EAAA reflects on Christmas appeal success and a busy year

Launched in mid-November, the Gift of Life campaign asked EAAA supporters to donate to the 24/7 air ambulance charity this Christmas, to help the crews continue to be there for people in their darkest hour over the festive period.

The campaign also encouraged supporters to send a message of support for the crews which could be hung on a Christmas tree in each of the EAAA operational bases, one in Norwich and one in Cambridge, to help give all of the EAAA staff a morale boost.

The charity received more than £80,000 in donations generated from the Gift of Life campaign and more than 1,011 messages of support, which are now proudly decorating the charity’s bases and offices and have been shared with staff working from home. In total, 2,220 individuals from across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire responded to this campaign.

Operational 24/7 throughout festive period

Working alongside the other emergency services, EAAA will continue to provide critical care, by air or by road, 24/7 throughout the Christmas and New Year period, all while remaining mindful and vigilant of Covid-19.

Matthew Jones, CEO of East Anglian Air Ambulance, said: “To receive so many donations in the build up to Christmas and over 1,000 hand-written messages of support for our teams has given us all an enormous boost at the end of what has been a very busy but very memorable year for EAAA.”

So far in 2021, EAAA has been tasked to 2,528 accidents or medical emergencies across the region and treated 1,716 patients who needed enhanced pre-hospital care. EAAA will be operating 24/7 throughout the festive period.