Air Ambulance reveals one of its major fundraising streams has been cut by 40 per cent

The Midlands Air Ambulance, which provides vital emergency critical care across the region, has like many charities felt the impact of the pandemic on its fundraising.

Normally the charity benefits from hundreds of events throughout the year, such as coffee mornings, parties, auctions, but the pandemic and lockdown rules mean that nearly all have been cancelled or postponed.

There is another impact too – the charity’s 800 collection tins across the region, which provide a vital source of extra income, have nearly entirely been rendered redundant throughout lockdown.

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For a charity that needs to raise £10m each year to survive and operate, it has had to change the way things are done.

Emma Gray, the charity’s fundraising and marketing director said they have had to adapt to allow people to continue to support the organisation.

She said: “For us our community fundraising, the funds we get through people holding events like coffee mornings, has decreased by about 40 per cent.

“We have 8,000 collection tins across the area too but obviously no one is putting any money in them at the moment. One thing we are really pleased about is as we came into this year – our 30th birthday year – we have launched the Airbase Challenge. It is a virtual challenge, and in the first month we have achieved £10,000 which is a lot when you think of the missions we can do with that.”

The Airbase Challenge asks people to choose a distance between one of the charity’s three airbases, and to then walk, run, swim or cycle that distance in their local area to raise money.

Those who take part are assigned a team captain from the aircrew who is tasked with helping to keep them motivated.

Missions

Mrs Gray said: “It is really helping us. We have got members of the crew who feel so passionately about what they do that they are completing the challenge themselves – so they are effectively raising money for their own missions.”

The charity’s chief executive Hanna Sebright said one of the difficulties is the perception with many that the charity is funded by the NHS, which it is not.

She said: “One of the challenges we have had for many years is differentiating us from the NHS. So many people think we are funded by the NHS. That is not the case.

“We are an independent charity. Every year we start at zero and need to raise £10m to run the service.”

She added that support for the charity has still been fantastic and said: “Throughout the pandemic there has been a sense of community.

“And while we have seen a decrease in funding, one area that has held well for us is the committed giving, something we are incredibly grateful to our supporters for.”

To find out more about the airbase challenge, visit midlandsairambulance.com.