A PARTNERSHIP with Swindon Town Football Club will result in a new look and purpose-built Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV) for Wiltshire Air Ambulance.
The League Two club has chosen Wiltshire Air Ambulance as its Charity of the Year partner, with the aim of raising £12,000 to fit out a new RRV.
Town boss Richie Wellens and his assistant Noel Hunt visited Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s airbase in Semington, near Melksham, before Christmas to meet the aircrew and charity staff and were given a tour of the airbase.
Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s paramedics use RRVs when the helicopter is unable to fly or if it is quicker for them to travel to an incident by road. The RRVs have the same medical equipment onboard that is on the charity’s helicopter.
The new RRV will be branded with the same yellow and green colours of Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s Bell 429 helicopter, as well as carrying Swindon Town’s club crest.
The money raised by the football club and their supporters will be used for the livery on the RRV, along with the blue warning lights and emergency sirens, while inside the car the funds raised will pay for the communication equipment and racking for the storage of specialist medical equipment.
Beth Gardner, the charity’s fundraising manager, commented: “Our partnership with Swindon Town Football Club goes back several years and we’d like to thank them for choosing us as their Charity of the Year and raising funds to fit out our new RRV.
“The new RRV will be easily recognisable, like our helicopter, when our crew are responding to medical emergencies across Wiltshire.”
Rich Miller, Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s clinical services and ground operations manager, said: “Our new Rapid Response Vehicle has been designed by us and will enable our critical care paramedics to respond to medical emergencies quickly and it will contain all the essential and specialist equipment they need.”
Swindon Town head of commercial Adam Wainwright said: “The Wiltshire Air Ambulance is a magnificent charity and one that Wiltshire can be truly proud of. As a Football Club we too are proud of our association and we are both excited and determined to reach the target of £12,000. We encourage all our sponsors, partners and supporters to be as generous as they possibly can be to help us to reach the target.
“The RRV will have the same medical equipment onboard as that on the Bell 429 helicopter, so by working together with the target total raised, we will be providing a critical resource which will help to save lives.”
Robins boss Richie Wellens said: “Since I’ve been at the club, I’ve been blown away by how much it does off the pitch and in the community. This partnership and fundraising effort is part of that and a really incredible effort and goal.
“It was great to meet the guys at Wiltshire Air Ambulance and see the incredible work they do and hopefully the club can continue to help. I’d encourage everyone associated with Swindon to dig deep into their pockets to try and hit the £12,000 target.”
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