AAA presents Awards of Excellence
The UK’s Association of Air Ambulances has recognised clinicians, aviators and fundraisers through the presentation of this year’s Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence.
The UK’s Association of Air Ambulances (AAA) has recognised clinicians, aviators and fundraisers through the presentation of this year’s Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence. The independently judged awards went to pilots, paramedics, doctors, fundraisers and volunteers, who collected their trophies at a ceremony held in central London on 16 November and hosted by BBC News presenter Sophie Long, and Rav Wilding, who presents the Helicopter Heroes television show.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Dr Peter Holden, whom the AAA described as having been ‘instrumental in the development of air ambulance services over the past 32 years’. He has worked with Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance (LNAA) since 1998 and Magpas Air Ambulance since 2007. Magpas medical director Dr Simon Lewis noted Holden’s dedication to the progression of trauma care training, saying he has ‘helped to make a crucial difference for patients in life threatening emergencies in the East of England and beyond.” Holden himself said he was ‘chuffed to bits’.
Chair of the Judging Panel, Member of Parliament Chloe Smith, said: “This was a wonderful evening recognising and celebrating the amazing work done by the nation’s air ambulance services. My fellow judges and I were humbled by the outstanding quality of the nominations we received, and I would like to congratulate every single one of the nominees. The winners of the Awards can be assured that they truly are exceptional examples of what can be achieved through teamwork, expertise, courage and conviction.”
Among the winners was Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust, which took home the Air Ambulance Campaign Award, as well as Staff Member of the Year, which went to the service’s community fundraiser and volunteer coordinator Jackie Eastwood. London's Air Ambulance saw success with wins in the Innovation of the Year category, and seeing Dr Gareth Grier named Air Ambulance Doctor of the Year. Air Ambulance Paramedic of the Year went to Gerry Lea of Thames Valley Air Ambulance, while Air Ambulance Pilot of the Year went to Captain Rob Mackie of Devon Air Ambulance. Midlands Air Ambulance Charity won the Special Incident Award in recognition of its part in the life-saving mission following a rollercoaster malfunction at Alton Towers this year, and its former patient Ben Lovegrove was named Outstanding Young Person. The AAA Chairman’s Award went to Peter Aldrick, who is CEO of LNAA (retiring in January 2016) and was the first chairman of the AAA.