Air ambulance chief plans expansion (From Bicester Advertiser)

Air ambulance chief plans expansion

2:52pm Thursday 6th September 2007 in News By Matt Wilkinson

THE new chief executive of the county's air ambulance charity has pledged to raise its profile across the county.

Lyn Paver has been named chief executive for Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust after holding a similar post in Devon.

The trust relies entirely on donations and fundraising to meet the annual £1.2m running costs.

Based at RAF Benson, near Wallingford, the Bolkow 105 air ambulance is approaching its 10,000th mission having flown patients for emergency treatment across the area including all the major hospitals and specialist units such as the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, and Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury.

Ms Paver said: "Thames Valley is ambitious to develop and enhance its services, and it faces many of the challenges we took on in Devon some years ago.

"This is a hugely responsible job at a very exciting time.

"My role will include further winning the hearts and minds of the public who depend on the air ambulance service over a very wide area, but many of whom fail to appreciate that it is funded entirely by public support."

Welcoming Ms Paver, trust chairman Colin Lee said: "The Devon Air Ambulance Trust is regarded as a model operation in the sector both in terms of fundraising and operationally, particularly in its ability to innovate and continually move forward."

The trust is fundraising to buy a new EC135 Eurocopter.