The Essex Air Ambulance service was established as a charity in 1997 to provide a life-saving service for the people of Essex.
The first Air Ambulance for Essex was launched in 1998 and today the EC135 Eurocopter, launched in May 2003, is in operation seven days a week in daylight hours and attends an average of 3-5 emergencies a day.
The Eurocopter is fast, warms up quickly and has space for a family member to accompany the patient. It also has the ability to access remote parts of Essex quickly, bringing highly qualified clinicians and sophisticated life-saving equipment to a patient within the first few vital minutes of an emergency.
The aircraft is not affected by high tides or traffic congestion on our busy roads and country lanes. The helicopter is able to reach areas inaccessible to land vehicles, including woods, beaches, docks and golf courses.
Based at Boreham near Chelmsford, the helicopter is never more than eight minutes flying time from any one of the major hospitals in Essex and flies at a speed of 150 miles per hour.
The current Air Ambulance costs in excess of £105,000 each month to run but receives no central Government, National Lottery or NHS funding. To date the aircraft has flown more than 8,500 missions and it is thanks to the generous people of Essex that we can ensure that the service continues to fly into the future.
Motorcycle Run smashes record - more than £33,000 raised!
What a fantastic day! The 2007 Essex Air Ambulance Motorcycle Run has smashed all previous records, raising in excess of £33,000 for the county’s life-saving helicopter. In addition the Charity also received an £8,000 individual donation at the Harwich Family Festival. Television Actress June Brown (popular Soap character ‘Dot’) showed her support for the event by signing autographs, amusing the crowd and joking with Martin Day on the Essex FM stage on Harwich Green. June attended on behalf of our celebrity patron actor John Bardon, who plays her on-screen husband, whilst he is recovering from a recent illness.
Over 4,500 bikers took part in the County’s biggest motorcycle run to raise funds. Sponsorsed by GEM Motoring Assist the run has smashed the amount raised last year by more than £5,000. Record numbers attended both the bike run which started at Ford Dunton Technical Centre, Nr Basildon and the Harwich Family Festival where the run finished. It is estimated that some 7000 people attended the event!
Prize Draw
The Charity ran its first ever prize draw competition for supporters to win a fabulous Suzuki Bandit motorcycle. Congratulations to Rowan Ingleton from Cheshunt, who was the first to call Essex FM to win the brand new bike supplied by Parkinson Motorcycles of Colchester.
Rowan's winning sticker number was number 5254, and he says he is 'blown away' at winning the bike. He's has only been a biker for about a year and says it has changed his life.
JaneGurneyGeneralManager of Essex Air Ambulance said, “Once again this event has exceeded all expectations and the people of Essex have again shown their love and support for their life-saving emergency medical helicopter. It is impossible for us to mention everyone but we would like to thank Ford Dunton Technical Centre, Essex Goldwings, Harwch Motorcycle Club, Harwich Connexions and of course our main event sponsor GEM Motoring Assist. We would also like to thank our other sponsors and supporters without whom this event would not be possible. Thank you also to all those who took part, the friendly people of Harwich and all the staffand volunteers who helped to make the event a great success.”
If anyone would like to order a copy of the 2007 bike run DVD for £5 each (plus p&p), simply call Wendy Byland on 01787 221828.
