HELP Appeal donates £300,000 to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance base

The HELP Appeal charity has pledged an additional £300,000 towards the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance’s (HIOWAA) ‘Operation Airbase’ appeal, bringing the service closer to a new air base near Southampton Airport in southern England.

The donation follows an initial £300,000 contribution in September 2024, taking the charity’s total support to £600,000. Since its launch, Operation Airbase has raised £3 million from the public, local organizations, community groups, and trusts, including the HELP Appeal.

Around 70% of the air ambulance’s missions occur in the south of its coverage region, in Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth, and the Isle of Wight – areas currently more than 20 minutes from its existing Thruxton base. The new location will allow crews to reach nearly every patient within 10 minutes.

Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal, said: “We have enjoyed working closely with HIOWAA for many years by providing funding for its critical care cars. I’m delighted that we are also helping to fund its new air ambulance base, which is a crucial part of the lifesaving infrastructure its communities rely on in their most critical moments.”

Richard Corbett, HIOWAA CEO, added: “Months on from the launch of our Operation Airbase appeal and we are still overwhelmed by the reaction from our supporters and members of the public – none more so than by the generous team at the HELP Appeal, whose enormous contributions will impact thousands of lives for many years to come.”