ABE ledbury lends support to midlands air ambulance charity

ABE Ledbury has thrown its weight behind an ongoing fundraising campaign to help keep Midlands Air Ambulance Charity's vital pre-hospital emergency service in the air by emblazoning the cause on the back and sides of its new trailer. The specially designed livery serves as a reminder of the charity while a QR code also featured on both sides allows passers-by to donate to the cause on the spot. Pam Hodgetts, corporate partnership manager at Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, said the trailer is a fantastic opportunity to promote the vital service.

She praised Palletline Logistics owned ABE Ledbury, which had come up with the perfect solution not only for its own business to support the air ambulance, but for anyone who comes into contact with the trailer also to help. She said: "Effectively, ABE Ledbury has given us free advertising this year. The livery will enable us to reach people we may not otherwise have been able to.

Its sheer size, plus the distance it is set to cover, it is the perfect gift-in-kind." Clive Brooks, Managing Director of ABE Ledbury, said with drivers on the roads all over the UK every day and night, and the associated risks, our local air ambulance was a cause close to the heart of the ABE team. He said: "Every time our drivers get behind the wheel, they are always at risk of something happening on the roads.

"Midlands Air Ambulance Charity gives round-the-clock protection not just on the roads, but of course in cases of sudden cardiac arrest or a whole host of other emergencies 365 days a year. "The charity may not be top of your mind until a time comes where we need its services. But whether we realise it or not, the charity is always there at the ready if an emergency arises."

Launched in 1991, Midlands Air Ambulance Charity serves the largest population of all the UK's air ambulance charities, covering Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, the West Midlands and Worcestershire. Like all other air ambulance services, the charity also provides support outside of its operating area in times of emergency. In February 2024, the advanced pre-hospital emergency service was deployed to 235 missions.

The average cost this year for a critical care car mission is GBP288, while the average cost for an air ambulance mission is GBP2,950. Pam said a tracker fitted on to the ABE Ledbury truck will allow the charity to keep track of the distance travelled. She added: "There are so many great causes out there, so we are extremely grateful to ABE Ledbury for their support in promoting our lifesaving charity.

"It's not always about handing over a cheque directly to the charity - by businesses or individuals lending their expertise or their assets, as ABE Ledbury has, all helps make a huge difference in enabling us to achieve our fundraising target each year through making great savings."

The new trailer will be allocated a special number - TIM180 in memory of an ABE colleague Tim Hickson, who tragically who took his own life last Easter.

Clive Brooks continued: "Midlands Air Ambulance Charity was Tim's family's chosen charity, and we wish for this trailer to serve as a reminder of the importance of everyone's' mental health and wellbeing."