Help Bristol air ambulance move HQ

The team behind Bristol's air ambulance is calling for volunteers to help them move to a new base.

The Great Western Air Ambulance (GWAA) will remain at Filton Airport but instead of being spread across three separate parts of the airfield all of the operation will be based in one block.

With the move, the crew, helicopter and medical equipment will be under one roof but the team need some help transforming the space so it is suitable for their needs.

Because GWAA is run as a charity it is looking for volunteers to help them with the work rather than spend money that could otherwise be used to fund their lifesaving service.

The unit flies specialist paramedics and emergency doctors out to the most sick or injured patients and provides additional care at the scene so people can be transported to the most suitable hospital for their condition.

The crew has to replenish equipment and drugs from one building, then prepare the helicopter for the day from another, before flying the aircraft to the other side of the airport by the crew base, where it stays waiting for calls until the end of the day when it is flown back again.

Staff training is also held in another building, but when the team move later this week, there space for everything they need to do and for the helicopter to be stored under the same roof.

When GWAA was set up last June the team put in their own kitchen at the base.

They will be taking most of the furniture from the base to the new site, but need carpets and volunteers to help fit them and the kitchen.

GWAA operations manager Danny Hopkins said: "The new base will make getting online in the morning quicker and be available for longer each day because it will no longer be split over three locations.

"It makes life easier and operationally will be cheaper because we won't have to keep flying the helicopter from one side of the airfield and back again.

"We need things like carpets, sofas and comfy chairs to fit out the crew room and office furniture."

GWAA needs more than £1 million a year to provide its service because the NHS only pays for the paramedics, drugs and some of the equipment.

In October the Post launched the Sky's the Limit Appeal to help the charity raise the necessary funds. The original target was £1.3 million, but the new helicopter the crew are using is cheaper and will be flying seven days a week from April 1.

Anyone who can help should call 0117 317 1337.