£300,000 Boost Brings Air Ambulance Airbase Appeal Closer To Target

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance is a step closer to building a new airbase after receiving a further £300,000 donation.

The funding has come from the HELP Appeal, taking its total contribution to £600,000 towards the charity’s “Operation Airbase” campaign.

Since launching, the appeal has raised around £3 million through support from the public, local organisations, community groups and charitable trusts.

The new airbase and headquarters are planned for a site near Southampton Airport, replacing the current base in Thruxton, near Andover.

Currently, some emergency responses can take more than 20 minutes from take-off.

The relocation is expected to reduce that time significantly, allowing crews to reach most patients across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight within 10 minutes.

Around 70% of incidents attended by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance occur in the southern part of the region, including the Isle of Wight, making the move closer to Southampton particularly significant.

The HELP Appeal has previously supported the service by funding helipads at Southampton General Hospital and St Mary’s Hospital on the Isle of Wight, as well as contributing to emergency response vehicles.

Both organisations have welcomed the latest donation, saying it will help improve response times and ensure life-saving care can reach patients more quickly.

More information about the appeal is available on the air ambulance’s website.