANCE

18 Features

The year began with the news that the Charity’s Critical Care Teams attended a total of 1,491 patients in 2018, making it our busiest year to date! I am pleased that we continue to provide this vital service for which there is such a strong need.

We are always looking to improve and develop our clinical service, so I am delighted that this issue contains news of two exciting developments which will have a major impact on the care we deliver.

Since March our Air Ambulances and Rapid Response Vehicles have been carrying blood supplies on board. This development will improve the care that can be provided to those patients suffering significant bleeding and blood loss. We are immensely grateful to our partners at The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, and to the Essex Voluntary Blood Service for their help and support in making this possible.

We are hopeful that planning permission will be granted for our new Airbase at North Weald. This major project will give us the security of tenure going forward and futureproof our operation there for many years to come. The benefits will include improved training facilities, an interactive visitor centre and locating the Hertfordshire charity office to run alongside the operation. It will also give

us everything we need for 24/7 operations, something we continue to work towards.

CONTACTS

Just as the service we provide continues to develop, so does our fundraising.

0345 2417 690

In March we had another dazzling night as we celebrated ten years of Strictly Air Ambulance.

Our celebrity judges Katya and Neil Jones sprinkled some stardust on the evening and dazzled the audience with their routines.

The evening was a great opportunity to thank everyone who has supported the event over the last decade, whether as a contestant, professional dancer or audience member.

ESSEX GENERAL ENQUIRIES: HERTS GENERAL ENQUIRIES:

0345 5040 055 EMAIL:

contactus@ehaat.org WEBSITE:

ehaat.org LOTTERY HOTLINE:

0345 2417 688

–

It was also lovely to see so many dogs and their owners back at the Charity’s Earls Colne HQ for our Heli Hounds Dog Walk. In June we will be at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire for our second Heli Hounds of the year. Please come and join us and walk those paws for a life-saving cause.

PUBLISHED BY:

I hope you enjoy reading our latest issue of Flight for Life. Thank you for your continued support of Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT). Without you, we simply couldn’t continue our life-saving service. Thank you.

1108989

Focus IMC www.focusimc.co.uk EDITOR:

Kayleigh Bonner kayleigh.bonner@ehaat.org CHARITY NUMBER:

ehaat.org

3

NEWS

BUSIEST YEAR EVER FOR THE CHARITY! EHAAT attended a total of 1,491 patients in 2018, making it the busiest year ever for the Charity’s Critical Care Teams.

The figure shows an increase of 2% on 2017 with 1,461 patients and a rise of 38% on the 2016 total of 1,077.

Of the number of missions our Air Ambulances and Rapid Response Vehicles were dispatched to, 83% were for incidents in Essex and Hertfordshire. The remainder were to attend patients in Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Greater London and Kent to provide support when their local Air Ambulances were already committed.

As for types of injury: medical incidents (including cardiac arrests) accounted for 39% of the total, followed by road traffic collisions at 24% and accidental injuries at 15%. The remaining 22% included a mix of cases such as assaults, sport/leisure accidents and other trauma incidents.

The busiest part of 2018 came in May, June and July, with more than 200 missions attended each month. During the year over 300 missions took place on a Saturday, making it the busiest day of the week for the Critical Care Teams.

Stuart Elms, Clinical Director at EHAAT, commented: “The need for the Charity’s life-saving service is as strong now as it was twenty years ago when our first helicopter, covering just Essex, took to the air.

With the help of our supporters across Essex and Hertfordshire we will continue to develop our service to give the best care we can to the critically ill and seriously injured patients that we attend.”

4

FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE WITH APPLICATION FOR NEW AIRBASE In December, the Charity applied for planning permission to build new premises at North Weald Airfield.

The plans were submitted to Epping Forest District Council and if the application is successful, we plan to commence building work this summer and for the work to be complete before October 2020.

The decision to proceed with this development, which will cost in the region of £4 million, was taken after long and careful consideration by the Trustees and the Executive Team.

Jonath an Chair o Trower, f Trust ees

Jonathan Trower, Chair of Trustees at EHAAT said: “Having looked at all the options for securing the long term security of our operation, we believe that building our own facility at North Weald is the best way forward. It will give us the security of tenure after October 2020, when our current lease expires and building the base ourselves results in significant cost savings compared to leasing a new building built to the same specification. The Trustees are delighted that it has been possible to produce a design of

Initial concepts for new

airbase

such high quality which also meets the requirement of being as costeffective as possible.”

Cliff Gale, Operations Director explained that “The proposed structure will provide improved facilities for aircraft, vehicle and crew, and it will also contain areas for training, mentoring, patient liaison and crosstraining with other emergency services. This will not only benefit EHAAT but the local pre-hospital care community also. The new facility will also provide a visitor centre which will allow us to welcome and engage with the local community or patients wishing to visit us.”

FAQS Q

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING, WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE CURRENT AIRBASE?

We currently operate from two Airbases, one located at Earls Colne and the other at North Weald. However, the North Weald site is sub-leased and from October 2020 we have no right of occupancy.

This, in turn, gives us no security of tenure. Designing and occupying our own sustainable base at North Weald will ensure we have security of tenure, allowing us to make firm plans for the future.

Q

WHY DO YOU NEED TO BUILD AN AIRBASE, WHY NOT RENT AGAIN?

The choice between building a hangar on leased land or leasing a hangar has been thoroughly researched. The Board of Trustees determined that building our own facility on leased land is the best way forward and will result not only in significant savings, but the long term security of our operation.

Q

HOW WILL IT BE FUNDED?

As well as making use of some of our reserves, we are actively looking for funding via a number of corporate supporters.

In addition, in his recent Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the Government will be making £10 million available to support the funding of capital projects by Air Ambulances in England. We have submitted an application for funding.

Q

HAVEN’T YOU GOT BETTER PROJECTS TO SPEND FUNDS ON?

We have a number of key projects and this is amongst the highest priority, helping to ensure our operational future. The October 2020 date for the expiry of our lease means that we have to give this the highest priority.

Q

WHY ARE YOU STAYING AT NORTH WEALD WHEN IT’S IN ESSEX, NOT HERTFORDSHIRE?

North Weald has significant advantages. It is an established airfield which assists in achieving success in the necessary planning process.

It is set away from residential areas, meaning minimum impact on the local community, it affords good motorway access for our Rapid Response Vehicles, and is geographically central, straddling the two counties of Essex and Hertfordshire.

ehaat.org

5

NEW TRUSTEES JOIN THE BOARD As 2018 came to an end, we were pleased to welcome Claire Smith and Andy Tunningley as Trustees of EHAAT and also thank Clare Dobie who stepped down as a Trustee after nearly ten years’ service.

The role of the Trustees is to oversee the management and administration of the Charity and make sure that it is run in the interests of the people it exists to support.

Claire Smith and her husband Robert have been friends of EHAAT since a Critical Care Team attended their baby Milli when she was less than a day old. Claire, a lawyer, is a director of her own company, company secretary of a family farming business on the Essex/Hertfordshire border, as well as sitting on other charity boards. Her direct experience of the work of the Charity has led Claire to feel passionate about helping EHAAT flourish.

Andy Tunningley works in the City of London for BlackRock Asset Management, commuting from Witham in Essex, a journey he has done for more years than he has not! Andy was looking for an opportunity to get more involved in the charity sector after raising money through sporting endeavours for other charities. Andrew is delighted to become part of the EHAAT family.

EHAAT CEO, Jane Gurney said: “I would like to thank Clare Dobie for all her hard work and support during her time as a Trustee. I’m delighted to welcome both Claire Smith and Andy Tunningley to our Board of Trustees and look forward to working with them. They each bring with them a wealth of business experience and a real passion for the work of the Charity.”

WELCOMING THE AIR AMBULANCE BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT In his 2018 Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, announced that the Government would be making £10 million available for the 18 Air Ambulance services in England.

Following the announcement Jane Gurney, Chief Executive Officer of EHAAT said: “This is good news, but it costs over £9 million each year to keep EHAAT alone operational. Because we will have to apply for funding there is no guarantee that our Charity will receive any of this money.”

Within his statement, the Chancellor said: “Across the length and breadth of England, our Air Ambulance services work tirelessly 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to get those with life-threatening illnesses and injuries to the expert medical care they need. They do a fantastic job and today I am making £10 million of funding available to help them go on doing so.”

As this issue of Flight for Life went to press, we had applied for funding to help with the planned developments at our North Weald Airbase.

6

FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

NEW FACES AT ESSEX & HERTS AIR AMBULANCE Donna Lee – Head of Retail

Mark Ruddy – Pre-hospital Care Doctor

Donna joins us to oversee the smooth running of our seven shops, warehouse/donation drop-off point and eBay centre. EHAAT plans to open a minimum of two shops each year, so she will also spend time seeking out the best locations and premises for them.

“Previous to EHAAT my experience has included being a GP, Anaesthetist and working in other Emergency Medical Services. I most enjoy the multidisciplinary team working that comes with my role.”

“I have worked in the charity sector for over nine years. Previous to EHAAT, I worked for Macmillan Cancer Support. I love that no matter what department you work for or whatever job you are doing, everyone is so passionate about working for the same goal.”

Emily Donnachie – Events Manager Oliver Dodd – Pre-hospital Care Doctor “My experience has included working for Lifelight and as a rural GP Anaesthetist for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, both in Australia. I also served ten years in the British Army. I enjoy that my role is so varied, with no day ever being the same. I also like the teamwork that comes with working on high acuity cases.”

Emily takes on the role of planning and executing our events programme.

“My career started in learning and development as a qualified trainer. I moved into looking after the courses from a logistical side and fell in love with the role. The natural progression then after was managing events, which I have now done for the last five years.”

Louise Pownall – Regular Giving Manager

Asher Lewinsohn – Pre-hospital Care Doctor

Louise joins EHAAT in a brand new role, to develop regular giving income.

“I love being able to make a real difference to the outcome for patients and their families.

I love comforting and reassuring people, being there for them in their hour of need. I love the challenges and lateral thinking you need to master in prehospital care and I really enjoy working with ambulance staff.”

“With over 30 years’ experience in Sales, Marketing and Events including establishing two successful businesses, I consider my position within EHAAT as my most exciting and rewarding yet. My role is to develop and nurture the very vital and valued ongoing support from our Regular Contributors from both individuals and corporations. I feel both delighted and privileged to be part of the EHAAT family working together as one team with the aim of saving lives.”

ehaat.org

7

FEATURES

“THEY SAVED MY LEG AND PROBABLY MY LIFE. I’M MORE THAN HAPPY TO VOLUNTEER IN RETURN” Fifteen years ago Sean Russell, who now volunteers at our Frinton-on-Sea charity shop, experienced the work of our Critical Care Team at first hand after a road traffic collision.

Sean recalled to us: “I was riding from Clacton to Brightlingsea through Angus Green. A car overtook me and hit me side on. I ended up at the side of the road and my moped was a further ten metres down the road. That’s how big the impact was.

“Two paramedic cars and a land ambulance arrived and I later learned that they were running out of dressings to use on me because they couldn’t stem the blood flow from the injuries.

That’s why the Air Ambulance was called out.

“All of a sudden I remember seeing a great big helicopter hovering above me.

I wasn’t fully aware of what was going on, so when I saw people in flight suits I started to wonder what on earth was happening!”

“I started off thinking I might do it for a couple of years,” explained Sean, “twelve years later, I am still here! I do things like help with merchandise sales at events, attend cheque presentations and have recently started giving talks on the charity, to help spread the word.”

On top of that, Sean has recently taken on a new role within the volunteer team: “When I heard that a new EHAAT charity shop was opening in Frinton-on-Sea, I got in touch with the office straight away to offer my services. I really like being able to help out. I enjoy talking to the customers who come in. As an airlifted patient I can give them a different view of the Charity.

“EHAAT is really close to my heart, they saved my leg and probably my life. I’m more than happy to volunteer in return.”

The EHAAT Critical Care Team explained to Sean that he was going to be airlifted into Colchester Hospital: “I think the adrenaline must have started to kick in because I apparently told them I wanted to get up and walk. They told me that wasn’t going to happen!”

Sean spent the next six weeks in Colchester Hospital. In the fifteen years following the incident, he has needed many operations on his leg which took the brunt of the damage.

He is still recovering to this day.

Unable to work since, Sean has been one of our dedicated Volunteers for over a decade!

8

FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Sean at an Airbase visi

t in 2016 following the

collision.

LOTTERY

THANK YOU TO OUR CANVASSERS OF THE YEAR! Each year we like to award one canvasser from each of our agencies to recognise the effort they put in to making the Flight for Life Lottery the success it is. Without their hard work and dedication we would not see the continued growth we have in the Lottery, making it the Charity’s biggest fundraiser.

Michael Budd

The award is based on a number of factors including the number of sign-ups achieved over the previous 12 months and the feedback received by the Charity from members of the public.

Michael Budd, Canvasser from Tower, and Phil Parmenter, Canvasser from RFD, each received the accolade ‘Canvasser of the Year’ in 2018 for their work on behalf of EHAAT. They received gift vouchers and a trophy. For both of them, it was the second year running that they achieved this title!

Well done to both Michael and Phil, and thank you to all of our canvassers for the work they do in supporting the Charity and the Flight for Life Lottery.

Phil Pa

rm

ith enter w

CEO Ja

ne Gurn

ey

WANT TO WIN £3,000?

ENTER OUR SPRING RAFFLE ONLINE NOW! 1st Prize

You can enter our raffle online, making it even easier for you to be in with a chance of winning some great prizes whilst supporting your local life-saving Charity!

Visit www.raffleentry.org.uk/ehaat and you can easily enter our Spring Raffle for a chance to win £3,000! One ticket costs only £1, so what are you waiting for? Enter now before the closing date of 23rd May 2019.

£3,000 2nd Prize

£500 3rd Prize

£100

Runner-up Prizes

10 x £10

ehaat.org

9

FUNDRAISING

WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAY One in ten of our missions are funded by money left to us in wills.

In March we organised our first ever Free Wills Month, during which anyone aged 55 or over had the chance to have a will professionally prepared for free. Several generous solicitors in both Essex and Hertfordshire agreed to waive their usual charges of writing a Simple Will for supporters of the Charity.

A substantial number of people had their will written for free during March and in lieu of the usual fee which would usually be given to the solicitors, many left generous donations to the Charity.

If you are considering leaving EHAAT a gift in your will, head over to ehaat.org/leave-a-gift-in-your-will for more information and to get in touch. A gift of any size could help save a life. Thank you.

Redro w

Home

s get in

the fe

stive s

pirit

FESTIVE FUNDRAISING Our Festive Fundraising initiative was a merry success, raising an amazing £60,000 across both counties!

Supporters organised a wide range of festive-themed events in the run-up to Christmas, from mince pie mornings to carol concerts. Others held Christmas jumper days at work, arranged festive-themed raffles and bucket collections and took part in Santa runs.

Sabi Stafford, Fundraising Manager at EHAAT said, “One of the great things about Christmas is the way so many supporters get involved with raising funds on our behalf. It adds some Christmas cheer and community spirit to the local area as well as raising vital funds for the Charity.

“One popular way of raising money over the festive season is ‘Lights for Flights’ where people decorate their house with an array of festive lights and collect donations on behalf of EHAAT. Some of them come up with amazing creations!”

In Essex, one supporter even put up lights on their house which were synchronised with the music from ‘The Greatest Showman’, attracting a lot of press attention and visitors.

Watford Football Club hosted a festive bucket collection which saw collectors in Santa hats mingling with football fans. They were able to hear a first-hand account of the work of the Charity by Critical Care Paramedic Tony Stone who was interviewed by the stadium announcer.

EHAAT’s mascot Pilot Pete couldn’t resist joining the players on the pitch for their warmup either! Thank you to everyone who supported us over the festive period helping us raise such a fantastic amount!

BETTY FLIES HIGH FOR FUNDRAISING ACHIEVEMENT 81-year-old Betty Palser from Benfleet fulfilled a lifelong ambition last year doing an aerobatic loop-the-loop. Not only did she accomplish this feat which many of us would be terrified of, she raised over £900 for EHAAT at the same time!

Betty explained: “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do but I kept putting it off. Finally, I thought ‘you’re getting old, you’ve got to give this a try’. I was so disappointed not to be able to do a wing walk, but you had to be able to stand up on the wing and I, unfortunately, wasn’t able to push myself up.”

10

FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Instead, Betty jumped at the chance of doing the loop-the-loop.

“They told me I would only be able to do the loop once but the pilot actually took me around three times! I wished I could have stayed up there all day. There were no ill effects, but my son had to help me down out of the cockpit. I think next time maybe I will go up in a glider!”

Betty explained that she doesn’t have a personal link with EHAAT but admires the work of the Charity and has wanted to help for a long time. We’re certainly thankful she has done and wish her all the luck with her next high-flying challenges!

GIANT GINGERBREAD VISITS THE AIRBASE FOR A TEATIME TREAT To celebrate the launch of our ‘A Very British Afternoon Tea’ fundraising initiative, the Crew at North Weald were presented with a giant gingerbread Critical Care Paramedic made by Days Bakery.

A huge thank you to the bakers at Days Bakery who spent three days making and decorating the fantastic edible paramedic as part of the ‘A Very British Afternoon Tea’ initiative to create a gingerbread member of the crew. The real-life crew certainly enjoyed a well-earned tea break with a difference!

THE BIG PUB QUIZ RAISES A CHEERS TO A BIG SUCCESS Pub regulars across Essex and Hertfordshire put on their thinking caps in March for The Big Pub Quiz fundraising initiative in support of EHAAT. Critical Care Paramedic Gaynor Wareham headed over to her local, H@me & Eat in Bishop’s Stortford, to get involved with a team of quizzers. Unfortunately they didn’t raise the trophy that evening!

“As part of the Air Ambulance team I see first-hand how the Charity uses the funding to help people,” Gaynor explained. “As soon as I found out The Big Pub Quiz was happening in a venue so close to my home I had to get involved.”

Dane Gillam, Events Manager at H@me & Eat said: “We are proud to support EHAAT. A close friend to H@me & Eat’s life was saved due to the quick response of the Air Ambulance, so it is a Charity we hold dear to our hearts.”

Giant gingerbread men are not essential to do your own fundraising – if you are a star baker, precise with your icing, or just love an excuse for a get together then EHAAT is looking for people just like you. This June we are asking supporters, and cake lovers, to host their own A Very British Afternoon Tea. Pop along to ehaat.org/avbat or phone us on 0345 5040 055 to get your free fundraising pack.

Whether you’re looking to host an afternoon tea in your back garden, or entice the office with a cake showdown, the Charity’s free fundraising pack has tips and recipes for you! Inside you will find some fun activities including a tea-tasting competition, fantastic recipes from sponsors Berryworld, fun game ideas and how to create your own crew using gingerbread men.

During June, participating Days Bakery’s in Essex and Hertfordshire are donating 100% of their plain gingerbread sales to EHAAT.

epherd The Sh ham at Lang

H@me

& Eat in

Bishop’s

Stortford

The Shepherd at Langham near Colchester raised a fabulous £278 whilst hosting their Big Pub Quiz. The pub was full of eager quizzers and a fun night was had by all. Nicola Gardner, Fundraising Volunteer Administrator, joined the evening to represent the Charity and deliver a talk on EHAAT during the break which came in handy for the EHAAT question round which was saved for last!

Thank you so much to the teams from every pub which got involved with The Big Pub Quiz this March. All your efforts make such a difference to helping keep the Charity operational.

ehaat.org

11

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE ON THE GROUND WHO KEEPS US IN THE SKY Our incredible fundraisers really are a varied group! From businesses employing hundreds to individuals prepared to do something extraordinary, they have one thing in common.

They all want to put themselves out to raise money for their local life-saving Charity and we wholeheartedly want to thank everyone who takes the time to fundraise for us.

Here are just some of our outstanding recent fundraisers:

Redrow Homes Ltd We were selected as Redrow Homes’ Charity of the Year for 2018. They raised an astounding £48,000 through a race night and a London to Paris Cycle Ride amongst many other events.

Beresfords Group Beresfords Group held their third annual gala ball in aid of EHAAT and raised a magnificent £40,000.

Ray Winstone attended to show his support for the Charity!

Mother Funders The Mother Funders raised £1,953 at their spook-tacular Halloween event with a local band and dance performances.

Christine Daniels Despite a fear of heights, Christine abseiled from the ArcelorMittal Orbit in Stratford raising £1,404 in the process.

Essex Media A hardy team from Essex Media’s staff braved the mud and obstacles at the Nuclear Races to raise £1,875 for the Charity!

The Poachers After 54 years together, the band from Mersea Island raised a rocking £1,277 during their last ever performance together.

Hertfordshire Young Farmers The group of young farmers raised £1,682 with a tractor run across the county.

Maria Marsh In October 2018, Maria took the leap and raised £3,300 by doing a tandem skydive over the Hertfordshire countryside.

12

FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

EVENTS

SMALL PAWS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE It was great to see so many pooches and people supporting the Heli Hounds Dog Walk on Sunday 10th March despite the bad weather causing some disruptions.

It seems like we are weather-cursed for this event after last year’s ‘Beast from the East’ caused it to be postponed and this year the stormy weather and strong winds meant we had to cancel the planned Dog Show as a precaution. With that being said, we were absolutely delighted with how many dogs and their owners came along to support the event and completed the muddy three miles from the Charity HQ round Marks Hall Estate.

STRICTLY AIR AMBULANCE DANCES UP A STORM AT ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY Charter Hall in Colchester was transformed into a spectacular dance hall on Saturday 23rd March for the 10th anniversary Strictly Air Ambulance. Critical Care Paramedic James Mullett and Emma Burrell from Starlight Dancing in Colchester took away the Glitterball as winners. They wowed celebrity judges Neil and Katya Jones with their Foxtrot and Showdance to ‘I Want To Break Free’ by Queen.

Neil and Katya added their own sprinkling of stardust as five contestants and their professional partners took to the dance floor for a night of friendly competition.

The couples each performed either a Latin or Ballroom dance plus their own choice of showdance. As well as casting a critical eye over Our fabulous contestants and celebrity judges

An amazing £2,600 was raised from ticket sales and from ‘paw-bucks café’ on the day. Once we receive sponsorship money this figure is likely to increase further. Well done everyone and thank you also to our event sponsors Blue Bear Animal Rehabilitation and David Watson Transport.

Our next Heli Hounds event will take place at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire on Sunday 9th June. We hope you can come and join us for a paw-some day!

the contestant’s efforts, Neil and Katya entertained the audience with two demonstration dances.

After the competitions ticket holders were able to mingle with Neil and Katya, the contestants, and their professional dance partners at a special 10th year anniversary aftershow party.

Guests were welcomed into the party with a glass of bubbly and canapés, and DJ Peter Maasz kept everyone partying with a string of dancefloor fillers.

Jen Wall, Volunteer & Events Lead at EHAAT said: “It was great to be joined by two such fantastic dancers for our 10th anniversary Strictly Air Ambulance. It’s a night we will all remember for a long time to come!

“Strictly is one of our most popular events and no wonder. The atmosphere on the night was electric. All our contestants and professionals work so hard to learn their dances and give their best.

Of course, it’s wonderful to see our judges in action. I would also like to thank our event sponsors GCS Alarms and Jamesons Accountant for their support of the event.”

Competitors for this year’s event were: Lisa Jane Rose, a local businesswoman, partnered by Chris Burrell of Starlight Dancing, Colchester.

Sarah Wareham, EHAAT Volunteer and Daughter of EHAAT founder Brian Shipley, partnered by Adrian Wisner of Footsteps Ballroom, Wickford.

James Mullett, Critical Care Paramedic at EHAAT, partnered by Emma Burrell of Starlight Dancing, Colchester.

Toni Butterfield, Insurance Broker, partnered by Sam Jeffrey of Dazzle Dance Centre, Romford.

Paul Dewing, Managing Director of GCS Fire & Security, partnered by Lucy Heath of Julia Spencer School of Dance, Clacton.

Neil and Katya during a stunning performance

ehaat.org

13

VOLUNTEERING/RETAIL

EVERY LITTLE HELPS FOR EHAAT In January groups of staff from Tesco gave a massive boost to sales across six of our charity shops by volunteering for the day. They brought treats to tempt customers through the doors, donated clothes, and lots of enthusiasm!

The volunteers did everything from tagging clothes and restocking the shelves to dressing the windows and persuading passers-by to take a look inside, all with many smiles on their faces.

At Buntingford, they gave away fruit and cakes and in Royston, they set up a portable photo booth to allow customers to take selfies. In Ware, customers were delighted to see a real-life ‘Where’s Wally’ in the shop window, while on Mersea Island a soft toy tombola was a great success.

At Burnham-on-Crouch, a pop-up tearoom appeared outside the shop, and in Hitchin, they helped create an eye-catching winter wonderland window display.

Takings were well up on a usual day across the shops and in addition to fundraising efforts also going on at the Tesco Office in Welwyn Garden City an outstanding £10,894 was raised to support the Charity!

COMPANIES ‘GIVE BACK’ TO THE CHARITY One of the amazing ways companies across Essex and Hertfordshire support us is with ‘give back’ days where their staff are encouraged to volunteer for EHAAT, replacing a normal work day for them.

In recent months employees of companies like GSK, Marks & Spencer, Roche, Tesco, ReAssure and Portakabin have all spent time helping our retail team.

They’ve been invaluable helping with everything from sorting winter clothes at the Warehouse in Stevenage to stocking shelves in our shops.

Warehouse Manager, Kerie Lovelock, says: “We really appreciate all the hard work done by our Corporate Volunteers. They all get stuck in, doing anything they can to help, from taking in donations to sweeping the floors or hanging up clothes. Sorting the stock into different types really helps because it means we can allocate stock to shops properly instead of giving them mixed bags.

“The staff from these companies are an incredible help, and we just love having them. From feedback, I would say they enjoy their time with us and they have the satisfaction of helping a great cause.

14

FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

If you and your work colleagues would be interested in donating any of your time to volunteer with EHAAT, we have lots of fun opportunities.

Please get in touch by emailing contactus@ehaat.org or calling 0345 2417 690.

Your help and support makes all the difference.

Donations are accepted at the Warehouse (Unit 2/3 Access Business Park, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, SG1 2GR) Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm.

OUR LATEST CHARITY SHOP OPENS IN FRINTON-ON-SEA Excitingly, we now have seven EHAAT Charity Shops open across Essex and Hertfordshire. EHAAT’s newest Charity Shop was officially opened in Frinton-on-Sea on Friday 15th February by Mrs Bonnie Hill MBE, Deputy Lieutenant of Essex.

A brief ceremony took place at the shop, located in the Triangle Shopping Centre, at which EHAAT CEO, Jane Gurney, alongside Mrs Hill cut a ribbon to mark the occasion.

Jane and Phil Caborn, a Trustee of EHAAT, each spoke briefly at the event.

The n ew EHA is loca AT shop ted at U Trian gle Sh nit 6, op Centr e, Luf ping f Way Frin C013 ton-on-Se , a, 0AU a nd is Mond op ay to Satur en d 9am– 4pm. ay,

To find your AT nearest EHA shop visit ehaat.org/ s charityshop

Other guests included Councillor Robert Bucke, David Gillies, President of the Frinton Rotary Club, and Terry Brown, Treasurer of Frinton and Walton Masonic Association.

Representatives of Frinton Community Association and Frinton Residents Association were present along with staff and volunteers from the shop.

Pam Withrington, Fundraising & Marketing Director said: “It’s been a great day, and we’re very grateful to the people of Frinton for the warm welcome they have given our latest Charity shop.

“By visiting one of our shops to donate goods or purchase something, people really help keep their local life-saving service operational.”

WE NEED YOU!

If you want to volunteer for a Charity that offers flexible hours to suit you, a welcoming environment, regular get-togethers, interaction with our Critical Care Team and employability skills, come and join our team!

Whether you can give us a little time occasionally or a lot of time regularly, our Volunteer Team would be pleased to hear from you and help answer any questions about what is involved. Contact our Volunteer Manager Jane Morton via jane.morton@ehaat.org or by calling 0345 2417 690.

ehaat.org

15

CLINICAL/OPERATIONS

EHAAT’S REPUTATION CONTINUES TO EXTEND AROUND THE WORLD

Nick George

The growing reputation of our service means that clinicians from across the world are increasingly keen to spend time working with, and learning from our Critical Care Team.

In the last year alone we have welcomed doctors and medical students from Brazil, Australia, USA, New Zealand and Italy!

In November, Medical Director Ronan Fenton welcomed Dr Jiwei Zhong from China to our Earls Colne Airbase.

Dr Zhong explained to us how impressed he was by the dedication of the EHAAT clinical staff: “I arrived here at 6.30 this morning when it was dark outside and the staff were already working. Even though the helicopter was not on call, the paramedics were carrying out very detailed checks on the drugs and equipment.”

Nick George, a final year medical student from Baltimore in the United States, spent four weeks with our Critical Care Team in January and February.

ster tricia Hea n h Pittam, Pa ie Phillipso er, Ashleig st ur ea La H er id ag an L-R: Dav Clinical M AT A EH d an

STUDENT OF THE YEAR We pride ourselves on the running of a thriving elective scheme that allows student doctors, paramedics and nurses to shadow the Charity’s Critical Care Team. Students are exposed to our safety and clinical cultures, as well as the complex cases our clinicians attend.

16

FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Dr Jiwei Zhong with EHA

AT Crew

He explained that there are over 300 HEMS agencies in the United States, but only five of them use doctors: “I naturally wanted to do my elective placement with a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service that uses Pre-hospital Care Doctors and being at EHAAT was an incredible experience.

“To be able to fly on the aircraft and be part of a team like this is a unique opportunity. The attention to detail and the drive to constantly improve is very impressive. You’ll never hear someone here saying ‘this is the way we do it because we have always done it this way’.

The phrase ‘it’s good enough’ is not in the vocabulary here.”

The Michael Heaster Student of the Year Award recognises a medical, paramedic or nursing student who has shown outstanding performance during a placement with EHAAT. The award was established in 2014 by David and Patricia Heaster to celebrate the life of their son Michael who sadly died following a road traffic collision.

David and Patricia presented the 2018 award to Ashleigh Pittams, a medical student at Birmingham University.

Ashleigh spent five weeks with EHAAT in May and June as part of the student elective programme and reported that “it was the best experience I’ve had as a medical student. I was lucky to work alongside such an inspiring team and the clinical exposure that I received was second to none. It has definitely made me more determined to pursue a career in pre-hospital medicine”.

“We are delighted that The Michael Heaster Award has been presented to such an outstanding student,” Laurie Phillipson, Clinical Manager explained. “From her first day with us, it was clear that Ashleigh was making a real contribution to the team. We are always keen to offer the clinicians of the future an opportunity to see and learn more about the Air Ambulance service. We look forward to seeing how her career develops.”

MORE LIFE-SAVING DEFIBRILLATORS INSTALLED As our supporters may already be aware, EHAAT is committed to installing Public Access Defibrillators (PADs) on the outside of, or close to, all of its premises. We have seen first-hand how invaluable these devices can be should a sudden cardiac arrest occur in the area.

Ware and Buntingford have benefited from this initiative in recent months.

A PAD was fitted to the outside of the EHAAT Ware shop with huge thanks to the generosity of EHAAT Volunteer Kate Lloyd-Davies, who has been a Volunteer with the Charity for over eight years and wanted to support the initiative in the most practical way she could think of.

Defibrilla

tor Awar eness Day

in Hitch

in

In Buntingford, a device has been fitted to the outside of Seth Ward Community Centre in Luynes Rise – a short distance from the Charity’s shop in the High Street.

As well as providing greater access to these devices, we are also dedicated to educating the simplicity of their use to the public.

We held a Defibrillator Awareness Day in Hitchin on Saturday 30th March, to show untrained members of the public the ease and safety of their use.

Those who tried their hand on the day learned how the defibrillators provide clear and audible instructions and do not deliver a shock if the patient doesn’t need it.

We want supporters to know that once 999 has been called, ensuring that further help is on the way, they should not be afraid to use the equipment and start CPR. Time is critical in these instances and their assistance could make all the difference.

Daily visual checks are carried out on the defibrillators

by Staff and Volunteers. If you’d be interested in helping with this task, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Even if there isn’t one in your area at the moment, we might be planning one.

Bunti

Gra Mayor ngford

a ham W

h Ad ite wit

eryn G

illett o

f EHA

AT

ehaat.org

17

FEATURES

EHAAT NOW CARRY BLOOD SUPPLIES ON BOARD As of March 20th, after months of preparation, our aircraft and Rapid Response Vehicles (RRVs) now carry blood on board.

The ability to give a pre-hospital transfusion at the scene of an incident could be a life-saving intervention for patients suffering significant bleeding and blood loss. This early transfusion will significantly reduce the time lost in having to take a patient to a hospital to receive blood.

Stuart Elms, Clinical Director explained: “Traditionally patients have had blood loss replaced with saline which has many limitations when what they need is the oxygen-carrying capability and clotting factors of blood products.

“In this exciting new venture, we carry packed red blood cells of blood group O Negative, meaning they can be used on any patient. When required, the cells are given with plasma, the other major component of human blood. Together these form an effective replacement for patients who have lost blood.

The packed red blood cells are supplied daily and replenished as required from Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow and delivered to EHAAT’s Airbases at Earls Colne and North Weald by the extremely dedicated riders from Essex Voluntary Blood Service (EVBS).

The blood is delivered and stored in special cool boxes, fitted with a data logger, which keeps the blood at a cool temperature for at least 24 hours and indicate if the temperature has risen beyond safe limits.

When the blood is required, it will be warmed to at least body temperature using a MEQU warmer, worth approximately £3,000, to make it safe to administer to the patient and prevent unnecessary cooling of the patient.

If unused after 24 hours the blood is picked up from our Airbases by the EVBS and is returned to the blood donation system for use elsewhere, thus preventing any wastage.

Tracy Nevin, Blood Transfusion Specialist Practitioner at Princess Alexandra Hospital explained: “We are so delighted and excited to be working in partnership with EHAAT in providing emergency blood at the roadside. We have developed such a positive working relationship in such a short time that we’re elated to have gone live.”

We would also like to say a huge thank you to Nore Light Masonic Lodge no 35, whose incredibly generous donation paid for a MEQU blood warmer and two of the specialist cool boxes needed in order to carry blood supplies.

18

“I WANT TO TRAIN TO BECOME A PARAMEDIC AFTER WITNESSING THE WORK OF THE EMERGENCY SERVICES FIRST-HAND” Angelica Hambis works at a horse racing yard in Radlett, Hertfordshire. In September 2018 she was giving one of the horses its morning workout when disaster struck.

She recalls: “It was a normal day. I was out just after 8am when the horse got confused about which direction we were going in and took me through a set of railings. He was fine but I got thrown onto my back.

As soon as I had landed I knew I had broken something.”

Angelica had broken her pelvis in two places. The land ambulance that arrived in response to the 999 call assessed Angelica and determined that they needed assistance from Essex & Herts Air Ambulance in order to obtain advanced painkillers that the land ambulances cannot carry.

Angelica was conscious throughout the incident: “I was in a large patch of stinging nettles and I remember saying to them that I hadn’t landed in the best place because they had to be careful not to get stung!

“When I was on the ground I tried to move but I couldn’t and my leg felt numb. It wasn’t a good feeling! Without the advanced pain relief that the Air Ambulance Critical Care Team gave me, they would not have been able to move me.

“I was airlifted to King’s College Hospital where I had an operation to fix things in place with screws. I was in there for a week and spent two months in a wheelchair. I’ve been getting physio and I am now making plans to return to work.”

In January, Angelica visited the North Weald Airbase: “I met the guys who came out to me, and I sat in their helicopter. I’m now fascinated by the work of the Air Ambulance and the ambulance service in general.

I’m thinking of making a career change and becoming a paramedic.

I never thought I’d want to make such a dramatic career change but the incident really opened my eyes and I now want to do something as important as the work that paramedics do.

“Patient Liaison Manager, Adam Carr has been really helpful and told me to get in touch when I want to start working towards being a paramedic. I’m only 20, so I have got plenty of time!”

Angelica’s begun going to the gym regularly in hopes of being fit enough to do the London Marathon in aid of EHAAT in 2020! We certainly hope to be cheering Angelica on during the day and wish her all the best in her recovery.

ehaat.org

19

WHAT’S COMING UP 12th May

Throughout June

MOTORCYCLE RUN AND NORTH WEALD FAMILY FUN DAY

Welwyn to North Weald A VERY BRITISH AFTERNOON TEA

across Essex and Hertfordshire

8th June

ENTERTAINMENT POP-UP

9th June

HELI HOUNDS

15th June

ENTERTAINMENT POP-UP

Chelmsford, Essex

Hatfield House, Hertfordshire

Stevenage, Hertfordshire

8th September

MOTORCYCLE RUN AND HARWICH FAMILY FUN DAY

9th–15th September

NATIONAL AIR AMBULANCE WEEK

12th–20th October Throughout December 19th December

Ford Dunton to Harwich

across Essex and Hertfordshire WALK THE GREAT WALL TREK

China FESTIVE FUNDRAISING

across Essex and Hertfordshire CHRISTMAS CAROL CONCERT

Chelmsford Cathedral, Essex

Check out your local community’s fundraising events on our calendar at ehaat.org/community-events If you are hosting an event in aid of EHAAT then contact us at communications@ehaat.org to feature on our website.

To find out more or to register for any of our events, please call 0345 2417 690 or visit ehaat.org

We are looking at ways that we can further improve Flight for Life.

If you could take five minutes to go to www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/fflmagazine and complete our short survey, we would be incredibly grateful!

IF YOU HAVE ENJOYED READING THIS ISSUE OF FLIGHT FOR LIFE, COULD YOU MAKE A DONATION TO US? However large or small, every penny helps us to remain operational!

You can visit the website at ehaat.org/donate or donate over the phone on 0345 2417 690. Alternatively, cheques can be made payable to ‘Essex & Herts Air Ambulance’ and returned with this form to Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, Flight House, Earls Colne Business Park, Earls Colne, Essex, CO6 2NS.

By ticking this box , I confirm that I am a UK tax payer and understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year it is my responsibility to pay any difference. I understand the Charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I give for current and, if applicable, future years.

FULL NAME ADDRESS POSTCODE EMAIL TELEPHONE

Your support is valuable to us as together we can help keep saving lives. If you are happy for us to keep in touch with you, please indicate below by the best way(s) that we can contact you. Tick all boxes that apply.

By Email

By SMS

£

By Phone

What would you like to hear about?

All communications

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

By Post

Charity News

Fundraising

Lottery/Raffle

Please be assured that your details will not be passed on to third parties for their own use but will be used only to support the charitable objectives of Essex & Herts Air Ambulance. You can opt out of receiving these communications at any time by calling 0345 2417 690.

If you would like to stop receiving Flight for Life or update your communication preferences you can email us at contactus@ehaat.org or by phoning 0345 2417 690.