Bond Air Services and the Wales Air Ambulance today celebrated 10 years of working together at the Charity’s birthday celebrations at Magram Park near Neath. The Wales Air Ambulance flew its first mission on the 1st March 2001 following the introduction of the charities first Bo105DBS twin engine helicopter.

However, since that date the services was augmented by a further two BO105DBS aircraft covering the entire country from their three operational bases in Swansea, Caernarfon and Welshpool. In 2010, the Charity upgraded two of the three BO105DBS helicopters to the new technology EC135T2i type aircraft; a fact that is testament to how successful the Charity have been and demonstrates how the people of Wales have got behind them to show their support for this critical service that relies purely upon charitable funding to maintain.

To date the Air Ambulance has flown in excess of 14,000 missions, saving numerous lives in the process and this experience has not gone unnoticed. In 2010 the team consisting of a Bond Air Services pilot and two Ambulance Services paramedics were recognised as Britain’s top Air Ambulance team and were presented with an award at the Ambulance Service Institute Awards.

They have also been presented with the Gail Williams award for clinical and operational excellence and the Charity were awarded the Air Ambulance Trust Award at the Health Business Awards in December 2009.

Chris Greenhill, Managing Director of Bond Air Services said, “We are immensely proud to be associated with the Wales Air Ambulance and the hard work and dedication that they continually demonstrate. The 1st March 2011 marks a significant milestone for our partnership and we at Bond wish to congratulate the team on their 10th Birthday and wish them continued success for many years to come.