London’s Air Ambulance launches £4.4M campaign for second MD902

London’s Air Ambulance launches £4.4M campaign for second MD902

4-Feb-2015 Source: LAA

We are calling on the people and organizations of London to join together in owning the solution to London’s vital need for a second emergency medical helicopter.  In our largest ever fundraising drive, the ‘Your London, Your Helicopter’ campaign is hoping to raise the remaining £4.4 million needed to acquire and sustain a second helicopter and extend its daylight flying hours for five years.  We are urging the 10 million people who live, work and holiday in the capital to donate, whether £5 or £500 at yourhelicopter.london

Graham Hodgkin, Chief Executive Officer, London’s Air Ambulance, said: “When London’s current, and only, emergency medical helicopter is offline for servicing or maintenance, our patients need us to have recourse to a second helicopter immediately.

“We deliver advanced trauma care 24/7 but we want to ensure we can get to our patients as quickly as possible during daylight hours. When we are able to fly we can deliver the hospital to your side, wherever you are, up to eight times faster than in a response car. To do this consistently we vitally need a second helicopter.  London’s Air Ambulance has been operational for 25 years and has treated over 32,000 critically injured people, where time makes a difference. £4.4 million might seem like a large amount but if everyone donates just £5 today we could have your helicopter in the air by the summer.”

London’s Air Ambulance delivers an advanced trauma team to critically injured people in London 24/7, using a helicopter by day and rapid response cars at night or in adverse weather conditions.  In 2014 the London’s Air Ambulance helicopter was offline for maintenance for 55 days in total.  Through the acquisition of a second helicopter and by extending our daylight flying hours in the summer months, we will be able to reach an estimated 400 more patients per year by aircraft.  By having a helicopter available at all times, it will also give London greater resilience during major incidents

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, said: “London is the greatest city in the world and is also one of the most generous cities in the UK. We rightly rally together to rapidly raise millions for disasters in other countries around the world but on this occasion the need is right here on our doorstep.  I am very proud that London’s Air Ambulance has such a world-leading reputation for delivering the most cutting edge advanced trauma care outside of hospital – care that is saving countless lives. That has only been possible because of the generosity of Londoners to date. London needs a second emergency medical helicopter – that’s why I’m asking that if you possibly can please rally together and support this fantastic campaign.”

The total cost of acquiring and sustaining a second helicopter, and extending daylight flying hours over five years is £6 million. Last year the charity was awarded £1million from the LIBOR fund by Chancellor George Osborne and a further £600,000 has been raised from companies, charitable trusts and individual donors.  The ‘Your London, Your Helicopter’ campaign hopes to raise the remaining £4.4 million from the people and organizations of London by July this year.  The charity hopes to be in a position to have a second helicopter operational by summer 2015

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