2013: REVIEW & IMPACT REPORT
2013: IN THE NEWS “£6,000 RAISED FOR AIR AMBULANCE THROUGH YEAR LONG PROGRAMME” THE ADVERTISER 13 DEC
“LOTTERY WINNER HELPS BOOST AIR AMBULANCE” EASTERN DAILY PRESS 07 OCT
“RIDGEONS RAISES £6000 FOR EAST ANGLIAN AIR AMBULANCE” BUILDERS’ MERCHANTS NEWS 09 DEC
“GET SET FOR ANNUAL RUNWAY RUN” NORWICH EVENING NEWS 24 SEPT
“EAST ANGLIAN AIR AMBULANCE DIRECTOR RECEIVES TWO OF THE HIGHEST HONOURS IN HIS FIELD” CAMBRIDGE NEWS 05 DEC
“CRASH SURVIVOR ORGANISES AIR AMBULANCE CHARITY EVENT FROM HOSPITAL BED” PETERBOROUGH TELEGRAPH 30 AUG
“AIR AMBULANCE FLIES CASUALTY FROM THE SCENE TO HOSPITAL” ESSEX CHRONICLE 28 NOV
“CAMBRIDGE CRASH SURVIVOR TAKES ON TOUGH SPARTAN SPRINT” CAMBRIDGE NEWS 14 AUG
“AIR AMBULANCE LANDS IN ROYSTON AFTER ALERT OVER BABY BOY” CAMBRIDGE NEWS 25 NOV “CASH PRESENTATION FOR EAST ANGLIAN AIR AMBULANCE” PETERBOROUGH TELEGRAPH 19 NOV “LOTUS RACING TEAM TRANSFORM CAR FOR LIFE-SAVING LOCAL CHARITY” EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES 16 OCT
“SUFFOLK HORSE RIDER AIRLIFTED TO HOSPITAL AFTER FALL” BBC NEWS 07 AUG “KITESURFER MEETS PARAMEDIC WHO SAVED HIS LIFE” ITV NEWS 06 AUG “ANDREW DEDICATING HIS RETIREMENT TO IMPROVING EMERGENCY CARE FOR PATIENTS” EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES 01 AUG
“PEDAL POWER BOOSTS FLYING RESCUE CHARITY THAT SAVED HEAD’S LIFE” EASTERN DAILY PRESS 25 JUL
“FUNDRAISING SLIMMERS LOSE A WHOPPING 1685 LB” BIGGLESWADE TODAY 18 APR
“AIR AMBULANCE FUNDRAISERS SHOW THEY’RE GENEROUS TO A TEE” EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES 23 JUL
“REGION’S AIR AMBULANCE ON THE VERGE OF BEING THE FIRST SERVICE TO FLY AT NIGHT” IPSWICH STAR 12 MAR
“MBE FOR AIR AMBULANCE BOSS” LUTON TODAY 17 JUN
“CONCERT AIMS HIGH FOR AIR AMBULANCE” DUNSTABLE TODAY 26 FEB
“EAST ANGLIAN AIR AMBULANCE TO FEATURE IN BBC DOCUMENTARY” HELIHUB 13 JUN
“SHOPPERS IN LITTLEPORT HELP BOOST AIR AMBULANCE” WISBECH STANDARD 22 JAN
“EAAA READY FOR NIGHT OPERATIONS” WAYPOINT AIRMED & RESCUE 24 MAY “AIR AMBULANCE OFFERS NIGHT TIME COVER” HUNTS POST 24 MAY “EAST ANGLIAN AIR AMBULANCE WILL SAVE MORE LIVES AFTER BEING GRANTED PERMISSION TO FLY AT NIGHT” IPSWICH STAR 24 MAY “EAAA PASSES CQC INSPECTION WITH FLYING COLOURS” HELIHUB 3 MAY
“FOURTH ELYSIAN WINTER BEER FESTIVAL RAISES £500 FOR THE EAST ANGLIAN AIR AMBULANCE” ELY STANDARD 17 JAN “EVERSHEDS CAMBRIDGE RAISES OVER £2,500 FOR EAST ANGLIAN AIR AMBULANCE” CAMBRIDGE NETWORK 07 JAN “DOCTOR IS HOPING FOR OLYMPIC SUCCESS WITH AIR AMBULANCE” BEDFORDSHIRE NEWS 03 JAN
2013:
A YEAR OF GROUND BREAKING CHANGE This year has been incredibly busy and productive for the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA). We achieved great progress which will benefit many people across the Eastern region. It is because of the dedication and hard work of our supporters, volunteers and staff that we’ve been able to accomplish such achievements. The people who continue to give to the Charity, even through hard times, make it possible for our dedicated medical teams to help those who need us. The Charity began just 13 years ago when we raised sufficient interest and funds to operate one helicopter serving Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire for one day a week. In our first decade we were able, through incredible community support, to extend our operation to include Bedfordshire and to operate 365 days a year. This year has seen us stretch the boundaries still further by becoming the first air ambulance service in England and Wales to operate a full helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) during the hours of darkness.
EAAA impact in 2013 • Completed over 1,650 missions • Increase in lottery players by over 15,000 • Largest ever EAAA Grand Draw achieving over £200,000 • The most income from a golf day in excess of £175,000 • Excellent local and regional media coverage • Supported first cohort of critical care paramedics in the new Critical Care master’s degree • Made contact with many of our former patients • Launched Anglia Lift Off app • Established four County Committees • Established ‘Proud to Support’ vehicle livery campaign
We congratulate our skilled HEMS crews and the Charity staff for their hard work over the year and thank our supporters including an increasing number of volunteers who make our lifesaving work possible. We look back on so much achievement, and look forward to developing our service still further.
Andrew Egerton-Smith, MBE Chairman of Trustees Tim Page Chief Executive 1
2013: THE YEAR FLYING AT NIGHT BECAME A REALITY
Attending patients at night, even in the depths of winter, has long been on the agenda for EAAA and 2013 was the year our aspirations became reality. 2
We knew it would be hard work; being an innovator and pioneer is a tough challenge, but with the help of our helicopter services provider Bond Air Services and working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority we received the most welcome news in May that we were cleared to fly at night. All the tenacity and determination of the staff involved in this great triumph, the training of crews and investment in new technology paid off as we became the first commercial air ambulance charity in England and Wales to receive approval to fly night time HEMS missions. We attended our first mission in the dark at the end of May. Attending missions during the hours of darkness has been a long journey for many reasons. • •
•
•
Our costs would dramatically increase: would our supporters back this? We would be the first: how many obstacles and challenges would we have to overcome? Would there be a need: how many HEMS incidents occurred during the hours of darkness?
Would our crews be willing to operate at night: they would need to learn how to use night vision goggles and increase their navigation skills.
We knew the process would not be quick, we needed to be thorough, we didn’t know what we didn’t know and everyone was watching our every move. Crew training took time: pilots and critical care paramedics needed to learn new skills and achieve a certain number of hours of training, and confidence in their ability to operate safely and effectively… and then practice; lots of it. Our first team was available and ready to fly on 24 May and that night was called to a road traffic collision in Essex. The clinicians were flown to the scene where they treated an injured motorcyclist with the aid of night vision equipment. The patient was then flown back to Cambridge where he was taken to the Major Trauma Centre at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Since then, we have completed over 100 flights using night vision equipment. 3
FOCUS: NIGHT FLYING Chris Sherriff has been flying the East Anglian Air Ambulance helicopter for six years and has landed helicopters in some unusual and remote places throughout the region, taking his clinical colleagues to people suffering a medical emergency or accident and in desperate need of our help. Here he explains how operating in the dark is different to flying during daylight hours: What are the main differences between flying during the day and during the night? The simple answer to this is that at night you can’t see. The identification of obstacles, and reference points are harder when operating in the dark, but it is no more difficult or risky than during the day. The critical care paramedics act as navigators en route to missions, using night vision goggles. This makes a big impact on visibility and enables the helicopter crews to identify obstacles and the best landing place. 4
Do you cover the same area as you do during the day? We are the only dedicated night-time helicopter emergency medical service in the area, so we cover the whole of the East of England, and are often tasked to go further afield into Lincolnshire and the Greater London area. Can you land anywhere? There are specific rules for landing an air ambulance during daylight hours and the rules governing night time landings are different in that more space is required. In the majority of cases we’ll choose an open space which is fine for a night time landing; we pay particular attention to wires running across fields, and livestock which may be quietly gathered in the corner. Can you airlift patients to hospital in the dark? Indeed we can. We are working local hospitals throughout the area to develop more lit helipads at hospital sites. Most of our work is done at the scene making it far more important to get the team to the patient as quickly as possible so that treatment can begin. Airlifting patients is usually a secondary consideration. Where do you think flying in the dark is making the most impact? During the rush hour in the winter months. We are called to a lot of road traffic incidents in the winter when people are driving or cycling to and from work. Now that we can land in the dark, these patients benefit from the same care they would have had if their collision happened during the summer.
This year, we became the first air ambulance charity in England and Wales to provide a HEMS service during the hours of darkness, helping more patients who need the expert care of our specialist doctor and critical care paramedic teams.
MEDICAL 23%
BURNS 5% FALL 7% OTHER 2%
AIR TRANSFER 39%
GROUND ESCORT 27%
SINCE MAY OUR CREWS HAVE ATTENDED THE FOLLOWING: ROAD TRAFFIC COLLISION 50%
OU TC OM ES
TRAUMA 13%
SCENE ASSISTANCE 34%
NIGHT FLYING STATS 5
The day starts at 7am for Tim, checking the aircraft with the pilot, washing out the engine, moving the aircraft onto the pad and testing all the equipment. When all the checks are complete the team declare the aircraft online and ready for business.
FOCUS: GETTING THE HELICOPTER AIRBORNE Aircraft engineers are the all important backroom crew for EAAA; they are the key people who keep the helicopters flying. 6
Tim Brooks has worked with the Charity since it began and is based at Norwich Airport. Dominic Francis joined the team in 2013 and is based at Cambridge Airport. Both have a military background and have experience of working in hostile environments and under pressure.
Then it’s back to the office to catch up on the important paperwork to maintain accurate records enabling the engineers to keep on top of routine maintenance. On return from a mission, Tim often has to clean the aircraft, they land in some pretty mucky places and the air ambulance must be clean at all times. He also checks for damage which may have occurred during landing or lift-off. And then there is the recovery service he provides. The EC135 is a very reliable aircraft and like all machinery it requires maintenance. So when Tim receives a call to say an aircraft warning light is showing … in a field in North Norfolk … he has to decide whether he can fix it or whether he needs help from the helicopter provider. He liaises with the pilot on scene and decides he does need assistance from the aircraft operator who promises to send a computer programme for downloading on to the helicopter. When Tim arrives at the field he and the pilot make a comprehensive check of the aircraft before he repairs the problem. Tim explains: “Keeping the aircraft in perfect condition is a joint effort between those who maintain it and the crew who fly and operate from it. We all work together to ensure that the helicopter is mission ready; it’s a constant and demanding job, but always very rewarding.” As the shift ends the aircraft is returned to the hangar for final checks. All regular maintenance work must be done when the aircraft is off line; in the case of Norwich, during the hours of darkness, in Cambridge after 1am. Dominic certainly has the most unsocial job of the two. Finally, with oil topped up and all other fluids checked the helicopter is tucked up in a hangar for the night, ready for action in the morning.
DURING 2013 OUR CREWS: WERE CALLED OUT ON AVERAGE 32 TIMES A WEEK ATTENDED 1,670 MISSIONS ASSISTED PATIENTS IN EVERY CORNER OF OUR REGION HELPED PATIENTS IN MANY EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
OTHER 21%
2013: MISSION STATS
CARDIAC ARREST 19%
MEDICAL 18%
EQUESTRIAN 2% FALL 12%
ROAD TRAFFIC COLLISION 28%
PETERBOROGH CAMBRIDGE BEDFORD
The aircraft fly our medical crews to patients, and even in the most remote locations we can reach them within 25 minutes to begin our lifesaving treatment.
NORWICH
IPSWICH
REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION NORFOLK 33% SUFFOLK 16% CAMBRIDGESHIRE 23% BEDFORDSHIRE 6% OTHER 22% 7
In July, gardner Lee had had a good morning at the country estate where he worked, lots of work done and the weather holding fine, but it all changed at lunchtime. Lee was working alone on the ride-on lawnmower, cutting the grass around the lake when the machine toppled over and Lee fell in with the lawn mower landing on top of him, trapping him under water. He was unable to breathe, but luckily a member of the public had noticed him, heard the splash and alerted the emergency services. Lee was totally submerged under the murky water when the police officers arrived but with the help of one of Lee’s colleagues they pulled him out and started resuscitation. The Fire and Rescue Service and Ambulance Service were soon on scene and everyone worked together to perform resuscitation for over 40 minutes, bringing Lee back to life.
FOCUS: THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE TO PATIENTS 8
Anglia Two arrived as Lee was being treated. The HEMS crew quickly assessed the situation and put Lee to sleep so they could control his breathing and heart rate. He was then flown to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where he was admitted in a life threatening condition. Dr Ed Gold, who was on duty that day, explained: “When the call came in, we honestly wondered what use we would be. Lee’s location was a 25 minute flight away and if the team at the scene hadn’t managed to get his pulse going by then, there was little we could have done.
“I’VE NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT LEE IS ALIVE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS OF EVERYONE INVOLVED” Belinda, Lee’s partner
“But when we arrived, our land ambulance colleagues had successfully resuscitated Lee and we were able to administer drugs which allowed us to take control of his care. We still could not believe that he would survive.” In October, Lee’s partner Belinda called to say that he was back at home and recovering well and would like to meet the team who saved his life. Critical care paramedic Carl Smith, who was also working on Anglia Two that day, said: “The call was a huge surprise, we didn’t really expect to hear from him. If there’s one patient we’ve ever wanted to see again, it’s Lee as neither Ed nor I could believe he’d made it. “Lee’s friend Sue organised a surprise fundraising event to thank everyone and so that Lee could meet them. It was overwhelming for me; I can’t imagine how Lee felt meeting all these people again.” Pictures courtesy of John Waddington
Following the fundraising event Lee, Belinda and Sue visited the crew at Cambridge Airport. During the visit Lee said: “It’s very strange for me as I remember absolutely nothing about the incident. All I can do is piece together what people have told me up to the point when I woke up in hospital two weeks later. I’m so very grateful to everyone who helped me.” Speaking of Lee’s treatment, Dr Ed Gold said: “Everything came together perfectly for Lee and if one cog in the wheel had not been there he wouldn’t be alive to tell his story today. From the police and fire service pulling the mower off Lee and getting him out of the water, the ambulance crew for their initial medical care to the HEMS team being able to give him the treatment he needed, followed by the care he received in
hospital, it all worked terrifically well for him. I’m so pleased to see him today.” Lee’s partner Belinda commented: “Lee is a great example for everyone - the emergency services and EAAA do such a great job and really help people in their hour of need. Everyone worked so hard and never gave up on him. It’s only now that I realise he probably had the best medical care in the world. I’ve no doubt in my mind that Lee is alive today because of the extraordinary efforts of everyone involved in his care and I can’t thank them enough for giving him back to me.” Lee is now continuing his recovery at home. He’s eager to get back to work but will be avoiding the area around the lake. 9
FOCUS: AWARD WINNERS
Freddy Parkins: JustGiving Young Fundraiser of the Year and Pride of Cambridge Community Award for Young Achiever Neil Flowers: Pride of Cambridge Community Award for Health Worker of the Year Critical care paramedic Neil Flowers was recognised as the Health Worker of the Year at the 2013 Pride of Cambridge Community Awards. Among his considerable achievements Neil was the first paramedic in the country to qualify as a HEMS crew member approved to fly at night. On receiving the award, Neil said: “I’m honoured to receive this award but it’s one I accept on behalf of the whole team. The whole crew has worked incredibly hard so that we can fly at night. People living in the East of England will really benefit from this extended service.” 10
Freddy, aged 9, was involved in a road incident in January 2012 which left him with a broken leg and his dad with life-threatening injuries. Following the incident, and as a result of being attended by our HEMS crew, Freddy pledged to raise money for the Charity that helped them and has written a book about what happened. He has raised nearly £3,000 from the sale of the book which includes top tips for people who find themselves in a similar situation. Freddy continues to fundraise for the Charity. This year he was honoured with not one, but two awards for his achievements. His mum Sarah said: “He’s on cloud nine and can’t believe he’s won these awards. We’re all so proud of him and pleased that his efforts will help others who need the air ambulance.”
Dr Tom Moore: Eastern Daily Press Stars of Norfolk Hospital/ Ambulance Hero of the Year Dr Tom Moore, who retired at the end of 2013, had worked for the Charity as a volunteer doctor for 12 years as a HEMS crew member for at least two days every month. We estimate that Dr Moore has given the Charity one whole year of doctor-led care and has helped over 500 people caught up in emergency situations. He said, “I wasn’t expecting to win; there were some remarkable people who would have been worthy winners. We’re a great team and this award reflects the hard work of everyone.”
Florence Clark: Young People of the Year Award Florence lost her brother in March when he died after returning from a long-haul trip. Since his death, Florence has pledged to raise money for the Charity which worked hard to help him. So far she has raised almost £16,000 through a number of events including taking part in a half marathon with her friends.
Picture of Freddy courtesy of Cambridge News. Picture of Dr Tom Moore courtesey of Eastern Daily Press.
In April we appointed a Volunteer Programme Development Manager so that we could make more effective use of the huge wealth of volunteer energy and talent available amongst our supporters across the region. Victoria Wortley has recruited over 50 volunteers during the year, people who have added significantly to our capacity. Our website, www.eaaa.org.uk, features a volunteer page with current opportunities and receives a great deal of interest. • The Communications Team benefitted from the hard work of Martine, Will, Hannah, Steve, Paul and Susan – who all brought their expertise and energy to help us raise our profile further. • In the Norwich office Jill, Yasmin and Maureen work together to ensure that our phones are always answered. In our Lottery Team Sheila works hard all day every Friday to make sure that winners are notified and letters are posted. • We launched a training programme in October for the expert speakers who attend so many events for us talking about our lifesaving work. We make sure that they have the latest facts and figures to hand.
FOCUS: VOLUNTEERS
Our fundraisers would be completely lost without the generous support of our volunteers who provide such a strong presence across the region and who help to generate so much of the Charity’s income. They are the people you may see wearing our red T shirts at local events, the people you speak to in the local supermarket as they pack your bag, the people who shopkeepers and landlords know as they collect donation boxes, to cite just a few of their activities
We also benefit enormously from corporate support:
Joy Fisher has been a volunteer with us for over ten years and has helped to raise around £10,000. She helps at events and picks up and banks collection boxes from local shops and business. She also sells her own hand made jewellery in the family run business, Fisher’s The Butcher.
• The team at Ridgeons have raised over £6,000 through Three peaks Challenge, Runway Run, Raffles, Collection Boxes, Grand Prix Challenge
• Staff at Mediterranean Shipping Company raised an amazing £23,280
• The Ipswich Building Society raised just under £2,000 bringing their total to a staggering £224,251
• The team at Hugh J Boswell raised over £3,800 from the 80 staff who took part in the Norfolk Runway Run event
• Halesworth Golf Club raised over £11,000 this year and over £100,000 in total
• The team at Cambridge Airport have raised £5,317 through bike rides and other initiatives
• Midwich Ltd, Diss held the Christmas event, ‘Jingle Balls’ raising £6,500 and bringing their total to £14,500 11
2013: REGIONAL SNAPSHOT
The Royal West Norfolk Golf Club golf dinner and competition raising over
£175,000
EAAA events that happened near you!
As the Charity embarks on its next stage of development, we were delighted to welcome Melanie Nightingale as our new Director of Fundraising. Melanie has a wide depth and breadth of experience and has already made a huge impact.
Open Day at Rectory Farm Milton in July which attracted
OVER 1,000 VISITORS In Norfolk the team hosted the
MASQUERADE BALL &
RUNWAY RUN
In Suffolk our first Charity ball raised over
£2,000
In South Cambridgeshire the Lacey Charity Luncheon in May raising
£13,900
In North Cambridgeshire, the Lap of Anglia, a gruelling
400 MILE
CYCLE RIDE
“I am overwhelmed at the level of support and commitment from our supporters and volunteers. They have allowed our service to change the lives of hundreds of people across the region and their ongoing support means we can continue to deliver cutting edge care to the people of East Anglia and I feel very privileged to be a part of this.” Melanie Nightingale, Director of Fundraising
In Bedfordshire
FOCUS: FINANCES
MEET THE HELICOPTER event in Russell Park, and launch of the ’Any Currency Any Age’ campaign
The following charts give an overview of the Charity’s General Fund income and expenditure in the financial year to 30 June 2013.
The Gift Fair at Ufford Park raised over
£7,000
Governance costs £58k
Fundraising & administration £1,201k
Lottery, scratch cards & raffle** £1,849k
INCOME
Donations, grants & collections £1,728k
TOTAL £5,505k Legacies* £908k
Events £678k Other £342k
EXPENDITURE Our Circle of Benefactor members continue to provide great support and awareness. The Circle has grown by 34 members this year and many people have been loyal since its formation. We are very pleased that Mrs Penelope Walkinshaw DL has agreed to become Chairman; Penelope has attended several events to meet Circle members. She is confident that future support is looking as strong as ever and believes that the true potential of the Circle is yet to be realised.
TOTAL £5,437k Helicopter operational & medical costs £4,178k
* Total legacy income for the year amounted to £1,211k of which 75% (£908k) has been credited to the General Fund and 25% (£303k) has been allocated to a Special Projects and Capital Development (Designated) Fund. ** Net of expenses. During the year £14,645 was received by way of donations for special projects and has been dealt with separately within a Restricted Fund. The above summary has been extracted from the audited accounts for the year ended 30 June 2013. The full annual accounts, the Trustees Report and the audit report can be obtained from the Charity Commission website www.charitycommission.gov.uk or from the Charity’s registered office. 13
JOIN OUR LOTTERY Play our lottery each week for just £1 a go.
REMEMBER A LOVED ONE By making an annual donation on your chosen day of the year.
ORGANISE A FUNDRAISING EVENT A coffee morning or a black tie ball, organising an event can be great fun and our teams of fundraisers are here to help you every step of the way.
GIFT AID If you are a UK tax payer the Charity benefits from an additional 25% of your gift. And if you are a higher tax payer, you can claim additional tax relief on your donation to us.
TAKE PART IN A SPONSORED CHALLENGE Jumping out of a plane or running 26 miles, doing it for us will spur you on just that little bit more.
REMEMBER US IN YOUR WILL Leaving a legacy will help us give others the chance for life they may not otherwise have; around one in every four missions we fly is funded by a legacy gift.
VOLUNTEER We have so many opportunities from helping our fundraising teams, to helping in one of our offices, taking photographs, making films, writing, design – if you can do it we can use it.
TELL OTHERS ABOUT US Ask your friends, family and colleauges to support us too.
MAKE A DONATION Call us on 08450 669 999, or visit the website at www.eaaa.org.uk.
Website: www.eaaa.org.uk | Tel: 08450 669 999 Facebook: East Anglian Air Ambulance Charity | Twitter: @EastAngliAirAmb | Pinterest: East Anglian Air Ambulance | YouTube: eaairambulance Registered Office: East Anglian Air Ambulance, Hangar E, Gambling Close, Norwich, NR6 6EG | Charity No: 1083876
Cover picture courtesy of Dr Jeremy Mauger.
2014: HOW YOU CAN HELP