An appeal to help keep the Great North Air Ambulance Service flying has raised £500,000 in three months.
The charity needs to raise £2.5 million so it can put a deposit down on a third helicopter.
It launched the Operation SOS: Secure Our Service appeal last year.
As a charity, the service does not receive government funding, and its current aircraft, which are Dauphin N3 and Dauphin N3+ helicopters, are coming to the end of their economically viable life due to parts shortages, ever-rising maintenance costs, and extended downtime.
As demand for the service continues to grow, the charity has designed the blueprints for a stronger future, investing in three state-of-the-art Airbus H145 D2 helicopters.
It has already secured the financing for the first two new aircraft, but urgently needs people’s help in securing the deposit for a third aircraft to ensure the service is never grounded.
Phil Lambert, the service’s chief pilot, said: “With only two helicopters we live on a knife-edge.
“If one is in maintenance and the other develops a fault, we’re grounded, and that means we can’t answer a 999 call by helicopter.
“A third aircraft changes everything. It gives us resilience and guarantees that when one is being serviced, two remain ready to fly.”
Since November last year, the charity’s critical care teams have responded to more than 420 incidents, delivering advanced care to patients across the North of England and the Isle of Man.
Due to scheduled maintenance on the current fleet, approximately 70% of these call-outs were attended via rapid response vehicles.
Securing the third helicopter will provide the resilience needed to keep crews in the air rather than on the road, the service said.
It wants to reach its fundraising target later this year and is appealing for people to help them raise the remaining £2 million needed to secure the aircraft.
Joe Garcia MBE, chief executive officer, said: “Reaching £500,000 in the first three months of Operation SOS is an incredible achievement and a powerful demonstration of the trust and generosity shown by our supporters.”
Mr Lambert added: “When you donate, you’re not just funding equipment. You’re buying time, safety and certainty, and giving my crew and me the best tools to save lives.”
To find out more about Operation SOS: Secure Our Service and support the appeal, visit gna.as/secure_our_service
