The awards celebrate the best standards of leadership and professionalism among charities and not-for-profit organizations. Finalists in KSS’s category included Asthma UK, the British Lung Foundation, Blood Cancer UK and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Delivering critical lifesaving services

The Charity of the Year Award recognizes KSS’s significant achievements over the last year – in particular, becoming the first air ambulance service in the UK to receive an outstanding CQC rating across all five areas of inspection: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led; and maintaining its pre-hospital life-saving emergency medical service 24/7 throughout the coronavirus pandemic, while supporting its NHS partners with the transfer of critically ill coronavirus patients across its regions, as and when required.

According to Charity Times, ‘the awards attracted hundreds of high-quality entries, which were then evaluated by an expert independent judging panel. KSS was praised for continuing to deliver critical life-saving services despite the pandemic, and for proactively looking across the world to help preparedness. Judges said it excelled across all its delivery areas’.

Promoting best practice in the charity sector

David Welch, CEO of KSS, said: “What an amazing achievement in our 30th year to have been named Charity of the Year for an award organized by Charity Times, the charity industry’s leading publication. Every member of the KSS team has played a significant role in our success and I am immensely proud of this accolade.”

Helen Bowcock, Chair of the Board of Trustees at KSS, added: “This award acknowledges the dedication and commitment of our amazing crews who have continued to deliver their life-saving service, without interruption, throughout the Covid crisis. It is a great credit, too, to all KSS staff and volunteers under David Welch’s leadership and, as Chair, I would like to congratulate everyone and to give sincere thanks to the Charity Times judges for giving us this significant honor.”

Charity Times Awards aim to promote best practice in the UK’s charity and not-for-profit sector, contribute towards raising the standards of charity management and provide recognition for those who are providing effective support to the sector.

The award was received during Air Ambulance Week in the UK, which highlights the care that is delivered daily by the country’s 21 air ambulance operators.