Launched in mid-November, we asked our supporters to donate through the Gift of Life campaign to help our crews continue to be there for people in their darkest hour 24/7 over the festive period and to send a message of support for our crews. The messages, sent back to us on a star-shaped Christmas tree decoration, would be used to decorate a tree in each of our operational bases, one in Norwich and one in Cambridge, to help give all EAAA staff a morale boost at this time of year.

We are overwhelmed to report that we have received more than £80,000 in donations generated from the Gift of Life campaign and have received more than 1,011 messages of support, which are now proudly decorating our bases and offices and have been shared with staff working from home.

In total, 2,220 individuals from across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire responded to this campaign. Thank you.

“To receive so many donations in the build up to Christmas and over 1,000 hand-written messages of support for our teams has given us all an enormous boost at the end of what has been a very busy but very memorable year for EAAA.”

Matthew Jones

CEO of East Anglian Air Ambulance

Matthew Jones, continued: “Our heartfelt thanks go to our very generous supporters who have made so much possible; in 2021 we opened our new state-of-the-art headquarters in Norwich, realised our goal of flying 24/7, started carrying blood on board every mission, held our very first pre-hospital emergency medicine research conference and much, much more. All of us are incredibly proud of everything EAAA has achieved in 2021 for our patients and for our community and I would like to take this moment to extend the most enormous thank you to each and every one of our supporters who keep us flying and saving lives.”

So far in 2021, EAAA has been tasked to 2,528 accidents or medical emergencies across the region and treated 1,716 patients who needed enhanced pre-hospital care.

Working alongside the other emergency services, EAAA will continue to provide critical care, by air or by road, 24/7 throughout the Christmas and New Year period, all while remaining mindful and vigilant of Covid-19. As an independent charity, EAAA relies on public support and needs to raise over £15 million a year to deliver and develop the 24/7 helicopter emergency medical service for the region.

Above, Critical Care Paramedic Neil Flowers, Captain Rob Gleave, Dr Rob Major, Co-pilot Nick Jones and Doctor Andrew Linder of the Anglia One crew proudly standing next to the EAAA Christmas tree in Helimed House.