EAAA one step closer to being able to operate 24/7
Crews have finally been able to move in to the new Norwich HQ.
Last updated 2nd May 2021
Life-saving crews from the East Anglian Air Ambulance have finally been able to move into their new headquarters at Norwich Airport, after more than a year in temporary accommodation.
The charity launched it mission to be able to fly 24/7 back in 2019 and has been working to complete the new base ever since.
The project has had a few delays due to the pandemic but, but the teams have now been able to move into the new building.
The Anglia One helicopter will now be able to start flying 24/7 from the base in late June, after a short settling-in period.
The new £7m facility has been funded through generous gifts in Wills and includes space for crews to train and rest.
This move will make EAAA the first Air Ambulance in the East of England able to fly round the clock.
Currently there's a gap in flying time between 1.30am and 7am where no helicopters are operational.
The charity's doctor and critical care paramedic are available at all hours but can only attend incidents at night in rapid response vehicles on the road.
Between July 2019 and June 2020 the RRV's were called out over 500 times between 7am and 7pm.
With the helicopter soon available at all times of the day, the charity estimates it could be tasked to attend incidents by chopper up to 600 more times a year.
Patrick Peal, CEO of EAAA, said: “This week has truly been a huge milestone for EAAA and for the whole community, who have helped to fund this enormous project through several years of generous donations, largely through gifts left to the charity in supporter’s wills.
"Our previous headquarters were incredibly cramped, in need of several improvements and we were renting additional office space elsewhere in Norwich.
"The new base solves these problems and gives us extra facilities as well as room to grow in the future.
“We’ve dreamt of being able to fly 24/7 for years as we’re fiercely passionate about making sure the same standard of critical care is available, by helicopter, right across East Anglia no matter what time of day or night it is.
"We know people don’t stop having cardiac arrests, strokes or road traffic collisions when the helicopter goes offline, and we have been working towards this goal for several years.
"Now, that goal is just a couple of months away.
“The base itself is just one part of that; we’ve also been concentrating on increasing our yearly fundraising target to make sure we can finance the extra flying hours alongside planning for the base.
"The support for our Mission 24/7 campaign over the last two years has been tremendous and even though our finances have been affected over the past 12 months, and we’re expecting a deficit this financial year, we’re confident we have the reserves and the fundraising plans in place to still make this happen.
“Although I will soon be retiring from my role as CEO of this incredible charity, I’m immensely proud to have seen this ambition of ours come together over the last few years and that we will be able to start flying 24/7 in late June, thanks to the amazing support of the people of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire.”
EAAA aims to raise £15 million a year to deliver and develop its service. This summer the charity is holding three Trek 24 events across the region to help raise funds for its Mission 24/7 campaign.
Supporters can take on either a 24 kilometre or 24 mile route in Norfolk, Suffolk or Bedfordshire later this summer to help raise vital funds.