Page 7 - link magazine

Air Ambulance needs your support more than ever

Join sewing star Yvonne and help keep new Bell

helicopter flying to the rescue across Wiltshire

JANUARY 2015 heralds a new
milestone for Wiltshire Air
Ambulance (WAA) as the charity
starts operating its own helicopter.
The partnership with Wiltshire
Police for the shared helicopter
ended on 31 December after 24
years due to the police joining the
National Police Air Service. The new Bell 429 helicopter, and right, Yvonne Henson with her
The state-of-the-art helicopter is handmade quilt, that is being raffled for the charity
the first Bell 429 to operate as an
air ambulance in the UK. It is more able to provide the absolute gold morale that can result from
powerful, faster and has a larger standard level of critical care for supporting a good cause in
carrying capacity. our patients when they’ve needed the workplace.”
As a consequence of us most. Now we need the Yvonne Henson, Swindon’s
operating its own If you would like people of Wiltshire more Sewing Bee, helped to raise
helicopter, the charity to support the work than ever. money for the Wiltshire Air
will have to raise of WAA by making a “There are so Ambulance in the run up to
£2.5million a year donation or volunteering many ways to get Christmas by raffling a quilt
- £6,850 a day. The your time call 01380 involved, from at the branch of Coventry Yvonne, from Sparcells, offers low
charity receives no 739453 or visit: taking part in our Building Society in Royal Wootton cost sewing tuition at Basepoint
government funding wiltshireairambulance. lottery or becoming Bassett. Business Centre – either in groups
and relies entirely on co.uk a Friend of Wiltshire She said: “My building society or on a one-to-one basis - to
public donations. Air Ambulance, to always raffles a hamper at teach people all the basic skills of
Rebecca de la Bedoyere, running a half marathon or Christmas for the Air Ambulance dressmaking, alterations, quilting,
WAA’s fundraising manager, said: organising your own event. We’d and I offered to make a quilt to add embroidery and applique.
“The people of Wiltshire have also like to partner up with local to the prizes on offer. The manager n Call Yvonne about her pay-as-
supported us magnificently for 25 businesses who are interested in was really keen to have it because you-go sewing classes on 01793
years. Thanks to them we’ve been the PR benefits and increased staff the charity is a really good cause.” 602484 or 01793 871390.

swindonlink.com n January 2015 7