London’s Air Ambulance is hitting the streets of the capital in an educational ‘Helivan’ thanks to the support of Rotary members in the city.
Rotary members in London raised more than £38,000 to purchase the vehicle for London Air Ambulance, which provides an advanced trauma team for the 10 million people who live and work in London.
Helen Antoniou and Trevor Johnson, members of the Norwick Park and Epping Rotary Clubs, championed the project, which has successfully delivered the vehicle to London’s Air Ambulance in less than a year.
The Helivan will be used to transport kit and equipment to educational talks and community events in London, and replicates some of the interior of London’s Air Ambulance helicopters.
We are a service funded by the people of London for the people of London and the Helivan will enable us to reach out to communities across the city.”
This vehicle will be used to engage communities with the life-saving service and works the charity does, and inspire children to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers.
Helen commented, “This high profile project is a wonderful achievement, and demonstrates just how effective Rotary is, and how Rotary clubs can actively make a difference to their community.”
Rotary’s support for London’s Air Ambulance and the Helivan included a three year service plan for the Helivan, as well as a medical equipment, iPad with Wi-Fi and cellular access, facilitating the use of the ‘Helimed’ app and life-size cardboard cut outs of emergency service personnel.
London’s Air Ambulance CEO Jonathan Jenkins said, “The whole charity is extremely grateful to all the Rotary clubs in London who have fundraised to make the Helivan a reality.”
“We are a service funded by the people of London for the people of London and the Helivan will enable us to reach out to communities across the city.”
“We will use the Helivan to take our message to where it matters; to the people whose donations enable us to provide our service. Thank you to all the Rotary members that donated to this exciting project.”
London’s Air Ambulance is the charity that delivers a 24/7 advanced trauma team to London’s most critically injured. It treats on average five critically injured people in London each day, performing medical interventions at the roadside which are normally only found in a hospital emergency department. The service costs £8.7million per year, the majority of which has to be found through fundraising.
