KSS air ambulance founder receives Lifetime Achievement Award

The award was presented to Chivers by KSS Chief Executive David Welch at an event to mark 35 years since the charity was launched on 6 November 1989.

David Welch, Chief Executive of KSS, said: “It is my pleasure to present the very first KSS Lifetime Achievement Award to Kate Chivers, a truly remarkable woman. We’ve been on an incredible journey during the past 35 years, thanks to the vision and determination of Kate and the amazing support of our staff, volunteers, former patients and their families, supporters and trustees.”

KSS started as the South East Thames Air Ambulance, under the control of the regional health authority. When an initial three months of funding came to an end, Chivers saw the need to establish it as an independent charity to secure the future of the service.

On receiving the award, Chivers said: “I can’t tell you how much this means to me. There’s nothing in this world that can’t be achieved with determination and the desire to make things better. We had a dream and looking at all you people – volunteers, staff, pilots, paramedics, doctors and trustees, everyone – you are the embodiment of that dream. Thank you all so much.”

More than 160 specialists in pre-hospital emergency medicine (PHEM) recently attended Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex’s ‘Future Directions in HEMS’ conference.