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

Air Ambulance Week (AAW) takes place from the 6 - 12th September 2021 this year, and it is a fantastic opportunity to give local Air Ambulances a national united voice. It helps to promote the hard work and dedication given by these life-saving charities and those that support them, throughout the year.

During Air Ambulance Week all of the member charities of Air Ambulance UK (AAUK) join together to promote the work undertaken in their own areas and also on a national basis. It is the only week in the year dedicated to raising awareness and funds for our lifesaving work. Its aim is to collectively reach as many people as possible through an important national message, this year being Every second counts, Every penny matters!

We rely on donations to save lives everyday. Laura and Lee are two of the thousands of patients that Devon Air Ambulance has helped.

Who we help

Laura Negus and her husband Tom from Gloucestershire had been enjoying a holiday in North Devon when events took a very dramatic turn, and Lee was involved in a terrible motor bike accident which led him to becoming an avid supporter and volunteer for Devon Air Ambulance.

Since her riding accident, Laura has remained in touch with us as many of our patients do, and on the 18 April 2021, Laura marked the 3-year anniversary of her accident with a raffle draw and raised over £1,800 for Devon Air Ambulance. Local businesses generously donated some fantastic prizes, including training lessons with professional riders, horse bedding, Racecourse tickets, and cross-country schooling vouchers.

Laura said,

The recovery from a Traumatic Brain Injury is continual and thankfully due to the immediate and life-saving actions of the DAA team and following NHS treatment and rehabilitation I have been able to make an incredible recovery from the freak accident that day.

I was so driven to say thank you in any way possible for everything the DAA team did for me that day. I wanted to raise funds so the incredible team could continue to help providing critical medical care to others, as they did me. I am very proud that so much money was raised, and am very grateful for all of the generous prizes given.”

Read about Laura's life-threating experience here

Making a lifesaving difference

It was whilst he was out riding his beloved bike, back on Sunday 18 October 1998, when Lee was just 27, that he had a serious accident which put paid to his motorbike riding for many months. Lee said,

"It was a lovely warm late autumn day and I realised that it might be my last 'good' ride of the year. Little did I know that it was to be my last ride for a whole lot longer than that…

I’d had a lovely ride to South Devon and was on the way back to Barnstaple approaching a staggered T junction. I slowed down and could see a car waiting at a give-way junction on my left. Just as I got level, however, and was close enough to note the colour of the driver’s glasses, he pulled out in front of me. I immediately tried to avoid the car but there was no time; the car hit my leg and pushed me and my bike over the verge and onto the other side of the road. I remember heading straight for a steel bus-stop pole and thinking please let this be quick, I don’t want to suffer – I was convinced I was going to die."

Read about Lee's Relief upon hearing the helicopter approach...

Rapid response and specialist care

Devon Air Ambulance forms a vital part of our county's emergency services by rapidly delivering lifesaving care to the critically ill and injured people of Devon when every moment counts towards saving a life.

We are very proud of our crews who respond to emergencies every day focused purely on using their clinical expertise to help people when they need it most. We can’t do this, however, without our supporters who make this critical response possible through kind donations and by showing support. We would like to say a big thank you to supporters for making all of this possible. Every second counts, every penny matters. 

Help keep Devon Air Ambulance attending

Enter the raffle for a chance to win a car