BEELINE - Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance

Transcription

BEELINE
Official Ne w sle t t er f or the DORSET & SOMERSET AIR AMBULANCE
Win t er 2 010/11
WE HELP SAVE LIVES
MAYBE YOURS
w w w.dsairambulance.or g.uk
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Come rain, wind, or shine - or snow!
DEAR SUPPORTERS,
Welcome to the first edition of
Beeline for 2011. Since the last edition, we have suffered some of the
worst weather for many years but we
have had very few occasions when we
have had to declare conditions completely unflyable.
We also had only five aborted missions where the weather deteriorated
after takeoff.
Our crews deserve our gratitude not
only for their professionalism and
dedication while on duty, but also for
the efforts they expended in simply
getting to work; one member had no
option but to walk for 90 minutes
through the snow, in the dark, to get to
and from the airbase!
I shouldn't speak too soon, but spring
will be here before we know it, and I,
for one, can't wait.
WOULD YOU LIKE
TO HELP YOUR
AIR AMBULANCE
We are always on the look out for
new volunteers to help us, and
there are a thousand and one
things you could do.
It doesn’t matter how much or
how little time you can spare.
If you would like to help out in any
way, then please call us on 01823
669604 or email us at
info@dsairambulance.org.uk
This year, we are adding a major new
event to our calendar.
As well as the Trickey Warren Trek,
which has become a regular feature, we
are organising a Somerset coast to
Dorset coast cycle ride.
C2C rides, as they are known, are
increasing popular challenges and I
hope that ours will become an annual
feature.
We are still at the planning stage, so
look out for details.
In the meantime, enjoy reading about
those we have been able to help and of
all the great work done on our behalf.
I'm looking forward to discovering
just how many more imaginative
ways you can all come up with to raise
funds on our behalf.
Happy New Year.
Bill Sivewright, Chief Executive Officer
COVER PHOTO: The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance lands in the snow
on the Mendip Hills to attend an emergency incident during last winter’s
heavy snowfalls.
IF YOU DON'T TELL US YOUR NEWS,
WE CAN’T TELL YOU OURS!
If you would like to make a comment
about our Beeline magazine
or if you have a story to tell us,
please contact: Tracy Bartram
on 01823 669604
or email her at
tracy.bartram@dsairambulance.org.uk
How you can get in touch with us
Postal Address
Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance,
Landacre House,
Castle Road,
Chelston Business Park,
Wellington,
Somerset,
TA21 9JQ.
Email
Tel
+44 (0) 1823 669604
The The Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance does not accept any liability for
the information contained in this newsletter, which has been produced by
M2S Media, of Wellington, Tel - 01823 663146.
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Website
www.dsairambulance.org.uk
Charity number: 1078685
Registered company number: 3893356
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JAMES O’Connor presents his cheque to the Air Ambulance.
‘I owe my life to
Air Ambulance’
IT is a shocking scene that leaves
you holding your breath.
James O'Connor was trapped
for two hours on a building site
when rubble from a crumbling
cottage collapsed on him and
pushed him into the teeth of his
stationery digger.
James credits the Dorset and
Somerset Air Ambulance that he
escaped at all, and he has since
been helping to raise funds to
say 'thank you'.
The Air Ambulance had to land
twice on the Colehill First School
playing field, in Wimborne, to
bring specialist doctors and
anaesthetists to James' aid in
April, 2009.
The 38-year-old was then driven to Poole Hospital from the
quiet cul-de-sac where he lay,
and is now coming to terms
with having a prosthetic leg and
hopes to return to work one
day.
"I owe my life to the Dorset
and Somerset Air Ambulance,"
James said. "I would have
almost certainly died if it hadn't
been for them. I'm lucky to be
alive, and I just want to try and
thank them any way I can."
It has been a long process, but
James is slowly getting there.
It took a year for the wound to
heal and he is now learning to
walk again.
James wanted to show his
thanks and with the help of his
local pub managers Barry and
Sandra Clements he helped
raise £1,776.52 for our Charity.
The Holly Tree public house in
Moordown,
Bournemouth,
holds a charity event every year
and James asked them to support the DSAA.
They organised the event during the summer, which included
a hog roast, barbecue, bouncy
castles, an assault course, and a
raffle.
The day was a success and it
was extremely well supported.
DSAA fund-raising co-ordinator
Annette
Plaistow-Trapaud
recently visited the pub and
accepted the £1,776.52 cheque
on behalf of the Charity.
James also wanted to thank
the
Mobile
Emergency
Response Incident Team and
the nurse from Winton Health
Centre who visited him daily to
change his bandages.
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RECYCLE YOUR INKJET CARTRIDGES
AND RAISE POUNDS!
IN Europe alone, several hundred million new inkjet and
toner cartridges are sold each
year, of which only about 30
per cent are recycled, the
remaining 70 per cent going to
landfill.
With inkjet and toner cartridge
sales increasing sharply every
year, this burden on our environment is increasing rapidly.
Keytec Industries, an Axminster, Devon, based
company, have set up collection points around
the South West of England, Wales, and
Scotland to help raise funds for various charities.
The collection points in Dorset and Somerset
are being used to raise funds for the Dorset
and Somerset Air Ambulance.
How can you help?
If you are a large user of Inkjet, Fax and/or
Toner cartridges, Keytec can send you boxes
which will be supplied and collected FREE OF
CHARGE (minimum quantity of 10 cartridges
please).
Alternatively, you can save up a quantity of
cartridges and periodically drop them off at
your local collection point.
For a list of collection points, visit
www.help4freeonline.co.uk.
We are urgently looking for more collection
points across Dorset and Somerset. If you can
help, please call our office on 01823 669604
today!
DON'T FORGET WE CAN
USE YOUR OLD PHONES!
Don't throw it in the bin, or leave it in the bottom drawer for months on end. Why not
donate your old phone to us!
Our recycling partners work with one of the
leading mobile phone recyclers to ensure that
your old phone, iphone or ipod raises money
for our Charity.
There are a number of ways you can recycle
your mobile phone:
Put them in the post
You can request a freepost envelope or download a freepost address label by visiting:
www.bagitup.org.uk
Arrange a collection
If you are planning to collect more than 20
mobile phones you can request a mobile phone
recycling box and organise a collection.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TEXTILE OR
MOBILE PHONE RECYCLING, VISIT
WWW.DSAIRAMBULANCE.ORG.UK
OR
WWW.BAGITUP.ORG.UK
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Forthcoming
events
BELOW is a selection of events taking
place over the coming months.
Some of these are fund-raising events
specifically for the Dorset and Somerset
Air Ambulance, while others are large
organised events where we are likely to
attend and where you may meet our
fund-raising team.
Fri 4 - Sat 5 Feb
Dorchester Beerex, jointly organised by
Dorchester Round Table and West Dorset
CAMRA at The Corn Exchange, Dorchester.
Ticket only.
Sat 19 - Sun 20 Feb
31st Bristol Classic Motorcycle Show,
Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton
Mallet
Sun 20 March
Taunton Emergency Services Day,
Vivary Park, Taunton (helicopter fly-in
subject to commitments)
Fri 8 April
Charity dance, Weymouth Pavilion
Theatre Ocean Room, tickets 01305
783225 or boxoffice@weymouth.gov.uk
Sun 10 April
Spring Market, Okeford Fitzpaine
Village Hall
Sat 7 May
Swanage Tourist Information Centre,
Sponsored Walk
Tues 10 May
Rotary Charity Golf Day, Lyme Regis
Golf Club. In aid of Devon and also Dorset
and Somerset Air Ambulances
Sat 28 -Sun 29 May
Priddy Open Gardens, Priddy,
Somerset
Mon 30 May
Sherborne Castle Country Fair,
Sherborne Castle
Mon 30 May
Jurassic Motorcycle Grasstrack Event.
First race 1 pm. Pymore, near Bridport.
Phone: 01305 268367
Insurance
firm is
mutual
friend
THIS year, the Dorset and Somerset Air
Ambulance is delighted to be receiving
the support of South West rural insurance firm Cornish Mutual.
The company is launching a new initiative at the end of February called 'Come
Together, Eat Together' with the aim of
encouraging people to enjoy a meal with
their family at least once a week.
RELATIONSHIPS
The campaign will look at the fascinating relationships between the home,
family, food, and eating.
Cornish Mutual would like supporters
of the Dorset and Somerset Air
Ambulance to become involved in the
initiative by visiting www.cometogethereattogether.co.uk and uploading their
favourite family recipe - it can be anything from a hot or cold meal to breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a simple snack.
COOKBOOK
Once all the recipes are received, the
best ones will be chosen for a charity
cookbook to raise money for the Dorset
The book, which will be published in
the summer, will focus on favourite traditional, homemade family recipes that
might well have been handed down over
generations.
So why not go online now and get
involved - you can help Cornish Mutual
to help us raise funds to keep the Dorset
and Somerset Air Ambulance flying!
Hydrographic Office prizes
The Charity fund-raising committee of the Hydrographic
Office, Taunton, held a grand
draw in aid of the Dorset and
Somerset Air Ambulance.
Raffle tickets were sold internally over a two-week period
and there were some exceptional prizes on offer for the
winners. These included:
z The use of a house in
Florida for one week (donated by Tracy
Addicott), including airport transport.
z A holiday home in Exmouth for one
week (donated by Christine Garland).
Paul James, Director of IT, stated while
buying his ticket that he would not
accept any prize if he won.
So, true to his word, as his name was
called out for first prize, he declined to
accept and picked another ticket.
The eventual winner was Alison
Richards, who was absolutely delighted!
Second prize was won by Julie Claypole.
The Hydrographic Office supported the
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance
throughout 2010 and held numerous
fund-raising events during the year.
The grand raffle raised £1,040 which
goes towards the organisation's £10,000
fund-raising target for the year.
z Our photograph shows (left to right)
DSAA fund-raising and events development manager Joanna Sandow, Tracey
Addicott, Paul James, Alison Richards,
and Christine Garland.
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Memory of David keeps family
fund-raising
OUR thanks go to Roy Hallet and his family
and friends for their continued support.
In December, 2008, just two days after
Christmas, Roy's son, 16-year-old David, was
involved in a fatal accident in Portland.
Ever since that sad day, Roy, who works for
Dorchester Timber, has supported our
Charity and has literally raised thousands
of pounds along the way.
Dorchester Timber have placed a Dorset
and Somerset Air Ambulance textile
recycling bank on their premises on the
Marabout Industrial Estate, in
Dorchester, where the public donate their
unwanted clothes, shoes, and textiles.
They have also held numerous fund-raising events and Roy
has personally appeared on the Charity's DVD, encouraging
others to show their support.
During December, 2010, more than 1,300 walkers, some in
fancy dress, marched along Weymouth's new relief road in
support of local charities.
Roy, his partner Penny, and his 14-year-old son Darryl (pictured, below right), walked in aid of the Dorset and Somerset
Air Ambulance and raised £585 in sponsorship on the day.
When we last spoke to Roy, it was Christmas Eve.
He had just rung Dorset County Hospital, in Dorchester, to
find out the number of children on the ward over Christmas.
He was then packing 24 selection boxes and heading to the
hospital to distribute them with Darryl.
This is something that has become an annual event and one
that gives them great pleasure and satisfaction.
Best wishes from us all for 2011.
The photograph (top) of sponsored walkers on Weymouth
Relief Road was kindly provided by the Dorset Echo.
Memorial football
tournament
AN annual football tournament organised by Kayleigh Davidge
in memory of her father Martin, who died in November, 2000,
raised a total of £1,300 for charity.
The 2010 tournament was the largest event yet, and £700 of
the proceeds was donated to the Dorset and Somerset Air
Ambulance.
The six-a-side summer tournament was played at
Shaftesbury Football Club and the day included a lunchtime
barbecue and a raffle, followed by a disco and presentations
in the evening.
The 10th anniversary of the tournament will be marked in
2011 and plans are already being put in place to make it a
huge success.
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DSAA fund-raising co-ordinator Annette Plaistow-Trapaud
said: "Our thanks go to everybody who helped organise the
event and all those who took part."
z Annette is pictured (right) with Kayleigh Davidge (second,
left) and some of the tournament helpers.
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LOTTERY GETS CHRISTMAS BOOST!
THE Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Flight for Life lottery was launched on 19th December 2000 by Jeremy Beadle and
since its launch it has gone from strength to strength. Our lottery is one of the most sustainable ways of supporting the
Charity. It not only gives you the opportunity to help us, but you also get the chance of winning our Jackpot prize of £1,000.
We hold the draw every Friday. There are five main cash prizes of £1,000, £250, £150, £125, and
£100 with a number of other consolation prizes. There are no rollovers so the prizes must be won
each week. In addition to this, the Charity holds a Grand Draw in the summer and one at Christmas.
We are thrilled to be able to announce that an amazing 77,084 people entered the 2010 Grand
Christmas Draw. That's 18,742 more entries than the previous year. WOW! We are astounded by this figure and want to
thank everybody who entered, or encouraged others to buy a ticket.
So how do we promote our weekly draw?
We have tried numerous ways to promote the lottery including mail shots and via the telephone, but the tried and tested
method is by door-to-door canvassing.
We employ canvassers who are passionate about our service and experienced in dealing with the public face to face. They
continuously visit the towns across the two counties in all weathers trying to gain your support. They will carry photographic
identification so that you can be sure they are genuine.
What is the best means of payment?
The easiest and most cost effective way of joining the lottery is by Direct Debit because your money goes direct to the
Charity. We are a Direct Debit originator, sponsored by Nat West Bank, which means your bank details are safe with the
Charity.
Gareth Williams, the Charity's lottery manager said: "We are so lucky that local people have embraced the Dorset and
Somerset Air Ambulance and that our lottery subscriptions have grown this past year. The people of Dorset and Somerset
should feel proud that with their help, we are able to provide a magnificent life-saving service to them in return."
Further information on joining the lottery can be found on the back page of this magazine or by visiting our website:
WINNERS SAY THANK YOU!
"I joined the DSAA lottery because it is such a worthy cause. I was visited at my home in Glastonbury by one of your canvassers. When I heard that I had won the Jackpot, I was thrilled and excited as I had never ever won such a large amount."
P Brown
"Thank you so much for the £1,000 that I won last month on your lottery. I have shared my winnings with my family who are
going to buy new beds for their boys. I joined because I think that you deserve all the money you can get. You all do such a
fantastic job and everyone should say thank you very much." L Grigsby
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GOLF DAY SPONSORS NEEDED!
Rushmore Golf Club are still looking for hole sponsors for their annual Presidents
Charity Golf Day on 17th July 2011. This very special event is being held in aid of four
charities, three of whom are air ambulances, one being the Dorset and Somerset Air
Ambulance.
By sponsoring a hole, you will not only be showing your support, but it is the perfect
location to publicise your business. The event is being wholly funded by the clubs'
owner and president, William Gronow Davis.
A list of sponsorship opportunities is below. If you are interesting in helping, please call Annette Plaistow-Trapaud (DSAA
fund-raising co-ordinator) on: 01823 669604
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
OPTION 1
EXCLUSIVE HOLE SPONSORSHIP
£1,000
Package includes branding on the respective hole sponsored and in the event programme, together with 4 tickets to the gala
buffet lunch.
OPTION 2
SHARED HOLE SPONSORSHIP
Half Share
£ 500
Package includes branding on the respective hole sponsored and in the event programme, together with 2 tickets to the gala
buffet lunch.
Quarter Share
£ 250
Package includes branding on the respective hole sponsored and in the event programme, together with 1 ticket to the gala
buffet lunch.
Vintage vehicles start the New Year
CONGRATULATIONS go to the organisers of the Harts New Year's Day Vintage
and Classic Car Run who braved the
recent extreme weather and are hoping to have raised over £1,400 for the
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.
The event began in Sturminster
Newton and finished 35 miles away in
the town of Ansty.
At 9 am, the first cars started to
arrive. By 10.30 am, vehicles were
pouring in and a team of marshalls
were all in place.
At 11 am, the first car away was
Stuart and Shirley Asbury in their `931
Austin Harley which happened to be
celebrating its 80th birthday that day.
The 35-mile run through the North
The event organisers asked us
to give special thanks to all the
helpers on the day, including
four Dorset and Somerset Air
Ambulance volunteers, many
local pubs and businesses
who donated raffle prizes,
North Dorset District
Dorset countryside took the
136 vehicles
west of
Sturminster then through
the countryside to Cerne Abbas, the
Piddle Valley, and they finished at the
Fox at Ansty.
Council, the Exchange, the
Fox at Ansty, the Brewery
Farm Shop, but most of all
Phillip Hart, from Harts of
Stur, who generously sponsored the
event.
We wish to pay special thanks to Len
and Marie for spending the whole year
organising such a fantastic event!
Beeline offers sponsorship opportunities
SPONSORSHIP opportunities are available in Beeline for appropriate businesses in Dorset and
Somerset. The value-for-money opportunities would suit businesses who would like to show their
support for the Charity and at the same time reach the many thousands of supporters and other
people who read our quarterly magazine.
All you have to do is contact Tracy Bartram by calling 01823 669604 or emailing
tracy@dsambulance.org.uk Tracy will be happy to discuss how we may be able to work together to
help keep our helicopter flying and your business booming.
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Meet the Team
Helping you to get to know the people who are
there to help you!
Headquarters administration and finance
HAVE you ever wondered what the person who
answers your calls or opens your letters and donations looks like?
The administration and finance team who work at
the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance headquarters are the backbone of our Charity and they have
specific roles and responsibilities to ensure it runs
smoothly and efficiently.
We are delighted to be able to
introduce them
to you, and hope that next time you call or write, you can put a face to
the name.
Pictured left is Charlotte Routley - Charity Manager, while in the top photograph are (left to right) Julie Plowden - assistant to the Charity
Manager; Janet Gibbs - part-time administration assistant (events); Sam
Smith - part-time administration assistant (collection boxes); Chris
Browning - full-time administration assistant (general).
Sophie’s 11th birthday present for
Air Ambulance
A BIG-HEARTED Wedmore schoolgirl
gave up her birthday presents to raise
money for various charities.
Sophie Spurrell decided to hold a party
with a difference for her 11th birthday
and set herself a £200 fund-raising target.
The Hugh Sexey Middle School pupil
was delighted though, when dozens of
donations at her party, which took place
in East Huntspill Village Hall, saw her
collect £514 for various good causes.
LUCKY
Sophie said: "My goal was to raise
£200 and split it between two charities.
"I thought if I was lucky enough, I
might have been able to reach £300 and
add another Charity.
"I'd like to thank all my friends and
their mums and dads who came to my
party and gave me donations.
"Thanks to my granny and grandad for
their help, thank
you to all my
friends
for
their
lovely
presents, and
thanks
to
mum
and
dad
for
arranging
and paying
for everything so I could raise
funds for Charity.
"I had an amazing time and hope
everybody enjoyed the party as much as
I did."
Sophie has decided to split the money
between the Dorset and Somerset Air
Ambulance, CLIC Sargent, and Arthritis
Research UK.
Sophie was given a tour of the DSAA
airfield base at Henstridge when she vis-
ited to present a cheque, as well as
being given the chance to meet crew
members and have a close-up look at
the helicopter.
Our photograph shows Sophie
Spurrell presenting her cheque to DSAA
helicopter pilot Max Hoskins watched
by mum Tracy and dad Shaun.
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Brave Ben inspires
Air Ambulance
fund-raising
A MOTORCYCLE crash victim who had a leg amputated has
inspired a major donation to the Dorset and Somerset Air
Ambulance for helping to save his life.
BEN Whitney, aged 21, an electrical
design engineer at AgustaWestland in
Yeovil, was badly injured when he collided with a chevron sign after his back
wheel slipped on gravel near Chard.
At first, his family was told the accident
was 'not too serious'.
But when Ben arrived at Musgrove
Park Hospital, Taunton, doctors realised
the extent of his internal injuries, and
twice warned his family he might not
survive.
After an initial emergency operation to
stop internal bleeding, Ben was transferred 10 days later to Bristol's Frenchay
Hospital.
He underwent eight further operations, including one to amputate his
badly damaged leg, and was unconscious for several weeks.
Louise Whitney, Ben's mother, and his
sister, Laura, took time out from his hospital bedside to present a cheque for
nearly £2,000 to DSAA fund-raising coordinator Nick Pearce.
They were joined by employees from
Yeovil's Club Neo, where Ben had been
working part-time as a doorman to pay
for his motorbike.
They raised £1,250 with a collection
bucket in the foyer, while Ben's family
added £530, including £100 from Ben
himself.
Ben has been inundated with messages
of support from friends and colleagues
which have helped him stay positive,
and Louise and dad Nick have been travelling to hospital every day to visit him
Louise said: "I can't believe how well he
has taken the fact he has lost his leg.
"He has been really upbeat throughout, but he is still very weak.
"Ben was very fit before, and liked
P 10 )))
ABOVE: Ben Whitney's mother Louise and sister Laura join Club Neo’s Terry Clare,
Danni Perkins, and Carol Pitman to present a cheque to Dorset and Somerset Air
Ambulance fund-raising co-ordinator Nick Pearce. INSET - Ben Whitney. Photos by
Laura Jones, and kindly supplied by the Western Gazette newspaper.
keeping in shape in the gym every day,
but now he can't even hold a book up.
"He went out on his bike that day, and
I remember saying to him, 'be careful'.
"In the beginning it didn't seem too
bad, he was still conscious and talking,
but they sent out the Air Ambulance
because of the remote location.
"His condition went downhill in the
helicopter.
"If they hadn't used the helicopter, he
wouldn't have made it to hospital so
quickly, so it really did save his life.
"The police confirmed that he wasn't
speeding. It was just a horrible, unfortunate, accident.
"He's been given some little 1kg
weights to try to build up his arms as
he's going to need his upper body
strength for the months of physiotherapy that will be coming."
AgustaWestland, where Ben has
worked since leaving The Park School at
16, is keeping open his job for when he
can return to work.
Marathon effort
TRISHA Mills is running the Brighton
Marathon on Sunday, April 10, and needs
your help!
She has applied four times for the
London Marathon, but has never been
allocated a place, so this year she decided to apply for Brighton instead.
Trisha has been running for about six
years and has completed many halfmarathons. Brighton will be her first full
marathon.
If you would like to give her a boost, just
visit: www.justgiving.com/Trisha-Mills.
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Bungee jump adrenaline
boost for Air
Ambulance
A CHARITY bungee jump organised by
Cassie Williamson, landlady of the
White Horse Inn, in Litton Cheney,
proved a huge success when it attracted a large number of adrenaline
junkies.
Cassie and some of her staff were
among those who took the 175 ft
plunge in a bid to raise money for the
"We were going to have the jump
early in the year, but unfortunately had
to cancel," said Cassie. "However I am
delighted the day went so well.
"I think that everybody doing it was
very brave. We chose the Air
Ambulance because it's such a good
cause and because we're so close to
the sea, you never know when you're
going to need them."
Fearless Bridport and Lyme Regis
News reporter Adrianne Maslen was
among those
who agreed to
participate,
along with her
husband
Anthony.
Adrianne
said: "It was
nerve wracking on the ride
up, but I did
feel very calm
once I was up there.
"The view alone was worth it, and it
helped having Anthony there.
"The organisers made me feel at ease
and safety didn't even enter my mind."
Our thanks go to everyone involved.
Our photographs of Adrianne taking the plunge high above the White
Horse Inn (main photo) and preparing
to jump (inset) were kindly provided by
the
Bridport & Lyme Regis News.
Marks and Spencer
customers carry
on raising funds
CUSTOMERS of Taunton's Marks and
Spencer store have raised a further
£2,000 to help the Dorset and Somerset
Air Ambulance.
The money comes on top of more than
£5,300 raised by store staff and customers last year from a series of events
to commemorate the company's 125th
anniversary.
It was achieved with DSAA collection
tins displayed at each of the store's till
points, which also helped to raise awareness of the Charity with Marks and
Spencer customers.
Taunton Marks and Spencer is continuing to support the DSAA and is taking
part in the Charity's Bag a Bra campaign,
in which women donate unwanted bras,
with nearly 4,000 collected to date.
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance
fund-raising and events development
manager Joanna Sandow said: "We are
delighted with the support we are
receiving from Marks and Spencer and
their customers.
"Support like this is needed to help us
raise the £3,800 a day cost of keeping
our life-saving Air Ambulance flying,
because we do not receive any direct
Government or National Lottery funding."
z Our photograph shows Dorset and
Somerset Air Ambulance fund-raising
and events development manager
Joanna Sandow (centre) receiving the
£2,000 Marks and Spencer cheque from
Taunton store staff Janet Thorne (left)
and Maggie Watson.
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In memory of young Elliot
IN this edition of Beeline, we would like to pay tribute to Kirsty Turner.
In January, 2009, Kirsty's son Elliot, aged 13, was hit by a car while on his
way to school. The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance airlifted Elliot to the
Royal United Hospital, in Bath, but unfortunately he died later that day.
Kirsty has since raised money for our Charity and has been instrumental in
encouraging others to support our cause. Below are just two of the fundraising events which have helped generate funds for the Dorset and
Somerset Air Ambulance in Elliot's memory.
Gemini Tae Kwon-Do
24-hour sparathon
DURING 2010, Gemini Tae Kwon-Do organised
a 24-hour sparathon in aid of the Dorset and
Somerset Air Ambulance in Elliot's memory.
Elliot had been one of the club's junior black
belts and he trained at the school in Cheddar.
Organisers found themselves almost speechless by the amount of hard work and dedication displayed by all the people who attended
this mammoth fund-raising event.
ATMOSPHERE
Not only did everybody manage to keep free
sparring for 24 hours (480 x two-minute
rounds), but they all had a surprisingly good
time doing it.
The atmosphere was friendly and everybody
was united in their commitment to make the event a
huge success.
Well, what an outstanding
achievement, as the event
actually raised £10,100 and
Gemini Tae Kwon-Do have
now raised £19,640.62 for
the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.
AMAZING!
If you would like further information on
Gemini Tae Kwon-Do, then email Jane
Lambert on jslambert@geminitkd.co.uk or if
you wish to donate in memory of Elliot please
visit www.justgiving.com/elliotdavies
z Photos: Top - Gemini
Tae Kwon-Do youngsters.
Inset - Greg Venn at the
most northerly point on the
UK mainland. Bottom Greg Venn meets DSAA
pilot Max Hoskins (left) and
clinical support officer
Paul Owen.
trary to our agreement, moaned in
the rain (it rained on 13 days).
"He, Mr L. E. Bee, had his picture
taken on a regular basis to show
where we had been, and these were
put
on
a
blog
at
http://gregcycle.blogspot.com
"I enjoyed the adventure
immensely, despite the rain and
wind - at least I was never too
hot!
"Cornwall was hilly, I nearly
drowned in the rain near
Newbury, Suffolk had lovely
buildings, Lincolnshire is big
and very flat, the old A74 is 40
miles of boredom, and Scotland
remains consistently pretty.
"Would I do it again? Yes, of
course."
Greg takes on the cardinal points
ELLIOT'S uncle, Greg Venn, completed a Land's End to John O'Groats
cycle ride, taking in the four cardinal
points over a three-week period to
raise funds for the Dorset and
Greg was supported by his wife
Denise.
We asked him to tell us about his
fund-raising effort and share with us
some of the highlights along the way.
Greg says: "About 12 months ago I
had an idea for a holiday. As I enjoy
cycling, I decided to ride from Land's
End to John O'Groats.
"I had already completed this 26
years ago when I was 18, so I wanted
to take a slightly different route.
"It was after I heard that Dave
Gorman, the comedian, had just
completed cycling the four cardinal
points that I decided to take in the
four extremities of the British mainland - Lizard Point, Lowestoft Ness,
Ardnamurchan Point, and Dunnet
Head, and throw in Land's End and
John O'Groats as well."
"Although I had planned this to be
my holiday, I wanted to help raise
funds for the Dorset and Somerset
Air Ambulance in memory of Elliot.
"My journey was not alone. I had
the company of a small nylon Air
Ambulance bee who accompanied
me every step of the way.
"In fourteen-and-a-half days, I
cycled 1,353 miles, and climbed
60,000 ft.
"The bee sat on the handlebars,
encouraged me on hills, and, con-
Final preparations
for Mark’s Sahara
marathon test
IN the last edition of Beeline,
we featured aircrew paramedic Mark Williams (pictured, above), who is taking
part in the Marathon Des
Sables, during April.
The Marathon Des Sables
has been described as one of
the world's most extreme
endurance events.
It is the equivalent of fiveand-a-half regular marathons,
which take place over a sixday period in the middle of
the Sahara desert.
With only a few weeks to go,
we asked Mark how things
were going.
"Training is going really
well," said Mark. "I am running four-to-five times a week
now, over a variety of terrains.
"I run for a few miles, and
then walk for a mile. I am also
beginning to work out what
kit and food I need to take.
"It's been quite a difficult
task as I have to carry all my
own food, equipment, and
supplies throughout the 151
miles, in temperatures reaching 45 degrees.
"Food has been an interesting challenge. If you can
envisage putting the food you
need for a day into a bag and
then times that by six, you
can imagine how heavy it
might be.
"I have managed to source
some freeze-dried food to
which you add water, which
seems to be the best option.
"It's been really difficult getting sponsors to help me.
"I am still looking for help
with trail running shoes. I am
also trying to get some titanium cooking equipment and a
Thermarest sleeping mat.
"I am now really excited,
although a little nervous, but
I hope to be able to tell you
all about the adventure when
I return."
To show Mark your support
and to donate online visit
www.justgiving.com/MarkWilliamsDSAA
To help Mark with sponsorship, call Tracy Bartram on
01823 669604 or email
tracy.bartram@dsairambulance.org.uk
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... In The Community... In The Community... In T
Supermarket has
touch of the Blues
SAINSBURY'S store in
Frome, Somerset held a
Blues Night at Frome Ruby
Club in aid of the Dorset
and Somerset Air
Ambulance.
The evening was opened
by MP David Heath, the
Deputy Leader of the
House of Commons, who
expressed the importance
of the Air Ambulance and
the need for the public to
show their support.
Fourteen-year-old Beth
Hook sang a selection of
well-known songs as well
as one she composed herself.
Organisers of the event
express their thanks to
everybody involved, and
especially to Custom
Carpets and Chantry TV for
their generosity.
z Our photograph shows
(left to right) back row MC for the evening Iain
Buckland, Brian Buckland,
Jean Buckland, Val
Overington, and John
Overington. Front - Richard
Raw and Steve White
(Blues Brothers).
Blandford Rotary’s year of giving
DURING Derek Andrews' year as
President of the Rotary Club of
Blandford, his chosen charity was the
A Charity Dinner at the Crown Hotel
and regular donations throughout the
year raised £1,300.
Several members of the club visited
Henstridge airfield and presented a
cheque to DSAA fund-raising co-ordinator Annette Plaistow-Trapaud.
On a bitterly cold but sunny day, the
visitors enjoyed inspecting the helicopter and listened to Leonie German and
Mark Williams (DSAA aircrew paramedics) explain their important duties
and the workings of the helicopter.
The
Rotary
Club
of
Blandford
expressed their
delight in being
able to support
the invaluable
work carried
out by the crew
of
the
Air
Ambulance.
z Our photograph
shows
(left to right)
DSAA paramedic Leonie German,
Annette Plaistow-Trapaud, Rotary Club
of Blandford current president Jim
Atkins,
past-president
Derek
Andrews,and DSAA paramedic Mark
Williams.
Ladies bow out with donation
MEMBERS of Bridport Ladies Club were
delighted to hand over a £310 donation
to Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance
fund-raising co-ordinator Annette
Plaistow-Traupaud during their annual
meeting.
The club was a local social group of just
37 members who held various events to
raise money for local charities throughout the year.
P 14 )))
Unfortunately, since this presentation
took place, the club has folded.
Everybody at the Air Ambulance would
like to pass on our best wishes to all
those who helped support our cause.
z Our photograph shows Bridport Ladies
Club chairman Hilary Iles (left) presenting a cheque to Annette PlaistowTrapaud.
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The Witches of Meare
Vine Inn goes
conkers for Air
Ambulance
THE Railway Inn, Meare, near Glastonbury, held its annual
Halloween Party which, together with an annual 'Railway Rev Up',
helps to raise funds for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.
Our photograph shows (left to right) Kath Melluish, Jane Pearce,
and Lynda Hunt enjoying a spooky evening.
Victorian fayre proceeds
REPRESENTATIVES from 23 different charities gathered in the
Mission Hall at Sutton Poyntz,
near Weymouth, for a very special event (pictured, above).
Included were the Mission Hall,
the village biodiversity and history groups, Weymouth East Scouts,
Weymouth
Street
Pastors,
Coastwatch
Portland
Bill,
Dorchester Opportunity Group,
Dorset and Somerset Air
Ambulance, Julia's House, Help
for Heroes, and, internationally,
WaterAid and Richard Backwell's
Nepal Project.
Before a packed audience, fayre
committee chairman Guy Bridge
distributed £20,000 which raised
from the enormously successful
Sutton Poyntz Victorian Fayre.
Annette Plaistow-Trapaud accepted a cheque for £1,000 on behalf
of our Charity.
Mr Bridge thanked villagers and
everybody who worked hard to
make the Fayre so enjoyable and
a financial success, including visitors on the day who entered into
the spirit of the event.
A HUGE 'thank you' goes to Linda Sweatland, landlady of the Vine Inn, near Wimborne, for once again
selecting the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance
as her chosen Charity during 2010.
During the year of fund-raising, four locals - Terry,
Paul, Martin, and Alan - cycled a 600-mile round trip
to France.
In addition to this, other events were scheduled
throughout the year and included a Subbuteo table
top football world cup event, where players dressed
and brought food from the countries they represented.
The Vine Inn concluded the year by holding their
annual pumpkin and conker day with prizes for the
heaviest pumpkin and winning conker.
While some individual efforts were clearly outstanding, virtually everybody, regulars and visitors
alike, contributed by supporting each and every
activity.
Proceeds from the year's fund-raising were presented (pictured above) to DSAA fund-raising co-ordinator Annette Plaistow-Trapaud and totalled an amazing £4,100.
Helicopter decorations
for Christmas tree
THE 13th annual Bridport United Church Christmas
Tree Festival was held during December with a total
of 60 Christmas trees on display.
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance volunteer
Pam Eamer decorated her tree in Air Ambulance
colours with stickers, helicopters, and stars.
A collection box was displayed, which collected a
total of £260.27.
P 15 )))
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Lions roar to £4k
MEMBERS
of
Wimborne and
Ferndown Lions
have raised a further £4,000 to
help the Dorset
and Somerset Air
Ambulance.
The Lions supported the DSAA
in 2008 and 2009
with two donations of £5,000.
A large part of the
latest contribution came from
the proceeds of the Dorset
Charity Horse and Dog
Show, organised by Lions
Anne Heyes and Tara
Harris.
Other events held during
the year included a concert at Wimborne Minster
with the Dorset Police
Male Voice Choir and the
Bournemouth Handbell
Ringers, a Christmas pub
crawl, an Easter egg
sweep, an annual quiz
night, and a tombola at
Ferndown Carnival.
Ambulance communications manager Tracy
Bartram said: "We have a
very special relationship
with Wimborne and
Ferndown Lions and I was
honoured to attend their
charter dinner and receive
the donation.
"They have many inspirational members and we
feel privileged to be one of
their supported charities."
Our photograph shows
Wimborne and Ferndown
Lions president Anne
Lippitt (left) presenting
the £4,000 cheque to
Ambulance communications manager Tracy
Bartram.
Golf
club
raises
£3k
MANY thanks go to members of
Canford School Golf Club, who
nominated the Dorset and
Somerset Air Ambulance as their
Charity of the year.
The club presented DSAA volunteer Dr John Hoyle with a cheque
for £3,346.06.Canford Golf Club is
a proprietary club owned by
Canford School, in Dorset.
The course is set within the
school's 300 acres of mature parkland, with many ancient trees and
a brook providing the context for
some challenging holes of golf.
The course is well maintained by
the school's ground staff, many of
whom have gained a great deal of
expertise in green-keeping skills
over the past decade.
Our sincere thanks to everyone
involved.
Our photograph shows (leftright) men's captain Simon Butler,
Dr. John Hoyle, and ladies captain
Mrs Jean Harvey.
Lyme lungers take the plunge
THE Dorset and Somerset Air
Ambulance along with the
Rotary Club's Shelterbox charity will share in the proceeds of
the annual New Year's Day
'Lyme Lunge' - where 85 hardy
souls in fancy dress went for a
swim in the sea off Lyme Regis.
The event, organised by
Rotary Club of Lyme Regis,
raised a total of £1,400 with a
collection on the beach as well.
Club bridging funding gap
THE Frome Bridge
Club charity Swiss
teams competition
was
held
in
November.
The event raised a
total of £1,370 for
the Dorset and
Somerset
Air
Ambulance.
A sum of £620 was
raised during the event, with an additional donation of
£750 given by one of the players on the day.
Our photograph shows DSAA fund-raising co-ordinator
Nick Pearce (centre) being presented with the two cheques
by club chairman Mrs Diane Price and treasurer Mr Chris
Hogan.
P 16 )))
Supermarket raises £10k
STAFF at Sainsbury’s supermarket in Sherborne have handed
over a cheque for more than
£10,000 to the Dorset and
Somerset Air Ambulance .
The store, in Ludlow Road,
made the DSAA its Charity of
the year during 2010 and held
a variety of fund-raisinfg
events.
The fund eventually reached a
total of £10,025.
Annette
PlaistowTrapaud is pictured (centre)
receiving the cheque from
some of the supermarket’s
staff.
Train badge
raises £1,200
THE former London and South Western Railway
(LSWR) line between Salisbury and Exeter Central, via
Gillingham, Templecombe, Yeovil Junction, and
Honiton - known as The West of England Line - celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2010.
To mark the occasion, staff from Network Rail,
which now owns, operates, and maintains the line,
along with colleagues from South West Trains, which
runs daily services between Exeter and London
Waterloo, designed and commissioned a lapel badge.
Five Hundred badges were produced and sold to friends,
colleagues, and to the public.
Funds raised from the sales totalled £1,200 which was kindly presented at our Henstridge airbase to Dorset and
Somerset Air Ambulance chief executive Bill Sivewright.
Our photograph shows (left to right) DSAA pilot Max
Hoskins, Bill Sivewright, train signaller John Say, and DSAA
aircrew paramedics Jon
Penney and Mark
Williams; and (inset)
John Say (left) and
Matthew Hurst, mobile
operations manager,
Salisbury.
Orchardleigh golfers’ cheque
SINCERE thanks go to Brian Burgess,
the senior captain at Orchardleigh
Golf Course, near Frome.
Members of the golf club helped
raise £1,500 for the Dorset and
Somerset Air Ambulance during 2009,
and recently held a presentation to
hand over their cheque to fund-raising
co-ordinator Nick Pearce (pictured).
Lodge supports Air Ambulance
NICK Brown, the Master of Portland Lodge of Freemasons No. 1037, is pictured presenting a cheque for £770 to Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance fund-raising co-ordinator Annette Plaistow-Trapaud on a visit to the DSAA airbase in Henstridge.
The money was raised at a Ladies' Night held at the Hotel Rembrandt, in Weymouth.
Also pictured is DSAA aircrew paramedic Nigel Brown.
Cup of good
cheer for
charity
STAFF at Southern Electric's Salisbury
depot in Wilton proved that having a
welcome cuppa is good for charity as
well as for the taste buds.
During the past year, they decided to
pay 20p for each cup they took from
their coffee machine, and after paying
for their supplies they netted £138,
which they decided to give to the Dorset
Kimberley Lowe and Phil Tobin visited
the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance
airbase to hand over a cheque to DSAA
fund-raising co-ordinator Annette
Plaistow- Trapaud.
Phil Tobin said: "The Air Ambulance
does a great job helping people, so it
was a very popular choice among all the
staff at our Salisbury depot.
"When we arrived at Henstridge, the
helicopter was just taking off to go on a
mission, so it really brought it home to
us what an important role it plays in the
community."
P 17 )))
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Page 1
Lions ‘thank you’
for saving Tony
MEMBERS of Sherborne Lions presented a cheque for £500
to the crew of the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance after
a member of their group was airlifted by the Charity.
Tony Allen was flown to Dorchester Hospital from his home
in Bishop's Caundle last summer suffering from a ruptured
aorta.
Tony said: "They saved my life, without a doubt. I wouldn't
be here without them."
Lions president Brian Downton said: "They do a fantastic job
and are such a worthy charity. The Sherborne Lions' Ladies
raised £250 and we have matched it with £250 of our own."
DSAA fund-raising co-ordinator Annette Plaistow-Trapaud
said: "We need £1.4 million a year to keep the helicopter
staffed
and in the air.
"It is an expensive commodity, that is
why every single penny counts and we're so grateful to everybody who donates to us."
z Our photograph shows Annette Plaistow-Trapaud and aircrew paramedics Leonie German and Mark Williams receiving
the cheque from Brian Downton (left) and Tony Allen.
Hitting the high notes for Air Ambulance
A CONCERT of opera and light
music put on by Goode
Companye and guests in aid of
the Dorset and Somerset Air
Ambulance raised a staggering
£700.
Everybody enjoyed the occasion, some being pleasantly
surprised at how much they
enjoyed opera, possibly hearing it live for the first time.
The 'Autumn Serenade" featured a varied programme
including famous operatic arias and
duets, musical theatre, and much more,
and was led by musical director
Francesca Murray.
The event was held at The Farrington
Hall, Port Regis School, Motcombe,
Shaftesbury.
Members of Goode Companye later
visited our Henstridge airbase and met
DSAA fund-raising co-ordinator Annette
Plaistow-Trapaud (pictured, right), pilot
Max Hoskins, and aircrew paramedic
Mark Williams (left).
SMG boosts Charities Grand support from
bikers and trikers
GENOROUS members of
Somerset
Motorcycle
Group have given several
local charities a boost
after a year of
fund-raising
bike rides.
The
Dorset
and Somerset Air
Ambulance was one
of five good causes to
receive donations from
the group, the others
being rescue hovercraft
charity
BARB,
the
Freewheelers blood bikes,
Devon Air Ambulance, and
Cornwall Air Ambulance.
P 18 )))
Somerset
Motorcycle
Group's
Norman
Templeman said: "We
thank all those who
have attended our
ride outs over
the past year
and helped us
raise a grand total
of £1,225.67 for five
local organisations."
The group has recently
started a new supporters
group and anybody interested in joining can get in
touch
by
visiting:
www.somersetmotorcyclegroup.co.uk
OUR thanks go to members of
the Black Sheep Bike and Trike
Social Club for raising £1,000
for the Dorset and Somerset Air
Ambulance.
DSAA volunteer Charlotte
Raisbeck, who is treasurer of
the social club, visited our
Henstridge airbase, along with
members and friends to present
the cheque to Harry Lawes who
received it on behalf of our
Charity (pictured).
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Page 1
Extraordinary extravaganza
POOLE Bay Classics announced the result of their annual
Classic Car Extravaganza event in aid of the Dorset and
And what a show it turned out to be!
The club had their best-ever fund-raising event, not only in
the amount raised on the day, but they had exceptional
post-show feedback, too.
Club chairman Peter Stacey presented a cheque to DSAA
communications manager Tracy Bartram for a whopping
£4,639.21.
It took the running total raised for the Charity to in excess
of £28,000 - what an achievement!
Tracy Bartram said: "Thank you to everybody who worked
so hard to ensure the show was a success."
Our photograph shows (left to right) Wendy Luffman,
Gerald Luffman, Tracy Bartram, Peter Stacey, Daphney
Stacey, Graham Scott, and Audrey Scott holding the cheque.
Watch out for classic
car auctions
SOUTH West Vehicle Auctions
is a family-run auction house
which was established in 1971.
The business is based in the
centre of Poole, in Dorset, and
is renowned as being a true
'hands on' company which has
expertise in assisting and advising customers on selling and
buying vehicles.
Chris Holmes, SWVA managing director, has been a supporter of the Dorset and
Somerset Air Ambulance for
many years, and together with
his team, has run numerous
events to generate funds, for
which we thank them all very
much for their efforts.
During 2011, SWVA is holding
a new auction which is
focussed on classic cars.
As there are many classic car
clubs which support the Dorset
and Somerset Air Ambulance,
we felt it would be a good idea
to inform you of those dates.
So, if you want to sell your
existing classic, or start 2011
by purchasing a new one, why
not visit Chris and his team on
one of the following dates:
Friday 28th January - 11am
Thursday 28th April - 11am (moved to Thursday due to
the Royal Wedding)
Friday 29th July - 11am
Friday 28th October - 11am
For more information and entry details visit:
www.swva.co.uk or call 01202 745466
PS - Don't forget to mention that you heard about it from us …
A spooky way
to fund-raise
THE student council of Yarrells
Preparatory School, in Upton, Poole,
held a Halloween tuck sale and
sweet and spooky creepy cake competition and raised £276 for the
The pupils brought in a variety of
sweets and confectionery to sell, as
well as entering homemake cakes
into the cake competition.
Entries were extremely ghoulish,
but despite their appearance
tasted great!
Annette Plaistow-Trapaud said:
"What a fantastic achievement and a
brilliant way to raise funds. Our
thanks go to everybody involved."
OUR thanks go to Elizabeth Wright, who was
raising money for the Dorset and Somerset
Air Ambulance by putting up a magnificent
display of Christmas lights at her home in
Skilling, near Bridport (above).
P 19 )))
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Page 1
South West is ‘ambulance
service of the year’
AT an awards ceremony held at the
Emirates Stadium, in London, the South
Western Ambulance Service was
announced as the winner of the
'Ambulance Trust of the Year' category.
Winning the accolade from a shortlist of
four other NHS Ambulance Services was a
welcome surprise.
The Health Business Awards, presented
by BBC newscaster Bill Turnbull, recognise excellence in the healthcare sector.
One of the reasons that the Trust
scooped the prize is due to the fact that it
is the first in the UK to successfully admit
a stroke patient directly to a specialist
scanner in hospital for door to scan time
of just 10 minutes.
This compares to an average of 50 minutes.
The award was collected by clinical
development manager Rachel SolomonOverill, who is based at Trust headquarters, in Exeter.
Earlier, deputy clinical director for the
Trust, Adrian South, was invited to attend
the national NHS Leadership award ceremony, where he was shortlisted for a
'Leader of the Year' award.
This comes at an exciting time for the
Trust, which has also learned that follow-
ing a medicines
management
inspection in the
autumn undertaken
by the Care Quality
Commission (CQC),
a report has been
published on their
website, which provides
some
extremely positive
feedback
about
Trust practices and
its staff.
Trust chief executive Ken Wenman
said: "I am delighted
to learn that as a
result of the ongoing hard work and SWAST clinical development manager Rachel Solomon-Overill
commitment given receives the award from BBC newscaster Bill Turnbull (left).
by the Trust's workvery people that use them.
force, we have been fortunate in winning
"This is even more crucial as we head
an impressive national accolade.
"However, there are always improve- ever closer to attaining our license to
ments to be made and while the Care operate as an NHS Foundation Trust."
Quality Commission report outcome and
For more information on the South
these award successes are extremely
encouraging, we want to ensure that our Western Ambulance Service visit:
services continue to be shaped by the www.swast.nhs.uk
CHARITY DANCE
In aid of
DORSET & SOMERSET AIR AMBULANCE
Featuring THE USA MOTOWN SHOW
Plus Disco
At the WEYMOUTH PAVILION THEATRE OCEAN ROOM
FRIDAY APRIL 8TH
8-00pm to 12-15am
£25 TICKET INCLUDING BUFFET
Tickets available from the Weymouth Pavilion Box Office
01305 783225 or
boxoffice@weymouth.gov.uk
Find us on
Facebook
MANY of our supporters visit
Facebook as a way of expressing
their thanks to our crew.
If you have been touched by
our service, why not visit the
site and help us increase our following of friends and supporters.
You can either visit our
Facebook page direct (screenshot below), by searching
'Dorset and Somerset Air
Ambulance', or, alternatively,
you can go to our website
and click the Facebook logo.
"A Show and Dance not to be missed"
P 20 )))
Volunteers get the ‘Seven Year Itch’
DORSET and Somerset Air Ambulance are looking for additional volunteers to join our team during 2011.
Our existing volunteers are excellent ambassadors and do a fantastic job, generously donating their valuable time and
expertise in support of the Charity.
Although we employ a small number of full time staff, the demand to attend events, make presentations, and service our
collection boxes is ever-increasing.
Jenny and Ken Waddon are two volunteers who have been with us since 2003 and have had an amazing experience through
volunteering their time.
They have now decided to take a well-earned rest and we would like to take this opportunity to say a big 'thank you' to
them for all their help.
Jenny kindly wrote us a piece for this issue of Beeline, which we hope you will enjoy reading.
Of course, he soon
got bitten by the bug
and found he was actually enjoying emptying
collecting boxes, doing
store collections, running stalls at shows,
and operating the projector at talks.
Over the years, we
have done so many different things that it
never became dull.
Occasionally, while
doing store collections
we came across old
work friends.
One very memorable
day was spent last year
at Yewstock special
needs school, in
Sturminster Newton.
DSAA volunteers Jenny and Ken Waddon.
It was their citizenWe also greatly enjoyed running
ship day and we found that the chilthe stall at the Great Dorset Steam
dren were certainly special.
They were lovely, and a small group Fair for several years and made
of over-twelve's drew pictures of the many friends there.
Obviously, we will miss all the
helicopter.
activity, but a change of direction for
our energy will do us good.
H
C
U
M
During our seven years we have
F OUR
O
E
N
O
banked very nearly £200,000 to help
COME
RS,
E
E
T
TO BE
N
keep the helicopter flying.
U
D VOL
04
6
9
6
VALUE
This shows just how valuable vol6
K
01823
:
U
.
L
G
L
R
A
unteers are, so if you enjoy doing
E.O
EC
ULANC
PLEAS
B
M
A
R
something which can be great fun
I
@DSA
O
:
F
E
N
T
I
and you like meeting people, while
BSI
AIL:
UR WE
OR EM
O
K
T
I
U
.
S
I
also raising money for such a great
ORG
OR V
ANCE.
L
U
B
Charity, pick up the 'phone and conAIRAM
S
D
.
W
tact the office.
WW
KEN and I have decided to take a
sabbatical.
Seven years of Air Ambulance volunteering has left our house in a
state of neglect and urgently needing TLC which we will enjoy administering.
We are often asked, 'How did you
get involved with the Air
Ambulance?'
Well, in 2003, through a friend in
our village (Sixpenny Handley), I
became involved in a huge raffle for
a shepherd's hut made by a local
retired builder.
My friend and I sold tickets and
looked after finances.
The draw took place at the Great
Dorset Steam Fair that year, and
that's when I met Charlie (DSAA
fund-raiser).
I offered to help with fund-raising
in the area.
Soon, I was totally absorbed in the
Charity.
Ken had initially vowed not to get
involved other than to be the chauffeur.
Jenny and Ken Waddon
P 21 )))
SOS ‘SAVE
OLD
SOLES’
SHOE CAMPAIGN
AFTER the success of our Bag a Bra recycling
campaign earlier in the year, we are delighted
to announce our latest recycling initiative in
conjunction with our recycling partner, Bag It
Up Ltd.
Save Old Soles involves
clearing out your unwanted footwear - shoes,
boots, trainers, etc - and
recycling them to help
us raise vital funds.
Why not join up
with your friends,
family, school, or
work colleagues to see
how many PAIRS you can collect for us.
By recycling your footwear, you will be
diverting unwanted footwear from landfill,
providing affordable footwear to people
worldwide, and supporting our Charity all at
the same time.
It really is as simple as that.
So, why not get
involved with Save
Old Soles today.
For more information and to register
your participation in
our Save Old Soles
campaign, please visit
the website www.bagitup.org.uk/shoes
We can help you by providing Save Old
Soles posters and blue collection bags.
Just complete your details and
click 'Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance' as
your chosen charity, and Bag It Up will send
Depending on the amount you collect, you you everything you need to get going with the
can simply place your bags in our yellow tex- Save Old Soles recycling fund-raising camtile recycling banks, which are located on var- paign.
ious sites across the two counties of Dorset
and Somerset or, alternatively, if you have Alternatively, you can call us direct on 01823
more than 20 bags, we can arrange a collec- 669604, or you can drop an email to us at
tion.
P 22 )))
page twenty-three-web.qxd
20/01/2011
16:02
Page 1
Susie skydives to £580
Letters
from the
heart
EVERY year, our Air
Ambulance attends hundreds of emergency incidents in Dorset and
Somerset.
It is very rewarding when
we receive ‘thank you’ letters from ex-patients and
their families, expressing
their appreciation of how
the Dorset and Somerset Air
Ambulance has touched
their lives.
On this page, with permission of the writers, we have
shown a selection of the
comments and praise that
we have received by letter
and by email from some of
our supporters and expatients.
I AM writing with regards to a sponsored skydive on behalf of your Charity. This was undertaken by our daughter Susie Mansfield (pictured, above) at Dunkeswell Airfield. Susie has
Downs Syndrome, so it was very special to her
to have been allowed to participate.
On arrival at the airfield, she was introduced
to an instructor who prepared her for her skydive with a safety brief.
Once aboard the aircraft, she was securely
harnessed to her instructor as they rose up to
15,000 feet, taking in the views above one of
the most scenic drop zones in the country.
Once at altitude, she got the green light for
'GO' and experienced once of the most exhilarating moments of her life as she edged
towards the door and her ears filled with the
rush of the air and engine noise.
She exited the aircraft and experienced
speeds of 120 mph, freefalling up to two miles.
As the canopy unfolded, she became aware of
the sudden peace and quiet of the parachute
ride which lasted approximate five minutes
before she glided back to the airfield.
Susie raised £580 for the Dorset and
Somerset Air Ambulance and we trust this will
help your cause in a small way. Can we also
take this opportunity to thank you for the marvellous work you are undertaking, long may it
continue.
Mr & Mrs A Keal
Minehead
Somerset
Wedding delight for Sheila
SHEILA and Frank Pimm on
the occasion of their wedding.
ON March 11, 2010, Sheila (then Sheila Cole)
was at Exmoor Medical Centre, in Dulverton.
Following a consultation with her doctor, she
was leaving the building when she fell down
the stairs onto a stone floor, fracturing her
skull in three places.
At approximately 11 am, the Dorset and
Somerset Air Ambulance arrived and managed to stabilise her, following which she was
airlifted to Musgrove Park Hospital, in
Taunton.
But for the prompt arrival of the team and
their expertise, Sheila would not be here
today!
On September 18, it was with great pleasure
that Sheila did me the honour of becoming
my wife, and we were married at All Saints
Church, Dulverton, and, instead of wedding
presents, Sheila suggested a donation to the
Air Ambulance.
Enclosed, please find a photo taken at the
event (left), together with £250 which we ask
you to accept as a small token of our everlasting thanks.
Sheila and Frank Pimm
P23
More and more people are showing their support
for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance by
joining our Flight for Life Lottery.
The lottery is the most sustainable way that you
can support your Air Ambulance and it only costs
£1 per week to join. You could be one of our
lucky £1,000 jackpot winners, but you have to be
in it to win it, so why not sign up today.
How to join: Simply complete the Direct Debit
form on this page and post it to: Dorset and
Somerset Air Ambulance, Acorn Building,
Ringwood Road, St. Leonards, Dorset, BH24 2RR.
Alternatively, you can call Gareth or Caroline on
01202 891440.
The Dorset and Somerset
Air Ambulance Lottery Gift Voucher is a unique
gift suitable for any occasion such as birthdays,
anniversaries, Mother's Day or Father's Day.
Why not purchase one for a friend or relative
today and give them a chance to win one of our
fantastic prizes!
For more information call us on: 01202 891440
or email: lottery@dsaaffl.force9.co.uk
Whilst it is unlikely that this type of weekly draw lottery will lead to excessive gambling, it is our duty as a lottery
operator to promote responsible gambling. If you have a gambling problem, GamCare are there to help. Call the
GamCare helpline on: 0845 6000133.

BEELINE - Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance

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