A NEW air ambulance could soon be serving the region, if sufficient money is raised.

Outlining their vision for the future of the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), bosses said that the existing helicopter in Northumberland will be replaced if enough money is donated.

They also aim to operate 24 hours a day and have doctors specialising in pre-hospital care on every mission.

Barbara Walton, general manager of GNAAS, said the changes to the service would more easily enable them to reach their three key objectives of providing patients with speed, comfort and definitive care.

Mrs Walton praised those who already support the charity, but said she hopes more people will join the fundraising effort. The three GNAAS helicopters cost £1.4 million each every year to keep in operation.

"We would rather everyone was safe and there was no need for our service. But miracles are occurring and there are people surviving who perhaps 5 years ago wouldn't have," she said.

GNAAS hope to supplement one-off fundraising events and donations with a more regular income, through a lottery and 50p-a-week direct debit scheme.

In doing so, they are seeking to avoid a repeat of the funding crisis of 2004/05, when a series of world-wide disasters, including the Boxing Day tsunami, attracted unprecedented public support - to the cost of smaller charities.

Grahame Pickering, chief executive of GNAAS, said: "We want your continued support and encouragement to maintain what we already have, which is the highest standard of pre-hospital care that is on offer."

Although GNAAS hopes to offer the 24-hour service, missions will be largely restricted as helicopters cannot land anywhere but a heli-pad after dark. During the night they would be able to provide hospital transfers on behalf of the NHS and could charge for offering the service.

To complement their income, GNAAS has relaunched their Men and Women of Substance Campaign, where the service works with individuals that will each try to raise at least £1,000 over a year.

For an information pack on Men and Women of Substance, or for help and ideas for other fundraising events, including the lottery and 50p-a-week scheme, contact GNAAS on 01325-487-263.

11:55pm Monday 13th August 2007

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