Mel Stride: Why we must help keep Devon Air Ambulance flying
Devon Air Ambulance has reported a £1.1 million funding deficit in its latest annual report, but Mel Stride is backing the Keep Us Flying campaign to help the charity stay afloat, with the MP urging people to donate and leave gifts in wills to support the service.
Few sounds are as reassuring in a moment of crisis as the beat of helicopter blades overhead. For many families across Central Devon, the arrival of the Devon Air Ambulance has marked the difference between tragedy and recovery. That is why I was concerned to learn this week that the charity has reported a funding deficit of £1.1 million in its latest annual report.
Devon Air Ambulance responded to more than 2,100 emergencies last year from its bases at Eaglescott and Exeter. Only last Saturday, a helicopter was called to Okehampton, a reminder of how often our communities rely on this service. In a rural constituency like ours, the nearest major hospital can be a long drive away along narrow lanes. Being able to bring a critical care team to the scene within minutes is priceless.
The pressures facing the charity are real. Rising operating costs and a fall in income from gifts in wills mean that spending has outstripped income. Fuel alone tells the story. Last year the charity spent £177,000 on fuel, and this year that figure could rise to around £384,000, more than double. The charity has put in place efficiency measures expected to save about £400,000 a year. However, it is honest that this will not close the gap on its own, and it expects a further shortfall next year.
I want to be clear, as the charity itself has been, that there is no immediate threat to frontline services. Its head of operations has stressed that it is not on the verge of closing and that patients are not being affected. But it is better to act now than to wait until difficult choices have to be made.
Nationally, air ambulance charities carry out on average 137 lifesaving missions every day across the UK, and almost every one is funded by public generosity. Devon Air Ambulance receives no direct government funding for its day to day operations. It depends on all of us.
That is why I am backing the Keep Us Flying campaign. There are many ways to help. You could make a donation, sign up to the charity lottery, or take part in an event such as the Daring Descent abseil at Plymouth Citadel on 17 October. October is Wills Month, and gifts in wills fund one in three of the charity's missions. Leaving a gift to Devon Air Ambulance in your will is a lasting way to protect a service that may one day be there for someone you love.
Devon has always shown remarkable generosity when it matters. The charity got back into surplus after a shortfall of more than £2 million in 2023, thanks to the kindness of its supporters, and I am confident we can rally behind it once again.
To find out more or to donate, visit www.daat.org/keep-us-flying.
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