Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) is celebrating its 25th anniversary year with the launch of its very first podcast, Summat in t’Air, hosted by much-loved former ITV weatherman and YAA Patron, Jon Mitchell.
Launching on Wednesday 24 September, the 11-part series will be available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and across all major streaming platforms, with a new episode released every Wednesday. Each episode will share the heart-warming, inspiring, and sometimes surprising stories behind Yorkshire’s lifesaving air ambulance service.
Listeners will hear from former patients, the lifesaving YAA Critical Care Team, fundraisers, volunteers and the team behind the charity’s popular TV series Yorkshire Air 999, discovering what it takes to keep YAA flying and the incredible journeys of the people whose lives it touches.
Among the voices in the series is Olympic rowing champion Georgie Brayshaw from Leeds, who reflects on her remarkable journey from being airlifted by YAA as a teenager after a serious equestrian accident to standing on the podium in Paris with a gold medal. Listeners will also meet Anthony Burman, who was flown by YAA in 2009 after a life-threatening motorcycle crash and is now on an extraordinary path to save his young son’s life by donating him his kidney. From within the charity itself, Sammy Wills, one of the UK’s longest-serving HEMS paramedics, looks back on her career and on the vital role Yorkshire Air Ambulance has played in saving lives over the past 25 years.
The podcast also offers a rare glimpse behind the doors of YAA’s air support units, where pilots, doctors, paramedics and technical crew members share their own perspectives on the challenges of the job and what it means to them to bring critical care to people in need across Yorkshire.
The series has been produced by Charlotte Foster, a specialist in charity podcasts, who has worked closely with YAA to capture the Yorkshire spirit and the powerful human stories at the heart of the charity. Speaking of creating the podcast, she said, “Podcasts have a unique ability to connect people, and with Summat in t’Air we wanted to bring audiences closer to the remarkable work of Yorkshire Air Ambulance. These stories are real, honest and emotional, and I’m so proud to have helped create something that truly celebrates this incredible charity and its 25 years of saving lives.”
As host, Jon Mitchell has had a front row seat to these conversations. He said, “It’s been an absolute privilege to sit down with ex patients, crew and the charity team and hear their stories first-hand. Having supported Yorkshire Air Ambulance for so long, I know just how vital this service is, but hearing these accounts in such a personal way has been incredibly moving. The podcast is full of heart and Yorkshire spirit, and I think listeners will be inspired, touched and surprised by what they discover.”
The launch of Summat in t’Air is a key part of Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s 25th anniversary celebrations, marking a quarter of a century of saving lives across the region. Over the past 25 years, the charity has become a vital part of Yorkshire’s emergency care network, and this new podcast offers a fresh way for supporters to connect with its story.
Summat in t’Air launches on Wednesday 24 September, with new episodes every week. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all major platforms, or via the YAA website at www.yaa.org.uk/summat-in-tair-podcast