“Thank you for supporting us to improve survival from cardiac arrest.”
Matt Stringfellow
HEMS Critical Care Paramedic
Sky’s the Limit
TThe latest news, stories and updates from Your Local Air Ambulance.
Issue 7 | Summer 2026
Welcome from Oli
When I joined The Air Ambulance Service as the Director of Fundraising earlier this year, people kept asking me the same question: “What made you want to work for an air ambulance charity?” The honest answer is simple. This service matters to me personally.
I grew up in Warwickshire. Like many of you reading this, the sight and sound of the helicopter overhead has always meant something. It is reassuring. It means that somewhere nearby, in what may be the worst moment of someone’s life, extraordinary people are on their way. Over the years, three people close to me have needed the help of the Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance.
Thankfully, in those moments of crisis, this charity was there for them. As a parent myself, I find it deeply comforting to know that if the unthinkable ever happened, my daughter could benefit from the National Children’s Air Ambulance.
That is why this role feels so important to me. It is not just another fundraising job. It is personal. What has struck me most since joining is the sheer commitment of the people behind this charity. Our clinicians, crew, volunteers, shop teams, fundraisers, lottery players, donors, corporate partners and supporters all pull in the same direction.
There is a real sense of family here, and I already feel incredibly proud to be part of it.
Oli Hiscoe
Director of Fundraising
Together, we save more lives.
Your support helps us be there for patients when they need us most.
The Impact You Make
Every time you donate, volunteer, shop in one of our charity shops or take part in one of our fundraising events, you’re helping our specialist crews reach people facing life-threatening medical emergencies.
Last year alone, your support helped us respond to thousands of incidents across the communities we serve. Every mission is only possible because of the generosity of people like you.
* Mission figures cover January 2025 to January 2026.
Total Missions last year
3460
Average Cost Per Mission
£2,500
Hours flown
602
Average Missions per day
10
Medical Emergency Missions
1,379
Critical Care Car Miles
64,408
Big Bases Appeal
Securing the future of The Air Ambulance Service
Earlier this year, we launched the Big Bases Appeal, our most ambitious capital campaign to date, through which we are working to create two new purpose-built, mission-ready air ambulance bases that will support both Your Local Air Ambulance and the National Children’s Air Ambulance.
We must act now to deliver the first phase of the Big Bases Appeal, the new South Base, due to significant operational challenges affecting our current locations.
Your Local Air Ambulance (Warwickshire & Northamptonshire) operations are currently based at Coventry Airport, a site facing closure. At the same time, the National Children’s Air Ambulance operates from London Oxford Airport, where ongoing operational restrictions and long-term uncertainty limit future planning.
This is about far more than relocating. These modern facilities will give our specialist crews the space, equipment and operational resilience they need to prepare, train and mobilise faster, helping them reach patients sooner and deliver critical care when it matters most. Emergencies don’t keep office hours, and neither do we.
To bring this vision to life, we are seeking £9 million in public and philanthropic donations to fund the project, with remaining costs met through our reserves. This allows us to build sustainably while protecting our day-to-day lifesaving services. As a charity, we receive no government or NHS funding — every mission we fly is powered by people like you.
In recent months, we’ve been building awareness and support for the appeal across our communities. This has included a targeted campaign across Warwickshire and Northamptonshire, featuring bus advertising, posters in railway stations and supermarkets, radio activity and a door drop. Our retail and community teams have also been championing the appeal locally, supported by social media activity and a raffle.
In May, we were delighted to host a black-tie Gala Dinner, bringing supporters together for a memorable evening and raising vital funds to support the appeal.
Phase two
Phase two of the plan will focus on relocating our Nottingham Heliport base which serves Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland, to a more suitable location within our region, with the aim of developing a new, purpose-built facility to better support our crews and patients. Further details are to be confirmed and will be shared in due course.
Every step we take brings us closer to creating a base designed for rapid response, helping our crews get airborne sooner and reach patients faster. Because when every minute matters, the time saved on the ground can make all the difference.
If you’d like to find out more, or explore ways to support us, whether through making a donation or organising your own fundraising, please click here.
Together, we can help build a base that keeps two vital lifelines ready for every call.
Jason’s Story
Just two weeks before his cardiac arrest, Jason Falls had been enjoying a family holiday in Florida. Back home in Ilkeston, life had quickly returned to normal – work, family life, and helping the eldest son find a new car.
None of them could have imagined how quickly everything would change.
The family had spent the morning visiting car dealerships, excited to tick off an important milestone. After visiting one showroom, they travelled on to Castle Donington to continue their search.
That’s the last thing Jason remembers before waking up in hospital several days later.
It had been raining heavily as the couple and two of their children made their way between the rows of cars. As Jason’s fiancée, Emma, walked slightly ahead, she suddenly heard a scraping sound behind her. Seconds later, their daughter shouted: “Daddy’s fallen over!”
Emma turned to find Jason collapsed on the ground, his umbrella fallen beside him.
Staff at the dealership immediately rushed to help. By chance, a defibrillator had been installed there recently following a similar incident months earlier. Two employees began CPR straight away and used the defibrillator while emergency services were called.
The Air Ambulance Service (TAAS) and a land ambulance were both dispatched.
Jason was without a pulse for around 25 minutes while crews worked to restart his heart. After a prolonged resuscitation, he was stabilised enough to be taken by land ambulance to Royal Derby Hospital.
Jason spent almost three weeks in hospital. After regaining consciousness, tests revealed he had cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle, along with scarring on his heart that he had previously been unaware of.
The Road to Recovery
Before he was discharged, surgeons fitted him with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), an internal device designed to detect and correct dangerous heart rhythms.
The recovery process wasn’t just physical. In the months that followed, the 43-year-old found his confidence had taken a knock as he came to terms with how suddenly his life had nearly been cut short.
“For the first few months I didn’t really like being on my own,” he said. “I stayed very close to Emma while I adjusted – we were practically attached at the hip.”
Gradually, normality began to return. Jason has since gone back to work and is once again enjoying the things that matter most – spending time with his family and friends, and following his favourite sport, rugby.
Now, he says the experience has given him a completely different perspective on what matters most.
“I wouldn’t be here without the help I received that day,” he said. “My family could have lost a partner and a dad. I wouldn’t get to see my children grow up or marry my best friend next year.”
Today, Jason hopes sharing his experience will highlight just how vital rapid specialist emergency care and access to public defibrillators can be in saving lives.
“I owe my life to everyone who helped me,” he said. “Without The Air Ambulance Service and the people who stepped in that day, I simply wouldn’t be here.”
Every Minute Matters
At The Air Ambulance Service, our crews deliver the highest level of advanced critical care, but even the most specialist treatment relies on something incredibly simple: the actions taken in those first vital minutes before we arrive.
What you do can save a life
When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, every second counts. Acting quickly before emergency services arrive can dramatically improve someone’s chance of survival.
Remember these three simple steps:
1
Call 999 immediately
The emergency call handler will guide you through what to do next.
2
Start CPR
Push hard and fast in the centre of the chest until help arrives.
3
Use a defibrillator if one is available
Public access defibrillators are safe to use. They provide clear voice instructions and will only deliver a shock if one is needed.
Defibrillators: Simple, Safe and Lifesaving
Across the country, there are many public access defibrillators available in communities. These devices provide clear voice instructions, show you exactly where to place the pads and only deliver a shock when it is needed.
You can’t accidentally harm someone. Sometimes the defibrillator may tell you to continue CPR without delivering a shock. This is completely normal, as not every cardiac arrest rhythm requires defibrillation. The device is simply doing its job.
Help your community be prepared
Knowing where your nearest defibrillator is and ensuring one is available in your community could save a life. We encourage everyone to:
- Install public access defibrillators.
- Ensure they are placed in easy-to-reach, well-known locations.
- Register them with the local ambulance service.
If your area doesn’t currently have access to a defibrillator, support is available to help you set one up. Together, we can strengthen our communities and give more people a second chance at life.
Our Supporters Make It Possible
Every mission starts with people like you. Whether you shop, fundraise or share your ideas, there are so many ways to support Your Local Air Ambulance.
The Heart of the High Street
We are thrilled to share some fantastic news with our supporters: six brand-new charity shops have opened this year in Ripley, Ashbourne, Kenilworth, Ilkeston, Sutton in Ashfield and Stone Stratford – and they are already making a powerful difference.
Go Together Events
By bringing teams together across their business in our signature colours, hosting themed activities, and inspiring others to donate, some of our corporate partners showed just how powerful simple, creative ideas can be.
Join Supporter Voice
We love hearing from our supporters, and that’s why I’m excited to introduce Supporter Voice – a new way for you to have a more active say in how we grow and develop.
Thank You For Making Our 2026 Spring Raffle a Huge Success!
We’re thrilled to share what you helped raise in our Spring Raffle. Every ticket and every donation has made a real difference – thank you so much for your kindness and generosity.
“I was more than happy to take part in the raffle to do my little bit to help. You never know when you might need their services.”
– James, Spring Raffle 2026 winner
Total raised: £415,000!
Together, we save more lives.
Thank you for reading Sky’s the Limit.
Every mission we fly is made possible by people like you. Your support helps keep our helicopters flying, our Critical Care Cars responding and our specialist crews there for patients when every second counts.
Prefer the printed layout? Download the complete Issue 7 of Sky’s the Limit as a PDF.
Want to catch up on past editions of Sky’s the Limit? You can find the full catalogue here.