# London’s Air Ambulance video shows what donations can buy

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/09/11/londons-air-ambulance-video-shows-donations-can-buy/
- Published: 2017-09-11T11:22:51+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**National Air Ambulance Week is being marked by London’s Air Ambulance with a video
that demonstrates the costs associated with delivering the charity’s service. **

The video features a doctor and paramedic rushing to board the roof-top helicopter
and strapping themselves on board. Dramatic music contrasts with the slow-motion
of the action as they respond to a message that a seven-year-old girl has been hit
by a large vehicle.

In an almost augmented reality-style overlay, the video identifies individual items
of equipment and lists their costs. Items range from scissors (£3) and rubber gloves(
1p),  through a flight suit (£395) and open heart surgery pack (£958), to a single
rotor blade (£123,000) and a helicopter engine (£250,000).

## Advertisement

 [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/)

![Paramedic running towards London's Air Ambulance](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.
cloud/2017/09/londons-air-ambulance-video-costs-2.jpg)

_Price tags on an emergency service_

The charity needs to raise nearly £8 million each year to deliver its 24/7 advanced
trauma team to around 2,000 critically injured patients within the M25. On average
it treats five critically injured people in London each day, performing medical 
interventions at the roadside that are normally only found in a hospital emergency
department.

The video, created by producers Snappin’ Turtle, also aims to raise awareness that
all air ambulances in the UK run by charities. A survey this Summer found that [two thirds of Londoners were not aware](http://londonsairambulance.co.uk/our-service/news/2017/06/two-thirds-of-people-in-london-are-not-aware-that-we-are-a-charity)
that the service in London was run by a charity.

[London’s Air Ambulance](http://londonsairambulance.co.uk/) CEO Jonathan Jenkins
said: “We want more people to know that London’s Air Ambulance is a charity, and
relies on donations to deliver its life-saving work.  By showing the cost of individual
aspects of the service, we are hoping that more people will understand how much 
money is needed to keep the service running 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”

During National Air Ambulance Week London’s Air Ambulance will be taking part in
fundraising events to raise money and awareness of the charity, including station
collections across London’s tube and rail network.

The video also indicates that the charity has secured support from London Freemasons,
with its name and logo featured on the side of the helicopter.

## National Air Ambulance Week

National Air Ambulance Week runs from 11 – 18 September and is an initiative created
by the Association of Air Ambulances to celebrate the work of local air ambulance
charities. Together, the UK’s air ambulance charities raise £120 million a year,
operate 37 helicopters, and have a volunteer network of over 2,500 people.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: “London’s Air Ambulance delivers a vital service
for those who have been critically injured in the capital, but it relies on donations
to provide its life-saving assistance. From helicopters to medical equipment, the
public’s generosity means this charity has been able to give emergency care to Londoners
for 28 years. I urge Londoners to get involved in National Air Ambulance Week and
support the crews and staff who do such fantastic work.”

## Help this message take off

As the helicopter speeds off to the incident, the video ends by asking people to‘
help this message take off’, by sharing it online with the **#airambulancecharity**
hashtag.

 * **[Documentary on Social Impact Bonds to premiere in May](https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/04/16/documentary-social-impact-bonds-premiere-may/)**(
   16 April 2018)
 * **[2018 Charity Christmas ads round up](https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/12/05/charity-christmas-ads-round/)**(
   5 December 2018)
 * **[Creative Vision Award 2020 for charities open for applications until 10 January](https://fundraising.co.uk/2019/12/16/creative-vision-award-2020-for-charities-open-for-applications-until-10-january/)**(
   16 December 2019)

![Loading](https://fundraising.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/page-views-count/ajax-loader-
2x.gif)
