Flight For Life: The Short Haul Edition January 2023

FLIGHT FOR LIFE

WELCOME TO YOUR FLIGHT FOR LIFE MAGAZINE: THE SHORT HAUL EDITION

From the lasting impact of the pandemic to the rising cost of living crisis, 2022 uncovered a wave of global and national challenges. Over the past year here at EHAAT, we’ve focused on building long-term resilience, weathering this unpredictable storm and becoming even more responsive and agile to change, but every inch of progress we’ve made has been powered by you – our amazing supporters!

You continue to make a meaningful difference to your local life-saving charity, in helping us remain operational during these unprecedented times, providing a first-class pre-hospital emergency medical service to the people of Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas.

We are always looking at ways to improve and continue delivering the highest possible standards of pre-hospital clinical care. In this Short Haul edition of Flight For Life Magazine, we’re delighted to feature news of our ‘outstanding’ Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating following inspections carried out in August and September 2022. From our supporters to our volunteers, trustees, patients and team across the entire charity, this triumph is a result of dedication, passion and hard work. We are now focused on building on this result and maintaining our service as an outstanding organisation with a national and international reputation for excellence.

In November, we were delighted to win the prestigious ‘Innovation of the Year Award’ in Air Ambulance UK’s Awards of Excellence 2022 for implementing strategies to increase patient survival and recovery. One of which was the Critical Clinical Case Passport (CCCP), a case-specific tool to help aid clinicians. The CCCP has become a mainstay of training, allowing our critical care teams to manage their portfolio of cases and procedures and track their progress via their smartphones. The awards evening was a wonderful opportunity to connect with the air ambulance community across the UK and see our critical care team recognised for continuing to raise the bar!

If you’ve been following our stories across social media, you may have seen photos and videos of a historic milestone back in March 2022 – we welcomed Their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex, through the doors of our North Weald airbase. It was the perfect opportunity to savour the moment and reflect on our journey, bringing together all of the organisations that worked so hard during the challenging times of the pandemic. This momentous occasion was a real celebration of the resilience and hard work of those working on the ‘frontline’. We were honoured to be able to share our story with Their Royal Highnesses, and it was lovely to hear how inspired they were by what we have achieved together.

In the last edition of Flight For Life Magazine, we shared news of our unique supporter sculpture at Earls Colne, and we’ve now rounded off our Sculpture Design Project with Harlow College by officially unveiling Leah Jelf’s ‘Reflection’ sculpture, which adorns the entrance at our North Weald airbase.

I would like to say a huge thanks to Leah for her exceptional sculpture, which provides an area for visitors, patients, and their families to sit, reflect and read inspiring quotes. We think you’ll agree; it really lights up the entrance with our vibrant red and yellow brand colours!

Following the very sad announcement of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, we took the difficult decision to cancel our Motorcycle Run and Harwich Family Fun Day as a mark of respect. Additionally, the absence of police support made it necessary to cancel for safety reasons. Instead, we called on our heroic biking supporters to take on a route of at least 60 miles and share photographs of their journeys. The support we received was phenomenal, with over £15,000 raised by supporters and sponsors. We’re so looking forward to holding our traditional Motorcycle Run in 2023 and can’t wait for you to join us in what will be a really special community day with generations of bikers coming together once again.

From our Vision 23 events, Restart A Heart Day, Arctic Adventure Trek, Festive Fundraising and the long-awaited return of Strictly Air Ambulance, this edition is packed with the latest news, events and updates, so we really hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together. We’re so looking forward to the year ahead, and we can’t thank you enough for staying with us on this journey – helping us continually step up to every new challenge, enhance the quality of our care to support the most critically ill in their hour of need.

On behalf of our whole EHAAT family, I want to thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to seeing you all this year!

Jane Gurney Chief Executive Officer

A VISIT FROM THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES, THE EARL AND COUNTESS OF WESSEX

We were incredibly honoured to host a visit by Their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex at our North Weald airbase on 1st March 2022. It was a historic milestone for the charity but also an opportunity to bring everyone together. We work alongside hospitals, emergency services and supporting organisations across the region, and the visit enabled The Earl and Countess to thank some of these

organisations for their outstanding hard work during the pandemic.

As they toured the base, they met members of our critical care team, charity staff and volunteers, having been welcomed by our CEO, Chair of Trustees Jonathan Trower, and local dignitaries. They also gained insight into our vision for a ‘Centre for Excellence’ at North Weald, which will enable us to push the boundaries in innovation, research and

education for the advancement of prehospital care.

Their Royal Highnesses also spent time with representatives from the local hospitals in the region and spoke with airlifted patients and their families to hear first-hand about their experiences. The highlight of the visit took place at the front of the building, where people had gathered representing the emergency services and voluntary

support organisations, together with the members of the armed forces and many EHAAT charity staff and volunteers. The Earl and Countess took the opportunity to stop and speak to individuals, learn more about their outstanding work and thank them for their service. They also personally thanked our volunteers for devoting their time and energy to

the charity. With an army of over 400 volunteers, we continue to demonstrate our ability to bring people together from different backgrounds, disciplines, cultures and generations. Jane Gurney was thrilled that The Earl and Countess of Wessex gave their time to learn more about our work and meet the people who make it all possible.

Jane said: “This was a real milestone in our charity’s history, being the first time that Essex & Herts Air Ambulance has hosted a Royal visit. It was a fantastic opportunity to bring together all of the organisations who worked so hard during the challenging times of the pandemic.”

Jane Gurney CEO, EHAAT

This was a real milestone in our charity’s history, being the first time that Essex & Herts Air Ambulance has hosted a Royal visit. It was a fantastic opportunity to bring together all of the organisations who worked so hard during the challenging times of the pandemic.

SAHARA TREK 2022: A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE

After many postponements and various flight changes, the Sahara Trek finally took place in March 2022. The group have all said it was worth the wait with amazing memories and a fantastic experience whilst raising money for a great charity! The team of 9 trekkers raised an incredible £16,660!

Last year’s charity representative was Adam Carr, he said: “It was a huge privilege to be asked to go along with the trekkers of 2022 to the much awaited Sahara trek as the charity representative.

The experience was a once in a lifetime opportunity made only better by the camaraderie and team spirit of all those who took part. From the physicality of the trek to sleeping under the stars, each element held its own challenge and huge reward. If asked to take part in a future trek I would jump at the chance and I highly recommend anyone debating our next Arctic Adventure trip to sign up without hesitation.”

VOLUNTEERS’ WEEK 2022: VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Volunteers’ Week took place from the 1st to the 7th of June 2022, but we’d like to take this opportunity to once again celebrate and thank all of our wonderful volunteers for their dedication to volunteering with EHAAT. You can meet just a few of our wonderful volunteers below:

Bob Wright is just about our longest serving volunteer! Through his time as a volunteer Bob has always had a collection tin at his local bowling club. Nowadays Bob continues to help by looking after the Charity’s collection tins in his hometown of Sawbridgeworth.

Kate Lloyd-Davies has been volunteering with the charity for 12 years after a chance conversation with a charity representative at a concert in which she was performing shortly after she took early retirement, which gave her time to volunteer.

Carole Simmonds and Clive Enguell became volunteers for us when we were still known as Essex Air Ambulance in 2011 as a way to thank the service for attending Carole’s uncle twice, saving his life both times.

Scott Spencer and his partner Matt have been raising money for EHAAT since 2019 - before becoming volunteers in the Braintree shop. Matt now works as the Shop Assistant Manager, and Scott loves volunteering his time with the retail team.

Ian Thomas became a volunteer for EHAAT in 2017 after we attended a friend who had suffered a heart attack, and later his mother who had collapsed in the street. Ian volunteers in many different roles, and met the Wessexes on their visit to our North Weald airbase!

Jim McNally has been a volunteer for EHAAT for over 5 years. He had been a police officer for 28 years and had heard of EHAAT, but had no idea we were a charity. He volunteers to spread the word about the charity’s work in the community.

AEROMEDICAL CONFERENCE 2022: THREAT. RESPONSE. RECOVERY.

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, our annual conference specifically aimed at medics, students, emergency and military personnel who are interested in the pre-hospital environment returned on 15th June 2022. EHAAT’s Aeromedical Conference took place at Ford Dunton Technical Centre in Laindon and was attended by over 300 delegates.

The free conference focused on how the emergency services work in collaboration to save lives, and the theme was ‘Threat. Response. Recovery.’ Following an incident timeline, the day’s programme began with a presentation giving a regional perspective on counter terrorism and domestic terrorism threats. This was followed by an insightful presentation on how teams deal with high pressure incidents.

Case presentations included the Las Vegas shooting in 2017, and ‘Operation Pitting: the evacuation of Kabul Airport,’ which received a standing ovation.

Headline Sponsors:

Other presentations focused on protecting the psychological health and wellbeing of responders during and after incidents, and the work of the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Team, specifically its involvement in the identification of victims at both the Grenfell tower fire and the recent persons in transit incident in Grays, Essex. Speakers came from all areas of the emergency services and included: Counter Terrorism Security Advisor from the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit, Peter Hood; Dr Stephen Hearns, who works with Scotland’s Emergency Medical Retrieval Service; Western United States HEMS paramedic, Jeff Yost; retired Detective Superintendent and Head of Major Crime, Jo Walker, Eastern Region DVI Co-ordinator; Captain Neil Jeffers, Chief Pilot at London’s Air Ambulance; EHAAT Clinician, Dr Amy Hughes; Dr Claire Park, Consultant in Pre-hospital Care, and Jo Mildenhall, Mental Health Project Lead at the

College of Paramedics (UK).

During breaks, delegates were able to network with organisations who support the air ambulance and emergency services by supplying medical equipment, crew apparel – including SIM bodies, CPR compression machines, helicopter helmets, and recruitment services.

Jane Gurney, CEO at Essex & Herts Air Ambulance said: “It was great to bring back the pre-hospital care community after what has been such a difficult couple of years, and I would like to thank our speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and everyone that made this fantastic and truly inspirational day possible. Special thanks to Ford for hosting the event and proving refreshments for our delegates.”

SAVE THE DATE! Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Aeromedical Conference

2023 will return to Ford Dunton Technical Centre on Wednesday 7th June 2023. To register your interest, please click here.

STEVE DUKES RAISES AN ASTONISHING £88,000 IN MEMORY OF HIS FATHER CHARLIE

Steve Dukes, Head of Kit and Equipment for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, has raised a grand total of £88,000 for EHAAT, in memory of his late father Charlie. His second charity auction raised £41,000, while JustGiving donations are over £13,000.

This year’s ‘Sports Support the Air Ambulance’ sale, which was hosted by Graham Budd Auctions, saw over 80 lots comprising player-signed football shirts and sports memorabilia, all of which were collected by Steve Dukes through his contacts in the sporting world.

The highlight of the sale was Cristiano Ronaldo’s signed red Manchester United no.7 home jersey for the season 2021-22, which received 47 bids and was bought by an overseas collector for £8,000 – 16 times its pre-sale estimate.

Charlie Dukes tragically lost his life after a cycling accident in May 2020, and to ensure his dad’s legacy lives on, Steve decided to run the high-profile auctions of sporting memorabilia in support of EHAAT, his local air ambulance which provided an

invaluable service at the time of Charlie’s passing.

In addition to an array of football shirts from stars throughout the game, this year’s auction contained items signed by the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Tyson Fury, WWE superstar and Spurs fan Finn Balor, Conor McGregor, Owen Farrell, Alistair Cook and another Spurs fan, Jonathan Trott.

Following the sale, Adam Gascgoine, CEO of Graham Budd Auctions, commented: “Steve amassed a fantastic collection of signed items, all connected to notable names in the sporting world. This is the second online sale that Graham Budd Auctions have overseen, and we are delighted with the result and how much interest it attracted from all over the world.”

Steve continued: “I’m extremely grateful to everyone who kindly donated items and placed bids. Hopefully our collective efforts can go a long way to helping what is a very worthy cause.”

Emma Barker, Head of Income Generation for EHAAT, added: “We are so grateful to Steve for organising his second auction in aid of Essex & Herts Air Ambulance. Steve puts a huge amount of effort into pulling together his amazing auction lots, which attract a great deal of interest and generate muchneeded funds for the charity. Steve knows that the air ambulance does not receive statutory funding from the Government – and this drives him on to do everything he can to support our life-saving work. We thank him wholeheartedly for everything that he does in memory of his beloved dad, Charlie.”

Essex & Herts Air Ambulance is an amazing charity, and I am so pleased with the total amount achieved. If the money raised can help save a life or two and give families like mine, the after care they need, I will continue to support them however I can.

Steve Dukes

DID YOU KNOW?

You can support us out of hours by scanning the QR code below to visit our e-commerce store!

NEW EHAAT CHARITY SHOP OPENS IN LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY

Our ninth charity shop, set in the heart of Letchworth, was officially opened in August by the charity’s CEO, Jane Gurney, and Peter Morris, a former patient who has benefited directly from the life-saving service the charity provides.

Local councillors, EHAAT trustees, volunteers and staff gathered together outside the shop, located at 17 Eastcheap in the town centre, where Jane, Peter and his wife Jackie, jointly cut the ribbon to mark the occasion. In 2020, Peter had a cardiac arrest when he was at work in Harlow, and was fortunate to receive immediate CPR from bystander, Andy Jenkins. Attending in one of their rapid response vehicles, a member of EHAAT’s critical care team then treated Peter at the scene, before he was taken to the Lister Hospital in Stevenage by ambulance.

Peter went on to make a full recovery and he and his wife Jackie put Andy forward for a nomination from The Royal Humane Society. At a meeting of their committee, it was agreed that

Andy should receive an award for his selfless actions, and Adam Carr, EHAAT’s Head of Patient & Family Liaison, presented the award during a visit by Andy to the North Weald airbase in June.

At the official opening Peter said: “If it wasn’t for Andy and EHAAT I wouldn’t be here celebrating the opening of the Letchworth charity shop today. The great work that the air ambulance does relies on the community for support. I hope that this new shop helps generate the funds that are needed to keep this truly life-saving charity flying, as you never know when you are going to need them.”

Jane Gurney said: “It’s been a great day, and we’re very grateful to the people of Letchworth for the warm welcome. All the money raised through the shop will go towards supporting the life-saving service provided by Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, and the crucial work it does for the critically ill and injured who live, work and travel through the two counties.”

Critical Care Paramedic and Head of Patient & Family Liaison, Adam Carr with Jackie and Peter Morris, and Patient & Family Liaison Officer and paramedic, Helen Goodwin

MOTORCYCLE RUN 2022 & I DID IT MY WAY: THANK YOU FOR HELPING US RAISE OVER £15,000

2022 was meant to be the year that the charity’s biggest event, Motorcycle Run, was to make its return. Over 1,100 people pre-registered to make the 60 mile ride from EHAAT’s North Weald airbase to Harwich Green. We were all set for this massive event, but following the very sad announcement of the passing of Her Majesty Queen

Elizabeth II, we took the very difficult decision to cancel our Motorcycle Run not only as a mark of respect, but the absence of police support made it necessary to cancel for safety reasons While it was incredibly disappointing for everyone, the support we received was phenomenal. We were overjoyed that even after the cancellation, we

managed to raise over £15,000 thanks to our supporters and event sponsors who pivoted to join us for MCR: ‘I Did It My Way.’

Essex & Herts Air Ambulance’s Motorcycle Run will return 10th September 2023

“Some

good work!”

Mick Wilson

“My late father was a member of Capitol Wings Goldwing Club and a marshal for you on the run, it was one of his favourite events of the year, I decided to take his crash helmet out for our 60-mile trip today.”

Dave Ing

“My second run out trying to raise some cash. This time with the Herts Trail Riders Fellowship I’d like to thank Steve, Ian, Mark for joining me, and Matteo for donating. Just under 100 miles complete ”

Michael Bithell

Jeanette Youell

“John and Jean travelled from Benfleet to the American War Cemetery at Cambridge on 9/11. During the day the names of all the victims of 9/11 were read out.”

of Essex Honda Owners Club out for the day with me on the right, donation made via JustGiving. Keep up the

A Special THANK YOU to all of our Motorcycle Run 2022 Sponsors

Headline Sponsor

“The Blue Knights had a ride for the air ambulance charity. 14 of us met at Boreham Services where we rode to North Weald for bacon, sausages and tea. Having had lots of photos taken at the Air Ambulance HQ we rode to Southend seafront for ice creams and another well deserved mug of tea. We have managed to raise £205 for the charity.”

Blue Knights

As the Motorcycle Run was cancelled to allow for a memorial to Her Majesty and to recognise her service, I decided to focus my run on service and remembrance my photos capture that theme.

We rode from Chelmsford through to Rettendon, South Woodham Ferrers, Burnham-on-Crouch, Bradwell-on-Sea, RAF Bradwell Bay War Memorial and Danbury before returning to Chelmsford – a total distance of 68 miles!

John

“Me, my son-in-law Rob, and close buddy Neil did around 120 miles today. We started in Bishop’s Stortford, rode to Haverhill via Steeple Bumpstead then on to Barton Mills for a bit of brekkie, on to Moulton Packhorse Bridge for a photo stop returning home via Saffron Walden.”

Simon ‘Arnie’ Chase

EHAAT RATED ‘OUTSTANDING’ BY THE CARE QUALITY COMMISSION

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Essex & Herts Air Ambulance as ‘outstanding’ overall following inspections carried out in August and September.

The inspection was part of the CQC’s ongoing checks to assess the quality of care being provided. It found that EHAAT delivered an outstanding service that was saving lives across the region. As well as being rated outstanding overall, we also received an outstanding rating in all five key lines of enquiry that found the charity to be safe, effective, caring, responsive to people’s needs, and wellled

Ben Myer, our Head of Clinical Delivery and CQC Registered Manager, is extremely proud of the CQC rating, which recognises everyone who plays a part in the charity’s life-saving work. He said: “This is an amazing result for the whole charity; everyone worked so hard to make the desired result a reality.”

Zoe Robinson, CQC Head of Hospital Inspection, said: “We were very impressed to find such outstanding levels of care being provided by Essex & Herts Air Ambulance.

“The level of teamwork at the service was exemplary and staff and managers worked together and supported one

another to deliver the best possible outcomes for people. Patients were valued and respected and their individual needs and preferences were always considered. Feedback from those using the service and their loved ones was overwhelmingly positive and people told us that staff went the extra mile for them and exceeded their expectations.”

Our CEO Jane Gurney said: “I am so delighted with this result especially as the inspections found numerous examples of outstanding practice

throughout the organisation. I would like to personally thank each team member across the entire charity, whatever their role, all of whom work so hard every day to uphold these high standards. I would like to also take this opportunity to thank our communities for supporting their local life-saving service, making it possible for us to remain operational and to keep saving lives in Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas.” You can read the full report from the CQC by clicking here

RESTART A HEART DAY: OVER 650 PEOPLE TAUGHT

In October, visitors to Lakeside Shopping Centre were offered free training to help them save someone’s life.

In support of international ‘Restart a Heart Day’ on 16th October 2022, pre-hospital care doctors, critical care paramedics and volunteers from EHAAT were at the central atrium on the lower mall and delivered free CPR and defibrillation demonstrations and training to over 682 members of the public.

Adam Carr, Head of Patient & Family Liaison at EHAAT, who is also a Critical Care Paramedic, explained why the day was so important.

“We are a charity that provides a helicopter emergency medical service for the critically ill and injured of Essex, Hertfordshire and the surrounding

areas. We deliver advanced life-saving pre-hospital care directly to the side of patients; essentially bringing the A&E department to the patient when every second counts towards survival. Last year, we carried out just over 2,500 missions using our two air ambulances and five rapid response vehicles. A large proportion of those were for medical emergencies such as cardiac arrest, where the chance of survival is low. Therefore, early intervention is critical and teaching people the basic skills and giving them the confidence to deliver CPR, as well as how to use a defibrillator, can make a real difference to whether someone survives.”

The training sessions, which were delivered by members of EHAAT’s clinical team, took no more than 10 minutes

and all participants were issued with a certificate and sticker when they had completed the session.

Adam continued: “Whether they’d learnt these skills before, or this was their first time, these sessions gave participants not only the awareness, hands-on experience to learn, but also the confidence to help in those vital early minutes when someone collapses and stops breathing normally. I have no doubt that the skills they learnt could make the difference in the future between life and death for a loved one at home, a colleague at work, or a stranger in the street.”

The day also raised £170 for the charity through donations from the public.

A MUCH ANTICIPATED UNVEILING AT NORTH WEALD

Marking the culmination of a three year design competition in collaboration with Art and Design students at Harlow College, a unique sculpture was unveiled at our North Weald airbase by winning student, Leah Jelf.

Funded by our corporate partners and suppliers to EHAAT, the sculpture, called ‘Reflection,’ was designed by Leah and voted the most popular by the judges. Her initial concept was based around a 3D Stonehenge-inspired take on the rotor-graphic element within the EHAAT logo. She then worked with EHAAT to modify the design ready for installation.

students submit proposals, which were whittled down to just ten by a panel of judges. Five designs were shortlisted and then put to a vote by staff and volunteers from all areas of the charity, with Leah’s entry being chosen for installation at North Weald.

Called ‘Supporting Us, Supporting You’, Keira’s sculpture symbolises the many people needed to support the charity.

Leah unveiled the sculpture along with EHAAT Trustee Roy Marfleet, and CEO Jane Gurney, who said, “Many congratulations to Leah for creating an outstanding sculpture that will be seen by all who visit us here at North Weald. We were delighted to be able to work with her and are thrilled with what she has achieved.”

The judges were hugely impressed with how all of the Art & Design students at Harlow College came to understand how EHAAT works, and all the elements needed to remain operational, crew, volunteers, staff and community support. This has been a fantastic journey for both the charity and students, and we’re excited that staff and visitors will be able to enjoy this unique installation for years to come.

Leah, who is now studying Fine Art at University said: “My idea for the design was that ‘Reflection’ offers a place for visitors, especially patients and their families, to sit, reflect and read inspiring quotes.”

The Harlow College Design Project collaboration saw 27 Art & Design

Jane Gurney CEO, EHAAT

The unveiling of Leah’s winning design follows on from a sculpture designed by competition runner-up Keira Harkett, which took its place outside the entrance to EHAAT’s Earls Colne airbase in 2021.

“Our very grateful thanks go to the Harlow College tutors, who oversaw this project and all of the Art & Design students who took part. Thank you also to our corporate partners and suppliers; without their support this project would not have been possible. I would also like to thank SRC Aggregates and MDS for donating materials, time and expertise to the project.”

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR AT AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE

We are incredibly excited to share that Essex & Herts Air Ambulance was announced as the winner of the ‘Innovation of the Year Award’ at Air Ambulance UK’s Awards of Excellence 2022 in November.

For the first time since the pandemic, representatives from air ambulance communities all around the UK gathered together at a gala dinner where the winners were announced.

The Innovation of the Year award was presented to EHAAT for its work in implementing strategies to maximise patient chances of survival and recovery, one of which is the Critical Clinical Case Passport (CCCP), a case-specific tool to help aid clinicians. The judges were impressed with EHAAT’s commitment to continuously improving patient care

saying: “Essex & Herts Air Ambulance’s critical care doctors and paramedics are highly skilled at adapting to unpredictable, time-critical situations, but they’re always looking at ways to raise the bar and improve existing skills to maximise each patient’s chances of survival and help them recover faster.”

The CCCP has since been incorporated into the electronic RADAR governance system, allowing EHAAT’s critical care doctors and paramedics to manage their portfolio of cases and procedures and track their progress via their smartphones. The CCCP has already positively impacted the wider air ambulance sector, with Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) adopting a similar system based on the CCCP concept.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU

In October 2022, Paul Robinson Solicitors kindly donated £1,500 towards the cost of purchasing eight new, miniaturised ultrasound scanners for our crew to use when out on life-saving missions.

These scanners will help the crew in providing emergency life-saving care, through better care and treatment, and therefore optimising patient experience and outcome.

Paul Robinson Solicitors, an Essex and London-based law firm, have supported EHAAT for many years, and we look forward to growing our partnership together in 2023.

Derek Redmond, Dr Neal Durge, Nigel Lemon – Aeroptima, Dr Simon Walsh –EHAAT Clinical Lead and Hayley McQueen. Photos by AAUK.

WELCOMING OUR VOLUNTEERS AT VISION 23

We were pleased to once again welcome over 50 volunteers to Vision 23, an event where the executive team outline the charity’s plans for the future. Those who couldn’t attend in person at our North Weald airbase were able to join via Zoom to include as many of our 400+ volunteers as possible.

Also at the event, CEO Jane Gurney and Volunteer Manager Jane Morton were delighted to present 15 year awards to Malcolm Davies and Sean Russell; 10 year awards were presented to Suzanne Harvey, Clive Martin, and Michael Hennessey, which Peter Hennessey collected on his behalf. Apart from

charity news and award presentations, the day also included watching the AW169 take-off as well as a networking lunch with the volunteers in attendance alongside staff and crew. We want to sincerely thank everyone who attended, whether in person or virtually, to make it a huge success.

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING?

Whether you’d enjoy working in our offices, charity shops or at fundraising events, volunteering can be personally fulfilling while also making a difference in your own community. We offer flexible volunteering opportunities to suit you, a welcoming environment, regular social gatherings, and interaction with our critical care team; we’d love for you to join our amazing volunteer family! Email us by clicking here or call 0345 2417 690.

FESTIVE FUNDRAISING AND THE MALDON GRINCH

In November The Maldon Grinch made himself at home as he arrived at our North Weald airbase, kicking off our festive fundraising campaign. Our local green hero reached out to us earlier this year when he chose EHAAT as his charity for the Christmas season and we were more than happy to show him around. And while The Maldon Grinch was doing his own fundraising (@themaldongrinch on instagram), he was incredibly gracious in helping us launch our #PJsforEHAAT campaign where we asked you, our dedicated

supporters, to don your best Christmas pyjamas for a worthy cause. Emma Barker, Head of Income Generation said: “We would like to say a big thank you to all those who support us. Our committed team remain dedicated, ready, and able to save lives when someone is having the worst day of their life – even on Christmas Day. That’s why we need support from people and businesses this festive season. It all helps to keep us operational

In the end, The Maldon Grinch raised £3,598 for EHAAT – 179% of his target of £2,000. We are so thankful to everyone who joined in our PJ challenge, attended our Visit Santa at the Airbase event, or donated this festive season. We can’t fly without you.

Initiative sponsored by

STRICTLY AIR AMBULANCE RETURNS IN 2023 OUR MOST GLAMOROUS NIGHT OF THE YEAR IS BACK!

Strictly Air Ambulance makes its comeback on Saturday 25th March 2023 at Charter Hall in Colchester, and tickets are now on sale. A sell-out event, this spectacular evening will see performances from celebrity professional dancers Pasha Kovalev and Chloe Hewitt from the famous Strictly Come Dancing TV show. Pasha and Chloe will also form part of the judging panel, joining EHAAT CEO, Jane Gurney, Pro Latin dancer, Ben Milan Vega, and head judge Phil Meacham of Chelmsford Dance Centre.

The show will also have an extra touch of added sparkle this time, as the evening will be hosted for the first time by EHAAT’s celebrity patron and Celebrity MasterChef Champion, Lisa Snowdon, alongside ITV presenter David Whiteley

With all the glitz and glamour, the show will follow a familiar format most will recognise from the popular TV show. In an attempt to impress the judges with their Latin and Ballroom routines, six contestants and their professional partners will give it their all on the dance floor, and one couple will walk

away with the Glitterball Trophy, and the title of Strictly Air Ambulance Champions 2023.

Sponsored by TC Group and Roomes Furniture, tickets cost between £20 and £27.50 for the main event. There is also an opportunity for an extra £10, to rub shoulders with the stars of the show, grab a bite to eat and dance to the strictly fantastic DJ, at the after-show party that takes place from 10.30pm till 12.30am.

An avid dancer since her childhood, EHAAT’s CEO, Jane Gurney, is delighted that Strictly Air Ambulance is returning and said: “This is a brilliant opportunity to enjoy some spectacular dancing and entertainment, whilst at the same time helping us to continue our vital work as a charity across the region.

“Although we are very excited about our celebrities, let’s not forget the evening is a fundraising event to support the prehospital emergency service we provide to our local

Strictly Air Ambulance 2023 is Proudly Sponsored by:

communities. Our six contestants have been paired with professional dancers and have already been given their dances. They are now hard at work as they prepare to battle it out for the Glitterball Trophy.

“Tickets always make great gifts for the Strictly fans in your life. I for one, am looking forward to getting my dancing shoes on and I can’t wait to see you there!”

You can click here to check for ticket availability or find out how you can support our contestants in their fundraising.

AGAINST THE ODDS: SPIKE’S STORY

Having recently moved to Great Amwell, Hertfordshire, Spike Sampson (14) and his mother Carrie Courtney, had barely settled into their home when a horrific accident occurred, leaving Spike with devastating injuries and “a 3 per cent chance of survival”.

Spike was an avid longboarder and had been building his skills and confidence, but he was also getting to grips with the road layouts near his home. On Sunday, 11th April 2021, Spike set off on his longboard to cruise down Cautherly Lane.

As the hill steepened and curved, he was soon travelling at 50mph, avoiding an oncoming car before hitting the curb with his longboard and crashing into a 400-year-old stone wall.

“All I remember is getting up and looking at my hands. It felt like a really, really bad nosebleed, but that was it. It just goes blank from there.”

Carrie, who was at home wallpapering at the time, had heard the air ambulance and had a terrible gut feeling. “I absolutely knew it was Spike. I was expecting him back at 6.30pm, so he’d been out for 25 minutes. I came off the ladder, grabbed my phone and within a few minutes, I received a call from Spike’s phone, only it wasn’t him. It was a policeman.”

When EHAAT arrived, the team quickly stabilised Spike and placed him into a medically induced coma

at the roadside before intubating and ventilating him. He was airlifted to the Major Trauma Centre at Royal London Hospital. Carrie rushed to the hospital shortly after, getting picked up in an unmarked police car, arriving at the hospital in under 30-minutes.

up. He was breathing unaided and could give a thumbs up, but an MRI scan confirmed his brain was damaged on the right frontal lobe – the part that controls emotions and inhibitions.

After 16 days in hospital, Spike underwent a number of operations in order to repair the many fractures he had sustained, including a full facial reconstruction. After a month, he could swallow food, family members could pay Spike a visit with COVID restrictions easing, and by July, Spike was able to return home. He began his rehabilitation placement at The Children’s Trust in Surrey in August and continued to make tremendous improvements.

Upon arriving at The Royal London Hospital, Carrie said she remembered Dr Sarah Morton from EHAAT giving her a coffee, kneeling down and holding her hand whilst talking her through the extent of his injuries, which is when “it all started to sink in.” Spike was rushed to Theatre with a fractured skull, cheekbone and eye socket, with severe damage to the right side of his brain. The team of neurosurgeons removed part of Spike’s skull in order to relieve pressure and allow the brain to swell.

After five days in hospital, Spike woke

Carrie documented Spike’s milestones on Instagram, using the social platform as a diary to keep friends and family informed on his situation and progress.

Spike and Carrie recently visited EHAAT’s North Weald airbase for a tour and heartfelt reunion with the crew. Spike said: “I’ll never stop saying thank you. The air ambulance have been amazing, every step of the way.”

Carrie added: “Without EHAAT, Spike wouldn’t be here. We wouldn’t be able to tell you this story of his remarkable recovery had the pre-hospital care doctor and critical care paramedic not been there. We’ll always be so thankful for the care and support Spike received – it’s certainly been a journey!”

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE ON THE GROUND WHO KEEPS US IN THE AIR

HOWE GREEN HOUSE SCHOOL

Fundraising Coordinator Charlotte Evans, Critical Care Paramedic Sinead Keane and Volunteer Kate Hufton joined the children of Howe Green House School in Bishop’s Stortford for their final day of fundraising. The staff, parents and children fundraised for the entire academic year, donating £4,400!

LONDON MARATHON RUNNERS

The London Marathon team of 2022 raised over £30,000! What an amazing group of runners to push their bodies through the 26.6 miles around London!

LEXDEN WOOD GOLF CLUB

Lexden Wood Golf Club senior captain Stuart Robertson chose EHAAT as their Charity of the Year. They’ve been fundraising throughout the year and will be supporting us again in 2023. Their aim was to raise £2,200, but achieved £4,400!

MALDON MUD RACE

The Maldon Mud Race has supported EHAAT since 2004 raising a staggering total of £59,656!

STEBBING TRACTOR RUN

65 vehicles covered 34 miles via road and field to raise money in their annual tractor run – since 2017 they have raised £47,462!

WARE JOGGERS

The lovely people of Ware Joggers once again raised an outstanding amount of money from their running event in July! A huge cheque for £10,000 was presented to EHAAT.

Gifts in Wills are significant to Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, allowing us to remain operational, delivering a first-class pre-hospital emergency medical service to the people of Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas. Every gift we receive is extraordinary, heartfelt and generous, making a lasting difference to the charity – helping us plan for the future, become more resilient and drive forward with new ideas and clinical innovations.

BRIDGET’S UNCLE “CHIPS” LEAVES A GIFT IN HIS WILL TO ESSEX & HERTS AIR AMBULANCE

George Allen, affectionately known to his friends and family as “Chips,” left Essex & Herts Air Ambulance a £20,000 gift in his Will – a portion of the proceeds from his classic car collection sold at auction following his death at the age of 93 on Chips originally wanted to see his cars go to a museum, but his family’s meticulous search for an antique car museum was immensely challenging, with many forced to close their doors due to COVID-19 restrictions. It was decided his collection, which included four Model Ts, two Minis and two Mini Countryman would be sold at auction, with the proceeds to be gifted to various local charities. Having worked as a labourer at RAF Ridgewell during the Second World War, Chips relocated to work for his father’s scrap metal business, based behind his Chapel Hill home after the war. He discovered his passion for classic cars, particularly Model Ts, built by the Ford Motor Company from 1908 until 1927. His niece Bridget recalls many conversations with her uncle about his classic cars and “can’t remember a time when his beloved Model Ts were not around ” “Anyone who knows Uncle Chips will remember him as a collector of absolutely everything. He started with the cars many years ago and grew the collection, keeping them in pristine condition.”

The money raised from selling his collection of classic and personal vehicles saw £58,000 shared between various charities he held close to his heart, including EHAAT, Danaher Animal Home, Cancer Research, the British

Heart Foundation, St Helena Hospice, Macmillan Nurses and the Salvation Army.

Bridget said: “He was a great supporter of Essex & Herts Air Ambulance and played the Flight For Life lottery. He always spoke highly of the charity’s amazing work, especially when he saw the helicopter taking to the skies above Halstead.”

Reflecting on Chips’ generous donation, Carmel Hudson, Legacy Manager at Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, said: “Chips’ gift will make a lasting difference to the charity, helping our critical care team continue to be there for those who need us most. Their life-saving support equipment and expertise provide advanced clinical care that is normally only found in emergency departments, so Chips’ donation is so much more than a wonderful gift. It will never be forgotten because it could help save a life.”

Although he was 93 when he passed away, Bridget said he was “100 per cent on the ball and kept up to speed with everything happening in the world,” but he will also be remembered for his unique and quirky personality. “Throughout the years, he would make a lot of furniture, and even though he had a series of workshops, it wasn’t a surprise to see him making a fence in his house. Even his cat would have green stripes from when he painted his gate!”

As per the wishes set out in his Will, Chips also left Bridget and the family a drawing of his ideal headstone, which will take on the shape of a Model T front radiator.

Bridget said: “That was him in a nutshell. He was unique in every sense and lived his life on his own terms. I remember him speaking to me two or three days before he died. He said: ‘If I had to live my life over again, I wouldn’t change anything ’ I knew he meant it; he lived a full life.”

Give the gift of a lifetime and help save lives by leaving a gift in your will. In 2022 we received over £2.3m from these gifts, which enabled us to continue supporting our local community. Email our Legacy team here to find out more about gifts in wills.

A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS AND SPONSORS

Apple Flooring

PAX Bags

Raine & Co

Sorrymate.com

MDS Civil Engineering Specialist Aviation Services

Leonardo

Ford Dunton

The English Cream Tea Company

Waterhouse Cars

Gates Ford

Woodland Group

Colchester Kawasaki

Hythe Hill Motorcycles

Templant Rental Power

Collier & Catchpole

Paul Robinson Solicitors

TC Group

Roomes Furniture

NFU Mutual Hertford & North Herts Agency

Rayden Solicitors

HD Consultants

Mortgage and Money Management

ATE (UK) Ltd

Pulsar Measurement

Tesco Bishop’s Stortford

Redrow Homes

Sainsbury’s Halstead

Chelmsford City Racecourse

Prested Hall

T: 0345 2417 690

E: contactus@ehaat.org

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