Winners of the Air Ambulances UK 2025 Awards of Excellence announced
The awards recognize excellence across the UK air ambulance sector
Air Ambulances UK – the national organization representing the UK’s 21 air ambulance charities – has announced the winners of its annual Awards of Excellence. Held on 3 December 2025 at the Telford International Conference Centre in the UK, the awards celebrate outstanding contributions and dedication across the air ambulance community. They recognize the people, teams, and partners who make it possible to deliver critical care every day.
2025 award winners
Young Person of the Year
Winner: Midlands Air Ambulance Charity – for the 10-year-old founder of the Luna Rose Foundation, who raised £15,000 to support the emergency services that saved her after sustaining life-changing injuries.
Critical Care Practitioner of the Year
Winner: Stephen Westbrook, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, for clinical leadership and service innovation.
Breaking Barriers Award
Winner: Nicola Cooper, Magpas Air Ambulance, for expanding access to cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillator training, particularly among underrepresented groups, training over 6,000 people in 2025.
Aftercare Supporter of the Year
Winner: Adam Crosby, Thames Valley Air Ambulance, for strengthening patient and family aftercare services.
Trustee of the Year
Winner: Chris Carey, Magpas Air Ambulance, for outstanding governance and major fundraising impact.
Charity Staff Member of the Year
Winner: Sarah Atkins, former Director of People and Culture and Deputy CEO at East Anglian Air Ambulance, for her dedication to the organization and impactful work that has left a lasting legacy for patients, staff and volunteers.
Campaign of the Year
Winner: ‘Sing It Home’, Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust, a fundraising campaign that brought together over 500 artists from Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to produce an album helping raise the money for a second helicopter.
Supplier of the Year
Winner: FLT Group for operational and financial support to Great Western Air Ambulance Charity.
Innovation of the Year
Winner: IMPACT – The Centre for Post-Collision Research, Innovation and Translation, Devon Air Ambulance Trust, for establishing the world’s first dedicated post-collision research center.
Charity Volunteer of the Year
Winner: Marcus Christie, Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, for exceptional fundraising and advocacy.
Operations Support Staff of the Year
Winner: Abby Lock, Devon Air Ambulance Trust, for transforming one of the charity’s shops into its top-performing outlet, significantly driving sales growth while building a supportive, inclusive and high-performing team.
Pilot of the Year
Winner: Captain Kev Rutherford, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, for aviation excellence and humanitarian service.
Charity Team of the Year
Winner: #HELi2 Appeal Team, Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust, for exceptional fundraising efforts and securing funding for a second aircraft.
Doctor of the Year
Winner: Dr Paul Rees, East Anglian Air Ambulance, for pioneering advances in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest care.
Lifetime Achievement Awards
Winners: Dr David Zideman (Thames Valley Air Ambulance) and Dr Simon Lewis (Magpas Air Ambulance), for decades of global leadership in pre-hospital emergency medicine, innovation, and longstanding dedication to patient care.
Lindsay Boswell, Interim CEO of Air Ambulances UK, commented: “Congratulations to our 2025 Awards of Excellence winners. These awards shine a light on the extraordinary individuals, teams, and supporters who make it possible for air ambulance charities to deliver critical care every single day. The standard of nominations this year was remarkable, and we are proud to recognize those who go above and beyond to support patients, families, and the wider sector.”
Last month, the International Travel & Health Insurance Journal (ITIJ) announced its winner of the Air Ambulance Company of the Year Award.