Hampshire air ambulance launches major appeal
The charity is relocating to a new base
Last updated 9th Sep 2024
Hampshire and Isle of Wight air ambulance has launched its biggest ever appeal.
The emergency response charity needs to raise £3.6m to relocate to a new base near to Southampton airport.
At the moment their helicopter operates from Thruxton airfield near Andover. But the charity says with 70% of their call outs south of Winchester relocating will save vital response time.
They argue the move south will cut out the time spent transiting back and forth to north Hampshire.
Critical
A spokesperson said:
"Since our first flight in July 2007, our team of doctors, dispatchers, paramedics and pilots have responded to more than 19,000 emergencies across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight from our airbase in Thruxton, Andover.
"When every second counts, we bring advanced critical care, usually found in a hospital emergency department, to our patients – whether that be at the roadside or in their homes – giving them the best chance of survival and recovery.
"But when it comes to saving lives, time is critical. And now we have the chance to reduce our response times to the majority of our calls by positioning ourselves in a more central location.
"We have received approval to purchase a building near Southampton Airport – which will secure the future of our service and help us reach the people who need us most in the fastest possible time."
The flight times from a new base near Southampton Airport will mean they are able to reach the majority of the community within 10 minutes from take-off. The map below shows the difference in flight times from the current airbase in Thruxton (blue circles) and from the new base (red circles).
For more details of the appeal click here