This article relates to 2021. Please refer to the latest news for current appeals

We will be at Devon County Show this July where we will seek to raise £10,000 for the service over the show’s 3-day duration (Friday 2nd, Saturday 3rd, Sunday 4th July, 2021).

Off-duty members of our crew will be attending this year’s Devon County Show along with one of our Critical Care Cars this weekend. We are aiming to raise £10,000 to support the service during what is on track to be one of our busiest summers yet.

The show embodies much of what is most loved about Devon and represents many of the communities Devon’s air ambulance service attends; not least those in rural and equestrian communities, but also people who live in, work in and visit Devon's towns and villages, coast and countryside.

The target of £10,000 will offer a much-needed boost to the charity’s income following a challenging year for fundraising.

Devon Air Ambulance prepares for a busy summer ahead

With two dramatic coastlines, many miles of rugged moorland and a countryside punctuated with hundreds of charming villages and many family attractions - all reached by many miles of winding roads, Devon is one of the UK's most popular destinations for holidaymakers and those seeking a staycation.

In 2021, a year in which post-lockdown restrictions limit access to destinations abroad, the southwest is even more attractive to those seeking some long-awaited downtime.

In a normal year and as a tourist hot-spot, Devon inevitably gets busier in the summer months, but a post-lockdown boom in activity looks set to mean more missions for the Air Ambulance charity that serves the county.

And with more of us determined to enjoy the sea, the pubs and restaurants, the outdoor opportunities, unfortunately there is even more occasion for people to fall ill or become injured, whether at home or visiting.

Falling ill or becoming injured on holiday

It is not just Devon residents that fall ill during the busier times of year. Devon draws many visitors from out of county who are looking to enjoy a trip to the southwest, but sometimes those trips can take an unexpected turn.

One such patient was Laura Negus from Gloucestershire, who had been enjoying a holiday to North Devon with her husband when bad luck befell her while she was horse riding along Saunton Sands. Laura was riding at the back of the group when her horse stumbled, and she was thrown into the rising tide. The combination of physical injuries and the time Laura had spent submerged, unconscious in the waves, meant Devon Air Ambulance's crew had to be swift to act in this time-critical situation. Laura’s journey of recovery has included intensive physiotherapy, though despite the possible long-term consequences of the accident she is making a remarkable recovery.

Help to keep Devon’s holidays happy

As a service that is made possible thanks to the incredible support of the communities and visitors to the region whom the charity attends, we welcome your continued support.

We are 100% independent of Government funding and every penny donated or raised by supporters helps us to save lives.

If you are heading to Devon County Show on the weekend of July 2nd, be sure to visit the team at stand 253 on Road 8 opposite the bandstand.