Air Ambulance needs your support (From Bournemouth Echo)

Air Ambulance needs your support

12:00pm Wednesday 12th September 2012 in News

MEMBERS of the public are being urged to help support the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance during National Air Ambulance Week.

The initiative, which takes place between September 24 and 30, has been put together by the Association of Air Ambulances to unite Air Ambulance charities from across the country as well as operators and ambulance services.

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance chief executive officerr Bill Sivewright said every penny raised would go a long way to helping the service continue to save lives.

He added: “By joining together with other local Air Ambulances across the country to promote National Air Ambulance Week, we are hoping that it becomes a regular feature on people’s event calendars.”

Bill said there were many different ways for people to get involved during the week, such as holding a mufit or dress down day at school or workplace, or even hosting your own event, such as a cake sale, fete, parachute jump or sponsored swim.

He added: “We believe fundraising should be fun and many of these initiatives are easy to organise and take very little pre-planning. Whatever you decide to do, rest assured that all monies raised will stay locally and help us to raise the £4,000 a day it costs to keep flying.”

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has attended more than 8,850 emergencies since its launch in March 2000, saving many lives and aiding recovery with the speed at which casualties have been taken to hospital.

To register your event or find out more about how you can get involved call 01823 669604 or email info@dsairambulance. org.uk.

Family's thanks after road ordeal

The Kimber family, pictured, of Boscombe East used the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance service after a serious road traffic incident.

Jo and Paul, from Harewood Avenue, were in the car with their two sons George and Oliver, then aged nine and seven, on the way to Abbotsbury Swannery during the school holidays in July 2009.

The family were about ten minutes away from their destination when a when a Land Rover lost control and hit them head-on. Paul, now aged 46, broke his arm and Jo broke some vertebrae in her spine, while George was hit in the face, suffering a break to his nose, a fractured forehead and displaced eye socket.

Oliver was lucky, escaping with just seatbelt bruising to his sternum and shoulder.

The family are now all recovering well and say they have almost got their old lives back again.
Jo said the Air Ambulance had been “amazing” and added: “thank you for doing such a brilliant job”. She said: “I absolutely revere what they do. They have saved so many lives.”

Jenson Button asks for help from community

Jenson Button has been vice-patron of the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance since its formation in March 2000 and is urging members of the public to support the service.

He said that, since becoming involved with the charity, he has followed its progress with “much admiration”.

Jenson added: “I was born in Frome, Somerset, a rural part of the county serviced by the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and I regularly saw first-hand its importance to the local community.

“Many of my family and friends still reside within the two counties and it is re-assuring to know that they are in safe hands.

“National Air Ambulance Week gives you the opportunity to celebrate and commemorate the work of your local air ambulance and I urge as many of you as possible to help the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance in any way that you can. 

“The charity and its crew depend on your fundraising to help them raise the £1.5 million a year it costs to keep the helicopter flying.

“Last year, with your help, they were able to attend over 665 incidents with 108 of them involving minors under the age of 16. During the first half of 2012, they have been needed nearly 300 times to those in need of medical help.

“National Air Ambulance Week is the ideal time to think about how you might be able to make difference. 

“Whatever you do and whenever you do it, I am sure it will make you feel as proud as I am, to be associated with such a worthwhile cause.