http://www.daat.org/ Devon Air Ambulance Trust News, latest 20 items Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:33:39 +0000 en http://www.daat.org/news/Award Winning Choir to Support Devon's Air Ambulances/ http://www.daat.org/news/Award Winning Choir to Support Devon's Air Ambulances/ Wed, 02 Mar 2011 17:35:00 +0000
The Choir was awarded the coveted Gold Cup for the best choir at the Cheltenham Choral Festival in May 2008 and took second position in the Male Choir competition at Llangollen International Eisteddfod in July 2006, beating all other UK choirs.

Wessex Male Choir€™s Musical Director Rob Elliott said €˜We are thrilled to support the D[...]]]>
The Choir was awarded the coveted Gold Cup for the best choir at the Cheltenham Choral Festival in May 2008 and took second position in the Male Choir competition at Llangollen International Eisteddfod in July 2006, beating all other UK choirs.

Wessex Male Choir€™s Musical Director Rob Elliott said €˜We are thrilled to support the Devon Air Ambulance Trust and look forward to performing in Exeter.  As one of the leading male choirs in the UK it is great to travel further afield to Devon and we hope to inspire a new audience there with songs from our varied repertoire.

€˜The choir will sing a number of its popular pieces including €˜You make me feel so young€™, €˜All by myself€™ and €˜Me and my shadow€™ €“ all with our usual energy, passion, movement and style!€™

Supporting the Wessex Male Choir on the evening will be two of the choirs from St Margaret€™s School Choir from Exeter.  Music plays an important part of the life at the school and there are numerous choirs and instrumental ensembles, who perform regularly throughout the year.  Choral singing is a particular strength of the music department and there are five school choirs and two smaller vocal ensembles.  All rehearse weekly and have a busy performance schedule.    

St Margaret€™s are delighted to be performing with the Wessex Male Voice Choir to raise funds for Devon Air Ambulance Trust, which is one of this year€™s school charities.

Caroline Creer, Fundraising Director of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust said €˜This is bound to be a fantastic evening for anyone who enjoys all types of music.   We would like to thank the Wessex Male Choir for supporting the charity in this way, together with St Margaret€™s School Choir.  Please come along and support the charity and choirs.€™

This special concert takes place on Saturday 17th April at 7.30pm at St Peter€™s School, Exeter.  Tickets are only available in advance at £10 and £6 respectively, which includes refreshments.

There are various ways to purchase tickets.  This includes via our online secure shop at www.daat.org under the €˜event tickets€™ section.  Alternatively please ring Laura Board at the Devon Air Ambulance Trust on 01392 466666 for further information or to pay by credit or debit card or you can pop a cheque in the post payable to €˜Devon Air Ambulance Trust€™ to Laura at DAAT, 5 Sandpiper Court, Harrington Lane, Exeter, EX4 8NS



For further information on the choir visit www.wessexmalechoir.co.uk


]]> http://www.daat.org/news/We can solve your Mother's Day, Easter and other gift dilemas!/ http://www.daat.org/news/We can solve your Mother's Day, Easter and other gift dilemas!/ Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:45:00 +0000


Why not buy tickets to see the award winning Wessex Male Choir?   



The Choir was awarded the coveted Gold Cup for the best choir at the Cheltenham Choral Festival in May 2008 and took second position in the Male Choir competition at Llangollen International Eisteddfod in July 2006, beating all other UK choirs.
[...]]]>


Why not buy tickets to see the award winning Wessex Male Choir?   



The Choir was awarded the coveted Gold Cup for the best choir at the Cheltenham Choral Festival in May 2008 and took second position in the Male Choir competition at Llangollen International Eisteddfod in July 2006, beating all other UK choirs.

Wessex Male Choir€™s Musical Director Rob Elliott said €˜We are thrilled to support the Devon Air Ambulance Trust and look forward to performing in Exeter.  As one of the leading male choirs in the UK it is great to travel further afield to Devon and we hope to inspire a new audience there with songs from our varied repertoire. The choir will sing a number of its popular pieces including €˜You make me feel so young€™, €˜All by myself€™ and €˜Me and my shadow€™ €“ all with our usual energy, passion, movement and style!€™

Supporting the Wessex Male Choir on the evening will be 2 choirs from St Margaret€™s School in Exeter.  The charity is one of the school€™s charities for this year.  Music plays an important part of the life at the school and there are numerous choirs and instrumental ensembles, which perform regularly throughout the year.  Choral singing is a particular strength of the music department and there are five school choirs and two smaller vocal ensembles.  All rehearse weekly and have a busy performance schedule.    

Caroline Creer, Fundraising Director of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust said €˜This is bound to be a fantastic evening for anyone who enjoys all types of music and would make a great gift, not just for Mother€™s Day or Easter, but for any occasion.  Or why not just treat youself?€™

She added €˜We would like to thank the Wessex Male Choir for supporting the charity in this way, together with St Margaret€™s School Choir.  Please come along and support the charity and choirs.  We would also like to thank the Blue Ball at Sandygate (www.blueballpub.com), Exeter for kindly providing the choir hospitality, which is very much appreciate.€™

This special concert takes place on Saturday 17th April at 7.30pm at St Peter€™s School, Exeter and will be hosted by BBC Radio Devon presenter David Fitzgerald €˜Fitz€™.  Tickets are only available in advance at £10 and £6 respectively, which includes refreshments.

There are various ways to purchase tickets.  This includes via our online secure shop at www.daat.org under the €˜event tickets€™ section.  Alternatively please ring Laura Board at the Devon Air Ambulance Trust on 01392 466666 for further information or to pay by credit or debit card or you can pop a cheque in the post payable to €˜Devon Air Ambulance Trust€™ to Laura at DAAT, 5 Sandpiper Court, Harrington Lane, Exeter, EX4 8NS



About the Wessex Male Choir
€¢    Based in Swindon, Wiltshire
€¢    Founded by its Musical Director Robert Elliott in September 2001
€¢    Currently has around 60 choristers
€¢    Strong reputation for professional and entertaining repertoire
€¢    In great demand for concert engagements across the UK
€¢    Patron is TV and singing star Aled Jones, who is also a member of the National Association of Choirs
€¢    For further information visit www.wessexmalechoir.co.uk




]]> http://www.daat.org/news/Devon Air Ambulance Trust's Recession Ball takes off as part of the BBC Radio Devon AIr Ambulance Appeal/ http://www.daat.org/news/Devon Air Ambulance Trust's Recession Ball takes off as part of the BBC Radio Devon AIr Ambulance Appeal/ Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:55:00 +0000
Part of the BBC Radio Devon Air Ambulance Appeal, this is set to be an evening of great fun and laughter, with all the fun of the village fete with many stands such as tombola, hoopla, coconut shy, bottle stall, plus much more!  There will also be a silent auction, where you can bid for some fantastic items.

Tickets have been priced at jus[...]]]>
Part of the BBC Radio Devon Air Ambulance Appeal, this is set to be an evening of great fun and laughter, with all the fun of the village fete with many stands such as tombola, hoopla, coconut shy, bottle stall, plus much more!  There will also be a silent auction, where you can bid for some fantastic items.

Tickets have been priced at just £17.50, which includes a hearty meal of beef or vegetable stew, complete with dumplings and crusty rolls.  Great value considering there will also be live music by local band €˜Thick as Thieves€™.

Caroline Creer, Fundraising Director for Devon Air Ambulance Trust said €˜We are very excited about this event.  We usually hold a black tie charity dinner every year, but we wanted to give this year€™s ball a bit of a twist and make it affordable for all, especially in what are still difficult economic times for many.  The dress code has therefore been changed to smart casual, although there will be a prize for the best dressed guest, dressed from clothes bought in one of our charity shops (proof will be required)€™

She added €˜We are extremely grateful to Thick as Thieves for coming along to entertain our guests, they are an amazing band, who first played at our motorcycle event last July, and proved such a hit for our supporters, that we wanted to invite them back again.  We are also grateful to our sponsors, without whom this event just wouldn€™t be possible €“ Hatch Marquees, Edge Recruits and Eventful (SW) Ltd.€™

Tickets are available now from Debbie Collingwood on 01392 466666 or email d.collingwood@daat.org  or you can buy your tickets via our online shop here

A BIT ABOUT OUR SPONSORS:-

Edge Recruits
Edge Recruits is a leading regional recruitment agency that has achieved national recognition for its professionalism, innovation and ethical practice. Based in Totnes, Edge recruits across the region and across all business sectors including office support, technical, engineering, customer service, construction, the professions, manufacturing, food production, IT, sales, marketing & HR. Visit www.edgerecruits.co.uk to learn more.
John Ross, MD of Edge Recruits, commented €œAs a new sponsor of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust, we are very keen to do everything we can to help make the Recession Ball the huge success its deserves to be €“ it€™s going to be a great event so let€™s all spread the word.€�

Hatch Marquees
Hatch Marquee Hire has been operating for 20 years and provides marquees for weddings, parties and corporate events and has built an excellent reputation for supplying the very latest in marquee design combined with an efficient, professional and friendly service. With a depots in Kingsbridge, Devon and Chippenham Wiltshire the company are able to provide marquees to events across the South West.

For further information contact Claire Wotton, Hatch Marquee Hire Ltd, Lower Hatch Farm, Loddiswell, Kingsbridge, TQ7 4AJ Tel: 01548 550 322  Email: claire@hatchmarqueehire.com

Steve Milham, Director of Hatch Marquee Hire said €˜ Hatch Marquee Hire are delighted to be supporting the Devon Air Ambulance€™s  Recession Ball.  We hope that everyone has a great evening and that lots of money is raised!€™

Eventfull (SW) Ltd
Eventful (SW) Ltd trades as the Commando Challenge and annually stages the Royal Marines Commando Challenge
€¢    The Commando Challenge is now in its 20th year
€¢    Each year between 3k and 5k people are refused entry due to capping of numbers
€¢    Since its inception the challenge has raised in excess of £1.5m for charity

 €œAlan, Melanie and Alana Hardy of Eventful (SW) Limited are extremely pleased to support DAAT at their Recession Ball by sponsoring €œThick as Thieves€�.   The work undertaken by DAAT is essential across the whole of Devon and as a Company we plan to continue our support via the annual Royal Marines COMMANDO CHALLENGE charity event each October€�.
]]> http://www.daat.org/news/West Group Young Farmers Clubs Pledge Support/ http://www.daat.org/news/West Group Young Farmers Clubs Pledge Support/ Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:40:00 +0000

West Group YFC held their annual Drama Competition on Saturday 6th February 2010 at Kingsmead School Wiveliscombe. All 5 of the clubs took part. The winners were Williton YFC with their performance of Hazel€™s Nuts, they then went on to represent West Group at the County round which was on Sunday 21st February 2010 at The Merlin Theatre, Frome and came second.

The Drama Competition was followed by a cheque presentation to t[...]]]>

West Group YFC held their annual Drama Competition on Saturday 6th February 2010 at Kingsmead School Wiveliscombe. All 5 of the clubs took part. The winners were Williton YFC with their performance of Hazel€™s Nuts, they then went on to represent West Group at the County round which was on Sunday 21st February 2010 at The Merlin Theatre, Frome and came second.

The Drama Competition was followed by a cheque presentation to the Devon Air Ambulance. The group handed over a cheque for £2500.00, this was raised by an event called €˜Mayhem in the Market€™ which was a disco at Sedgemoor Auction Centre organised jointly by the five clubs and proceeds from their carol singing evenings. Mr Ian Massey collected the cheque on behalf of the Devon Air Ambulance.

Caroline Creer, Fundraising Director of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust said €˜We would like to officially thank everyone at the West Group Young Farmers for their support of the charity and for this fantastic donation, which is very much appreciated.  It costs in the region of £4 million to keep both Air Ambulances airborne annually. Independent of Government and National Lottery funding, which means that every penny comes from the community, businesses, and supportive organisations just like the West Group Young Farmers.€™


Pictured above is volunteer Ian Shere-Massey accepting the cheque.



]]> http://www.daat.org/news/Introducing the 'Real People' - Devon Air Ambulance Trust Door to Door Lottery Team/ http://www.daat.org/news/Introducing the 'Real People' - Devon Air Ambulance Trust Door to Door Lottery Team/ Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:45:00 +0000
Having been told about an alleged bogus collector last week, our canvassers did their public duty by informing the Police, and the charity also issued a press release.  However this has now backfired, causing the reputation and future revenue of the s[...]]]>
Having been told about an alleged bogus collector last week, our canvassers did their public duty by informing the Police, and the charity also issued a press release.  However this has now backfired, causing the reputation and future revenue of the service to suffer.

Heléna Holt, Chief Executive of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust said €˜Whenever possible we try and get our key messages across to the public with regard to our canvassers.  These include that they are always in branded clothing, and that they will have a photo ID, issued by the charity, highly visible on a branded lanyard strap around their neck.  With 71% of our 17,700+ lottery members playing via standing order, people may be asked to fill in their bank details, but they will never be asked for cash.€™

She added €˜Whilst we wholeheartedly encourage people to be vigilant, our door to door agents are really suffering at the moment as no one wants to talk to them.  There are two simple ways to check that anyone who appears on your doorstep purporting to be from the charity is genuine.



1.    Ask to take a closer look at their ID.  It€™s a plastic credit card type card, with Braille on the front, together with a photo of the representative, and an ID number which is unique to that person



2.    Ring us on 01392 469886 and check that our people are working in your area.  We are, of course, able to give descriptions, confirm names and also advise of the ID number



€˜Of course if you are still in doubt please don€™t part with your personal details.  If you prefer, our lottery form has a freepost response slip, so the form can be filled in at your leisure and then posted back to the charity€™s HQ.€™  



]]> http://www.daat.org/news/Veitch Penny Solicitors Supports Devon Air Ambulance as Charity of the Year/ http://www.daat.org/news/Veitch Penny Solicitors Supports Devon Air Ambulance as Charity of the Year/ Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:30:00 +0000


Exeter and Crediton based local law firm Veitch Penny are celebrating after raising over £1,600 for their charity of the year, the Devon Air Ambulance Trust. The firm has spent the past 12 months actively fundraising and are delighted to be able to give the amount to such a deserving cause.


The Devon Air Ambulance was voted as the Veitch Penny charity of the year by staff, wh[...]]]>


Exeter and Crediton based local law firm Veitch Penny are celebrating after raising over £1,600 for their charity of the year, the Devon Air Ambulance Trust. The firm has spent the past 12 months actively fundraising and are delighted to be able to give the amount to such a deserving cause.


The Devon Air Ambulance was voted as the Veitch Penny charity of the year by staff, who recognised the need to keep the two regions Air Ambulance flying and wanted to contribute to the estimated £4 million annually needed in order to keep both helicopters airborne.

In their fundraising, Veitch Penny Solicitors, itself a proud part of the Devon community, recognised the need not only to support a local charity, but to work with other local businesses and intuitions to help others. As part of the series of fundraising activities, the law firm was delighted to have worked closely with Buckfastleigh Primary School as part of the Christmas Card Design Competition.



Managing Partner, Charles Dowell, who heads up the Private Client department and whose advice includes Moving Home, Wills & Trusts, said of Devon Air Ambulance Trust, "it is a very deserving charity and the work that they do and the service they provide for the region is fantastic and invaluable.€�



Heléna Holt, Chief Executive of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust said €˜On behalf of the charity I would like to thank Veitch Penny and all their staff for this fantastic donation.  It sounds like all the staff have put a lot of hard work and effort into raising the funds.€™  She added €˜Having a charity of the year at your place of work is a great way to encourage staff engagement and raise morale.  If your business supports charities too, please consider supporting the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.  If you would like to know more please ring us on 01392 466666 or email us at info@daat.org€™.



The whole firm was involved and enjoyed raising the £1689.49 total, which included events such as the Britain€™s Got Talent styled Forrero Rocher Challenge, Dress Down Days, raffles, and numerous running events, particular thanks to the IT Manager, Anthony Martin and Associate Solicitor, Lorna Herring who trained very hard for the Great West Run.



]]> http://www.daat.org/news/Charity staff undertake innovative PhotoReading training - with a helping hand from social media!/ http://www.daat.org/news/Charity staff undertake innovative PhotoReading training - with a helping hand from social media!/ Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:05:00 +0000
That€™s just what the Devon Air Ambulance Trust did.  With 12 staff signed up for a PhotoReading course, the problem was the charity€™s meeting room simply wasn€™t big enough.  

So the charity tweeted a plea for a venue.  There were various offers of help around the county, but [...]]]>
That€™s just what the Devon Air Ambulance Trust did.  With 12 staff signed up for a PhotoReading course, the problem was the charity€™s meeting room simply wasn€™t big enough.  

So the charity tweeted a plea for a venue.  There were various offers of help around the county, but James Barisic€™s offer of Every Solicitors€™ boardroom in central Exeter fitted the bill perfectly.

James Barisic of Everys Solicitors said €œWe have recently done a lot of work with charities, looking at innovative ways of using social media and this is a great example of how charities can €˜crowd source€™ resources €“ finding people within their network who can provide whatever is needed. So, when we saw Devon Air Ambulance€™s Tweet, we were more than happy to let them use our new boardroom.€�

Heléna Holt, Chief Executive of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust said €˜Thank you to everyone who offered their office space to us for this course, and especially to James and everyone at Everys Solicitors who made us so welcome during the 2 day course.  Receiving services in kind like this really does make a difference, and it also enables us to strengthen working relationships within the business community.   If you haven€™t tried Twitter yet why not give it a go.  As well as being a very effective way to communicate with people, it€™s free and it€™s fun!€™

She added €˜As a charity we believe greatly in training and development for our staff, in order to help them progress not just professionally, but personally.  Having been to a taster seminar that Clare was running in PhotoReading, it was immediately obvious the difference that having these skills would make to us all.€™

PhotoReading, Instructor Clare Whiston explained €œPhotoReading is great to learn as a team as well as individually. The Devon Air Ambulance team now has a proactive and engaging way of getting through the mountains of paperwork that many businesses face in half the time it took them previously, and they have a skill that can be used for self development and fun things too.€�
 
To learn more about PhotoReading call Clare Whiston on 01626 853747 or go to the website at http://www.LearnPhotoReading.co.uk.
]]> http://www.daat.org/news/Devonshire Freemasons Dig Deep/ http://www.daat.org/news/Devonshire Freemasons Dig Deep/ Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:45:00 +0000


Christopher J Pengelly, the Grand Superintendent, together with Robert C Munro, Charity Co-ordinator will be presenting a cheque for £2,000 to the service€™s on duty crew.  They have chosen to support the Devon Air Ambulance Trust as one of t[...]]]>


Christopher J Pengelly, the Grand Superintendent, together with Robert C Munro, Charity Co-ordinator will be presenting a cheque for £2,000 to the service€™s on duty crew.  They have chosen to support the Devon Air Ambulance Trust as one of their main charities for 2010.



Christopher Pengelly, Grand Superindendent said €˜The Holy Royal Arch Provincial Grand Chapter of Devonshire Freemasons, as part of its ongoing policy of supporting local charities, is pleased to support the Devon Air Ambulance service, recognising the very important role the Air Ambulance plays in the community, with this cheque for £2,000 raised soley from its members.€™



Caroline Creer, Fundraising Director of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust said €˜We are delighted to receive this fantastic cheque and very much look forward to working with them throughout 2010.  We are heartened at the support received and really appreciate the hard work and commitment that groups just like this make to the funding of the service.€™



She adds €˜If your group or organisation would like to support us in a similar way, why not get in touch with us by phone 01392 466666, by email info@daat.org or check out our website at www.daat.org.€™


]]> http://www.daat.org/news/Devon Air Ambulance Trust's Recession Ball takes off/ http://www.daat.org/news/Devon Air Ambulance Trust's Recession Ball takes off/ Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:00:00 +0000
This is set to be an evening of great fun and laughter, with all the fun of the village fete with many stands such as tombola, hoopla, coconut shy, bottle stall, plus much more!  There will also be a silent auction, where you can bid for some fantastic items.

Tickets have been priced at just £17.50, which includes [...]]]>
This is set to be an evening of great fun and laughter, with all the fun of the village fete with many stands such as tombola, hoopla, coconut shy, bottle stall, plus much more!  There will also be a silent auction, where you can bid for some fantastic items.

Tickets have been priced at just £17.50, which includes a hearty meal of local fayre.  Great value considering there will also be live music by local band €˜Thick as Thieves€™.



Caroline Creer, Fundraising Director for Devon Air Ambulance Trust said €˜We are very excited about this event.  We usually hold a black tie charity dinner every year, but we wanted to give this year€™s ball a bit of a twist and make it affordable for all, especially in what are still difficult economic times for many.€™

She added €˜We are extremely grateful to Thick as Thieves for coming along to entertain our guests, they are an amazing band, who first played at our motorcycle event last July, and proved such a hit for our supporters, that we wanted to invite them back again.  We are also grateful to our sponsors, without whom this event just wouldn€™t be possible €“ Hatch Marquees, Edge Recruitment and Eventful (SW) Ltd.€™

There will be a prize for the best dressed guest, who has dressed from clothes bought in one of our charity shops (proof will be required).

To book and pay for your tickets via our secure online shop click here. 


 Or please contact Debbie Collingwood on 01392 466666 or email d.collingwood@daat.org 


]]> http://www.daat.org/news/BBC Radio Devon Air Ambulance Appeal Gifts Sale with a recycling twist!/ http://www.daat.org/news/BBC Radio Devon Air Ambulance Appeal Gifts Sale with a recycling twist!/ Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:40:00 +0000

We would like all of the gifts on sale to have been donated to us by you!


Please give us any unwanted Christmas, anniversary or birthday gifts;or maybe you have something, put away in a cupboard or drawer, which you bought for someone and then changed your mind?
 
We have various collection points w[...]]]>

We would like all of the gifts on sale to have been donated to us by you!


Please give us any unwanted Christmas, anniversary or birthday gifts;or maybe you have something, put away in a cupboard or drawer, which you bought for someone and then changed your mind?
 
We have various collection points where you can drop of your gifts - see below.  Or if you or your business would like to be a collection point please give us a ring on 01392 466666.


If you don€™t have any unwanted gifts to donate, why not come along to the sale and buy a present for someone else or treat yourself?


Collection Points (correct as of 29.01.10)
ABBOTSKERSWELL Model Stores, Slade Lane
BRATTON FLEMING White Hart Garage
BRAUNTON Tourist Information Centre, The Bakehouse Centre, Caen Street
CHERITON FITZPAINE Cheriton Fitzpaine Village Store, High Street
EXETER Alcoa Power & Propulsion, Plant Convenor, Alcoa Howmet, Sowton
KINGSBRIDGE Nicola's, 77 Fore Street
HOLSWORTHY The Card Cabin, 12 Fore Street
PAIGNTON Stead & Simpson, 30/32 Victoria Street
PAIGNTON Austin News, 5 Torbay Road
TIVERTON Toppers, 1 New Parade
TORQUAY Appletorre House, 20 Vansittart Road
ZEAL MONACHORUM Waie Inn, Zeal Monachorum, Crediton


]]> http://www.daat.org/news/Steve Ford Airbase Officially Opened/ http://www.daat.org/news/Steve Ford Airbase Officially Opened/ Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:45:00 +0000





The new Devon Air Ambulance Trust €˜Steve Ford€™ Airbase at Eaglescott Airfield, Umberleigh opens its hangar doors for the first time on Thursday 21st January, when it will be officially opened by BBC Radio Devon presenter Judi Spiers.  Judi will be joined by the family of pilot Steve Ford, who the base is named after.  Steve Ford tragically died in a motorcycle accident on Saturday 18th October in the Teign Valley area of Devon[...]]]>





The new Devon Air Ambulance Trust €˜Steve Ford€™ Airbase at Eaglescott Airfield, Umberleigh opens its hangar doors for the first time on Thursday 21st January, when it will be officially opened by BBC Radio Devon presenter Judi Spiers.  Judi will be joined by the family of pilot Steve Ford, who the base is named after.  Steve Ford tragically died in a motorcycle accident on Saturday 18th October in the Teign Valley area of Devon.


 


Speaking on behalf of the family wife Julia said €˜We have been touched by the many tributes paid to Steve following his death in October 2008.  We are immensely proud that he has been recognised in this way. It€™s a wonderful lasting tribute to a great man whose life we were privileged to share€™.


 


The airbase took just 5 months to build, and the crew managed to move in just before the snow and cold spell arrived!


 


Heléna Holt, Chief Executive of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust said €˜There are so many people to thank, without whom this project wouldn€™t even have taken off the ground.  Rok our builders have been great all the way through in keeping us involved and informed re their weekly newsletter, which in turn meant that we could engage and involve our staff and aircrew in the progress.€™


 


She added €˜We would also like to thank the following for supporting this project - Burdens Building Supplies, Bluegrass IT, Fifields and, of course, Barry  Pearson of Eaglescott Airfield, who kindly gifted a long lease of the land.€™


 


NOTES


Steve Ford


Born in Heavitree, Exeter, Steve joined the Army in 1971 taking an apprenticeship with the Royal Engineers


 


Although he trained as an engineer plant operator he became a weapons and explosives search team commander serving two tours in Northern Ireland at the height of troubles.


 


During his career in the forces, he was mentioned in dispatches for his heroism for his work as a bomb disposal expert, helping save lives during the 1979 Warrenpoint bombings by the IRA in Northern Ireland in which 18 people died.


 


His love of flying, originally discovered through gliding led him to train as a helicopter navigator and air-gunner and he finally achieved his aim as an Army helicopter pilot in 1984.


 


In 1991 he was selected for additional training and became a qualified helicopter instructor and it is in this role that he excelled throughout the remainder of his army career.


 


Steve left the army for a short period in the 1980s serving as a policeman in Exeter but rejoined after 2 years, although he was invited to remain with the Army to continue to instruct after the normal retirement age of 40.  He left in 1998 to take up the one post which he confessed could lure him from the Army €“ flying the Devon Air Ambulance.   


 


Steve flew the Devon Air Ambulance for more than 10 years, then in 2006 became Deputy Head of Training for Bond Air Services(the company who the Devon Air Ambulance leased their helicopter from at that time).


 


He had more than 2,000 flying hours logged with the Air Ambulance, and during his career had more than 13,000 flying hours.


 


He is much missed by wife Julia, and four children, Tony, Clare, Emma and Katy, as well as by his work colleagues and friends.


 

]]> http://www.daat.org/news/BBC Radio Devon and Devon Air Ambulance Trust launch joint campaign/ http://www.daat.org/news/BBC Radio Devon and Devon Air Ambulance Trust launch joint campaign/ Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:30:00 +0000
After cutting the ribbon to open the airbase, BBC Radio Devon presenter Judi Spiers announced the radio station had chosen the charity as their 2010 charity of the year.

The BBC Radio Devon €˜Air Ambulance Appeal€™ aims not only to raise the profile of the charity funded emergency service, but also to encourage and engage its listeners t[...]]]>
After cutting the ribbon to open the airbase, BBC Radio Devon presenter Judi Spiers announced the radio station had chosen the charity as their 2010 charity of the year.

The BBC Radio Devon €˜Air Ambulance Appeal€™ aims not only to raise the profile of the charity funded emergency service, but also to encourage and engage its listeners to help raise in the region of £600,000 in order to facilitate the ordering of a new EC135, to replace the current leased aircraft.

Devon Air Ambulance Trust€™s Chief Executive Heléna Holt says €˜We are delighted to have been chosen by BBC Radio Devon as their charity of the year and very much looking forward to working with them over the next 12 months.€™

She added €˜This campaign is extremely important to us.  It not only enables us to communicate with a large number of our supporters and future supporters at the same time, but  also further raise the profile of what the service does, and what the charity does in order to raise the £4 million needed annually, together with the people behind the scenes.€™

€˜We already own one of our helicopters, which went into operation in October 2008.  We have proved since this time that it saves the charity money €“ saving in excess of £10,000 each month.  This means every single £1 donated by the community, businesses and friends of Devon goes that bit further.  It was logical to look forward and do the same with the other aircraft, which is leased, and comes up for renewal in 2013. 

€˜This dream has become reality thanks to the pledged support of BBC Radio Devon and their listeners.  We hope to place an order for the new aircraft at the end of 2010.  The county can then watch with pride, as the story continues to unfold.€™

Sarah Solftley, Assistant Editor of BBC Radio Devon said:  "We know we have taken on a huge challenge in setting a target of raising £600,000 towards the cost of buying a new helicopter, but we know that our staff and our audience are up to the challenge.

As well as raising money throughout the year, we also want make our audiences better aware of the service, what it provides and to regularly feature the compelling human stories behind each callout, each volunteer, each fundraiser, each event. 

We will also be asking our audience to be a part of the appeal by staging their own fundraising events, and taking part in events we organise.   We are starting right away with a call to everyone to donate their unwanted gifts for us to sell at two table-top sales in February."

People who would like to get involved or make a donation to the BBC Radio Devon Air Ambulance Appeal can call 01392 466666 or go to bbc.co.uk/devon



The campaign has clear vision, mission and values:-

Vision
An innovative and engaging multi-media campaign encouraging public participation

Mission
Raise awareness of the service and the charity behind the scenes and raise capital funds towards purchase of a new EC135 Air Ambulance to replace the current leased aircraft

Appeal values
We believe in community, accountability, professionalism and communication
77998.  Company No. 3855746
? Please consider the environment - do you really need to print this email?


 

]]> http://www.daat.org/news/HeliPad magazine now available online/ http://www.daat.org/news/HeliPad magazine now available online/ Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:25:00 +0000

 http://www.daat.org/downloads/



 

[...]]]>

 http://www.daat.org/downloads/



 

]]> http://www.daat.org/news/Air Ambulance unhampered in current weather conditions/ http://www.daat.org/news/Air Ambulance unhampered in current weather conditions/ Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:20:00 +0000
Today, the charity funded service€™s Chief Executive Heléna Holt praised the general public for their support.  She said €˜The past couple of days haven€™t been easy, even for the crew on both of Devon€™s Air Ambulances.  Although unaffected by the ice on the roads, the crew do, of course, f[...]]]>
Today, the charity funded service€™s Chief Executive Heléna Holt praised the general public for their support.  She said €˜The past couple of days haven€™t been easy, even for the crew on both of Devon€™s Air Ambulances.  Although unaffected by the ice on the roads, the crew do, of course, face the same problems when landing on scene with regard to carrying heavy kit and stretcher to the injured or medically ill.

She added €˜Our crews tell us that they have been overwhelmed by the support received on scene by communities, who have helped greatly, whether that€™s carrying a bag, or indeed helping carry a patient back to the helicopter along a slippy road/path.  It really has made such a difference.€™

She added €˜Yesterday alone Devon€™s Air Ambulances were called out in excess of 7 times.  The type of missions on the whole fitted into 2 categories, those who had fallen whilst out, and those with a medical problem such as suspected heart attacks, in rural and hard to reach locations.€™

To find out how you can support the work of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust and find out more about the service and the charity log onto www.daat.org.


]]> http://www.daat.org/news/Devon Air Ambulance Trust vehicles hit by vandals/ http://www.daat.org/news/Devon Air Ambulance Trust vehicles hit by vandals/ Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:15:00 +0000
Arriving at work this morning staff at the Devon Air Ambulance Trust were greeted by the sight of damage to both of their pool cars, which had irreparable damage to their tyres.

Six tyres in total were cut/punctured, causing not only great expense to the service which funds the emergency Air Ambulances across Devon, but also disruption to fundraising, whilst the tyres are replaced.

The cars are used by[...]]]>
Arriving at work this morning staff at the Devon Air Ambulance Trust were greeted by the sight of damage to both of their pool cars, which had irreparable damage to their tyres.

Six tyres in total were cut/punctured, causing not only great expense to the service which funds the emergency Air Ambulances across Devon, but also disruption to fundraising, whilst the tyres are replaced.

The cars are used by staff members in order to undertake various tasks across the large county.  This could be from attending events, giving talks, visiting volunteers, servicing collection boxes, to setting up agents for our own lottery.

Heléna Holt, Chief Executive of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust said €˜We are extremely upset and angry that this has happened to our vehicles.  They are branded with our logo and name, so whoever did this damage knew very well the purpose of the cars.  We understand other cars in the private car park were also damaged.€™  

She added €˜Devon€™s Air Ambulances are very much in the heart and minds of the community, businesses and friends of Devon, who support us so fantastically throughout the  year.  Every penny of the £4 million raised comes from this generosity. €™

If you did see anything strange or unusual in the Sandpiper Court, Harrington Lane area of Pinhoe, Exeter, no matter how small please contact Devon & Cornwall Police on 0845 2777 444 quoting Police Log No DE0914234.
]]> http://www.daat.org/news/Ex patient Norman and Freda Wellard celebrate 50 years together/ http://www.daat.org/news/Ex patient Norman and Freda Wellard celebrate 50 years together/ Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:55:00 +0000  
On 1st August this year, Freda and Norman Wellard, who own and manage Forest Glade Holiday Park, Cullompton, celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary.  Instead of receiving gifts they asked friends, family and holiday guests who have had a long association with the park to make a donation to the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.
 
However things could have been so mu[...]]]>  
On 1st August this year, Freda and Norman Wellard, who own and manage Forest Glade Holiday Park, Cullompton, celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary.  Instead of receiving gifts they asked friends, family and holiday guests who have had a long association with the park to make a donation to the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.
 
However things could have been so much different if Norman hadn€™t had a lifesaving encounter with the Devon Air Ambulance some 14 years earlier.
Norman explained:-
 
€˜On the 15th June 1995 I was involved in a light aircraft crash, in which 2 people were killed. 
 
€˜I was flown by Air Ambulance to the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Wonford, Exeter in just 4 minutes, where surgeons worked until 3am the next morning to put me back together.
 
€˜I spent 14 days in intensive care, followed by a further 8 weeks in hospital, plus a further number of months recovering at home to full health.
 
€˜Without the air support from the Devon Air Ambulance, I wouldn€™t have made it to the next day, let alone to celebrating our Golden Wedding Anniversary.€™
 
Norman and Freda will be visiting the Devon Air Ambulance€™s airbase on Wednesday 18th November at 11am, to present a cheque for £1,000 to Senior Pilot Rob Mackie, the pilot who flew Norman€™s life saving mission some 14 years ago.
 
Caroline Creer, Fundraising Director of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust said €˜We have known Norman for many years, but up until now didn€™t really know the full story of his airlift.  We are very much looking forward to welcoming him and Freda to the airbase on 18th November.  We wish them a belated happy anniversary, and may there be many more of them.€™
 
She added €˜Patient stories just like Norman€™s really do make a difference to helping us to raise our profile in local and national media.  Being 100% charity funded, it is essential that we keep what we do in the forefront of the minds of the people in the community and businesses across Devon and further afield.€™

 Forest Glade Holiday Park continues to support Devon Air Ambulance Trust each year through park activities and also sponsors the Kentisbeare Youth cricket and football teams.
 ]]> http://www.daat.org/news/Statement relating to The Children's Air Ambulance Trust/ http://www.daat.org/news/Statement relating to The Children's Air Ambulance Trust/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:40:00 +0000

The Children's Air Ambulance Trust (TCAAT) is a registered charity. It is in no way connected to the Devon Air Ambulance. TCAAT appears to have been dormant for some years.


There has been much discussion within the Air Ambulance world with regard to this charity.  They have been invited to make a presentation to the Air Ambulance Association, a body which brings all the Air Ambulance charities/and related services together[...]]]>

The Children's Air Ambulance Trust (TCAAT) is a registered charity. It is in no way connected to the Devon Air Ambulance. TCAAT appears to have been dormant for some years.


There has been much discussion within the Air Ambulance world with regard to this charity.  They have been invited to make a presentation to the Air Ambulance Association, a body which brings all the Air Ambulance charities/and related services together, in order to share good practice and governance.  This invitation was declined by TCAAT.
 
We have recently been made aware that TCAAT have been fundraising in Devon as well as elsewhere.  This has caused us some concern.
 
We do not believe that the service TCAAT says it wishes to offer is either needed or  appropriate.  At present, most patients needing an urgent transfer will be stabilised before the journey.  We believe that existing air ambulances and fixed wing flights can and do conduct transfers for sick children in the minority of cases where an air transfer is appropriate.  Most will go by road as the best mode of transport. Medical care en route is limited to maintaining the stability of the patient.
 
We not not believe that the  infrastructure in the UK is able to support a 24/7 service using the aircraft they plan to use, which is much larger than most other air ambulances and needs a larger landing pad.  Here in Devon only one hospital has a helipad which is lit and might be capable of getting CAA approval for night landings.  There are few nationally so we find it difficult to understand how such a service could operate.
 
TCAAT claim they can operate this service for just £1.5m a year.   In our experience it costs nearer £2m per year to operate a 10 hour per day air ambulance service using the much smaller and more economical EC135s. We believe the cost of a 24 hour service would be much greater.
 
The charity commission website shows that TCAAT has been slow in submitting accounts.  The accounts appear to demonstrate that the charity has very little money and is a very long way from having the funding to lease an aircraft or to meet their estimated expenses of £1.5 million per annum.  Whilst we completely understand that all charities must start somewhere, we note the charity has been in existence for some time and appears to us to be no closer to their publicised goal.
 
In some of their fundraising literature TCAAT state that other Air Ambulances are unequipped to carry babies and children.  We do not accept that this is the case.  For example, as you will see from our home page, we airlifted Braydon aged just 2 days.   We have a purpose built incubator and defribulator, which can be used in both our aircraft.  10% of our operations involve children.  
 
We have a great deal of support from across the county and we are very grateful for this.  We hope you will continue to support us so that we will continue to be there for everyone who needs us, young or old.





]]> http://www.daat.org/news/Charity supported by www.photogiftsforyou.co.uk/ http://www.daat.org/news/Charity supported by www.photogiftsforyou.co.uk/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:10:00 +0000


The site contains a range of products including Christmas cards, calendars, canvas prints, photobooks, mugs and childrens€™ storybooks which can be personalised with your own images and text.



Ronnie Hal[...]]]>


The site contains a range of products including Christmas cards, calendars, canvas prints, photobooks, mugs and childrens€™ storybooks which can be personalised with your own images and text.



Ronnie Halden, Marketing Services Director of Peninsular OneSource explained €˜We have been working with DAAT for a number of years, so when we decided to launch the site we saw an instant revenue stream for this very important service. We are not competing on a national level It€™s locally produced products for local people. In fact in this case www stands for Westcountry Wide Web!€™



Caroline Creer, Fundraising Director for DAAT said €˜We are delighted to be working in partnership once again with Ronnie and Peninsular OneSource.  Shopping via the internet, especially at this time of the year takes the stresses and strains out of Christmas shopping, plus the fantastic thing about www.photogiftsforyou.co.uk is that you can buy unique gifts, using your own photos.  We would like to take the opportunity to thank Peninsular OneSource for their continued support.€™



She added €˜Supporting the charity doesn€™t always have to be on a purely financial basis, as this initiative proves.  We would be delighted for example to hear from any business who would like to do something similar, would like to donate gifts in kind, or maybe whose staff choose a charity of the year to support too.€™






]]> http://www.daat.org/news/Christmas and Gift Shopping at the Autumn Fair in Tavistock/ http://www.daat.org/news/Christmas and Gift Shopping at the Autumn Fair in Tavistock/ Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:20:00 +0000
Why not go along and make a start (or finish!) to your Christmas shopping, as there are gift ideas for everyone, from watercolour paintings, bronze sculptures, ceramics, knitwear, jewellery, china and even beauty products!

The Autumn Fair will take place on Thursday 12th and Friday 13th November from 10am to 5pm. It costs £2.50 to get in, all of which is kin[...]]]>
Why not go along and make a start (or finish!) to your Christmas shopping, as there are gift ideas for everyone, from watercolour paintings, bronze sculptures, ceramics, knitwear, jewellery, china and even beauty products!

The Autumn Fair will take place on Thursday 12th and Friday 13th November from 10am to 5pm. It costs £2.50 to get in, all of which is kindly being donated to the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.

Caroline Creer, Fundraising Director of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust said €˜Why not pop along to this event, it€™s sure to give you some great gift ideas, whether that€™s for Christmas or another reason.  There€™s sure to be something for everyone!  You will also be supporting local artists and craftspeople, as everyone there, and all products, are made in the West Country.€™

She added €˜We would like to thank Caroline Boa for all her hard work in organising this event, and for donating the entrance money to the charity, which is very much appreciated.  Community led events such as this is an essential part of our fundraising, and for this we are truly grateful.€™

Caroline Boa, organiser said €˜Talking to all the participants, I found that the charity they all wanted to support was the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.  It is an organisation which affects us all and might, one day, save our lives.€™

]]> http://www.daat.org/news/Send your company Christmas Cards by email - and raise money for charity too!/ http://www.daat.org/news/Send your company Christmas Cards by email - and raise money for charity too!/ Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:10:00 +0000
Using their Email Marketing System (EMS), Optix can provide custom greeting cards for your company, complete with your logo and Christmas greeting.  

Using their Email Marketing System (EMS), Optix can provide custom greeting cards for your company, complete with your logo and Christmas greeting.  

This year they have pledged to donate 50% of all proceeds to your choice of the two charities.  They€™ll even arrange to send them out for you - it doesn€™t get easier than that!

Heléna  Holt, Chief Executive of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust said €˜We are delighted to be working in partnership once again with Optix Solutions, who have also created the charity€™s new website at www.daat.org.€™

She added €˜Opportunities to work in partnership with local businesses is a great way for us to reach the heart of not only the community, but the business community.  If you have your own business, or if you think your employers could offer a similar service, why not get in touch?€™

Alastair Banks of  Optix Solutions says €˜What better way to feel good at Christmas, than to help those around us, who may have the misfortune to need the services of one of Devon€™s two Air Ambulances. They provide a fantastic and essential lifesaving service, and we are very proud to continue to pledge our support.€™

Prices for the Optix e-christmas card service starts from as little as £125 of which £62.50 will go to your chosen charity.

For more information or to place your order log onto http://www.optixsolutions.co.uk/christmas_cards/  

]]>