Scotland’s first charity air ambulance takes to the skies next month.
As the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) has received its biggest donation to date £200,000 from energy company Scottish Hydro it was confirmed the lifesaving helicopter will become operational towards the end of May.
Although the exact date has to be finalised, cabinet secretary for health and well-being Alex Neil has agreed to launch the service.
As the latest funding was announced, SCAA chairman John Bullough described it as a massive boost towards the goals of the Courier-backed campaign.
“The Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance will be the people’s air ambulance and support from businesses such as Scottish Hydro and donations from the public are key to launching and sustaining this vital service,” he said.
“We’re thrilled to have Scottish Hydro, a local company to Perth, on board as a key sponsor and can’t wait to officially mark the start of the SCAA operations next month.”
Based at Scone Airport, the helicopter will enhance the country’s existing Government-funded emergency air fleet which comprises two helicopters and two-fixed wing aircraft based at Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen.The charity air ambulance needs to raise £1.5m every year from public and private donations to provide the emergency service.
The helicopter, which is being leased from Bond in a multi-million-pound contract, was unveiled in its Scottish Hydro livery. It will now be fitted out in the coming weeks in preparation for the official launch.
The sponsorship deal not only provides a much-needed funding boost for SCAA but also enables Perth-based Scottish Hydro to support a worthy cause located on its doorstep.
Director of corporate infrastructure and development at Scottish Hydro, Michelle Hynd, said: “Scottish Hydro has a long established presence in the north of Scotland and supporting and investing in the communities where we live and work is integral to our business activities.”
SCAA chief executive Gavin Davey said the Scottish Hydro donation was “enormously important” and that the company and the charity were a “natural match”.
He pointed out that Scottish Hydro staff work all over Scotland often in appalling conditions and may well call on the services of the air ambulance in the future.
For further information visit scaa.org.uk.