Life-saving charity Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) is to host a fun-filled afternoon for the whole family in Hatfield to launch its new helicopter.
Set against the stunning backdrop of Hatfield House, the Heli-bration event will take place on Sunday, July 14, 2024, from noon to 4pm.
The highlight of the event — sponsored by Fishpools, Gama Aviation, Gates Ford, Milbank, Rickard Luckin, and SRC Group — will be the presentation of EHAAT’s new AW169 aircraft, which will be on display from noon.
Visitors can look forward to a spectacular 'take off' experience as the helicopter takes to the skies at the end of the afternoon.
Plus, there will be an opportunity to get an exclusive close-up of the aircraft and meet the crew.
Jane Gurney, CEO at EHAAT, said: "The Heli-bration is our way of saying a huge thank you to our amazing supporters who have made the acquisition of our second AW169 helicopter possible.
"From our regular givers, to raffle and lottery players, from gifts in wills and personal donations, to our shop customers and tin collections, everyone has played a part in getting us to this incredible milestone.
“We are so excited to bring the community together to help us celebrate this momentous occasion and we are honoured that Lord and Lady Salisbury and the Hatfield House team have welcomed us warmly to celebrate in their fantastic grounds.”
Aside from the helicopter display, there will be a range of free, engaging and fun activities for all ages to enjoy including arts and crafts activities, circus skills and face painting.
The CPR Zone will provide valuable CPR skills and defibrillator training for all ages. Meanwhile, the EHAAT Pop-Up Charity Shop will have a range of pre-loved items on offer from toys to clothing, with proceeds going directly to the charity.
The event will also feature a display of emergency vehicles including police cars, ambulances and fire engines.
Attendees won’t go hungry either as there is a range of delicious food and drink options available from a selection of food concessions.
Entry is free and Hatfield House is just a short walk from Hatfield train station. If driving, there is plenty of free parking available onsite.
To register for tickets for the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Heli-bration event, visit ehaat.org/heli-bration.
About Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT)
● Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) is a charity that provides a Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) for the critically ill and injured of Essex, Hertfordshire and the surrounding areas.
● The service is provided free of charge, but the charity receives limited direct funding from the Government and none from the National Lottery. It costs more than £1 million every month to keep the service operational and cover all charitable costs. This would not be possible without the goodwill of people in Essex, and Hertfordshire.
● Each of the charity’s HEMS teams consist of two pilots, a pre-hospital care doctor and a critical care paramedic.
● These teams attended 2,705 missions in 2023, with each mission costing around £2,800.
Breakdown of missions for 2023 were:
- 549 road traffic collisions
- 1,105 medical emergencies
- 1,051 accidental injuries and other trauma incidents.
Of these, 1,471 missions were delivered by air ambulance and 1,234 missions were delivered by Rapid Response Vehicles (RRVs).
● During 2023 EHAAT’s critical care teams treated 76 patients with blood products, involved primarily in road traffic collisions, penetrating injuries and falls.
● The fleet consists of two air ambulances, and four RRVs. The RRVs are crewed by a pre-hospital care doctor and a critical care paramedic and carry the same life-saving equipment as the helicopters.
● From 7am until 8.30pm, the Critical Care Team provides the service using helicopters based at Earls Colne and North Weald. RRVs are used when the helicopters are unable to fly because of poor weather or maintenance.
● Overnight from 8.30pm to 7.30am the service is provided using an RRV based at North Weald.
● The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated EHAAT as outstanding overall following inspections carried out in August and September 2022.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here