Winter 2011 / Spring 2012 Suggested Donation £1 The Magazine of the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust
inside • Meet our New
Pilot Nicky Smith • Medical News from our HEMS Team • Airlifted patient David’s story
we can’t
fly without you!
EHAAT.uk.com
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Mark of Distinction... Mark of Quality!
Now covering Essex and Hertfordshire
Contents Flight for Life Lottery & Raffle
p4/5
Mark Of Distinction Home Improvements is a friendly family owned business that has built up a good solid reputation for professional workmanship throughout Norfolk.
Medical News from our HEMS Team p6/7 Home of the Herts Heli
p8
Fantastic Fundraisers!
p10
Dates for your Diary
p11
We pride ourselves on customer satisfaction. Mark Of Distinction will look after you from start to finish and many years afterwards.
Meet Pilot Nicky Smith
p12
Broomfield Helideck/Challenge Italy
p13
Volunteer News
p14
Don’t just take our word for it though, please call us direct for a FREE no obligation quote.
David's Story
p15
Visitor Centre
p16/17
Welcome to flight for life magazine...
01603 469381 www.markofdistinction.co.uk Windows Doors Conservatories Garage Doors Overdoor Canopies Hardwood Flooring Patios Decking
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...your chance to go behind the scenes at Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust. It has been another successful year of fundraising and saving lives across both counties for the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Team. July saw the opening of our brand new Visitor Centre (pictured above) based at Earls Colne Airfield, home of the Essex Air Ambulance. This new facility, which includes a number of interactive initiatives, is designed to empower visitors to find, explore and learn about the work of the Trust. Why not pay us a visit, simply call the fundraising office for more information.
To order by phone call 0845 257 4657 or visit www.moreinks.co.uk/air
How Can You Help?
2011 saw people living and working in the East of England benefit from an extended flying hours service during the summer months. The Trust has worked in partnership with East Anglian Air Ambulance and the East of England Ambulance Service to ensure the counties we serve are covered for a longer period, thus saving more lives in Essex, Herts and surrounding counties. The Air Crew have also been delivering ground-breaking new treatment on board the helicopters – read more on page 6 and 7. If you’d like to find out more about how you can support us, join our online community via Facebook and Twitter using the following... facebook.com/essexairambulance facebook.com/hertsairambulance @essexairamb @hertsairamb
Contact Us • Essex General Enquiries 0845 2417 690 • Herts General Enquiries 0845 504 0055 Email ContactUs@EHAAT.uk.com Website EHAAT.uk.com Lottery Hotline 0845 2417 688 Lottery Website flightforlifelottery.uk.com Advertising - To advertise in flight for life magazine contact Ian Clarke, Saffron Marketing 01603 622790 Email ian@saffron–marketing.com Branding and selected photography reproduced by kind permission of Perception.co Published by - Saffron Marketing on behalf of the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust www.saffron–marketing.com Editor - Holly Butler Holly@EHAAT.uk.com
I wish you and your families health and happiness for 2012. We appreciate your support now more than ever – we can’t fly without you!
Design - followcreative.com Cover shot - Thanks to Katie Oatham
Jane Gurney Executive Director
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By helping save somebody’s life... ...you could change your own Flight for Life Lottery Celebrate 45,000 Milestone! The Flight for Life Lottery is now more popular than ever with over 45,000 chances in both the Weekly Draw and Superdraw. Our members are playing their part to keep the Air Ambulances operational and saving lives across the two counties. Janice Flower Lottery Manager for the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust said “In our 13th year of running the Flight for Life Lottery, we are all very excited to have reached such a phenomenal figure! I would like to encourage all supporters of the Charity to sign up now, not only to stand a chance of winning a life-changing jackpot prize but to also help raise vital funds for the life-saving helicopters. I would like to personally thank all of our loyal current Lottery members for their continued support; we can’t fly without you!”
Lottery Roadshows Another successful initiative for recruiting Lottery members are our supermarket and shopping centre roadshows. Up and down Essex and Herts, our Flight for Life Team have been busy spreading the word about the Lottery, and it’s importance in keeping both helicopters flying and saving lives. We have also made use of the high footfall in our venues and thanks to our generous supporters, we have raised over £28,000 so far from bucket collections! Successful venues include the following… Morrison’s in Witham raised £1068.02 Sainsbury’s in Hoddeson raised £553.16 Waitrose in Southend on Sea raised £838.00 Tesco in Borehamwood raised £592.49 So keep a look out for our Flight for Life Lottery Team next time you do your shopping, as we might just be visiting a store near you soon!
Essex and Herts Superdraw Winners! In May 2011 Patricia Beisser pictured above from Buntingford in Herts won £19,773.45 in the Superdraw! Patricia and her husband were invited to the Herts Air Ambulance Airbase at North Weald to meet the Air Crew and see the helicopter up close and of course be presented with their cheque! Patricia said: “When I got the phone call to say I had won I was in shock, I couldn’t believe it! We plan to spend our winnings on doing up the house and building a patio in the garden. The Air Ambulance is such a worthy cause and one which is close to my heart.” In October 2011, Linda Hartard from Chelmsford won £5,771 in the Superdraw. “I never dreamt I would win such a substantial amount in the Superdraw and feel a little guilty as I had only been a member for two weeks, so I could not believe it when I got the telephone call! Our daughter is doing a 3 year Culinary Arts Course and this money will help towards the opportunities with the college to travel abroad. We also have plans for a holiday too and a great Christmas with family and friends.”
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Welwyn Garden City Supporter Wins Top Prize in Air Ambulance Raffle! The seventh Air Ambulance Raffle organised by Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust proved to be another fantastic success, raising over £110,000 for the life-saving helicopters! The Charity is very pleased to congratulate the lucky winners; 1st – Mr Brownjohn, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire won £2,000 2nd – Mrs Green, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire won £1,000 3rd – Mrs Harvey, Harlow, Essex won £500 First prize winner Mr Terry Brownjohn of Welwyn Garden City visited the Herts Air Ambulance Airbase at North Weald with his son, Mark to meet the Air Crew. Upon being presented with his winnings, Terry very kindly donated £50 back to the Charity. He plans to spend the rest of his winnings on treating his granddaughters aged 3 and 9 to a trampoline! If you would like to be added to the mailing list for future Air Ambulance Raffles, simply call 0845 2417 690.
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Pioneering Resuscitation Care
▲ HEMS Paramedic Ben Myer demonstrates the AutoPulse.
which delivers the compression for the patient’s chest. The LifeBand is an adjustable strap that covers the rib cage. When the patient is strapped in and the start button is pressed the LifeBand pulls tight around the chest, determines the patient's chest size and resistance, and proceeds to rhythmically constrict the entire rib cage, pumping the heart at a rate of 80 compressions per minute. The LifeBand can be placed over defibrillation pads, and if required the Autopulse can be stopped to deliver an electrical defibrillation charge.
Medical News from our HEMS Team The Essex and Herts Air Ambulance HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) Teams recently began using Tranexamic Acid. This is an intravenous drug that is given to badly injured trauma patients and is carried by the Trust’s two Air Ambulances. Due to the speed of the helicopter the HEMS team can reach a patient and deliver this therapy within minutes of injury; and to save precious minutes it is typically administered in flight, en route to the receiving specialist trauma unit and in conjunction with a request for a massive blood transfusion pack. The team on board the Air Ambulance used it for the first time in April for a patient with a penetrating chest injury and more recently for a patient crushed under a truck. On both occasions there was very little observed blood loss requiring the HEMS Doctor and Paramedic to apply their clinical assessment skills to determine the extent of internal injuries. A combination of therapies was delivered to both patients including a pre-hospital anaesthetic and a surgical technique to re-inflate collapsed lungs. The patients also benefitted from transfer
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The patient can be transported in the back of a land ambulance with the AutoPulse operational if needed. Approval is pending for the AutoPulse to be used on board the helicopter.
When a patient’s heart has stopped, the actions that take place as rapidly as possible are crucial; the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance HEMS Team have developed clinical gold standards based on the latest clinical evidence to deliver during this very important time. Using specialist equipment and drugs, the Air Crew will enhance the care given by first responders and land ambulance personnel in order to try and provide some of the highest standards of care in the world for patients in the Essex and Herts regions. These standards are continuously reviewed during the HEMS Team’s monthly Clinical Governance Days at the North Weald Airfield.
to a specialist trauma facility in London. A telephone call made on scene of this type of incident to the receiving hospital called a ‘Code Red’ alerts the Emergency Department clinicians that a critical patient is on their way and blood is sent directly to the helipad to give to the patient immediately after landing. The drug is more commonly prescribed by GPs for excessive bleeding or given in hospitals before heart and joint replacement surgery to reduce bleeding. Tranexamic acid works by preventing the activation of plasminogen in the blood, a substance that breaks down fibrin. Fibrin is the basic framework for the formation of a blood clot during clotting. In a severely injured trauma patient who is shocked from blood loss and is losing further blood, Tranexamic Acid can dramatically reduce the risk of death. The Essex & Herts Air Ambulance also carry the AutoPulse; an automated, portable, battery-powered chest compression device composed of a constricting band and half backboard that is used as an aid during life support. The Autopulse is used on the ground and provides mechanical chest compressions at the correct rate and depth. UK resuscitation guidelines emphasise continuous chest compressions with minimal interruption, often difficult to achieve due to fatigue of the person doing compressions. The AutoPulse is used during a medical cardiac arrest typically following a heart attack. The unit consists of a back board, a battery powered motor which powers the disposable LifeBand
flight for life | Winter 2011 / Spring 2012
HEMS Doctor Adam Chesters travelled to Malta where a conference of the European Resuscitation Council was being held. The council consists of the most senior international experts on the subject of resuscitation. Dr Chesters was able to present some of the work pioneered by the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Clinical Team in setting key performance indicators (KPI) for the resuscitation of patients who have suffered a cardiac arrest.
Mission brief The Herts Air Ambulance attended a man who had fallen from a pier and suffered head injuries. Pilot Nick Gribble landed the helicopter in a car park near to the scene. The patient was treated by our HEMS Paramedic John McCusker and HEMS Doctor MJ Slabbert, and then airlifted to Queens Hospital in Romford.
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Dr Chesters was also able to share some of the EHAAT standards with colleagues across Europe during the conference. In addition the key performance indicators were shared with an international audience at the recent London Cardiac Arrest symposium. Preliminary data has shown that these important interventions are increasing the chance of restarting the hearts of patients in Essex and Herts.
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Home of the Herts Air Ambulance The Herts Air Ambulance operates from North Weald Airfield. The Airfield, established in 1916, was in front line service during the Battle of Britain and is still very active. The Herts Air Ambulance HEMS Team of Pilot, HEMS Doctor and HEMS Paramedic share the hangar and use office space leased by Weald Aviation, a company that predominantly maintains a number of aircraft owned by private individuals. Weald Aviation also supplies the majority of the fuel for the Herts Air Ambulance and visiting Essex Air Ambulance.
Simon’s Story
In addition to the helicopter operation, the Herts Air Ambulance Fundraising Team also works from offices at the hangar. On a daily basis the HEMS Team and Fundraising Team as well as our fantastic Volunteers all work together to raise as much money as possible so this vital life-saving service can continue to operate for the benefit of the most seriously ill and injured people across Hertfordshire.
How the HEMS Heroes saved my life! If you have ever seen the TV advert where a driver pulls out of a T-junction without seeing the motorbike approaching, you will have a good idea of what happened to Simon Stevens.
At Addenbrookes Simon was sedated and then underwent extensive surgery to repair his liver and remove his spleen. Eight litres of blood were needed to keep him alive.
The 40 year old from Bishop's Stortford was riding through Spellbrook on a sunny day last September when suddenly a people carrier pulled out from a car dealership directly in front of him.
But miraculously he has quickly bounced back. A keen gym member, Simon’s powers of recuperation were enhanced by his level of fitness - not to mention his stubbornness! “I got bored in hospital so I checked out after ten days,” he says. Fortunately his wife, Tanya, turned ‘nurse’ was given unlimited leave to look after him. Simon even went back to his office “just to show my face,” in less than three weeks.
Simon has only a hazy memory of the event - but even now sometimes wakes up hearing the sound of his beloved Honda SP1 scraping down the tarmac towards the car. Ironically, he was on the way to hospital for a blood test - he had testicular cancer 2 ½ years ago and has to go for a test every three months, “I got to hospital all right, but not the one I’d been heading for!” he says. Simon was gravely injured. He had shattered six ribs and broken his back in three places. His liver was ripped in half; he had burst his spleen and damaged his sixth cranial nerve (affecting his vision in one eye).
“I wouldn’t be here at all if the Air Ambulance Doctor and the team hadn’t been around – they saved my life.”
He’s fully mobile again now – just months after the accident. Apart from suffering from post traumatic stress - “I’m slightly bonkers anyway” – he’s fine. However he says “I wouldn’t be here at all if the Air Ambulance Doctor and the team hadn’t been around – they saved my life. If it was not for their fast response and intervention, it is certain that my two young sons would now be fatherless and my wife a widow. These people survive on no direct funding from the Government; it’s almost all from people like you. If you have a spare £10 per month, you could not spend it much better than donating it to this team of people. They are true heroes.”
Chequers Inn Fancy Dress Cycle Ride Raises Funds Mission brief The Herts Air Ambulance would like to say a huge thank you The Aircrew arrived to find a land ambulance crew already to the Woolmer Green pub which has proved it really is at the assessing Simon’s injuries. Dr Imogen Bowring says “The land heart of the community by raising over £54,000 for the Herts crews sometimes arrive before we do if they’re close to the patient’s Air Ambulance! location. However, when there are really severe injuries we will take the patient to a specialist hospital, which is quicker and less painful The Chequers Inn organise their annual fancy dress cycle ride for people with terrible injuries, like Simon. In his case we decided each June with the route taking around 100 cyclists via local on Addenbrookes, one of our major trauma centres.” pubs. Landlords; Marian and Nick Darter are the brains behind
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The Essex Air Ambulance was called to a gentleman who this fantastic fundraiser but staff, family members, and all the had suffered a cardiac arrest while out cycling. Pilot David locals are all involved in making the event such a success. Kerr-Sheppard landed the helicopter near the incident, and Marian and Nick Darter said: “We chose to support the Herts Doctor Ross Davenport and HEMS Paramedic Chris AirHEMS Ambulance because it is a life-saving emergency service Martin were first on scene and provided advanced life support and receives no funding from the Government or National to the patient. His heart was successfully restarted and he Lottery. We hope that we can help support the Air Ambulance was then sedated and cooled before being taken to crew to enable them to keep helping people in Herts when they Broomfield Hospital by land ambulance. need it most.”
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Fantastic Fundraisers!
Dates for your Diary Essex Strictly Air Ambulance When:
Friday 2 March 2012
What:
A glitzy and glamorous evening of dance and entertainment.
Where:
The Brentwood Centre, Brentwood.
Cost:
TBC
Booking: Full information at EssexAirAmbulance.uk.com
Essex Motorcycle Show 11th September 2011 4,000 motorcyclists turned out to support the 12th annual Essex Air Ambulance Motorcycle Run & Harwich Family Festival. With funds still to come in from biker sponsorships and calendar sales we aim to raise £30,000.
When:
Sunday 29 April 2012
What:
A fun family day out with motorcycle exhibitor stands. Also the first opportunity for bikers to register for the Motorcycle Run 2012.
Where:
Weston Community Stadium, Colchester
Cost:
Free entry
Booking: No need to book – turn up on the day!
14th April 2011 Over 100 people attended Petrol Heads & Pampering at the exclusive Porsche Centre on Hatfield Business Park hosted by ex-Top Gear Presenter and Sunday Times columnist, Jason Dawe. The event raised in excess of £2,000.
22nd May 2011 Over 200 cyclists turned out to take part in a 20 mile or 40 mile cycle ride around the beautiful Colne Valley for the third annual Colne Valley Cycle Ride; raising £6,000 for the lifesaving helicopter.
Mission brief The Herts Air Ambulance attended a man who had suffered a chest injury. Pilot Nicky Smith landed the helicopter in a playing field near to the incident. The patient was treated at the scene by our HEMS Doctor MJ Slabbert and HEMS Paramedic John McCusker and then conveyed by land to Southend Hospital.
Patient Thank You “My brother got to the Royal London hospital in time for a life saving operation and blood transfusion. I really can’t thank you enough for what you did, and I still have my big brother. Thank you.”
For trade stand bookings please contact Wendy Marcon on 0845 2417 690.
Herts Saracens Motorcycle Run When:
Saturday 5 May 2012
What:
Bikers from all over Herts meet at the Saracens Rugby Club for a fun filled afternoon.
Where:
Saracens Training Ground, St Albans
Cost:
TBC
Booking: For info call 0845 504 0055
Trust
Mission brief
24th April 2011 The first ever Saracens Motorcycle Run took place on Easter Sunday, and proved to be a great success, with a win for the Saracens and generating £800 for Herts Air Ambulance.
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2nd September 2011 Barkway Golf Club hosted a Charity Golf Day in aid of Herts Air Ambulance. The day was a huge success raising a staggering £7,000 for the life-saving helicopter.
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The Essex Air Ambulance attended an adult female who had suffered a fit. Pilot Richard Eastwood landed the helicopter on a football pitch near the incident. She was treated on scene by HEMS Doctor Neil Slabbert and HEMS Paramedic Dan Firmin, and then airlifted to Queens Hospital in Romford.
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When:
Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 March 2012
What:
Simply host a party! From a coffee morning to a black tie affair – you decide.
Where:
Across Essex & Herts
Cost:
Host decides
Booking: Full information and registration at EssexAirAmbulance.uk.com and HertsAirAmbulance.uk.com
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Broomfield Hospital Helideck – Operational!
▲ Helicopter checks
Meet New Pilot Nicky Smith I have wanted to fly for an Air Ambulance for many years and feel it has been a natural progression from my RAF days. I’ve always been fascinated by helicopters and since the age of nine my dream was to become a helicopter pilot. My aspiration was to combine the fun and excitement of flying with using the aircraft in a really worthwhile role and making a difference. I have achieved this both in Search and Rescue and now with the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust (EHAAT). I was born in the Royal Military Hospital in Colchester which makes me an Essex Girl! My father was in the Army so we moved around a lot, although we did settle eventually in Staffordshire. I read engineering at Cambridge University, was sponsored by the RAF and a member of the University Air Squadron; this is where I first learned to fly. My first posting in the RAF was as a Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopter pilot on 202 Squadron, flying the yellow Sea King out of Boulmer in Northumberland.
▲ Air Crew briefing
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I also flew SAR from Lossiemouth in Scotland and Valley on Anglesey. These were three busy bases and I was involved in a lot of rescues in Snowdonia, the Lake District, the mountains of Scotland as well as out to sea. Other flying experiences included flying the Sea King in the Falkland Islands, the Wessex in Northern Ireland and the Griffin in Cyprus. My proudest moments in the RAF were flying the last ever Wessex before the aircraft went out of service and commanding a helicopter squadron. After 17 highly enjoyable years in the RAF, I decided to move on at an option point to pastures new. I started with something completely different – a year teaching mathematics at Felsted School in Essex. Then I returned to the flying world, initially with the company CHC and now with Medical Aviation Services working for the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust, flying both the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance helicopters.
“...Since the age of nine my dream was to become a helicopter pilot.” My most memorable EHAAT job so far was working with HEMS Doctor MJ Slabbert and HEMS Paramedic John McCusker; we were tasked by one of our Paramedics, Ben Myers, on the Clinical Coordination Desk to an industrial accident in Luton. This was interesting from a flying perspective because we were operating very close to the threshold of the Luton runway, which required some complex negotiation with the Luton Air Traffic Controller. Landing site options were limited, so a tricky approach into a small compound surrounded on all sides was required. The patient’s internal injuries were such that he probably wouldn’t have made it had he not received the specialist medical care delivered by our HEMS Air Crew. They carried out complex medical procedures at the scene and then, once the patient had been stabilised, we flew him to the helipad on top of the Royal London Hospital. The patient was given blood as soon as we landed and was in the hands of a top trauma team within minutes. This was a demanding mission on a number of levels and one with a successful outcome. It was impressive and highly rewarding to be part of such a challenging job and witness first hand our highly skilled and professional HEMS Team carrying out their life saving work. I am passionate about helicopter flying and it is a privilege to do something I love to achieve a meaningful and rewarding outcome.
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The Essex and Herts Air Ambulances can now benefit from the use of a brand new helideck at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford which has now been declared operational. The need to transport patients with severe burns or trauma injuries to an acute hospital as quickly as possible means the helideck is an essential part of the new hospital wing at Broomfield. Badly injured patients are taken from the helicopter, with a HEMS Doctor and Paramedic in attendance, to lifts that will take them directly down to the emergency department, where they can be treated instantly by the surgical teams. Cliff Gale, Operations Director of Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust, said: “For critically ill or injured patients, speed of treatment is paramount. For those patients that require the specialised
Challenge Italy 2012
treatment afforded by Broomfield, the opening of the new helideck will enable the helicopter and Air Crew to take the most sick and injured people to this specialist centre to give them a much better chance of survival and recovery.” EHAAT Pilot, Nicky Smith, added: “As a Pilot I am always looking for safe landing areas. The new elevated pad at Broomfield provides superb landing facilities and fire cover which will enable me and my colleagues to get patients to this specialist hospital even quicker.”
Join the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust for our amazing trek to Italy in June 2012. You'll scale three legendary volcanoes... Vesuvius, Stromboli and smouldering Mount Etna. Enjoy incredible views of this stunning country and help raise much needed funds for YOUR Air Ambulance. Highlights of the trek include... Visit to Pompeii to see the ruins. Trek Vesuvius, the legendary volcano which dominates the landscape over Naples. A day climbing Stromboli with an optional trip to see the explosions in the night sky. Climb one of the most active volcanoes in the world – Mount Etna. Challenge Italy from the 14–19 June 2012. Register now for only £250! For more information please call Nina Benscher on 0845 2417 690 or email Nina@EHAAT.uk.com
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Calling all Volunteers... Your Air Ambulance needs you! Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust attends hundreds of different events each year; however the Charity only employs a small number of full-time staff, so spreading the word across both Essex and Hertfordshire and educating people about the work of the Air Ambulance is a major task when we are such a small team. The Charity is extremely grateful for the committed volunteers who generously give their valuable time and expertise by attending events, giving talks and presentations and collecting donation tins. We are always looking for people to join our army of volunteers – if you think you can help in any way simply get in touch...we would love to hear from you!
Essex Air Ambulance Flying High with New Charity Shop! A new Essex Air Ambulance supporter has announced the opening of a brand new ‘Flying High’ Charity Shop in Leigh-onSea. Karen Crawshaw of Southend has kindly decided to open up a shop in Rectory Grove, Leigh-on-Sea and donate the proceeds to Essex Air Ambulance. Karen said: “The Air Ambulance is a Charity close to my heart, a very good cause that relies solely on public donations.” Essex Air Ambulance currently has two other Charity Shops; one in Mersea owned by the Charity and the ‘Flying High’ shop in Burnham, which like Leigh-on-Sea is independently run, with proceeds donated to the life-saving cause. The Charity is extremely grateful to everyone that kindly supports these shops helping to raise over £400,000 to date!
▲ Our dedicated Volunteers
Recognising 10 Years of Service Teresa James from Chelmsford received her 10 years of service recognition award at the Essex Air Ambulance Airbase. Upon receiving her award Teresa had this to say "I have been with the Charity since April 2001 and thoroughly enjoy volunteering here. Highlights for me are our annual Motorcycle Run; there is always a great team spirit and laughs to be had. I've also made some life-long friends with the Charity; fellow volunteers Annie Wren, Ruthie Carter-Crump and Events Manager for the Trust Wendy Marcon. I feel very grateful to receive this award and thank the Trust for 10 fun and satisfying years of volunteering."
▲ Volunteer Coordinator Jill Jennings presents Volunteer Teresa James with her award.
Read David’s story of how he was saved by our HEMS Heroes... In February 2011 I was unfortunate enough to have had a cardiac arrest whilst competing in a 100km cycling event. I am a very lucky man, as a lady Paramedic, who was off duty happened to be passing by and immediately took over from a fellow cyclist in administering C.P.R. The Essex Air Ambulance arrived on scene less than 10 minutes after my incident and the HEMS Team took over, and administered further CPR, defibrillation and essential drugs. I was then airlifted to Broomfield Hospital for further care, spending 4 days in intensive care at the hospital, followed by a further 7 days in the High Dependency Unit. My recovery at home, in little more than a month, surrounded by those who I love has been remarkable and I am now exercising regularly and slowly getting back to the fundamentals of a somewhat changed life, with determination to return to the things I enjoyed before my cardiac arrest.
Flying High Charity Shop 50 Station Road, Burnham-on-Crouch, CM0 8BQ Tel: 01621 784837
▲ L to R: Lynne White & Karen Crawshaw invite you to the Leigh–on–Sea Charity Shop.
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In May I attended the Essex Air Ambulance Colne Valley Cycle Ride, and rode the 40 mile route as a thank you for saving my life. And coincidently I was reunited with fellow cyclist John Ridd who was the first person to come to my aid! ▲ David taking part in the Colne
Essex Air Ambulance Charity Shop Barfield Road, Mersea Island, CO5 8QT Te: 01206 385913 Flying High Charity Shop 16 Rectory Grove, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 2HE Tel: 01702 714392
In March I was invited to spend an afternoon at the Essex Air Ambulance Airbase to meet the Air Crew who saved my life. I was able to speak to HEMS Paramedic Chris Martin who explained precisely what procedures had been conducted. I also met Pilot David Kerr-Sheppard whose modest manner far belied his ability to control the most complex of processes for flying and landing in the most awkward of spaces; he said I looked a whole lot better than on the day he picked me up. That day I felt I had met my two guardian angels.
▲ From L to R – HEMS Doctor Dan Nevin, HEMS Paramedic Chris Martin, David and his wife and Chief Pilot David Kerr-Sheppard.
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Speaking of his reunion with Valley Cycle Ride. David, John said: “I was delighted to see him looking fit and well, as I did not know if he had even survived the cardiac arrest. I told him that it was me who helped him that day on the cycle ride and was amazed to hear that he first got back on his bike a few weeks ago. This is a testament to the speed the Air Ambulance was able to get it’s Doctor and Paramedic to the scene back in February and I'm just delighted that he pulled through.”
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Launch of the New Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust Visitor Centre
You + Us = Success ▲
▲ ICAP Representatives David Cornell and Nikki Studt with Jane Gurney, Executive Director.
On Friday the 8th July the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust (EHAAT) hosted a special event at the Essex Air Ambulance Air Base on Earls Colne airfield to celebrate the official launch of the NEW Visitor Centre and the new home of the life-saving aircraft. VIP guests joined EHAAT representatives to officially open the new Air Ambulance Visitor Centre, which is one of the first of its kind in the UK. The Visitor Centre has been made possible with a grant from ICAP following their annual Charity Day in 2009. The new Visitor Centre will act as a place to inform groups and individuals about the work of the Trust in a fun and stimulating way.
Jane Gurney Executive Director said: “We are very excited to have officially opened the Visitor Centre alongside the newly relocated Essex Air Ambulance Airbase at Earls Colne. The Visitor Centre will enable all of our supporters of any age to see the work of the helicopter from a new perspective. We do hope that the educational visits and tours will encourage people to help support the Charity in lots of new ways. I am extremely grateful to everyone, but especially ICAP who has played such a crucial role in allowing us to build this once in a lifetime project.” Anyone wishing to visit the EHAAT Visitor Centre in Earls Colne, whether it be individuals, businesses, school groups or social groups can just pre-book by calling the Fundraising Office on 0845 2417 690, or check out the website for details.
Far left: Air Crew Pilot Richard Eastwood; Back row: HEMS Paramedic Laurie Phillipson and HEMS Doctor Imogen Bowring; Far right: Nathan Roulson of Ford Motor Company. Kneeling: Wendy Marcon - EHAAT Event Manager, Kevin Stevens CEO Woodland Group and John Stubbings Company Secretary Woodland Group.
Patient Thank You “I just wanted to say thank you to the EHAAT Air Crew for being so great yesterday when my son was hit by a car. They were just fantastic and I wanted to say thank you so very very much.”
Mission brief The Essex Air Ambulance attended a man who was involved in a road traffic collision and had suffered a back injury. Pilot David Kerr-Sheppard landed the helicopter on a green near the incident. The patient was treated at the scene by our HEMS Doctor Dan Nevin and HEMS Paramedic Dave Tamarro and then airlifted to the Royal London Hospital.
Patient Thank You
▲ Visitor Centre
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I will never underestimate again the importance of the work you do and I hope that under no circumstances will your contribution be denied to people in need. Thank you so so very much.
EHAAT.uk.com | 0845 2417 690
Essex Air Ambulance would like to thank… Woodland Group (pictured above) – Headline Sponsor of the Motorcycle Run 2011 Jim Aim Motorcycles – pre-registration star prize for Motorcycle Run 2011 Essex Freemasons and The Foresters for supporting the stab vest appeal Weald Aviation Essex Audi Group Nockolds Solicitors The Food Company Essex & Suffolk Water Volvo Cars Oaks Hospital, Colchester St Mary’s Senior School, Colchester Mayor of Witham DHL, West Thurrock Colchester United FC V Festival 2011 Arc Legal John’s Blinds Ford Motor Company Herts Air Ambulance would like to thank… The Jolly Brewers of Bishop Stortford The Angel in Ware Woodhall Park Estate Lea Valley Shooting Association in Hertford The Chequers Inn of Woolmer Green Landcaster Land Rover in Welwyn Garden City Zurkel Design Welwyn Hatfield Community Housing Trust for making us their Charity of the Year Mayor of Harpenden for making us his Charity of the year Barkway Golf Club Stevenage Leisure Services Fairlands Valley Spartans Costello’s Cafe
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Five ways Looking for a Christmas present for a loved one? to help 1 Make a Donation
– every penny helps to keep your Air Ambulance flying
2
Organise a Fundraising Event – whether it’s a Christmas fair or a summer ball, hosting a fundraising event is a fantastic way to help raise much needed funds.
3
Donate through your Salary – Payroll Giving is a hassle-free and tax efficient way of giving directly from your salary.
4
Be a Tin Holder – the average contents of a collection tin is £31 per tin. If you have a business or work for a company willing to hold a tin, please get in touch.
5
Leave a Legacy – a vital form of income – one in eight life saving missions are made possible because of a Legacy Gift.
Alternatively, please fill in the form below, send it back to us and we will be in touch soon.
The Limited Edition Official Motorcycle Run 2012 Calendar featuring Jodie Marsh plus sports bikes, Harleys, KTMs and a Goldwing trike is available to buy online along with other great gift ideas - visit EssexAirAmbulance.uk.com or HertsAirAmbulance.uk.com
Essex & Herts Christmas Cards 2011 on sale now! Essex Air Ambulance Christmas Cards are A5 - £5 for a pack of 10
Herts Air Ambulance Christmas Cards are A6 - £2.50 a pack of 5
Essex Air Ambulance 127 x 190
3/5/11
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Visit rescued horses, ponies and donkeys FOR FREE! at Redwings Horse Sanctuary
Home to some of our ‘Adoption Club’ equines ■ More than 50 horses, ponies and donkeys to say hello to ■ Gift Shop, Information Centre and Café ■ Guided tours and demos on special days ■
Enquiries for accessibility, special events and *Winter opening
0870 040 0033 or www.redwings.co.uk ADA COLE RESCUE CENTRE Quality Assured Visitor Attraction ■ Open seven days a week from April to October* - FREE ENTRY ■ Situated on the B181 Epping Road, Nazeing near Harlow in Essex. Follow the brown signs (EN9 2DH). ■
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flight for life | Winter 2011 / Spring 2012
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