Air ambulances that help people across Warwickshire to get boost from Lions Clubs

Air ambulances that help people across Warwickshire will be getting a boost thanks to the Lions Clubs.

The Warwickshire-serving organisations will be just some of the air ambulances across the UK that will receive vital equipment in the battle against Covid-19 – thanks to a £160,000 grant from the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF).

Simon Turner, president of Southam Lions Club, said: “We know that air ambulance charities have been busier than ever during the coronavirus pandemic.

"They’ve faced considerable extra – unbudgeted – day to day costs – at the same time as lockdown has affected fund-raising.

"Now, thanks to an emergency COVID-19 relief grant from the Lions Clubs International Foundation in the US, we can provide immediate support for this emergency service that touches lives in all our local communities.”

A spokesperson from the Warwick Lions Club, which serves the Warwick and Leamington areas, said: "Warwick Lions are greatly appreciative of the assistance provided by the LCIF particularly at a time when we are very restricted in the ability to raise our own funds.

"However, while we greatly admire the air ambulance and the magnificent work that they do, we in the Warwick club have always been of the opinion that the larger charities and organisations such as the air ambulance and RNLI are already well known to the public and therefore find it easier to solicit funds.

"We therefore try to concentrate our donations on the smaller lesser known but just as deserving local causes who struggle to keep going.

"We also have benefited from a grant, this time from our National association which has enabled us to provide food parcels for some of the needy citizens of Warwick as well as lap top computers for Westgate Primary School and make a donation towards the provision of wi-fi enabled phones to Safeline the local anti rape and sexual abuse charity."

Working with Air Ambulances UK, Lions Clubs compiled a list of equipment and supplies needed by individual air ambulance charities – totalling £161,468.

Local Lions have continued to support their communities facing difficulties due to Covid-19.

This latest boost for air ambulance charities comes on top of £140,000 awarded in grants to foodbanks and other causes nominated by Lions clubs across the British Isles.

As well as their ‘day job’ - responding to accidents, traumatic incidents and medical emergencies - air ambulances are supporting the Covid-19 response to help reduce the huge burden on the NHS and other public services.

The equipment and supplies they requested, which has been funded by the Lions Clubs International Foundation grant, includes isolation capsules and decontamination units, separation screens, PPE, ventilators, respirators and hoods, a thermal screening camera and monitoring system, compression devices, fluid warmers, an ultrasound cardiac probe, and mobile connectivity devices.

Benjamin, Chair of Air Ambulances, UK said: “The donation of equipment and supplies by Lions helps air ambulance charities to support the COVID-19 response and their communities in these extraordinary times and beyond.”

In the past few years (2013 – 2016) Southam Lions have already supported the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire air ambulance branch with five donations amounting to £1,750.

Additionally in 2019 they donated £500 to the local initiative of an air ambulance dedicated to children.

They run a helicopter service to take seriously injured children from perhaps a general trauma hospital to a specialist hospital – sometimes it is a matter of life or death and speed is of the essence - a very worthy cause