View Full Version : Donations pour in to Air Ambulance charity
Heliport
24th Sep 2006, 14:42
An appeal by the family of injured Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond has led to a flood of donations to the air ambulance which flew him to hospital - including £50,000 from a single donor.
Hammond's wife said it would be great if people thinking of sending him flowers would make a donation to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance instead. "There's little doubt in my mind that without it, Richard would not be making the excellent progress he is."
A group of motoring enthusiasts set up a web page for online contributions and, so far, over £143,000 has been raised.
BBC Report (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5374918.stm)
fkelly
24th Sep 2006, 15:08
Best of luck to them, but would it not also be nice to see some of the money go to brain injury charities? It looks hopefully as though Hamster is on the way to recovery but that's not always the case.
fone_effect
25th Sep 2006, 14:09
Shame that Air Ambulances are charity funded instead of Government funded:ugh:
Get well soon Hamy and blow up some more caravans.
MINself
25th Sep 2006, 21:17
All our thoughts are with you hammy for a speedy recovery!
On the subject of Air Ambulance funding, IMO if the UK goverment were to fund these aircraft I'm sure they would want a say or should I say control in the running of this life saving service.
At the moment yes the Uk Air Ambulances are reliant on the generosity of members of the public but at least then the air ambulance units can decide wheres best to spend that money at that time and are then able to make speedy changes to suit their own circumstances such as the purchasing of new equipment as and when they need it. Better that then having a goverment procurement process, which you don't have to look too hard to find classic examples of. eg Chinook Mk 3! (yes I know its bigger and more expensive than a bandage, but you get idea)
I think keeping the Air Ambulances as charities gives the UK public the best service, putting these donations where its needed most in keeping these aircraft operating rather than funding a huge govermental admin network.
The YAA is just one of these charities.
As I said at the beginning, IMO, geting off my soap box now!
Rgds MS:ok: