The British Air Ambulance

[Letsby Avenue]

Anyone ever heard of this outfit? They have just opened a charity shop in Cleveleys. Registered Charity No 1162611. Lots of badly spelt posters in the window all alluding to an outfit only advertised as 'h.e.s.e', which, after an enquiry within stands for 'helicopter emergency service equipment'. Would be interested if anyone out there has ever received anything from this lot:cool:

[500e]

Charity framework (http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityFramework.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1162611&SubsidiaryNumber=0)

HELICOPTER EMERGENCY SERVICE EQUIPMENT CIO :: OpenCharities (http://opencharities.org/charities/1162611)

Start date 10\07\2015

[[email protected]]

The description is so vague it seems like a scam. Happy to be proved wrong but I don't think the AAs need a provider of specialist kit.

[500e]

Did not want to cast first stone Crab left it up to people to make up their own minds :suspect:
I do think charity commission need to look in a lot more depth at what passes as a charity

[jimf671]

Suspicious.

CIO is meant as a mechanism that protects charity trustees from personal liability in a world of blame culture, improper litigation and large financial risks. (Coming my way soon and glad of it.) However, like its cousin the limited liability company, it can be manipulated to protect scoundrels better than unincorporated status.

[Self loading bear]

if you Google the names from the link in the second post and you add helicopter, you find nothing. If you add ambulance you find a Danny Moores who has been fundraising (looking for sponsors for a cycling event) for the west air ambulance. But just only couple hunderd pounds.

You can also find him as cycling for cancer charities. You can also link this cylist to be living in same place as were the HESE is registered so probably same person.

You can find Adam Sparkes as a mountainbike biker fundraising a couple of hunderd bucks for heart charity. But this might be a different one.

You can find a Daniel Harvey as development manager at Cofunds investor platform.
Again not sure to be the same.

So at best the heart is at the right beat to support air ambulances and sufficient financial advise available for a few pennies raised, but i am not convinced all money will find good destination without apperently sh.t knowledge about or no links to helicopters.

SLB

[Letsby Avenue]

I was talking to a rep from the North West Air Ambo the other day and he mentioned that they were under investigation but by whom I don't know... It seems all too easy to setup a charity, pay top dollar to the three directors, absorb all running costs and bung the odd defibrillator out as required... but as crab said - what kit to air ambos need? I also note that those clothing collections have had to stop up here as the bags were being lifted by people somewhat unconnected to the charity... apparently it has cost the North West hundres of thousands in lost income. Wish I could post some photos of the shop front but I am unworthy of said permissions.......:(

[SilsoeSid]

As the discussion is air ambos is and their 'dealings', this was in our local free rag recently;

Warwickshire-based Air Ambulance Service lost £111,000 on Bodyguard tickets - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-33906238)

An air ambulance service has been criticised by the Charity Commission after it lost £111,000 by booking tickets for a London musical premiere.
The Warwickshire-based Air Ambulance Service made the booking in 2012 for the stage version of Whitney Houston film The Bodyguard.
It is also accused of making a £27,000 loan to an employee without informing its board until after the event.
The charity said it was ensuring governance was tightened.
'Loud and soupy'
The commission said it had been called to investigate the service, which serves Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Rutland, Derbyshire and Leicestershire, following complaints about "significant losses".

Ego trips' or fundraising campaigns?
In 2008, Michael Dilks from Kirby Bellars, in Leicestershire, was almost killed in a road accident.
He credits an air ambulance surgeon for saving his life and spent several years raising money for the charity. One event alone raised £11,000, he said.
Mr Dilks said he has become disillusioned with the charity's commercial interests and, although he continues to make a monthly donation, he no longer raises money for them.
"When I raised £11,000, I was very curious as to how much of that went into keeping the air ambulances flying," he said.
"A lot of things done in the name of so-called charity are, in my view, ego trips.

"The crews are amazing and deserve better."