Children's air ambulance takes off

The Children's Air Ambulance is to launch its lifesaving

service in the New Year following the unveiling of its helicopter.

 

The Children Air Ambulance, whose South West office is

based at Torquay's Lymington Road Innovation Centre, is now starting to transfer

specialist paediatric teams between hospitals with the transfer of critically

ill children starting in 2013.

 

"TCAA is a national charity which will provide critically

ill children and babies with an air transfer service to specialist paediatric

intensive care units ensuring children get the care they need without a long

road journey," said South West Head of Fundraising, Nicola Howkins.

 

The service – the first of its kind – is now in need of

volunteers to help with fundraising events.

 

One fundraising event which has been organised is a

performance of the musical The Bodyguard taking place at the Adelphi in London

on December 6. The charity is holding a spectacular gala night at the West End

musical and tickets – buy one get one free – are available from 0845 130979 or

visiting www.thechildrensairambulancegala.org.uk.

 

The charity has also been donated a dolls house which

will be raffled at the launch of the service next year.

 

Nicola explained: "People are extremely supportive and

receptive to us and we have many events organised but we urgently need

volunteers so that we really can generate the best possible support in the

South West. In January we have a store collection planned for every day of the

month and we need people to participate in these so we can raise as much money

as possible. We would also like to organise more talks and events if we had

additional help."

 

Nicola praised the Innovation Centre which has been

TCAA's South West base since 2011.

 

"It gives us great credibility," she said. "It's a very

good working environment and moving here was the best thing we did."

 

Torbay Mayor, Gordon Oliver, added: "The Children's Air

Ambulance will provide an extremely valuable provision for sick children when

it is launched next year. The new service will save children a long ambulance

ride by road giving them the opportunity to get specialist treatment sooner and

a greater chance of recovery. I'm pleased we are able to support this superb

charity by providing a base for its South West operations at Torquay Innovation

Centre, which we operate as part of our business support programmes through

Torbay Development Agency"

 

To volunteer visit www.thechildrensairambulance.org.uk/volunteer

or call Nicola Howkins on 07760 993771.