The Sovereign Health Care Charitable Trust is proud to support Yorkshire Air Ambulance. In 2009 we donated £45,000 to help with the upkeep of the helicopters and the general running of the charity.

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance, which has helped to save over 3,000 lives since it was set up in 2000, is an independent charity that provides a rapid response emergency service to 5 million people across Yorkshire. They operate throughout the year, seven days a week, covering a vast landscape that not only includes major cities and motorways, but also rural and isolated locations.

In 2007 the service received a boost with the introduction of a second air ambulance. This means that on average, patients collected by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance are only 10 minutes away from the nearest hospital and 15 minutes away from the most relevant treatment centre. This is vital for people with serious injuries where a few minutes can make all the difference, and quick treatment can dramatically improve the chances of recovery. During 2010 each helicopter was called out on average 3 times a day and carried 502 patients to hospital.

Patient case study: Anthony Burman

Anthony Burman was injured in a motorbike accident at Elvington Racecourse, York on 26th April 2009. The on site medical staff responded quickly and, realising that his injuries were serious, called in Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Mr Burman was quickly transferred to hospital and believes that this speedy response played a vital role in his recovery.

To read his own account of this experience click here.

If you would like to join Sovereign Health Care in supporting the Yorkshire Air Ambulance click here to visit their site and find out how you can make a donation.