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As we go into winter, it is clear that many of our readers, supporters and fundraisers, as well as our staff, will be thinking about tightening their financial belts to weather the rising cost of food, bills and mortgages. As a charity, we are also not immune from the effects of the rising cost of the goods, supplies and services we need to buy in order to maintain our operations.
In such difficult times, and with such uncertainty, we appreciate that some people may have to prioritise what they spend their money on and are wondering if they can continue to support their chosen charity.
At previous times throughout our thirty years, when the country has faced similar financial challenges, we have been overwhelmed by people’s ongoing support and generosity, however little they can afford to give. That is why, this year, our
Ali Simpson Helipad EditorAfter nearly five years and thirteen issues (and more as sub-editor), Winter 2022 issue of Helipad will be my last as Editor.
It has been a real pleasure and honour to be custodian of this fantastic magazine for so long. I hope you agree that we continue to bring you a great blend of articles and information about the amazing work of Devon Air Ambulance, as well as features on some of our county’s most interesting places, people and history. We never rest on our laurels though – and are always interested in what you, our readers, think of Helipad. If you have a few minutes, we would love you to share your views and thoughts with us by completing and returning the enclosed questionnaire. In this issue of Helipad we take a winter walk around Torquay, find out why the Dartmoor pony is such an icon of our landscape, recount the fated story of Devon-born explorer Captain Scott and print the winning short story from our summer competition. We also round-up the latest news from our Helicopter Services department, learn about an
Devon Air Ambulance Unit 5 Sandpiper Court
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info@daat.org
www.daat.org
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Christmas Campaign is highlighting some of the vital life-saving kit that our clinicians carry on every mission but that perhaps only cost a few pounds each. At Devon Air Ambulance, every penny you raise or donate really does count and can make a huge difference to the care our patients receive.
So, in a time of rising costs, I would like to thank everyone who still continues to support Devon Air Ambulance, however much you can afford, even if it is just a weekly entry to our Lottery, a small cash donation or a fundraising activity.
For more information about our 2022 Christmas Campaign, turn to page 6.
important quality improvement project from our Research Lead and congratulate all of our team on achieving an overall ’Outstanding’ rating following the recent Care Quality Commission inspection. And, of course, no issue of Helipad would be complete without showcasing some of our fantastic fundraisers and business supporters. So, thank you to everyone who has contributed to Helipad during my time as Editor and for the lovely comments I have received from our readers over the years. Here’s to the next chapter for Helipad and, for the last time under my watch, enjoy!
Fundraising & Events fundraising@daat.org
Lottery lottery@daat.org
Corporate Engagement Tracy Owen t.owen@daat.org
Volunteering Becky Trout b.trout@daat.org
PR Ginette Gisborne g.gisborne@daat.org
Community Landing Sites Graham Coates landingsites@daat.org
Operations Nigel Hare n.hare@daat.org
Advertising Sales Square7 Media 0203 283 4055
this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form without prior permission of the publishers. All material is sent at the owner’s risk and whilst every care is taken, Devon Air Ambulance Trust will not acce t liability for loss or damage. very e ort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of our content but the ublishers cannot be held res onsible for any omissions, errors or alterations or for the conse uences of any reliance on these details neither can they vouch for the accuracy of claims made by any advertiser. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers.
All rights reserved. No part of
This Christmas, with your continued support, we are hoping to fill FOUR portable kit bags that are vital in helping our clinicians deliver their firstclass care. These bags contain many essential but affordable items and need refilling and refreshing after every mission. Can you help us achieve our Christmas wish this year?
A round-up of news, events and people from Devon Air Ambulance.
Advanced Paramedic Nigel Lang explains how he and his colleagues worked together to develop a system that provides time-critical air transfers for stroke patients.
After our very successful CPR and defibrillator training days in 2022, we are now looking to offer more training in 2023!
Over the last twelve months, Flight Operations has seen a number of important changes to its structure, so meet the new team and find out how their wealth of aviation experience keeps our helicopters flying.
Classed as an ‘airline’, Devon Air Ambulance has to adhere to a large quantity of rigorous and technical rules and regulations so learn how DAA stays aviation compliant.
See our amazing award-winning shop windows and, with Christmas just around the corner, now is a great time to explore Devon Air Ambulance’s shops, in person or online, for some festive bargains.
Lottie and Steffan showcase some of the amazing fundraising events that have taken place across our communities, from mountain climbs and gala balls to concerts and party nights.
2022 was a difficult year for many people but, despite this, our fantastic corporate and local business supporters continued to show their unwavering commitment to DAA.
Devon People & Junior Crew
We love to showcase our fantastic fundraisers – young and old – to say thank you for all the awesome challenges you take on to raise money for Devon Air Ambulance.
Thank you to all our operational crew, charity staff, volunteers and supporters who played such an integral part in helping us achieve a rating of ‘Outstanding’ following our recent Care Quality Commission inspection.
Our Landing Site Development Officer, Toby Russell, highlights the great community partnership that brought South Molton Community Landing Site into operation, and says farewell as he hands over the reins to a new Landing Site Manager.
The return of Sim Wars Operations Director Nigel Hare explains the importance of the recent two-day simulation on Dartmoor. Using incredibly realistic scenarios and injuries, this important training event was attended by over 100 medical students, student paramedics and military nurses.
12
With a history of domestication dating back 3,500 years, the Dartmoor pony is a true icon of Devon for locals and visitors alike.
Hardy Souls
Having helped us with heat and draught resistant plants in our summer issue, horticulturist Richard Wilson investigates plants that thrive in the winter cold.
23
Prize Crossword
Test your general and local knowledge in our new crossword to be in with a chance to win a family day out at Torre Abbey in Torquay.
A popular destination for summer tourists, Torquay also has some lovely coastline and first-class attractions that are well worth visiting, whatever the season.
Our Short Story Competition winner
Congratulations to Betty Harcombe from St Marychurch for her charming story ‘The Brass Bell’ which we are delighted to announce as the winner of our short story competition.
Great Scott!
As one of the most famous and intrepid explorers and adventurers of the 20th century, Devon-born Robert Falcon Scott was the darling of the polar expedition before his unsuccessful and ill-fated attempt to be the first man to reach the South Pole.
Volunteering
Even if you only have an hour or two to spare, Volunteer Manager Becky Trout explains why there are still so many ways you can volunteer for Devon Air Ambulance and make a real difference in helping our crew save lives.
Lottery Manager Tracy Owen rounds-up our latest news from the Lottery, including our telephone upgrade campaign success and our inaugural door-to-door campaign.
BackChat
We need your help to fi ll four new kit bags with the medical supplies and equipment our clinicians depend on.
Our clinicians don’t want a lot for Christmas, but they do want your continued support!
It’s thanks to Devon’s communities that our crew can attend time-critical incidents across the county and beyond, every day of the year and even at Christmas, by land or by air. Portable kits are an essential part of every one of our
missions. They contain the drugs and equipment our clinicians need to give specialist treatment to patients experiencing medical incidents or injury. But after every mission we must refresh our kits with new supplies and replace old equipment when the time comes.
Members of our crew share some of the more affordable items they need that are nevertheless essential.
John, Advanced Paramedic Critical Care
I used these Magill forceps to remove food from a choking child’s throat helping them to breathe again. A simple tool like this doesn’t cost much, but it is worth so much in scenarios like this and can save a life.
Laura, Specialist Paramedic Critical Care
This scalpel was used to release the trapped air within the chest cavity of a patient who had been crushed, enabling their heart to beat effectively and their lungs to breathe again. This is just one of the advanced interventions that our clinicians can perform at the scene.
Adrian, Patient Liaison Clinician & Specialist Paramedic Critical Care
This combat application tourniquet (CAT) enabled me to prevent major blood loss from a patient who had amputated their leg in an road traffic collision. A tourniquet is such a small item, but it makes an important difference.
Lee, Advanced Paramedic Critical Care
I used these defibrillator pads to restart a patient’s heart after they experienced a cardiac arrest at home. Such a small item has a huge part to play in treating cardiac arrest and a new set of pads is required for every patient. Last year we attended 333 patients suffering a cardiac arrest, that’s £6,879.78 of pads needed to treat them.
Liam, Specialist Paramedic Critical Care
I used this fleece, heated blanket and blizzard blanket combination to keep a patient warm after they had sustained multiple injuries from falling off their horse on the moors. It’s so important to regulate body temperature as bleeding can increase when a patient is cold.
Paul, Patient Liaison Clinician & Specialist Paramedic Critical Care
We used a splint to hold a patient’s broken leg in place after they fell on the coastal path. This prevented further pain, blood loss and potential skin/nerve damage.
TOURNIQUET £19.10
SCALPEL £1.62
MAGILL FORCEPS £2.00
BLANKET COMBO £49.55
“ It’s not only expensive monitors, defibrillators and ventilators we need. There are plenty of items that cost only a few pounds that can make a significant difference to the care and comfort of our patients. ”DEFIB PADS £20.66 PROMETHEUS SPLINT £70.80
Clare Bosanko, Critical Care Doctor
I gave the freeze-dried blood plasma, Lyoplas, to a patient in traumatic cardiac arrest after their motorbike collided with a lorry. We responded to 274 road traffic collisions last year, so Lyoplas is vital when our patient is suffering major blood loss.
Josh, Specialist Paramedic Critical Care
Your donations make it possible for us to carry this airway kit. The airway kit helped me to manage an unconscious patient’s airway after they had sustained a major brain injury at a trauma incident. Without this kit the patient may not have survived.
Jess, Specialist Paramedic Critical Care
Our flight suits have a degree of fire retardancy and being red they help to differentiate us from other emergency services on scene. Your donations help us to stay safe and feel prepared for the different locations and environments we might be called to. Thank You!
To help us to fill our four new kit bags, visit: daat.org/all-we-want-for-christmas or send us a donation using the form included with this Helipad edition and return it in the pre-paid envelope.
Every donation, big or small, will help to make a difference to our patients this Christmas and throughout the year.
Thank you to everyone who attended DAA’s 30th anniversary celebrations at Darts Farm on Saturday 13th August, and for all the staff and volunteers, business supporters and blue light colleagues who helped make this such a special day for everyone.
The family day out marked more than 30,000 missions completed by the Charity’s two air ambulances and rapid response, blue light, critical care cars, which take advanced, time-critical care to communities across Devon. On the day visitors were able to see close-up the Exeter-based helicopter, chat to the pilot and operational crew and see the amazing work of the other emergency services in Devon too.
Ann Ralli, who founded the Charity after the death of her son Ceri Thomas, said it had been a particularly
emotional day for her. She met a number of people who explained how Devon Air Ambulance had either saved their life or greatly improved their recovery by attending to their medical needs quickly.
Ann said “I have heard amazing stories today from people who have been helped and those amazing moments are priceless. Ceri would be so proud.
This is all due to the people of Devon who have taken the air ambulance into their hearts”.
Everyone at Devon Air Ambulance would like to wish a fond farewell to Caroline Creer, who retired from the Charity at the end of October.
Caroline started at DAA in the very earliest days of the Charity back in 1997 as an Administrative Assistant with a passion for fundraising. Her drive and commitment for the Charity were quickly recognised and she was eventually able to bring her formidable knowledge and enthusiasm to the role of Income Generation Director and member of our Senior Leadership Team.
Caroline has been an integral member of the Charity for twenty five years so will be sorely missed by all our staff, crew, fundraisers and supporters. We all wish her a happy, peaceful and enjoyable retirement as she embarks on this new chapter of her life.
With a background in marketing, communications and fundraising, Matthew was, until recently, Director of Strategy and Transformation for Brunelcare, which provides housing, care and support for older people. Before this, he spent nearly 14 years working for St Peter’s Hospice in Bristol in a number of different roles including Head of Marketing and Communications.
Outside of work, Matthew is a Trustee and Vice Chair of Somerset Wildlife Trust and enjoys volunteering in his local community. Having spent his career working for local charities, Matthew cares passionately about the impact they can have on the people, places and environments they support. He is delighted to have joined the Devon Air Ambulance team and is looking forward to supporting the organisation’s vital work in the county.
Dominic Hazell and Paddy Dixon have recently left their roles as Charity Trustee and Trading Company Director respectively. We would like to thank both Dominic and Paddy for their commitment and support during their time with us.
We are delighted, however, to introduce three new Board members to the team.
Tony Cramp – joining as a Trading Company Director, Tony is VicePresident Aircraft at Shell, currently focusing on overseas global flying safety.
Richard Davidson – joining as a Charity Trustee, Richard has a long history of charity involvement and is currently the Chief Executive of Sarcoma, a UK national cancer charity. He also spent eleven years as the Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Cancer Research UK.
Victoria Burr – Victoria also joins the Charity as one of our new Trustees and currently holds the post of Director of Corporate Governance and Regulatory Affairs at
We are very sad to let our readers know that Neil Devons has recently passed away. Neil provided public relations and media advice to Devon Air Ambulance for many years and, more recently, he used his unparalleled knowledge and interest in the places, people and history of Devon to write many of the feature pieces and general interest articles for Helipad magazine.
Neil was a dedicated supporter of our Charity and a great friend to many of our staff and he will be very sorely missed. Everyone at DAA sends their sincerest condolences to Neil’s family and friends at this very difficult time.
Strokes are the second commonest cause of death worldwide. Nigel Lang explains how colleagues have developed a system for rapid air transfer for these time critical emergencies.
Eighty five percent of strokes are caused by a blockage (a clot called a thrombus) in the small blood vessels of the brain, and the remaining fifteen percent occur as a result of a bleed in the brain. Administering emergency clot-busting drugs has been the mainstay treatment for many years but risks further complications. Developments in treating these thrombolytic strokes continue to improve not only survival, but the quality of life for those that do survive.
Some thrombolytic strokes are now treated using a relatively new procedure, similar to that used in the treatment of heart attacks. Removal of the thrombus is undertaken with a guide wire inserted into a large artery in the leg, which travels along blood vessels to reach the target, where the thrombus is removed. This procedure is called Mechanical Thrombectomy Retrieval (MTR) and is performed by specialist Neuro Interventional Radiologists at University Hospitals Plymouth, using x-ray type images to help them carefully navigate the complex network of blood vessels in the brain. The aim is to remove the thrombus, so that normal blood flow can be restored to the part of the brain which has been starved of oxygen.
Results for MTR are impressive. In some cases, patients can have severe one-sided paralysis at the start of the procedure and wake up afterwards moving all four limbs
normally. Treatment for patients suffering this kind of sudden stroke is time critical, and MTR should be performed as quickly as possible as the benefit of MTR drops by 5.7% for every hour of delay. In Devon, the longest transfer time to Plymouth hospital is undertaken by patients being treated at Barnstaple
North Devon General Hospital
100 mins by road 20 mins by air
Derriford Hospital
“ Between the two hospitals, the road transfers can take over 100 minutes but, by air, it is only twenty ”
“ Results for MTR are impressive. In some cases, patients can have severe one-sided paralysis at the start of the procedure and wake up afterwards moving all four limbs normally. ”
hospital. Between the two hospitals, the road transfers can take over 100 minutes but, by air, it is only twenty.
Anaesthetist Anna Ferguson first approached Devon Air Ambulance with the idea of reducing this transfer time. In partnership with Plymouth and Barnstaple hospitals, Critical Care Paramedic Nigel Lang and Quality Improvement Officer Belinda Tibbets from Devon Air Ambulance worked with Anna to develop the system which now provides rapid air transfer for
these time critical emergencies.
So far, eight patients have benefited from this new service, and it is anticipated that numbers will increase as the MTR service expands. MTR is not yet a 24/7 service, however it is hoped this will be achieved within the next few years. MTR is an expensive procedure, however due to reduced hospital stay and social care needs, cost savings can be huge; and the benefit to patients and their families can be even bigger.
Quickly identifying and acting on stroke symptoms is the single most important step to reducing negative outcomes. Use the acronym below to recognise the symptoms - why not share and learn with your family and friends - you too could help save lives!
Is the person’s face drooping or smile uneven on one side?
ARM
Can the person raise both arms and keep them up?
Does the person’s speech sound slurred or unclear?
TIME
If you recognise any of these symptoms it’s time to call 999
For many Devonians, and visitors alike, the sight of a Dartmoor pony grazing idly on the roadside verge is truly an iconic image of our county.
Not many people know that evidence of domesticated ponies on Dartmoor dates back around 3,500 years, with ancient hoof-prints being found during an archaeological excavation in the 1970s. The first written record of ponies on Dartmoor can be found around AD 1012, with reference in some early manorial records to the ‘wild horses of Ashburton’ and, even at that time, there were early records that showed they were branded and had ear-marks to identify them. In Medieval times, a wheeled cart would have been rare on Dartmoor, so it is believed that ponies, often fully laden, were a common sight as the most reliable method of transporting tin ore around the area.
Come forward to the mid-19th century, when Dartmoor was one of Britain’s main sources of granite, and you will find evidence of ponies being used to haul trucks laden with stone up and down the tramway between Haytor and Teigngrace and their widespread use as working animals to move goods and machinery was common well into the first half of the twentieth century.
Albeit a humble beast, the purebred Dartmoor pony can even claim a Royal connection, as Prince Edward (later Edward VIII) kept and bred Dartmoor ponies near Princetown in the 1920’s, and was known to cross them with Arab ponies in an attempt to produce a fi ner polo pony. Up until the 1960’s, ponies were bred at Dartmoor Prison and were used by the guards to escort their prisoners.
In the 1950’s, it was thought there were around 30,000 ponies resident on the moor, although that number has been severely reduced over the intervening decades and estimates now put the number between 1,000 and 2,000.
Many people think that the ponies are truly wild but this is not the case. Although they are free-roaming and semi-feral, the ponies are actually all owned by various Dartmoor farmers and residents, who have commoners grazing rights on the open moor. However, as many are not handled very often (if at all) they can be unpredictable, so visitors are always strongly advised not to approach them or try to touch them.
One reason the ponies are so adept at living in this harsh environment is their ability to eat almost anything, from grass, bracken and heather to gorse, which they hit on the ground to remove the prickles. By grazing the poor vegetation, they also play a vital role in helping to maintain a variety of natural habitats and eco-systems for the many species of wild fl owers, native birds, insects, mammals and reptiles on the moor.
Feeding the ponies is strictly forbidden in law as, not only isn’t it good for them, it also encourages them to stray too close to the roadside in the hope of begging for tasty titbits and so makes them much more vulnerable to being injured by traffic. Not surprising given the environment they live in, Dartmoor ponies are extremely hardy and thrive in the harsh conditions. They live out on the moor all year round, through the hottest summers, the wettest autumns and the coldest winters. The foals are born between May and August and most ponies live in small herds, normally consisting of a group of mares and one adult stallion.
Today, you will see a variety of different pony breeds, alongside the pure-bred Dartmoor pony, which has been granted Rare Breed status. These ponies have a particular genetic advantage to thrive in the most challenging of conditions, with dense dark coats that give them protection against the sun, and hard feet for travelling many miles a day across a difficult landscape strewn with granite. The Dartmoor Pony Society ensures the breed standard of these purebred Dartmoor ponies, which are easy to identify due to their size (they must be under 12.2 hands in height) and their colour. Pure-bred Dartmoor ponies are always in one block colour such as bay, brown, black, grey, chestnut or roan. They are said to have an innate understanding of where to shelter, drink and graze and are able to pass this vital knowledge down to their foals.
If you are on the moor, you will also see Hill Ponies, which are often a mixture of Welsh, Arab and Spotted pony breeds, and can be any colour, build or size. Any pony that is piebald (black and white) or skewbald (brown or white) in colour will be from a mixed line of ponies as this colouring is not permitted in the official Dartmoor pony breed. You may also be surprised to see Shetland ponies on the moor having been introduced in the early 20th century and crossbred with moorland ponies to produce a tough, strong animal that was also small enough to work down the mines.
The Dartmoor pony is known for its calm manner, good temperament and sure-footedness, so it makes an excellent child’s pony, ideal for riding but also used for show-jumping, cross-country, hunting and carriage driving.
Formal preservation and conservation schemes, as well as public awareness campaigns, are all helping to ensure the recent decline in Dartmoor pony numbers is stabilised so they remain a much loved, and iconic image of the Devon moorland landscape for generations to come.
“ You will find evidence of ponies being used to haul trucks laden with stone up and down the tramway between Haytor and Teigngrace and their widespread use as working animals to move goods and machinery was common well into the first half of the twentieth century. ”
As part of our Help With All Your Heart campaign, we launched a public survey in February to fi nd out how people felt about helping someone in cardiac arrest and what might stop them from stepping in. Read on to fi nd out what respondents had to say.
Almost two thirds of respondents said they would be willing to step in and help but were felt lacking in two vital things that would empower them: knowledge and confidence. Respondents also stated they would be interested in finding out more.
With this in mind we set about planning five CPR and Defibrillator training days across Devon, designed to dismantle those barriers. The training was a huge success with all who fed back saying they would recommend this invaluable training to a friend.
Several sessions were available over each training day which included a presentation by DAA Specialist Paramedics, allowing local people to learn about the differences between a heart attack and cardiac arrest, as well as a hands-on session learning how to carry out effective CPR and how to use a defibrillator.
Many attendees described feeling much more knowledgeable about cardiac arrest and importantly, confident about stepping in to help someone suffering a cardiac arrest before specialist medical help arrives. Early intervention from a bystander giving CPR and using a defibrillator has been proven to give the patient a much better chance of survival.
It was fantastic to see over 240 people attend our first five training days, from retired couples and those who knew of a defibrillator in their local communities, to retired medical professionals who came along to refresh their previous knowledge.
More CPR and defibrillator training days announced for 2023 following a successful trial earlier this year.
315 In 2021, our crews attended 315 patients who were suffering a cardiac arrest. This year we have so far attended 248 patients whose heart had stopped beating normally.
Doing something is better than doing nothing - You can help to save a life.
Doing CPR and using a defibrillator can double someone’s chances of survival.
To make defibrillators even more accessible, we are in the process of installing a public defibrillator outside each of our charity shops across Devon which are available to use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by anyone who may need to do so.
We are thrilled to be able to plan more training days for 2023. Our team of Specialist Paramedics and Doctors will once again be leading the sessions. Giving people the knowledge and the confidence needed to help their loved ones, a neighbour or a stranger in cardiac arrest means that another life may be saved.
We are now looking at when and where the next set of training days will be held. We will update you in the new year but, in the meantime, we invite you to register your interest in attending a future training session on our website: bit.ly/DAACPRDAY
Cardiac arrest is the most common reason that our emergency medical team is called to help.
Volunteers are raising awareness of our work through community talks, some as former patients sharing their stories and experiences, others who are passionate about our work, all showing the impact of Devon Air Ambulance to the communities who help fund us.
Thanks to the time devoted by our team of volunteers, we can keep our 19 shops open, service approximately 4,500 collection boxes and, this summer, our volunteers helped staff attend over 48 agricultural shows and county fairs across Devon.
But our volunteers are not here for the glory (although they are very much deserving of it!) They are filled with passion and determination.
You too, can make a difference by donating your time, and join our fantastic team of volunteers. We have a wide range of roles open to you, whether you are looking to boost your CV with new skills or wish to gain a sense of purpose while meeting new people. The joy of volunteering means you can give as much or as little time as suits your lifestyle.
Helping in our shops
It takes a community of volunteers to keep our 19 charity shops open and our helicopters flying. There are a whole host of tasks you could try, and no previous retail experience is required as we offer friendly training and encouragement. Please get in contact to find your nearest DAA shop. At the moment, we are very short of volunteers to help in our Okehampton and Kingsbridge shops. Just a couple of hours a week could make a big difference! We also have two online shops where we are looking for volunteers with a passion for selling items online, research and photography.
Devon Air Ambulance has almost four and a half thousand red collection boxes sited at outlets throughout the county. This is a very flexible volunteer role that can fit in with your lifestyle, with most boxes requiring servicing just twice a year. This role helps build relationships for DAA in your local area and helps every bit of spare change go to a great cause! We are currently looking for box collectors in Honiton, Exmouth, and Exmoor.
Talks are often requested by small community groups and schools. Our volunteer speakers take along a PowerPoint presentation to promote our work and encourage support from local people. This is the perfect role for someone with experience of public speaking or teaching.
All talks are free, so please get in touch if you know any groups who may like to learn more about our service.
Our volunteers play a vital part in supporting our annual events like the Dragon Boat Festival. Event Marshalls may find themselves assisting participants, directing traffic or managing parking. This is the perfect role if you want to volunteer just once or twice a year.
Thanks to the generosity of local people, volunteers are often needed to collect cheques from fundraising events. These could be for a group like the Women’s institute, a council meeting, pub quiz or coffee morning. People who have raised money for us really appreciate a volunteer going along to support them and it’s great publicity for their group and for us!
Our volunteers thoroughly enjoy taking part in community events and county shows. These events offer us fundraising opportunities and allow us to engage with our patients and supporters. During these events you will meet like-minded volunteers and work alongside staff from across the organisation.
Profile: Becky Trout - Interim Volunteer Manager
We are looking for volunteers to help our drivers rotate between our shops. A driving licence is not required but the ability to handle bulky items is essential. We also occasionally require volunteers who can help with light duties such as delivering gazebos, buckets and banners to people holding their own fundraising events and to pick up and replace collection boxes from outlets around the county.
While Cara Jones is on maternity leave, Becky is responsible for co-ordinating volunteering across Devon Air Ambulance, including the recruitment, induction, training and support of our volunteers working in our shops and across our community.
After many discussions, we decided to “test the water” with a Door-toDoor campaign which started in early September. We have three canvassers covering the Plymouth and North Devon area. Every week we show which postcodes they will be attending on our lottery main page under “campaign”. Although we had a slow start, we have had over 150 new numbers join this way, generating important additional income for the lottery and the charity
We held a “special” draw at the end of September to celebrate our in-house Lottery’s coming of age birthday! Our top three prizes were increased to £2,100 and 2 x £210.00 Each winner was over the moon to have won and so pleased that their membership has helped DAA to continue to save lives.
Despite it being another tough year for everyone with the cost of living crisis, we thought we’d run this initiative again after a successful inaugural season in 2021. We had over 485 members increase their chances from one to two with a 21% conversion rate. Already over a two-month period, an additional £5,474 has so far been raised, which is an amazing achievement
Thank you also to our amazing Canvassing team who have worked extremely hard through a tough year for us all but still achieving amazing results. Well done, Lisa, Marcia, Tracie, Chris and Leon!
✰
Scan this code for our Lottery page:
Meet: Tracy Owen - Corporate Engagement and Lottery Manager
Email: t.owen@daat.org Tel: 07494 292384
Tracy has been with DAA for over 16 years and is now our Corporate Engagement and Lottery Manager. She administers all aspects of our Corporate supporters, old and new, plus oversees the running of our own in-house Lottery.
44% of our income in 2020 came from gifts in wills. Leaving a legacy helps our lifesaving service to be available for generations to come.
We would like to thank everyone who leaves us a gift in their will, large or small - every penny really does make a difference. We know your loved ones will always come
To make a will, or amendments to an existing will, we recommend that you visit a solicitor. If you would like to leave a gift in your will to Devon Air Ambulance your solicitor will just need our details as below:
Thank you to everyone who entered our Helipad Prize Crossword in Summer 2022 issue – Alan Tyte and Yvonne Melluish were the winners of tickets to RHS Rosemoor near Great Torrington. Congratulations both, we know you and your guests will have a great day out!
As usual, we hope you all enjoy this new crossword which once again tests your local and general knowledge.
For our winter crossword, we are delighted to be offering our lucky winner a family ticket to Torre Abbey, Torbay’s most historic building, an archaeological site of national importance and an ancient scheduled monument dating back to 1196. Set within 18 acres of garden and parkland, this family-friendly multi-award-winning visitor attraction houses an impressive art collection alongside state-of-the-art technology and interactive displays to tell the abbey’s fascinating history.
Even if you aren’t lucky enough to be our winner this time, why not plan your own trip to Torre Abbey by visiting www.torre-abbey.org.uk
Clues Across
1 Capital of Somalia (9)
6 Surname of famous explorer and naval officer, born in Tavistock (5)
9 River in south central France (7)
10 Sir Samuel Pepys was a famous one, as were Adrian Mole and Bridget Jones! (7)
11 Estuary on Devon’s south coast (3)
12 Village in the South Hams (11)
14 A deep gorge, often with a river flowing through it (6)
15 City in South Africa, famous for its jacaranda trees (8)
17 Bobby Charlton and Frank Lampard both played on this part of the football ground (8)
19 A classic cold British pudding of little value? (6)
22 Large colourful butterfly most common in East Anglia (11)
23 A soft bread roll (3)
25 16-sided house near Lympstone (2,5)
27 Country in central Europe (7)
28 Arguably most infamous battle of the First World War (5)
29 To go beyond (9)
Clues Down
1 U.S. officer famed for defeating General Robert E Lee at the Battle of Gettysburg (5)
2 Bottom-dwelling British river fish (7)
3 Typical of a ruler with absolute power (11)
4 Boil over with unexpressed anger (6)
5 Serve in tennis, legitimate but not often used (8)
6 Common three-letter term for the building blocks of life (3)
7 Amelia Earhart was a famous example of this (7)
8 To offer a circumstance why a crime may be less serious (9)
13 Messrs Attenborough, Packham and Backshall are all examples of this (11)
14 Loose fitting women’s vests (9)
16 The most windy (8)
18 A schematic drawing (7)
20 Russian jeweller, famous for his decorative eggs (7)
21 Fruit that grows in a bunch (6)
24 Checked or tartan fabric (5)
26 Old-fashioned term to mean a woman’s name before marriage (3)
Complete the crossword to reveal the letters in the green shaded boxes – simply solve the anagram to identify a word relating to Devon Air Ambulance. Enter online at www.daat.org/crossword-competition-winter-2022 or by writing your name, contact details and the answer on a postcard, and posting to : The Editor, Helipad Crossword Competition Winter 2022, Devon Air Ambulance, 5 Sandpiper Court, Harrington Lane, Exeter, EX4 8NS.
The competition is free to enter, one entry per person.
The closing date for entries to be received is midnight on FRIDAY 16th DECEMBER 2022 when the successful winning entry will be selected at random.
Full Terms and Conditions can be found at www.daat.org/crossword-winter-2022-terms-and-conditions or by writing to The Editor at the above address.
Helipad editor, Ali Simpson, spends a winter day in her adopted home town, enjoying some of the town’s all-yearround attractions and the coastline which has its own special out of season charm.
In the height of summer, Torquay is a busy, bustling holiday town. Torre Abbey sands is usually packed with visitors, young and old, enjoying the sun, sea and sand – the latter once proclaimed the best for making sandcastles in the whole country! People stroll along the seafront promenade to enjoy the crystal blue waters of the bay or around the harbour to look at the many small boats. Perhaps they try their hand at a game of crazy golf or lawn bowls or ride the English Riviera ferris wheel for spectacular views across the water to Paignton and Brixham. The numerous eateries, bars and restaurants are always full and colourful tables spill out onto the pavement. In winter, like many holiday resorts, Torquay takes on a very different complexion but one that is equally enjoyable if you have time to spare and would like to make the bay your destination for the day.
Welcoming visitors for over 800 years
A good place to start your day out is Torre Abbey, which is arguably the most distinctive and visible building in Torquay and a multi-award-winning visitor attraction, set in 18 acres of rolling parkland stretching down to the sea.
Founded in 1196 as a monastery for Premonstratensian canons, it is the best-preserved medieval monastery in Devon and Cornwall. After King Henry VIII closed the monastery in 1539, two of its former ranges were adapted for use as a private house. From 1662, this house became the home of the Cary family, who lived here for nearly 300 years. The house now contains permanent art exhibitions focusing on the work of 19th century painters such as William Blake and Edward Burne-Jones as well as the largest collection of the work of Victorian sculptor Frederick Thrupp to survive in the UK. There are also works by 20th century artists as well as contemporary and more modern works.
As well as the main building, the Abbey also features the adjacent 14th century gatehouse and the famous tithe barn, known as The Spanish Barn after it was used for fourteen days in 1588 to house 397 prisoners of war from the Spanish
Armada. The prisoners were taken from the only galleon captured during the conflict - the Nuestra Senora del Rosario. Today this former tithe barn is opened for special events and is popular for weddings and art exhibitions, having previously welcomed both Antony Gormley’s Field of the British Isles and Damien Hirst’s infamous Mother and Child. While visiting the house you can also wander around the award-winning formal gardens and Palm House, a real oasis of calm away from the busy sea front. Exuberant plantings of herbaceous perennials, roses and dahlias sit in the formal 19th
A short stroll from the harbour, there is no better place to continue your cultural visit than at Torquay Museum. Deceptively small from the outside, the building was purpose-built in 1876 to house the many artefacts and collections amassed by the Torquay Natural History Society in the first half of the 19th century. It now holds a staggering 350,000 individual items including 150,000 natural history specimens, 5,000 archaeological items, 4,000 artefacts from Ancient Egypt, and an amazing 34,000 palaeontological specimens from the local cave systems. Although only a tiny fraction of the items held by the museum are on display at any one time, there is still a huge amount to see. The life-size Japanese Kite Man welcomes you as you ascend the stairs and leads you into the many fascinating galleries, including the Explorers Gallery, featuring Torquay’s very own Percy Fawcett and also ‘Egyptopmania’ and the museum’s renowned boy mummy dating back to 600 bc. The museum also houses an Agatha Christie gallery and a life-
A short walk from the popular and fashionable area of Wellswood, with its boutiques, cafes and delis, you will find Kents Cavern. Torquay has been inhabited since Paleolithic times and Kents Cavern is considered one of Britain’s most important Stone Age sites. Hand axes found in the cavern have been dated to around 40,000 years old and a fragment of jawbone may be the oldest example of a modern human in Europe, dating back to 37,000–40,000 years ago.
The cave was extensively explored from 1865 to 1880 by William Pengelly, who found evidence to support the earlier hypothesis of the Rev. J McEnery in the 1820’s of the prehistoric co-existence of humans and extinct animals. The caves have attracted many famous people, among them Dame Agatha Christie, Beatrix Potter, King George V and Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia, who was so impressed with his visit that he gave his guide, Leslie Powe, a gold sovereign.
century landscape around the abbey ruins. The heated glasshouses, containing tropical and desert plants, are a treat for the senses whatever the season. Turf seats, willow tunnels, sensory planting and a fountain offer the opportunity to explore, look, touch, and taste. After benefitting from a £6.5 million refurbishment, the Abbey now has a lovely contemporary feel with great mobility access and a number of state-of-the-art interactive displays to bring the Abbey’s fascinating history alive for every visitor, no matter how young or old.
size Devon farmhouse and interiors. The museum also puts on a number of interesting temporary exhibits throughout the year, which have included pirates, the Titanic and the very popular sci-fi and movie memorabilia!
If you aren’t a ‘culture vulture’ or would prefer to combine shopping and eating with some great sea views and a bit of world famous archaeology thrown in, why not combine a trip to enjoy the bijou shops, boutiques and eateries of fashionable Wellswood and a visit to Kents Cavern, followed by a tranquil walk through Lincombe Woods before strolling around the beautiful bay at Meadfoot to the Regency splendour of Hesketh Crescent.
After leaving Kents Cavern, it is a fifteen minute walk (or short drive) down to Meadfoot beach. Much less crowded than Abbey Sands in town, the beach is a mixture of rock, stone and sandy areas and, on a stormy winter’s day, the sight of the waves hitting and exploding over the sea wall is a real treat for photographers, and the adventurous who don’t mind getting a bit wet! If you are lucky, you will also see an array of seabirds including shags and cormorants, and the occasional seal can also be spotted enjoying the calm waters and looking for fish. At low tide, the numerous rock pools are ideal for children to explore as they are home to a large number of tidal species like starfish, crabs and anenomes.
At the opposite end of the beach, you will come to Hesketh Crescent, an elegant grade II listed Regency crescent, arguably with the best – and perhaps most photographedviews in the town, across the crystal blue water to Thatcher Rock. Now apartments and a hotel and restaurant, the fashionable crescent once welcomed Charles Darwin as a visitor, and it is known that Dame Agatha Christie liked to swim from Meadfoot’s shallow, safe pebble beach. It is also and ideal place to stop for a coffee before wending your way back.
Joan peered through the grimy window of the so-called antique shop and spotted something of interest. On the counter stood a highly polished brass bell that reminded her of her granny’s collection of brasses that she helped to clean when she was a very young child visiting granny.
Every Friday afternoon, come hell or high water, granny polished the brasses. Not even Hitler was allowed to interrupt the ritual, newspaper spread over the table along with the Brasso and polishing
cloths with the brasses standing in rows, in order of importance. The brass bell took pride of place, the first item to receive her loving attention.
It looked so like her granny’s bell, though common sense told her there must be hundreds like it. She had no idea what had happened to all granny’s clutter after she died, her mum and the aunts had sorted everything out. It was all so long ago.
‘Clutter’ was what Joan’s mum Meg had called
granny’s treasures but Joan had loved them all, even the old tin full of buttons removed from worn out garments. Meg used to say it would all go to the rag and bone man one day. This shop looked like it was the modern- day equivalent of the rag and bone man. It’s no good she thought I have to go in and take a closer look at that bell.
The door of the shop opened with a very discrete tinkle and she walked over to the counter. No one appeared from the back. The only sound was the ticking of clocks hanging on every bit of wall space. Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. When no one came Joan looked around the shop then turned back to the counter to pick up the bell quietly. She held the clapper so that it made no noise when she turned the bell upside down.
It was granny’s bell, the very one. She couldn’t believe it and kept staring at the name William scratched on the inside of the bell. When asked granny had always said she had no idea who William was, but Joan used to make up stories---William was granny’s first lost love and that was why she loved the bell so much. She put the bell back in its place on the counter.
Still no one had come from the back of the shop. Joan cleared her throat and coughed a few times hoping to attract attention but nothing happened. She rang the bell. It made a pleasing sound, not a tinkle but a confident deep ring summoning attention. Nothing happened, just tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. “Hello. Is there anyone there? I want to ask about the brass bell. Is it for sale? I’ve been waiting for ages.”
A very old man hobbled into the shop through the open door at the back. His wispy white hair touched the wing collar of his formal shirt worn under a black waistcoat. He looked at Joan through thick bottled glass spectacles. “It’s not for sale. Does it look as if it’s for sale? It’s there to summon assistance, nothing more, nothing less. It’s mine.”
In spite of his obvious age, he had a strong resonant voice, probably an ex-serviceman she thought because he had that sort of command, used to being listened to.
“I would like to buy the bell for sentimental reasons,” Joan started to say before she was interrupted by the shopkeeper.
“I thought I made myself clear when I said the bell is not for sale.”
“I’m prepared to pay a fair price for it,” she persisted. “May I just ask how you came by the bell.”
“I’m not a pawn shop nor did I steal it, if that’s what you’re thinking,” he replied.
“I suggested no such thing. I’m just curious because the bell used to belong to my grandmother. I know that it’s hers because the name William is scratched on the inside of it. I looked before you came in.”
“The bell was given to me when my mother died 60 years ago. I say ‘given’, it was actually left on my doorstep wrapped up in brown paper, rather like I was left on the church doorstep 90 years ago. There was a brief note with it signed by someone called Meg. All it said was ‘She never forgot you and pined for you all her life.’ I didn’t try to find out anything about it but I believed it was my mother’s wish that I should have it, It had my name and date of birth scratched on the inside as you know. I wish she had had the courage to acknowledge me while she was still alive.”
“Well, I acknowledge you now Uncle William, Meg was my mother, your sister. She died several years ago. She must have been the only one granny confided in when she was dying. I used to ask granny who William was when I was a little girl but she said she didn’t know. I’m sorry. She must have loved you though, because she was the only one who was allowed to polish the bell when we were young. She must have known where you lived because Meg left the bell on your doorstep. I don’t know what brought me down this narrow little street today, maybe it was granny’s ghost, but I’m glad I came. The bell is where it belongs now. Would you like to meet some of your long- lost relatives? It’s time we had a big family celebration after all the pandemic restrictions. They’d love to meet you, I’m sure. You’re the head of the family now. We’ll have the party to end all parties.”
William stood looking at her, unable to utter a word, a smile spreading across his face.
Thank you to all the writers who submitted entries to Helipad, and for keeping the judging panel so brilliantly entertained. Congratulations to Betty for her winning story.
Over the last twelve months, the Flight Operations Team has seen a number of important changes to its structure, and we are very pleased to announce we now have a full team in place, ready to look after all aspects of our flight operations, from flying and maintaining our helicopters, ensuring compliance and airworthiness, looking after our Community and Hospital Landing Sites, training and rostering. Our operational staff are also ably supported by a dedicated team, led by Executive Assistant Dawn Chandler, who makes sure all the important administration needed to keep our helicopters flying is handled seamlessly. From maintaining the Operations Manual, to updating and publishing community landing site status, booking and updating training for pilots and crew and monitoring the subscriptions for Helionix, the Airbus avionics system, Dawn, Julia and Sue have it covered!
Steve has held his commercial helicopter licence since the age of eighteen, and has flown for a number of organisations and industries across the world, including the police and offshore oil companies. Steve first flew for DAA in 2004 as a relief pilot before becoming a permanent member of the crew at the end of 2018.
Steve is responsible for day-to-day management of the training department and compilation and maintenance of the training manual. He also ensures that our training programmes meet the requirements of the Operations Manual and any specific mandatory elements for the aircraft types we fly.
Dawn joined DAA in 2016 as receptionist and spent some time as a recruitment administrator in the People team before moving to the Flight Operations department to fulfil the, then, newly created administrative role. Dawn was appointed as Executive Assistant to the Flight Operations Director in 2021, supporting Steve Rush in his accountable role and also overseeing the management of the administration team. Dawn has had a long career in administration, having spent 28 years at DEFRA and having also worked for Social Services and Education directorates.
Steve first held his pilot’s licence as a seventeen year old in the Royal Navy. He later went on to fly to and from the oil fields off Aberdeen, and for the air ambulances in Scotland and Wales. Steve has been with DAA since 2016 and became director of the department in 2021. He is responsible for the implementation of DAA policy relating to all aspects of flight operations, this includes flight safety standards and regulatory compliance which is governed by the Civil Aviation Authority.
Having joined the army in 1988, Rich started flying in 2000 and saw active military service in both Iraq and Afghanistan supporting UK Special Forces. Rich joined the National Police Air Service in 2011 and joined DAA in 2015. Rich looks after rostering of pilots in accordance with DAAs approved Flight Time Limitation scheme and deputises for the Flight Operations Director in his absence. Rich also liaises with the Head of Training regarding flying supervision and training, and conducts monthly audits of EasyWeigh (the aircraft load and performance calculator), techlogs (the unique record of each aircraft’s technical requirements) and flight plans.
Julia has worked for DAA for three years, starting on reception before transferring last year to the flight operations administrative team. Sue has recently joined the team. They both do a great job covering all of the administration required for the smooth running of the department, including arranging security passes, Read Before Flight notices, Operational Dashboard and overseeing the rota for on-call duty. They also support administration for our wide network of community and hospital landing sites, help monitor and record training and provide wider support to the whole Flight Operations Department.
Jeff Glover – Aircraft Engineer
Jeff has been with Devon Air Ambulance since June 2014 as a Licenced Aircraft Engineer, having previously worked in police aviation. With over thirty years experience in the world of helicopter maintenance, Jeff is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day maintenance and continuing airworthiness of our helicopters.
Rob Johnstone –
After a long career as aircrew in the RAF, Rob joined DAA as our Air Safety Manager. Part of his time in the RAF was spent assuring the safety of all defence flying training. Although DAA is categorised as a small operator, due to our operations and like big airlines, we have to have a mandated Safety Management System which Rob oversees.
This safety system encompasses all our operational activities, including those outside of aviation, and it allows us to identify the inherent risks within any aspect of our operation.
Graham
Graham joined Devon Air Ambulance in 2017 as our Retail Area Manager, supporting our 19 shops and their teams of staff and volunteers. Graham is taking on this Landing Site Manager role from Toby Russell, CLS Development Officer, and will be responsible for the safe management and development of our Community Landing Sites and Hospital Landing Sites.
If you would like to get in touch with any questions or queries regarding existing or new Community Landing Sites, please email landingsites@daat.org or call 07943 207673.
Michael Snowden – Airworthiness Manager
Michael has recently joined Devon Air Ambulance, having served twenty three years in the RAF as a mechnical engineer, five years looking after private business jets and another seven managing the airworthiness of a fleet of twenty one helicopters. Michael’s role as Airworthiness Manager is fundamentally to ensure our aircraft remain airworthy and that we keep within the very strict rules that govern aviation laid down by the Civil Aviation Authority and European Air Safety Authority.
...and of course, not forgetting the most important members of our team – our amazing pilots who are responsible for getting our critical care teams to scene and conveying patients to hospital quickly and safely:
Captain Ross White, Captain Jesse Konstam, Captain Tilda Woodard, Captain Rich Tate, Captain Steve Day Captain Rich Applegarth, Captain Rob Taylor, Captain Andy Pincombe, Captain Hamish Findlay and Relief Pilots Captain Olly Byard-Jones and Captain Rich Boswell.
Dawn Chandler, Executive Assistant to the Flight Operations Director, explains the rigorous, technical and often complex world of aviation regulations and rostering.
Devon Air Ambulance is technically an airline and, as such, has to adhere to the Commercial Air Transport regulations, often known as CAT.
Consequently, we are overseen by the Civil Aviation Authority which is a public corporation of the Department for Transport. They liaise with the government via the Standards Group of the Cabinet Office. Aviation security activity and compliance monitoring were transferred from the Department for Transport in 2014.
All of our activities are regularly audited by both external inspectors from the CAA and Devon Air Ambulance’s own internal flight training and compliance monitoring staff.
To ensure the highest possible safety standards, it’s the role of the Flight Operations department to maintain the overall operating and training standards of flight operations at DAA, including the operational crew and ensuring compliance with all applicable legislation. The department meet on a regular basis to plan maintenance, training, roster planning and compliance.
At Devon Air Ambulance, we have our own Air Operators Certificate (AOC) and we therefore are required to set down the operating procedures which have to be approved by the corresponding aviation authorities. We fulfil this requirement by producing an Operations Manual which is monitored and maintained on a regular basis. The contents of the manual reflect the requirements established in the regulations set down for all air operators.
In accordance with the Civil Aviation Publication (CAP) 371, we operate an FTL scheme. FTL is the Flight and Duty Time Limitations and is necessary to ensure that aircrew fatigue does not decrease flight safety. Since most aviation incidents and accidents are the result of human factors, fatigue is taken into
account as a major factor which might contribute to human error.
Under the standard regulations structure of the CAA, CAPs are guidance only; however, the CAA has mandated that the limitations within CAP 371 must be followed unless a specific exemption is authorised. Devon Air Ambulance have such an exemption to operate four late shifts in a row, which is otherwise precluded by CAP 371.
Our standard roster is ‘four days on, four days off’ but this can, and does, vary depending on sickness, annual leave, discretion, training and whether or not the aircraft is offline. We have nine full-time pilots and, each day, three are required to cover our shift pattern for each of our two helicopters.
In order to ensure pilots have sufficient rest and are safe to fly, there are many other restrictions imposed by CAP 371 which inhibit the availability of the pilots to extend rostered shifts or do additional work outside the roster pattern. Each shift is defined in terms of duty period and flying duty period (which are not the same thing but can and do significantly overlap). There are also regulations relating to how many days off pilots should have within set periods (weekly, every 14 days, every 4 weeks and the average over 3 consecutive 4 week periods), and very specific definitions of ‘days off’. Pilots are allowed, under well-defined conditions, to extend duty periods and reduce rest periods. However, these occasions must be documented and are audited by the CAA. If any extension is in excess of two hours, the CAA must be informed in writing within 14 days. Some of the limitations are thus extendable, within regulated limits, others are absolutely not extendable and neither the organisation or the pilot has the discretion to extend those.
“ At Devon Air Ambulance, we have our own Air Operators Certificate (AOC) and we therefore are required to set down the operating procedures which have to be approved by the corresponding aviation authorities. ”
For those of us looking to celebrate 2022 over the festive period with parties, fun and frivolity head over to our Glitz & Glam Collection. You will find a range of party wear and accessories waiting to be worn by you at www.shopdaat.org/collections/glitz-glam
Our shops will close from Christmas Eve until the New Year.
So, whether it’s too many jumpers or unwanted presents, or maybe you are just clearing out your wardrobe, save up your quality donations and bring them to us when we’re back open in the New Year!
No, not the chocolate variety… this year we have mixed selection packs of our Christmas Card designs available for sale in all Devon Air Ambulance shops. To check out our full range visit our Devon Air Ambulance Ebay Shop at www.ebay.co.uk/str/devonairambulancetrust
Don’t forget to
if you’re a UK Tax Payer - it’s worth an extra 25% of the value of your donations.
We are very lucky to have great creative minds at all of our shops and have been delighted this year to win a number of awards for our brilliantly dressed windows. Thanks to everyone who put in such a lot of effort and thought to make sure our shops look so amazing and inviting!
Best Dressed Window 2nd Place in Topsham Charter Day
Cowick St - Pride Window
2nd Place in National Best Dressed window judged by Charity Retail Association
Pete Vallance – Head of Business Development
Email: p.vallance@daat.org
Dartmouth Regatta
1st Place Best Dressed Window
As Head of Business Development, Pete’s role focuses on many aspects of enterprise and income generation. Most recently, he has been working with the retail team to develop our online shopping and e-commerce presence and has a passion for making our retail shopping experience part of our wider commitment to ‘Healthy High Streets’.
Supporter John Tregaski took on the mighty challenge this summer to raise money for DAA. He recounts this momentous day below:
“In the winter of 2021 I mentioned to my family that, to celebrate my 80th birthday, I would like to climb Ben Nevis. Scotland, and in particular the Highlands, has been a favourite destination for my wife Janet and I - we have been 14 times!
The last time we climbed Ben Nevis was 16 years ago. This time, we were taking on the climb as a group of nine, as my family had chosen to join me.
This group stuck together for the first two miles, but inevitably the youngest of our group sped up as we slowed down, and as we all settled into our pace, we drifted into two groups. It was lovely to hit familiar milestones and to see so many people of different ages and nationalities, all enjoying the blue skies and amazing views. I stopped often to take on water and to stretch my legs.
When we reached 4,000 feet, I decided that the remaining 406 feet may be asking too much. It would mean walking for another hour, the added elevation, and spending time at the summit would tire me out further and then I would be risking taking a fall or two on the descent. At the time of mulling this
The 8th October 2022 was a night that 150 people in Torbay will never forget… It was the night of the eagerly-awaited Celestial Ball.
Tracey Rees and her ball planning committee had been working hard for months, arranging a show-stopping night like no other for their friends and colleagues.
After DAA attended Tracey’s mother, Judy, when she had a fall in 2019, Tracey has wanted to raise money for Devon Air Ambulance to ‘repay and thank’ the organisation for being there when her family needed us most. Sadly, Tracey lost her mum following the accident, and so this special night was to be a gorgeous way to celebrate her and her life.
Torre Abbey, in Torquay, generously provided their beautiful Spanish Barn as the venue for the night. Beth, from Room for Bloom Events, decorated it in all that glitters to pay homage to the celestial theme. Kelly and Jordan at Artisan Catering put on a delicious three course dinner for the 150 guests, and The Fizzy Pheasant ensured that everyone’s glass was filled with the finest wines and cocktails all night.
The planning committee worked so hard to build a table of marvellous raffle prizes, and a jaw-dropping list of auction items including tickets for the World Cup Final, with a signed
over, I still felt rather good and so I concluded to err on the side of caution and began to turn back.
While hiking the Ben, we witnessed the Mountain Rescue helicopter flying to the summit to assist a young boy who had fallen and fractured his ankle. This rescue reminded us of the important work of Devon Air Ambulance and other key rescue services. We are so proud to have used our hike as an opportunity to raise vital funds, and I am grateful to all the kind people who have donated. I am pleased to be able to give the total of £933.60 to Devon Air Ambulance.
I will attempt to climb Ben Nevis again in 2023, to celebrate 50 years of marriage to Janet.
A very proud and humble John
Tregaski
football shirt, afternoon tea on a luxury yacht, holidays in France and Cornwall and even a night at the Ritz, with dinner and breakfast included! Therefore it goes unsaid that bidding wars were aplenty and entrants to the raffle were brimming! Throughout the course of the night, guests had a tremendous time enjoying excellent food and drink, and then a good boogie on the dance floor to Mafia Babes Band. Overall, this amazing event raised a phenomenal £22,000! Sincerest thanks go to Tracey and all of her committee members, to Torre Abbey, Compère Jessie, Auctioneer Nick Bye and all the aforementioned companies who generously gave their services at a discount to Tracey, and even went on to donate some of their profits from the night.
Tracey says...
“I will never forget the compassion and kindness, paired with professionalism, that the Devon Air Ambulance crew gave our family. Hosting this event became a key part of my grieving process, and once it was finished and I knew we had raised such a great amount in my mum’s memory, I felt lighter: like I had given back.”
A celestial night to remember
Some of you will remember from winter 2021 Helipad, our lovely centenarian bowler, Gordon Short. Gordon chose to celebrate his 100th year by playing 100 ends of bowls, across 20 different bowling clubs across Devon. He united players and clubs from across the county and raised a phenomenal l £10,000 in the process. Sadly, Gordon passed away at home on the 19th September 2022, surrounded by family. We will forever be grateful to Gordon and his family for their incredible support over the years.
We have always loved going out to meet our supporters at county and agricultural shows. Since COVID-19, we’ve enjoyed every minute of getting back out and about into the communities that support us. This year, we were chosen as Mid Devon Show’s Charity of the Year. Every previous record that we had set for money raised at the Mid Devon Show was exceeded, with us raising over £1,800. It was a great day all round, with Ambrose the
Bear roaming the showground, collections on the gates and our Critical Care Car at our stand.
Local traders, including the Tiverton Banksy and Chepstow Construction Equipment were very kindly supporting us at the show this year. A huge thank you to show President, Terry Hamlin, along with the entire show committee and organisers. This includes Colin Nation, Angus Cottey and Rosemary Chanin, who offered a significant amount of support throughout the build up to the show.
Barton Farm in Weare Giffard was the venue for the outstanding Barton Barn Bash back over the summer. A fantastic event all round for locals and for visitors from further afield, with raffle money raised for Young Lives vs Cancer and the event proceeds coming to us here at Devon Air Ambulance. Well over £13,000 was raised on the night, which is incredible, with around 500 people showing off their finest moves at the rural farm.
The fundraising team were fortunate to head up to the farm recently in order to meet the team behind this great event, see the venue and hear all of the tales from the evening. It is great to see people coming together as a community once again following the separations through COVID. They chose to raise money for two charities that they hold close their hearts.
and everyone who attended, for their outstanding support on
We are extremely grateful to the organisers, sponsors and everyone who attended, for their outstanding support on the night and in the planning stages.
One of the many things we love about charity fundraising is the variety of ways in which people choose to raise money for us. In September, the residents of Witheridge were treated to live performances from Sina Theil, Andy J Bell and Maddie Jane Warren at Witheridge Parish Hall.
There were some early question marks around the weather for the evening, but it was great to see that, not only did the organisers have a Plan B, but they were also well equipped with Plans C and D too! As every performer knows, the show must go on – and that, it did!
The award-winning performers entertained on the early September evening and in the process raised over £1,200 for Devon Air Ambulance. Sina Theil said “We had SUCH a great weekend!!”, and was even presented with a Witheridge Football Club jersey to take home to Ireland with her.
A huge thank you to everyone who organised and attended the event!
If you would like to get involved in fundraising in your community, or if you are already planning a fundraising event for Devon Air Ambulance, speak to our Community Engagement Officers Lottie Clark and Steffan Anderson-Thomas who will be delighted to support you in your fundraising endeavours.
Your generous support keeps Devon’s Air Ambulances flying – to make a regular donation, please complete the attached Direct Debit form or follow the instructions on the main menu of our website home page
There are many ways to contact the team at Devon Air Ambulance:
www.daat.org – You’ll find lots of information about the Charity and our service on our website. If you’ve been airlifted, go to our Who We Help page and tell us your patient story. For all sorts of fundraising advice and information, go to our Get Involved pages.
c Message us, like our page, share our events, post photos if you see our helicopter and post a review if you’ve witnessed our service first-hand.
d For news from the aircrew and our Charity staff, follow DevonAirAmb to see what we’re up to.
f Find us at devonairambulance on Instagram.
Email us at info@daat.org
01392 466666
Write to us at 5 Sandpiper Court, Harrington Lane, Exeter EX4 8NS
Please fill out all boxes in the form with a ball-point pen and send it to: Devon Air Ambulance Trust, 5 Sandpiper Court, Harrington Lane, Exeter EX4 8NS
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Despite it being a tough year for all of us, Tracy Owen just wants to say a BIG thank you, on behalf of DAA, to every one of our corporate supporters and local businesses during 2022 for their ongoing commitment.
As well as supporting a good local cause, our corporate and local businesses have added an extra benefit to create internal opportunities and increase the business engagement with their customers and clients. It can also be an integral part of their branding and supports their corporate social responsibility.
Back in 2012, Refinitiv Exeter was trying to think of ways to support a local charity. As they had their own car park, the team decided to ask employees to donate a parking fee to a local charity and they chose us! Since then, Refinitiv have not only continued to support this initiative, but have taken part in events and in-house fundraising. To date, they have raised over £21,000, now that’s a whole level of parking!
This year has been no different with our supporters. From employee engagement, team building days, event sponsorship and pro-bono work. Here are just a handful of our amazing corporate supporters who have helped us during 2022.
In July, SLR Consulting held a charity raffle at the Extractive Industry Geology Conference (EIG), the principal event for sharing knowledge, scientific research and good practice within the UK Minerals Industry. Although not based in Devon, the event was held at Exeter University and DAA was nominated to receive £1,175.
North Devon Manufacturers Association have around 60 companies based in North Devon who aim to promote and support best practice in the local area, in terms of innovation, manufacturing excellence, sustainability and skills. One of the association’s events that promotes this is their Annual Awards evening. This year they nominated DAA to receive monies raised by a prize raffle of which £1,000 was pledged to us in October.
EY – Ernst Young Bristol Office launched a walking challenge back in May. Over 100 employees from around the Southwest took part in a 123-mile hike along the Southwest Coastal path from Exmouth to Sidmouth. It was a glorious day and extremely hot, but they all managed to cross the finish line. An amazing £3,248.28 including Gift Aid was raised – an outstanding achievement from the whole team!
Barratt Homes Exeter Division made a one-off donation of £1,500 on behalf of the Barratt Developments PLC Charitable Foundation, all to help support the fantastic work that Devon Air Ambulance does.
NFU Mutual allocated a £1.92m national fund to support local frontline charities during 2022. NFU Totnes covers the surrounding area of Kingsbridge, Dartmouth, Brixham and Paignton and we were delighted that they nominated DAA to receive an equal share of this fund, amounting to £3,189.50
Sponsorship is another avenue where our corporate supporters can support us. Special thanks go to Bridge Motorcycles for supporting us with our two 30th anniversary events, Marley Comms for our 6-week airtime cardiac arrest awareness on Radio Exe and South West Water for our 2022/23 Dragon Boat Festival.
DAA was also delighted to receive a grant of $1,000 from the Parker-Hannifin Foundation, which was nominated by the staff at their Barnstaple site who wanted this to go towards our general funds. Thank you!
Due to the sad death of Queen Elizabeth II and the royal events, unfortunately our 2022 Dragon Boat Festival had to be postponed BUT we are delighted to announce our new date: Sunday 4 June 2023 Pop it into your diaries now!
Ambrose is the bear the paramedics give to any child casualties as a comfort and Harry still has him to this day. The photo displayed in the window of our Newton Abbot shop is, interestingly, the two Paramedics that attended that day, Paul Robinson and Nigel Hare.
In 2022, Churches Fire also celebrated, alongside us, their 30th anniversary year. To give back to communities across the country, their employees were invited to nominate charities of their choice to receive a donation in celebration of this milestone. Roy Blunt, who was working for them at the time, nominated DAA and we received a fantastic donation of £2,500. Roy had a very special reason for nominating us. Twelve years ago, Harry - Roy’s son - was kicked in the face after startling a Dartmoor Pony on the middle of the moors. His right cheek was split fully open and he still has a scar to this day.
Luckily some off duty police officers were walking their police dogs and radioed it in and DAA arrived within 15 minutes.
Meet: Tracy Owen - Corporate Engagement and Lottery Manager
Email: t.owen@daat.org Tel: 07494 292384
Real people saving real lives – we love to showcase our fantastic fundraisers, young and old, to say ‘thank you’ for all the awesome things they do to raise money for Devon Air Ambulance
In 2015, the DAA crew assisted Sam Lewsey, and he regularly discusses that day with his son Toby, aged 5, even though Toby wasn’t even born at the time of the incident! Toby decided he wanted to raise some money for DAA by washing cars. On Saturday 27th August, he washed 9 cars in total and raised £70. Thank you Toby, you’re such a star.
Thanks to Robert Cole Agricultural Engineers who held a charity draw in aid of Devon Air Ambulance. They sold tickets at a number of agricultural shows and the lucky winner was Chris Hall, With kind donations from local businesses, the draw included a JCB Rolly Ride donated by Robert Cole Ltd plus other generous prizes from local agricultural dealers Smallridge Bros Ltd, S Cheers Agri Engineering Ltd and JCB HQ. The draw raised £520.38. Devon Air Ambulance and Robert Cole want to thank all who took part to support this great cause.
Huge thanks to Jon Lee, who took on the terrifying challenge of completing a Wingwalk in aid of Devon Air Ambulance. This Wingwalk was a birthday present for a ‘Big’ Birthday for Jon (we won’t spill his secrets by saying which one!) and we’re so grateful to Jon for choosing to support us on his special day.
Millbrook Village in Exeter, is a later-living community developed and operated by Inspired Villages. Some residents of Millbrook Village chose to take on a fundraising challenge, to walk 10.3 miles from their home to the Double Locks, and on to the Lock Keepers Cottage, then back through to the Quay (for an icecream) and back to Millbrook. The Residents’ Association at Millbrook very generously donated extra money to make a nice round number, and together they raised an incredible £1,000.
Palladium Building Supplies have been dedicated and repeated supporters of Devon Air Ambulance, and we are grateful to once again be in receipt of yet more generous donations. We are thankful to receive an incredible £1,000 from the proceeds of a recent charity golf day.
Sincere thanks to the Jockey Club Catering Team at Wincanton Race Course. The team recently cycled the equivalent distance from Carlisle Racecourse (the Jockey Club’s most northerly site) to Exeter Racecourse (the most southerly site) a total of 350 miles. Team JCC cycled around the inner service-track at Wincanton Racecourse and with the track being 1.3 miles per lap, the total number of laps which the team needed to cover was 270. This fundraiser supported both Somerset and Dorset Air Ambulance as well as Devon Air Ambulance, and we were so grateful to receive an incredible £830.
Jennifer Rowland, husband Chaz and son Barnaby - together with the Walkingwoofs team - organised the Dunkeswell Dog show. £203 was raised by show entries and activities throughout the day, with fun dog races, sniffing challenges and fun agility. They look forward to doing it all again next year! The judge, Mrs Jan Shuttleworth, made the journey down from Scotland just for the show.
Another dedicated supporter of DAA is Kingsbridge Rugby Club, who fundraise for us annually with their charity golf day at Thurlestone Golf Club. This year, we were delighted to receive a phenomenal £2,800 from Kingsbridge RFC. Huge thanks to Patrick Robinson from the club for all his efforts in organising this special day and to Thurlestone for providing their facilities.
Bigbury Coffee Morning have supported DAA for several years with their regular coffee mornings which take place on the first Wednesday of the month at Bigbury Memorial Hall. The most recent event raised and donated to DAA a very generous £350 Thank You!
CAMEO Ladies is a social group in Chulmleigh, North Devon and early this year members voted to support DAA. The photograph was taken at Chulmleigh Old Fair and the theme was “The 1950’s”. A proportion of the profits from this and a coffee morning meant that DAA received a cheque for £300.
Steve Perryman has been an avid supporter of ours since May 2012. When he became ill at an Exeter City FC home game, Steve was taken by land crew to RD&E and conveyed from there to Derriford by DAA. After several weeks in hospital, Steve started his slow rehabilitation and recovery. Since then, Steve has been supporting DAA wherever he can. His last fundraiser was in September this year when he organised an evening with Spurs Legends which raised £2.050 for us. Special thanks to Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa.
As part of the two local annual shows that Vale Vetenary Group attend in the summer, this year they decided they would like to raise some money for charity. They raffled off a luxury hamper to raise money for their chosen charities, one of which was Devon Air Ambulance which is such a vital service in the farming network.
Our Queen Elizabeth II was made by Ellie Jarvis from the ‘Clovelly silk shop’ with donated knitting and crochet as part of a community project for Clovelly Yarn Bomb some years ago. Her Majesty was brought out again for special occasions including the Queen’s Jubilee Celebrations in June, where she raised £45 for DAA. Sadly, due to the death of HRH Queen Elizabeth II, this was to be the last duty for Our Knitted Queen Elizabeth.
South Pool held its annual church fete in August in the garden of the Old Rectory. The new Priest, Rev Mark Neave opened the fete. As always, this was a very popular event and all the traditional stalls were in evidence as well as all the popular games. The afternoon was rounded off with an auction and the wonderful sum of £7,000 was raised with £1,000 of that being given to Devon Air Ambulance.
One of DAA’s volunteers, Simon Card OBE, recently attended Fernihurst Care Centre, Exmouth to spread awareness for Emergency Services Day. It was a fantastic day enjoyed by many. A big thank you goes out to Simon and Fernihurst Care Centre.
Uffculme Wrinkleys are a walking football team based at Magelake Playing Fields. One of their members is Richard Lappas, a long term volunteer with DAA! The team have supported various charities over the last few years, but this year chose Devon Air Ambulance and donated £250. Thank you all.
Since August 2021, the Grove Inn Kings Nympton have asked dining guests to donate 50p when they have table water. As a business the Grove match this donation and split the money raised equally between DAA and the RNLI. During the year, this unique initiative raised a total of £560 with £280 being donated to DAA. Thank you all the team at the Grove Inn and your very generous patrons!
Huge thanks go to Plymouth Hoe Bowls Ladies Club, for supporting us as their Charity of the Year 2021/22 and raising an amazing £350. Following the Late Gordon Short’s 100 Ends of Bowls challenge last summer, the ladies chose to fundraise for DAA for the remainder of the year. We are so grateful to them all for this kind donation.
If you are planning a fundraising activity of any kind, please do give us a call. We can offer support materials such as posters, collection boxes and even running vests and we can promote your event on our website and social media.
In April 2019, the operational part of Devon Air Ambulance, Devon Air Ambulance Trading Company Limited, successfully registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an independent healthcare provider. Our aim was to provide even greater opportunity to enhance and develop our service for patients in a way that took advantage of the knowledge, experience and skills of our team.
Since then, and despite the very real challenges presented by the pandemic, our service has evolved in a way which is true to our Mission of the delivery of exemplary time-critical care and which supports our Vision to end preventable, death, disability or suffering from critical illness or injury.
In June, a team of inspectors from the CQC arrived at Devon Air Ambulance, with minimal notice, to undertake a deep dive into the delivery, management and governance of our service. Throughout their inspection on site and during the following three weeks remotely, the CQC asked their ‘Five Key Questions’ of Devon Air Ambulance.
Are they Safe?
You are protected from abuse and avoidable harm.
Are they Effective?
Your care, treatment and support achieves good outcomes, helps you to maintain quality of life and is based on the best available evidence.
Are they Caring?
Staff involve and treat you with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
Are they Responsive to people’s needs?
Services are organised so that they meet your needs.
Are they Well-led?
The leadership, management and governance of the organisation make sure it’s providing high-quality care that’s based around your individual needs, that it encourages learning and innovation, and that it promotes an open and fair culture.
The CQC inspected our Head Office and Exeter Airbase, reviewed our clinical procedures to ensure they met the latest evidence led best practice, examined our policies and procedures against legislation and regulation and reviewed the
clinical records we keep detailing the care we provided to our patients. They also sought the views of staff working in a variety of roles essential to keep our service operational and spoke to some of the patients we have helped as they sought to gain an insight into their experience of the service we delivered and the care we provided in their time of need.
Following each inspection the CQC issue a report and award a rating based on their findings. We were overjoyed to be awarded ‘Outstanding’; the highest rating the CQC award. You can read the report in full either on the CQC’s website or via www.daatcl.co.uk/care-quality-commission but here are just a couple of observations the CQC made about Devon Air Ambulance:
People were truly respected and valued as individuals. Feedback from people who use the service and those who were close to them was continually positive about the way staff treat people. People thought that staff went the extra mile and the care they received exceeded their expectations. Staff were highly motivated and inspired to offer care that was kind and promoted people’s dignity.
Leaders had an inspiring shared purpose, strove to deliver and motivate staff to succeed. Leaders had the skills and abilities to run the service. They understood and managed the priorities and issues the service faced. They were visible and approachable in the service for patients and staff.
All our volunteers, supporters and staff should feel immensely proud of what you have helped achieve, as without you, the time that you give, the money that you donate and the commitment you give, we simply wouldn’t be able to invest in our service to make this all possible.
Devon Air Ambulance gathered to formally launch the night landing site at the College playing field. Toby Russell tells us more.
The project in South Molton has involved installing new LED lights on the College’s existing sports lighting columns, and these new lights can be activated remotely in an emergency to illuminate the playing field. The College has also undertaken access improvements to ensure that Air Ambulance teams and other emergency services can more easily move to and from the site at night.
Mr David Lewis, Principal at South Molton Community College, said: “This is another great opportunity for us to support our local community. The fantastic work of DAA is one to be celebrated and we are proud to support this initiative.”
Councillor David Warden, Chair of North Devon District
Council and member of South Molton Town Council said: “I think it is absolutely fantastic that we have a dedicated night landing site in South Molton. The Air Ambulance does a brilliant job and the residents of South Molton are very grateful to them. On behalf of South Molton Town Council I’d like to thank South Molton Community College for all their support of the project.”
Toby Russell added “This has been another great example of community partnerships working to benefit local people by ensuring DAA can land in their towns and villages at night, and we’d like to extend a huge thank-you to South Molton Community College and South Molton Town Council."
Members of the project team from South Molton Community College and South Molton Town Councillors gathered to celebrate the night landing site at the Community College playing field.
The
huge privilege for me to have worked with so many of our communities through these projects. As I move onto a new role at Devon Air Ambulance, I’d like to sign-off by thanking everyone involved for their time, efforts, and above all hard work. It’s been truly inspiring to see how through working together, we really have been able to make a difference to those people facing lifechanging and life-threatening illnesses and injuries – thank you again for your support.”
As I move to a new Projects Manager role within our Patient Services team, Graham Coates is joining the Flight Operations team as our new Landing Site Manager (see page 30). Graham is looking forward to working with our network of Community Landing Sites throughout Devon to continue the work I have already done.
Grahams’s intention is to visit as many night landing sites as possible over the coming months to familiarise himself and is looking forward to meeting all our CLS organisers in person. In the meantime if you’d like to get in touch with Graham, please email landingsites@daat.org or call 07943 207673.
Providing
In September, Devon Air Ambulance organised and delivered a Pre-Hospital education and ‘challenge’ event called ‘Sim War on the Moor’. Drawing on the knowledge and skills of both our clinical and leadership teams, as well as a select group of invited guest ‘teachers’, we hosted over 100 medical students (doctors in training) and student Paramedics studying at the University of Plymouth and some military nurses, over a two day weekend on the edge of Dartmoor. Our aim was to develop and support our team through organising and delivering the event and to enable the students to further their knowledge and skills in pre-hospital care (treatment delivered before a patient arrives at a hospital) and emergency medicine that would support them in treating their future patients.
Day one consisted of a series of ‘skill stations’ where the knowledge and experience of our assembled team discussed
the rationale and requirements for delivering critical lifesaving interventions that would most likely make the difference in helping a patient survive. Each student was then supported and guided to deliver the intervention themselves, providing them with a full hands-on experience in a safe environment under the supervision of subject specialists. The skill stations included advanced life support, safe packaging and handling of patients with major trauma and the emergency surgical skills needed to create a temporary airway for the patient to breathe, or for a clinician to ‘breathe for them’, should the patient lose the ability to breathe through their mouth and nose due to an injury or life-threatening medical condition.
After an evening of networking and sharing experiences between colleagues and students on a variety of topics, not all clinical in nature, but also in important areas such as resilience
opportunities for people to learn through teaching is a powerful tool for any organisation to help improve quality and raise standards and, of course, has the added benefit of sharing new knowledge and skills with the ‘student’. Nigel Hare tells us how Devon Air Ambulance makes training as realistic as possible.
and wellbeing, day two consisted of the students working in teams moving from one simulation scenario to another in a fast-paced series of Simulation scenarios. This is where Sim War gets its name; ‘Sim’ being the abbreviation we use to describe simulation to support our training, and ‘War’ as the fast-paced movement from one scenario straight into another is similar to the challenges our military colleagues experience for real when working in areas of conflict.
Most of the scenarios on day two required the students to work as a team and put into practice the knowledge and skills they learnt on day one, often in a way where multiple skills had to be delivered at the same time on one or more patients. Our aim in delivering day two was to make the simulations the students were undertaking as realistic as possible to help
perform the emergency treatments and the lifesaving surgical airway procedure they learnt on day one on a real people that reacted, as opposed to a human shaped training manikin.
The costs of running Sim War, including the accommodation, food, equipment and hiring of the actors were covered by the University of Plymouth and the participants as part of their learning journey, meaning our supporter’s kind donations continue to fund our service. Alongside the great learning opportunity our clinical team had through delivering education and training to the students, Sim War provides Devon Air Ambulance with a fantastic training and education opportunity for our wider team in terms of coordination and administration, logistics and planning as well as leadership and management. Our non-clinical members of the team were also able to
prepare them for
careers they
on. So as well as including all the elements they had covered on day one, we also built in the need for students to draw on their previous knowledge and experience and to think on their feet. We created situations that were as real to life as possible and in support of this we used professional casualty actors who were not only able to provide authenticity in their actions, reactions and indeed cries of pain, they also integrated specialist prosthetic devices alongside high-quality makeup. The result was an immersive training environment outdoors where the participants were not only faced with a real to life challenging situation, but as the patient actors were wearing the specially designed and armoured prosthetics, they were able to
Email: n.hare@daat.org
observe close up the care our clinicians provide to patients, learning and understanding the challenges they face and how the equipment they order, maintain and ensure is always ready for the team is used; something that just wouldn’t be possible in real life situation. Our Communication Team have also been able to take a vast array of photographs and video content to support our income generation and communication with our supporters, something we couldn’t do at real life incidents.
Although we can’t show you all of the photos here, particularly the ones of the very realistic injuries makeup, we trust they give a flavour of why Sim War was a great training opportunity to help the clinicians of tomorrow be ready to help the patients of tomorrow.
“ Our aim in delivering day two was to make the simulations the students were undertaking as realistic as possible to help prepare them for the careers they are soon to embark on. ”
It would be remiss of me not to mention the times I have found myself in the presence of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Back in the Silver Jubilee year of 1977, I found myself standing in the mass crowds on Exeter High Street, just outside the Guildhall where Her Majesty was due to have lunch. There must have been 10,000 people crammed into that short section of the High Street, waiting pensively for the arrival of the Royal car. Suddenly there was an outburst of cheering, frantic flag-waving and a typical Devon audience went mad for the Unigate milk float which had accidentally turned left and was now driving down past the loyal subjects of Exeter! The milkman was graciously waving from side to side and a local police officer saluted him as he passed. Some ten minutes later, a large black Rolls-Royce pulled up and Her Majesty entered the Guildhall. It is here that I must boast a little. My father was working for Exeter City council at the time and had an incredible knowledge of wine so was asked to choose a special bottle for the luncheon.
I believe he went for a very light, dry white, German Mosel. It must have been a success because a few days later a message came from Buckingham Palace that, very unusually, Her Majesty had enjoyed two glasses!
The next time I (didn’t) meet her, was in Cornwall when I was filming a documentary for ITV. I was left at The Royal Cornwall
Show ground preparing for her arrival which should have been covered by the film crew I was working with. They however were missing. Moments later her Majesty stepped out of the car in front of me and I stepped back into the crowd, hurriedly scanning the horizon for my camera team. The camera car eventually arrived with a sea of faces in the back seat and the boot. Four heavily armed police officers squeezed out and rejoined their duties. I was later told their car had broken down and ‘we’ had given them a lift.
The decommissioning of HMS Ocean is another one of those doubtful ‘none’ meetings, and this was totally my fault. I was reporting the event for the BBC. On board this giant vessel, I ran into an old friend who had been the commanding officer and engaged him in conversation while we waited for the Royal party. Now, I know I go on too long and this day was no exception. I suddenly realised that everyone else had moved off or had cleared the gangway mainly because a very elegant lady was walking toward us with the official party. She paused at the commanding officer who turned and greeted her whilst I pressed myself against the bulkhead of the ship hoping to be swallowed up by the cold grey metal as once again, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But she just fixed her beautiful blues eyes on me, smiled and I realised then that perhaps there was never a wrong time or place to meet our Queen.
In his line of work, Fitz has often had the chance to be at the front of the action at royal visits but sometimes his success at meeting our late Monarch was more by luck than design!
