partnerships with the great north air ambulance service

PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE GREAT NORTH AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE
REGISTERED CHARITY No. 1092204
REGISTERED COMPANY No. 4436859
WELCOME
Thank you for your interest in the Great
North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).
This guide has been put together to help
businesses and community groups support
our charity. We hope you find it useful.
To get straight to the point, in getting behind
your local air ambulance, you are contributing
towards saving lives and improving patient
outcomes. We are called upon more than
1,000 times every year, and each time we are
activated it costs on average £2,500. The costs
of operating three highly-sophisticated air
ambulance helicopters, equipping them with
life-saving drugs, and staffing them with expert
paramedics and doctors is around £4m every year.
Raising this is a constant battle for the staff and
volunteers at the charity. With your support, this
task will be made a lot easier. But it is not all about
what you can offer us. Supporting the charity will
bring benefits to your business or group as well. It
brings people closer together, it attracts positive
publicity and it promotes a positive culture within
your organisation. Later on in this publication,
you will hear about ways in which businesses
have benefited from supporting the charity.
Supporting doesn’t necessarily mean direct
donations however, because there are a whole
range of other ways which people can support
GNAAS, from volunteering to organising
fundraising events. This guide will outline some
of the ways you can help – but please do not
feel bound by it as some of the most successful
fundraising ideas are those which are totally unique.
Our staff will do everything they can to help you
get the most out of our partnership. Please do not
hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries
at all. We would be delighted to hear from you.
Yours sincerely,
Grahame Pickering
MBE
BENEFITS OF SUPPORTING GNAAS
Supporting a local cause
GNAAS operates in your area, saving local lives. What better way
to integrate yourself into your local community than by showing
your support?
Corporate social responsibility
Many organisations have corporate social responsibility
requirements which bind them to carry out positive work in their
wider community. Fulfil yours by helping GNAAS to continue its
life-saving work.
Team building
Helping our charity can bring members of your business or group
closer together.Volunteering is a great leveller; help break down
barriers and build lasting relationships that will benefit your
organisation for years to come.
Public relations
Align your organisation with GNAAS and benefit from positive
public relations. Our team are happy to advise on the best ways of
making sure everyone knows about the good work you are doing.
CORPORATE OPEN DAYS
One of the best ways to see if your business can
work closely with us is to get involved in one of
our corporate open days. The open days allow
you to witness behind the scenes operations
and to meet the people who are at the heart of
the charity. This opportunity enables you to gain
an insight into what it means to be a supporter
of the service, whilst networking with other
businesses with similar pledges of support.
On the day, call outs permitting, the aircraft will
make an entry, flying into the corporate day
base, creating some great photo opportunities
for those attendees who wish to capture the
special moment. A tour of the helicopter by
its crew will give you the chance to see the
aircraft up close, and there will be the rare
opportunity to ask any questions you may have
with working crew members. Our mascot
Miles the Bear will also make an appearance for
those who fancy a handshake or photograph.
The events are free to attend, usually run from
10am until approximately 2pm and are held at
partnering venues throughout our entire area.
The open days come at no cost to the charity.
To book your place at the next one or for a
chat about how you would like to get involved
with GNAAS, please call 01325-487263.
VOLUNTEERING
All of our volunteers
report that their
experience has
allowed for personal
growth and a sense of
accomplishment that
they are doing
something worthwhile.
Mandy Drake, Head of Fundraising
Does your organisation encourage staff
to volunteer in the local community?
Volunteers are the life-blood of the Great North
Air Ambulance Service and are relied upon to
carry out a wide range of tasks. A couple of
hours a week can make a huge difference to our
fundraising efforts and there are plenty of roles
that can add to your employees’ skill base.
The charity wants volunteers to benefit from the
partnership, so tasks can be tailored to individual
needs, reflecting what the volunteer would like
to achieve. If employees wish to focus on helping
GNAAS give presentations to community groups,
then this is an opportunity for volunteers to
build their confidence, talk to a broad range of
people and improve their communication skills.
Volunteers who help at events throughout the
year, from fundraising balls to beer festivals, get
the chance to meet a variety of people and to
engage with individuals from all walks of life, which
provides a brilliant opportunity to reach out to
the community, find friends and learn new skills.
Other jobs include:
•Manning show stalls
•Cheque presentations and meeting supporters
•Helping with administrative work
•Store collections
TRADING COMPANY
There are a number of other ways to
help the charity without making direct
financial contributions. The Great North
Air Ambulance Service Trading Company
specialises in recycling and donates 100
per cent of its profits to the charity.
By recycling your goods with the GNAAS
Trading Company, you are not only
helping the environment, but you are
making a very real contribution to the
work of the air ambulance service.
Services we offer:
•Recycling clothing – Good quality
used clothing including shoes, boots, belts
and household textiles. They are a valuable
commodity and we can provide you with
our bags if you hold the collection – we
will even come and pick up the clothing.
•Confidential document shredding –
Some of the region’s biggest firms trust us
to shred their confidential documents. We
can provide you with our shredding bags
and numbered security seals. We operate
a level three cross cut shredder at our site
in Newton Aycliffe and we also provide a
certificate of destruction. This is a professional
service offered at competitive prices.
•Mobile phone recycling – We accept
all types of mobile phones for recycling. If
you are upgrading your stock, please get
in touch and help the air ambulance.
•Ink/Toner cartridge recycling –
We will come and collect your used ink/
toner cartridges, giving them a new life
and raising money for the charity.
•Furniture – We take all types of good quality
used furniture for re-sale. However, we can
only collect local to our Newton Aycliffe depot.
If you would like any information about any
of these services, please call 01325-308139.
FIRST AID TRAINING
Why not utilise our medical expertise by taking
part in one of our first aid courses? Since the
first one in 2006, more than 6,000 people have
been trained in different aspects of first aid by
our team. Not only are you and your staff getting
first-class tuition, but all of the profits from the
competitively priced courses are donated to the
charity to help maintain the helicopter fleet.
We offer the following courses:
•Three-day First Aid at Work – an in
depth course for those working on premises
considered higher level of risk, perhaps
where machinery or chemicals are used.
•One-day First Aid at Work – Covering
all the essentials in one day, this course
suits those working in premises deemed
of lower risk, such as shops or offices.
•Annual Update – a three hour course
designed to ‘top-up’ your skills to keep you
abreast of the latest developments in first aid.
•Statutory Two-day Paediatric
First Aid – suitable for those working
in schools, or child minders, or early
years/foundation stage providers.
•Bespoke courses are also available
and have been delivered to rugby clubs,
equestrian centres, advanced motorcyclists,
schools of dance and pony clubs.
•Basic Life Support and Automated
External Defibrillation.
Previous customers include fire & rescue
services, steel manufacturers, hotels,
chemical industries, sports clubs, schools,
foster carers, youth service providers, estate
agents, banks and airport authorities.
Further details of courses or availability
of dates can be obtained by emailing
peter@greatnorthairambulance.co.uk
or by contacting 07887801305.
*Our courses have gained approval from the Health and Safety
Executive, in accordance with the Health and Safety (First
Aid) Regulations 1981. We are also members of the Federation
of First Aid Training Organisations (FOFATO) and registered
with the newly formed First Aid Industry Body (FAIB).
WHERE WE WORK
BERWICK-UPON-TWEED
HELIPADS AT HOSPITALS
OTTERBURN
NEW
GNAAS BASES
CARLISLE
A66
LANGWATHBY
WHITEHAVEN
Remote mountain tops may be
popular with hill walkers, but they
are often impossible to reach by
road ambulance. Sadly, heart attacks
and serious falls are commonplace
on the fells in our region. Our
aircraft can land in some of the
most testing conditions, bringing
expert doctors and paramedics to
the scene.
LAKE DISTRICT
BAINBRIDGE
BARROW-IN-FURNESS
HA
For rural residents, getting to hospital can be a
long and uncomfortable experience. Our aircraft are
never more than a fifteen minute flight away from
their nearest hospital. Travelling in a helicopter is
quick and smooth and the patient can be treated
en route by our specialist paramedic and doctor
teams.
D
Horse riding accidents
are a frequent occurrence and can
often result in serious head and
spinal injuries. To make matters
more complicated, these incidents
often happen in the countryside,
miles from hospital and often
inaccessible by road. In the vast
majority of cases, an air ambulance
can land nearby, minimising
discomfort for the patient and
accelerating the speed with which
they receive treatment.
Patients often need
transferring from hospital to
hospital for specialist treatments.
Our aircraft frequently transport
seriously ill patients across the
Pennines for life-saving care.
WCASTLE
Road accidents are the biggest
single type of incident we attend.
They are also often the most
serious, with high-speed impact a
leading cause of major trauma.
Major roads and motorways make
good landing sites, so our aircraft
and crew can get rapid access to
those in need.
MIDDLESBROUGH
DARLINGTON
ARROGATE
DURHAM TEES VALLEY AIRPORT
SCARBOROUGH
NORTHALLERTON
AIRCRAFT TYPE
Eurocopter Dauphin AS365N2
TOP SPEED
306 km/h
ROTOR SPAN
YORK
12m
LENGTH
14m
RANGE
3hrs 30mins max
(usual operation range 1hr 10mins)
OUR SUPPORTERS SAY...
Katie Burney, charity officer at Wilko said:
“At Wilko we know how important it is to
support and be a part of the communities we
serve, and we demonstrate this by backing local
registered charities which share our family values.
In the past, Wilko had nominated a national
charity of the year each year, however last year
we pledged to support regional charities within
the communities where our stores are based.
Following this decision, two Wilko regions chose
to support the Great North Air Ambulance
Service because of the truly worthwhile
work it carries out in the local community.
A year of fundraising saw Wilko team members
host and take part in a wide range of events,
including themed fancy dress fundraisers, hosting
football tournaments and charity quizzes.
Not only does the charity support help to
boost team spirit and really encourage stores
to work together as a team, but more than
£180,000 in funds was raised following the
activity. This has gone towards the ongoing
costs of operating a fleet of helicopters based
across the North East, Cumbria and North
Yorkshire and ultimately, has helped save lives.
Buoyed by the fantastic figure raised,
our team members were extremely
keen to extend their support by hosting
another year of fundraising activity.
We had a wonderful first year supporting the
Great North Air Ambulance Service and we hope
the grand total raised by our stores will make a
real difference. The Great North Air Ambulance
Service team has been fantastic to work with
and the charity has proved to be very popular
with our customers. This year’s fundraising is well
underway and there are plenty of ideas in the
pipeline to see us through the rest of the year.”
It’s not just big businesses getting behind GNAAS
though. Staff and customers at The Willow Tree
Inn, a village pub in Leeming, North Yorkshire,
have been supporting the charity since the tragic
death of Sam Clayton in 2011. Sam died following
a road traffic collision at the age of 17. Pub
managers,Vicky and Jonathon Clayton, Sam’s father,
immediately threw their support behind GNAAS.
Mrs Clayton, 42, said: “The Great North Air
Ambulance played a vital role in us being able
to have an extra week with my stepson Sam.
Ever since, we have supported the charity
through a variety of different ways to do our
bit in helping keep the aircraft flying.”
The pub holds a wide range of fundraising
events throughout the year. A team is entered
in the Shunner Shuffle, a 30 mile climbing and
walking fundraiser in the Yorkshire Dales,
there is also a three peaks challenge, quoits
competitions, domino contest and raffles. They
also keep collection tins behind the bar, sell
merchandise and use the pub as a drop-off
point for the community to give recycling.
Mrs Clayton said: “We love holding the events,
there is a real sense of community spirit and
everyone joins in the fun. It builds team work
with our employees and there is a real jolly
atmosphere when raising money for such a
great cause. We have lots of things planned
for the future and we can’t wait to see them
come to fruition. This is only the beginning.”
OTHER WAYS TO HELP
Payroll giving
This easy, tax-effective method costs you less
to give more. Employees can make regular and
one-off payments directly from their pay, taxfree. This means there is little effort needed
to give to charity whilst still reaping the good
feeling that you are making a difference.
Regular giving
Regular giving is another way that employees
can give on a monthly basis to the charity
and it is available for those who want
to set up their own direct debit.
The system is quick and easy to set up, and
each month, a regular amount is automatically
deducted from your credit card or bank account.
You choose how much to give, and you can
increase or decrease the amount at any time.
Lottery
The GNAAS monthly lottery offers you the
chance to donate to the charity with the added
bonus of potentially winning something back.
For as little as 50p a week, you can support the
service by joining its weekly lottery draw.
As well as benefitting the charity, buying a ticket
gives you the chance to scoop one of 58 cash
prizes dealt out every week. Prizes range from
£10 to £200 and are distributed after the draw
which takes place every week on a Wednesday.
SMALL CHANGE, BIG DIFFERENCE
Do you have a public area where
you can display a collection tin?
GNAAS can provide collection tins for your
business that make a big difference to the charity.
Collection tins raise around £10,000 from small
change every month, so their use is hugely
important in contributing towards for the
£4m needed to run the service each year.
The fundraising activity asks for little effort
from your business, so it is a hassle free way
to show your support. All you have to do is
display the tin, making it a simple, rewarding
way to raise money for the charity. A member
of the GNAAS team will empty your tins
periodically or when requested to do so.
For more information on tins
please call 01325-304245.
Do you have either a chip and pin or
online payment system in your business?
You can also support us by setting up this service
that allows your customers to decide whether
they would like to make a donation to the charity.
This method is a cost-effective and straightforward
way for you to offer your customers the choice to
join in, and make even more of a difference to the
charity you and your employees already support.
The system is technology driven and works quietly
in the background with no need for staff to ask
customers to donate, making it a straightforward
way for your company to make a difference.
To help raise money and awareness by
placing a collection tin in your business
or for more information on either of
these, please call 01325-487263.
EVENTS
Sponsored Challenges
GNAAS offers you, your staff or your colleagues
the chance to take on a range of challenges
like skydives, treks and overseas adventures.
We can provide the support of a public
liaison officer who will offer advice on
promoting fundraising, as well as providing
sponsorship forms, t-shirts and other useful
equipment that can help your workforce
make the most of their charity endeavour.
Case Study
A team of cyclists from Rockliffe Hall Golf
and Spa Resort near Darlington braved the
challenging terrains across the North East
and Cumbria to take on the Coast to Coast
bike ride to raise money for the charity. The
staff tackled the infamous 147 mile route in
September and raised over £2000 for GNAAS.
Once again we’re in training for
this great cycling challenge
- boosted by even more members
of the team joining in. It is gruelling
but it’s nothing compared to what
the amazing team at the GNAAS
do, saving lives week in week out.
We’ve chosen a new route this
year- just as challenging, if not
more so- and we’re readying
ourselves for a mix of terrain
and whatever the Northern
weather might throw at us.
Nick Holmes - Managing Director at Rockliffe Hall
Our events
The charity holds events throughout the
year which are perfect for networking,
team building or as staff rewards.
Looking for a team-building exercise?
Then look no further because our It’s A
Knockout contests are perfect for integrating
new staff into the team or reinforcing old
bonds. Above all, they are a lot of fun.
What better way to thank your staff than treating
them to a night of glamour at our fundraising ball?
The ball provides a luxurious setting in which to
network or just to relax and have a good time.
These popular events regularly attract high profile
figures such as ITV Tyne Tees news anchor Pam
Royle, a GNAAS patron, who is also a regular host.
Our events usually feature a charity
auction, and we are always on the
lookout for donations of prizes.
Workplace Organised Events
Holding a workplace organised event is a
great way to energise your workforce and
show your on-going support for the charity.
Workplace events can be simple, such as dress
down days, cake sales and tombolas. These are
all ways to make an ordinary day at work a
bit more fun. However inventive you are and
whatever activity you chose, the aim of the event
can be to raise money for a worthwhile cause
in the process - a sure motivator for any team.
The charity’s dedicated public liaison team is
happy to help promote the event by listing
it on the GNAAS website, and will provide
equipment such as banners, collection buckets
and merchandise, to help bring the event to
life. Our mascot, Miles the Bear, may be able to
attend as well, though early booking is essential!
Sponsorship opportunities
As a charity, we are always working to keep
our costs down where we can. One way
we manage this is by offering sponsorship
opportunities to our supporters. Benefit from
the exposure of having your logo on our
mascot, at our events and on our publications.
Please get in touch for more information.
Office telephone:
01325 487263
Office address:
The Imperial Centre,
Grange Road,
Darlington,
DL1 5NQ
Follow us:
@GNairambulance
WWW.GREATNORTHAIRAMBULANCE.CO.UK
/GNairambulance
WWW.GREATNORTHAIRAMBULANCE.CO.UK