THINGS could be looking up for the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance, serving Milton Keynes, with its adoption by new Mayor Cllr Mike Barry as his charity for the year.
The Mayor aims to raise more than £50,000 for the service and Cllr Barry hopes to do it with the help of Citizen readers.
Why is the Mayor of Milton Keynes supporting a charity based outside the area?The WNAA is based at Baginton Airport, Coventry, but its helicopter is one of the fastest in the UK and able to reach incidents in Milton Keynes within minutes.
Last year it attended the Jurys Inn scaffold collapse – with the Thames and Chiltern Air Ambulance, a separate service which operates south of Milton Keynes.
The Augusta 109 is able to take patients quickly to specialist care. Even as the Mayor launched his appeal, the WNAA airlifted a baby from MK Hospital to Oxford in just 11 minutes.
What is the history of WNAA?It was formed in 2003 and has flown more than 4,000 missions – currently flying between 150 and 350 a month and covering an area of 2,000 square miles.
Why is it different from some other air ambulances?Before it was formed, the region relied on older, slower aircraft with limited space for onboard treatment.
The new service recognised the need for getting senior doctors and consultants to incidents and providing lifesaving treatment and medication at the scene and en-route to hospital.
WNAA is one of just three outside London routinely carrying a doctor – it calls on a rosta of volunteer doctors and has a full-time doctor.
Tell us about the helicopter.
It is a state-of-the-art Augusta 109 Power. It has the lowest cabin vibration levels of any air ambulance helicopter, which is essential for transporting head, neck or spinal injuries.
There is enough cabin space for two stretcher patients and room for treatment.
The helicopter can be airborne within 45 seconds of a call and can fly fully loaded on just one of its two engines.
Why does the WNAA need our money?Operating it costs more than £1.4 million a year and the service receives NO government or Lottery funding. "We rely on individuals and companies for every penny," said Andy Williamson, WNAA director.
If you are holding a fundraising event at your school, club, pub or sporting group why not support the WNAA?
To find out how to make a donation visit
www.wnaa.co.ukAnd we will be bringing you more information and meeting the people behind the WNAA in future issues.
