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A Huddersfield teen who collided with a car to appear on Helicopter ER this week

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A Huddersfield teenager knocked off his bike whilst cycling home from school is set to appear on Helicopter ER this week.

14-year-old Conor Morgan was cycling home from school with his twin brother to his home near Brackenhall when he collided with a car coming out of a junction. He was trapped under the car in the pouring rain until the ambulance arrived.

Due to his nasty leg injury, Yorkshire Air Ambulance dispatched their helicopter with a consultant and specialist Paramedics on board. An examination on-scene revealed that Conor had severely fractured his femur and had to have his leg manipulated back into place in the back of an ambulance before being taken to hospital for further treatment

Speaking of his incident, Conor said: “My brother called mum and the police, and a couple of minutes later the ambulance came and I was put on the stretcher and taken to the hospital. My brother is my twin brother and we’ve been together 14 years, my time in the hospital was the first time I was away from him for a few days.”

Jovana Morgan, Conor’s mum said: “I was quite shocked and taken aback to see the helicopter and I thought it must have been serious for them to land.”

A decision was made for Conor to be taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary via land ambulance, a short journey from where he had his accident. He was rushed into surgery where surgeons fixed his thigh bone with metal rods, and he spent three days in the hospital.

It has been a long and tough recovery for Conor as he had to learn to walk again, initially with a walking frame and then on crutches. “It was very painful. I started with a frame and then I moved on to two crutches and then one crutch. It took six or seven months until my leg was healed”, said Conor.

But as Conor wasn’t wearing a helmet, the outcome could have been much worse. He has since made a full recovery, but the impact of the incident has left both Conor and his brother cautious about using their bicycles.

Speaking of Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Jovana said: “They are a very valuable resource and if Conor had been much worse, it was good to know that there was an alternative mode of transport to get him the treatment he required.”

Yorkshire Air Ambulance provides a life-saving rapid response emergency service to five million people across four million acres of Yorkshire.

Pickering teen footballer injured in sporting mishap thanks YAA Heroes

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A teenage footballer left with a serious leg injury sustained in a freak accident when a football tackle went wrong, has thanked the Yorkshire Air Ambulance crew who came to his rescue at a recent friendly match in Flixton, near Scarborough.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance provides a life-saving rapid response emergency service to five million people across four million acres of Yorkshire.

On 25h September 2022, Harry Sollitt-Bevan from Pickering, who was 15 years old at the time, was playing football for his local under 16-year-olds football team when he went in for a tackle and accidentally ended up with a double compound leg fracture.

Julian Bevan, Harry’s dad, said: “There was no malice, it was a 50/50 challenge that simply went wrong. Harry was incredibly brave, he never cried or said anything, he just got on with it. I think I was struggling more than him!”

The football club called the emergency services and due to the serious nature of the fracture, Yorkshire Air Ambulance was dispatched. After administering vital pain relief, a decision was made to fly Harry to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough for further treatment.

As soon as he arrived at the hospital, Harry was rushed in for emergency surgery to clean the wound and a second operation took place the next day to pin his leg. Harry had nearly 16 hours of surgery and was in the hospital for two weeks. He is currently wearing a Lazarus frame to help his injury heal.

Recovery for Harry is still in the very early stages. However, he does have his mind set on fundraising for the charity that came to his aid when he is better.

“As soon as we reached the hospital, Harry said that he wanted to fundraise for the air ambulance. I don’t think he even realised how much they rely on public generosity until we had a chat about ideas”, said Julian.

Speaking of Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Julian said: “Everyone involved in his care has been amazing and that started on the pitch with Yorkshire Air Ambulance. They were brilliant and we cannot thank them enough for picking Harry up and taking him to the hospital.”

Yorkshire Air Ambulance responds to an average of four incidents every single day and last year, the Charity treated 1,700 patients across Yorkshire. To find out how you can support Yorkshire Air Ambulance and to read more patient stories, please visit: https://www.yorkshireairambulance.org.uk/

Mountain biker paralysed from the chest down after freak incident to appear on Helicopter ER

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A mountain biker from Holmfirth, near Huddersfield in West Yorkshire who was paralysed from the chest down after colliding with a tree, is to appear on the television series Helicopter ER this week.

Bruce Wilson, 56, was mountain biking with his son in dense woodland above Todmorden, West Yorkshire. He was attempting some jumps and travelling towards one when he overshot it and ended up colliding with a tree.

Recalling his incident Bruce said: “I was on my mountain bike and doing jumps with my son. I remember my son telling me to brake for this jump as it was a big gap jump and I thought there was no way I’d have to brake for that. Then I overjumped it. I was too high, too far for the landing ramp and after that my memory is wiped out. “

Due to the remote location of the incident, Yorkshire Air Ambulance dispatched one of its helicopters. As the incident was deep in the forest, the crew was driven from the aircraft by the local Mountain Rescue team to help injured Bruce.

Alarmingly, Bruce couldn’t feel his legs and had sustained other serious injuries; therefore, a decision was made to fly him to Leeds General Infirmary for further assessment and treatment. A crew of Mountain Rescue volunteers and air ambulance medics stretchered him out of the forest to the helicopter which was waiting for half a mile away.

Tests at the hospital revealed that the fall had broken six of Bruce’s vertebrae and permanently damaged his spinal cord. As a result of his injuries, Bruce has been left paralysed from the chest down.

Bruce spent six months in the hospital, most of which was in a specialist spinal unit. He now uses a wheelchair and is trying to find a new house that is accessible to him. Despite his ordeal, he is recovering well.

“I was a firefighter, and it was something I really enjoyed doing, but I’ve lost that now that I’m paralysed. Being in a wheelchair, you don’t realise how difficult it is until it happens to you. I’m just lucky that the emergency teams found me and pulled together to help me through this”, said Bruce.

Speaking of Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Bruce said: “As a firefighter, I had attended quite a lot of incidents with the air ambulance. They do a fantastic job. A week before my incident, I was on my way home when I passed a horse-riding incident. I pulled over in my car and their neighbour called me over to help carry the stretcher to the air ambulance. Little did I know that I would be airlifted the following week.”

Bruce’s incident will be broadcast on the Yorkshire Air Ambulance reality television show on Tuesday 18th October at 9pm. The episode also features a motorcyclist’s head-on collision with a car and a champion jockey seriously injured after falling from his horse.

Longest-serving YAA HEMS Paramedic celebrates 20 years at the Charity

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Sammy Wills, Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s (YAA) longest-serving HEMS Paramedic has celebrated her 20-year anniversary at the Charity.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance is a lifesaving rapid response emergency service serving five million people across 4 million acres of Yorkshire. Last year, the crew responded to more than 1,700 incidents across the region.

Sammy joined the Charity on 21st September 2002 when Yorkshire Air Ambulance was in its infancy, flying from Leeds Bradford Airport where the YAA base was a small Portakabin.

“When I started at Yorkshire Air Ambulance, no one recognised that we are a charity; they wouldn’t have thought to have put the two words together. Now we’re recognisable all over the world”, said Sammy.

Reliving her first day at the air ambulance, she said: “I finished my training on the Friday at Leeds Bradford Airport and the duty crew asked me if I had passed. Then they asked if I could do them a favour and swap my shift to work the next day. I remember my first job was a road traffic collision on a roundabout in Leeds and one of the occupants was heavily pregnant. Luckily, all the occupants were fine, and the pregnant lady was taken to the hospital as a precaution. It was a gentle introduction to the HEMS world.”

Sammy is one of the only current YAA staff members to have experienced flying on all three models of YAA helicopters. “I have always loved aviation from being a kid and I have had the privilege of flying on every single air ambulance Yorkshire has had. Initially, we rented and now we own both our aircraft, which is a credit to the Charity. A lot has changed over the years; we have really enhanced the style of the aircraft and we have a lot more space to treat patients. The first thing I noticed when we upgraded to G-SASH and G-CEMS from our first Bolkbow, was that the new helicopters didn’t smell like museum pieces! When I first flew G-PASG, it smelt like aircraft that you used to visit at a museum. It genuinely did smell of old aviation fuel and electrics.”

It is not only the helicopters that have changed over the past 20 years but also paramedics’ skillset and the equipment used on board. Yorkshire Air Ambulance is also celebrating their first year of having the largest female HEMS crew since the Charity’s inception.

“At one point I was the only female crew member and now we’ve taken over a whole corner of the locker room,” Sammy jested.

Speaking of their enhanced skillset, Sammy spoke of a recent thought-provoking mission: “It was only recently when I attended a particular job that I realised how far the Charity has come in the last 20 years. We did everything we could for the patient and there was nothing else known to man that we could have done that wouldn’t have been performed in the hospital. We had the whole team working on the patient as best we could. It was like a milestone. When I look at what we did 20 years ago to what we do now, we as a charity and as a service have made great strides forward. We didn’t even have morphine on board when I started.”

Over the last 20 years, Sammy has become one of the Charity’s most recognised and loved HEMs Paramedics, achieving fame on the hit television show Helicopter ER. “I do get stopped a lot, especially when the series is on. It’s always nice to be able to say thank-you to our supporters. What is embarrassing though, is when you get recognised in your swimming costume when you are abroad! I’ve even been on a bus in Kenya and a Scottish lady turned round and said I know you, you’re on the helicopter.”

Speaking of why she is proud to have worked at YAA for the last 20 years, Sammy said: “Because it’s a privilege to help people on the worst day of their lives and support them with the state-of-the-art aircraft and clinical training and with the best Critical Care Team available, alongside the colleagues who you have total faith in, and do your very best as a complete team. It’s not just about getting there fast or flying them quickly to the hospital, it’s the team that works together, drills together, eats together and plays together that helps that individual or whole families by performing together on the job.”

Sammy’s 20 years at Yorkshire Air Ambulance isn’t her only milestone; in January 2023 she will also celebrate 30 years of being a Paramedic at Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

Peter Sunderland, Chairman of Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “We would like to congratulate Sammy and express our huge gratitude and thanks for her 20 years of dedication to our Charity. Sammy’s enthusiasm for her role never falters and she is an asset to our crew and a firm part of the greater YAA family.”

Sammy can also be seen in the latest series of Helicopter ER which is currently airing on Channel Really on Tuesdays at 9pm.

A couple who suffered serious motorcycle incident in Ingleton to appear on Helicopter ER

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Gill and Dave Horn were riding to the Lake District when their bike collided with a car turning into a right junction. The incident was caught on dashcam, and the couple were catapulted from their saddles onto a grass verge.

Speaking of the incident, Dave said: “I have no memory of it at all. The only memory I have is waking up in the hospital and wondering why am I there? I was lucky that I had a camera on my bike because I don’t remember it, and I don’t relate it to my accident. It was only when I saw Gill being thrown off the back of the bike on the footage that I realised it was us.”

Due to the remote area of the incident, Yorkshire Air Ambulance was dispatched. The crew treated both Dave and Gill and as Gill’s injuries were less severe, a decision was made for her to be transported to the hospital via land ambulance and Dave was flown to the Royal Preston Hospital for further treatment.

Tests at the hospital revealed that Dave had suffered a catalogue of serious injuries including a bleed on the brain, a punctured lung, a ruptured spleen, a broken ankle and several broken ribs. Gill had broken two ribs and suffered severe bruising.

Dave and Gill are still recovering from their injuries and the impact of the collision has weighed heavily on their finances as they both had to take considerable time off work.

“I’m here now, what does it matter? Money isn’t everything”, said Gill.  When asked about his wife and how it feels since the incident, Dave said: “Gill is very precious to me and sometimes I still come over to give her a hug just because I can. You don’t realise how much you are loved until something like this happens.”

Speaking of Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Dave said: “I’m sat here today because of their expertise. They are a fantastic charity.”

Gill and Dave’s incident will be broadcast on the Yorkshire Air Ambulance reality television show on Tuesday 11th October at 9 pm. The episode also features a farmer crushed by an overturned tractor and a car crash with a drystone wall.

Market Weighton 14-year-old raises £1K for YAA

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A 14-year-old from Market Weighton has raised £1,165 for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) is a life-saving rapid response emergency service providing emergency care to 5 million people across 4 million acres of Yorkshire.

Austin Beasty, an avid motocross rider and gymnast, and was aware of the vital work Yorkshire Air Ambulance carries out from his motocross community. His older brother Jaygo was in fact air lifted after breaking his femur in Devon back in 2017. Sadly, earlier this year Jaygo passed away and Austin decided to give back and raise funds for the Charity in Jaygo’s memory.

To raise the money, Austin shaved off his long curly hair, and then undertook a joint fundraiser with his no-for-profit gymnastics club, Wolds Gymnastics in Driffield where he backflipped 76 times in 7.6 minutes, representing the 76 miles of three back-back peaks that some of his fellow gymnasts hiked.

Speaking of her son’s achievements, Austin’s Mum Tracey, said: “Yorkshire Air Ambulance is an amazing organisation and we’ve always supported them, especially in the sports that we’re into. We’re so proud of Austin.”

Rob Scott, East Yorkshire Regional Fundraiser at YAA, said: “We would like to say a big well done and thank you to Austin for supporting Yorkshire Air Ambulance, alongside his family and friends who have supported his challenges. It’s great to see young people, who are the fundraisers of tomorrow, getting involved in charity fundraising.

It costs £12,000 a day to keep both Yorkshire’s air ambulances maintained and, in the air, and the money raised helps keep us airborne and saving lives across the region.”

 

Veteran motorcyclist left fighting for his life after serious crash to appear on Helicopter ER

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A veteran motorcyclist left fighting for his life after a serious crash on his way home from visiting family is to appear on Helicopter ER this week.

Eric Scaife, who was 74 at the time, was riding home on a country road from visiting his son in Castleford when he lost control of his vintage motorbike going at speed and was thrown 20ft down the road into a parked car.

Speaking of his incident, Eric said: “I was on my way home between Castleford and Leeds, but for some reason, I had turned off on another road that I don’t usually go on. Apparently, I had what was called a vacant episode and I wasn’t fully aware of what was going on when the incident happened.”

His body absorbed the impact of the crash and landing on the road, and he was left with multiple, serious injuries. A passer-by stopped to help and call the emergency services.

Due to the seriousness of his injuries, Yorkshire Air Ambulance was dispatched. On scene, they noticed that Eric’s blood pressure was alarmingly low and worked as fast as they could, giving him a blood transfusion on the scene to stabilise him.

As Eric was at risk of going into cardiac arrest, Yorkshire Air Ambulance crew decided to take Eric to the hospital via land ambulance and accompanied him on the journey to Leeds General Infirmary.

During the journey to the hospital, Eric went into cardiac arrest and YAA Paramedics worked hard to restart his heart. He was rushed into Resus in the A&E department where hospital staff took over the fight to save his life. It was a very close call.

“My son had been told it was best to have another 10 minutes with me as I wouldn’t last until morning. When you are told that, it was more serious than what I realised”, said Eric.

Tests revealed that Eric had broken his back, several ribs, and a knee and punctured his lung when he crashed his vintage bike. He spent two weeks in hospital and another 8 weeks in a care home.

Speaking of his recovery, Eric said: “It took me quite a few weeks to recover, I had difficulty getting up and down stairs.”

It wasn’t until after the incident that it was revealed that Eric had a serious bike incident four years prior and also ended up in Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s care. It was the second time that YAA came to Eric’s rescue.

Eric has since given up his motorbike and has taken up archery, walking and cycling which has helped with his rehabilitation.

“I only want to drive on the road if I consider myself to be safe on the road, I wouldn’t want to risk injuring anyone else through an incident caused by me”, he said.

Speaking of Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Eric said: “They are amazing and one of my favourite charities. I cannot thank them enough for their help.”

Eric’s incident will be broadcast on the Yorkshire Air Ambulance reality television show on Tuesday 4th October at 9pm. The episode also features a road traffic incident involving two children in Dewsbury and a motocross crash in Goole.

Hill walker whose collapse led to the diagnosis of a rare heart condition to appear on Helicopter ER

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A hill walker who collapsed due to a rare heart condition on the North Yorkshire Moors is set to appear on this week’s Helicopter ER.

Barry Burns, a seasoned walker from Stokesley, was walking the first stretch of the Dales Way last July with friends when he collapsed seven miles in.

The medical episode was very out of character for Barry, who is an experienced walker and very fit for his age.

Speaking of his incident, Barry said: “It all happened very suddenly. I was walking into a small valley when I had strong light-headedness. My friends both went ahead of me, but I couldn’t walk any further and called them back. I had a chocolate bar for energy, but after 500 yards Barry stopped and they realised something was wrong.”

Barry’s friends noticed his pale complexion and decided to call an ambulance. They had no signal, so they had to climb to the top of the hill to call for help.

Due to the seriousness of his condition and the remote area where Barry collapsed, Yorkshire Air Ambulance dispatched their helicopter from RAF Topcliffe.

When their team of medics arrived, initial observations revealed that Barry’s blood pressure was critically low, and he was on the verge of cardiac arrest. The air ambulance crew kept Barry alert to ensure he didn’t deteriorate any further.

Cyclists passing by stopped to help the Paramedics carry the stretcher uphill to the aircraft and Barry was flown to James Cook University Hospital for tests.

Heart specialists found that Barry has a rare condition called Super Ventricular Tachycardia which causes the heart to race erratically, which in serious medical episodes could trigger a lethal heart attack.

Barry recalled having two very similar previous episodes, but he was in areas where he could get himself to safety. Doctors were unable to give a cause to his medical episodes as Super Ventricular Tachycardia can only be detected at the time it is happening by an ECG.

Nine months later, Barry is recovering well but has been advised to take it steady when it comes to long-distance walks. “It was a good ending, it could have been so much worse”, said Barry.

He continued: “Doctors have told me what to look out for and I’m now able to recognise the symptoms prior to an attack. I’m back walking, but I won’t walk anywhere too remote.”

Barry said of Yorkshire Air Ambulance: “They were incredible and could have saved my life. I couldn’t have gotten out of the situation I was in without them, and I don’t know what would have happened. They are brilliant, I can’t praise them enough.”

Barry’s incident will be broadcast on the Yorkshire Air Ambulance reality television show on Tuesday 27th September at 9 pm. The episode also features a footballer with a near-fatal cardiac arrest in Wakefield and a serious road traffic collision.

Yorkshire cow attack to appear on first episode of new Helicopter ER series

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A horrific cow attack in Masham, North Yorkshire that saw a woman left with serious injuries is set to appear on the new series of Helicopter ER, which starts on Tuesday 20th September.

Janicke Tvedt, 55 was walking her Labrador Goose when she was attacked and trampled by cows.

She was out walking with her partner David to take her mind off her impending cancer surgery which was scheduled for a few days later.  It is thought the cows attacked as a form of protection for their young calves.

Janicke said of her incident: “As soon as we entered the field, I could see that there were cows up ahead. So, I grabbed the dog and put him on a lead. We initially thought we had managed to walk around the herd, but then realised there was another cow on the other side of the hedge with a calf which got spooked by the dog. We were a bit shaken and scared so we regrouped and carried on walking, but the next thing we knew, half of the herd had come back after us.

Three initially pinned us against the hedge with the rest of the herd behind. I thought if we keep still, they will get bored and go away, but after 10 minutes I got headbutted in the knees as a cow went for the dog, and I was knocked to the floor. As I was lying on the ground and another cow raised his front half up and stamp down his front hooves on me at least four times on my legs, abdomen and chest.”

 

Cattle can weigh more than a tonne and over the last few years, several people have died in North Yorkshire due to dangerous cow encounters.

Janicke continued: “After that, one of the cows rolled on top of me and then everything went quiet. I was lying there, and my partner came back and helped me. He helped me over to a nearby tree as the cows had blocked the exit and I put my head between my knees as I felt like I was going to pass out.

Cows surrounded us near the tree. I knew something serious was wrong. I was telling my partner where to find my will and what my wishes were, then luckily the cows left.”

Having lost their phones in the attack, her partner ran to nearby Masham Golf Club and managed to get one of the golfers to phone the emergency services. A passer-by wrapped Janicke in his t-shirt to keep her warm while waiting for help.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance was dispatched and after an on-scene assessment, she was flown to Leeds General Infirmary for further treatment.

Tests at the hospital revealed that Janicke had broken several ribs and damaged part of her bowel. Janicke had surgery where she had a colon resection and a colostomy bag fitted. Unfortunately, this delayed her cancer treatment.

“It was worrying that it had been put back”, said Janicke. “But I managed to get the surgery in October and thankfully I was then given all clear.”

The cow attack has left lasting physical and emotional harm to Janicke, but she is slowly rebuilding her confidence on walks and has since had the colostomy bag retracted. As part of her rehabilitation, she is walking 1,000 miles to raise funds for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Speaking of the Charity, she said: “I’ve always believed Yorkshire Air Ambulance do an amazing job and I have supported them for a very long time. It was such a shock to then need to call on them, but I knew when they arrived, I was in safe hands. I feel indebted to their service.”

Janicke’s incident will be broadcast on the Yorkshire Air Ambulance reality television show Helicopter ER on Tuesday 20th September at 9pm. The episode also features a cycling incident in the North Yorkshire Moors and a heart attack in the dales.

Limited-edition centenary tractor model raises £15k for YAA

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A limited-edition tractor model created by Russells to celebrate the centenary of their brand has raised £15,076 for Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA).

Russells is a family-run business in North Yorkshire that supplies agricultural, ground care and construction equipment to the farming industry.  They have been serving the Yorkshire farming community since 1921.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance is a lifesaving rapid response emergency service providing vital care to five million people across 4 million acres of Yorkshire.

To commemorate Russells’ centenary, they took inspiration from the iconic Ford 7810 Silver Jubilee tractor and created their own New Holland T6.180 dynamic command tractor with a limited-edition model. Proceeds from the model, which were sold for £50, were donated to Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Russell’s’ Chief Executive Officer, Paul Russell, said: “We are proud to support this fantastic charity which does vital work to the farming communities we serve.”

Kevin Hutchinson, East Region Community Fundraiser for YAA, said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to Russells for their support and generosity and for raising more than £15,000 for our Charity from the proceeds of the tractors.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance covers many rural areas, particularly in North Yorkshire. Our service is vital to those rural farming communities where transport times to hospital can take considerably longer by road. As an independent charity, fundraisers such as these are the lifeblood of our service and help us keep our helicopters airborne and saving lives across the region.”

Yorkshire Air Ambulance celebrates highest percentage of female HEMS crew in 20 years

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Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA), which provides a lifesaving rapid response emergency service to 5 million people across 4 million acres of Yorkshire, is celebrating having the highest percentage of female HEMs Paramedics in the charity’s 20-year history.

The service now has 9 female HEMS Paramedics seconded from Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, including 5 new female members of staff who joined earlier this year. This is above the national average for HEMS Paramedics, which currently stands at 1 in 4. Female paramedics at YAA account for nearly 1 in 2 (11 male, 9 female). They also have a female Pilot and Female Doctor as part of the team.

One of the charity’s latest recruits, HEMS Paramedic Fiona Blaylock said:” Being a female HEMS paramedic is amazing and being successful in applying for a seconded position to this role is one of my proudest achievements. When I applied a few years ago, I remember thinking that there were more males than females on the team and would this affect my chance of getting a position.”

She continued: “I had previously served as a Combat Medic in the British Army, and this was very much a male-dominated environment. I always felt like I needed to prove myself as a female.

“Everyone in the HEMS team has been so welcoming. I don’t think being a female in the team is any different to being a male in the team. We are all as capable as each other. I don’t think it matters what sex you are, as long as you can do the job.”

Paramedic Terri-Ann Lonie, said: “Working for HEMS has brought a whole range of new and exciting challenges with it. It has been made easier due to having amazing crew mates that have supported me the whole way through. It is a fantastic place to work, and I feel privileged to be part of it.”

HEMS Paramedic Gemma Richmond who has worked at the Charity for two years and has been a Paramedic for more than 20 years, said: “I think in the past it was probably looked at as a male-orientated role. I’ve been in the service for 20 years now and it’s now a lot more 50:50, especially on the road. I think the make-up of staff is nicely balanced; it appeals to more females now because they bring something different, especially if you get a male and female crew in the aircraft – you tick every box, and you can deal with so many different cases.  It’s nicely spread out and encourages good teamwork when you get that mix. I work with another female paramedic quite often as a double female crew and sometimes it can be a surprise to patients when two female paramedics turn up. But I’ve never considered it as anything different.”

Paramedic Tammy Williams said: “Historically on the HEMS’ base, it has been statistically evident that there have been more males on the base than females.”

She continued: “HEMS has been my dream goal and occupation that I have always wanted to achieve, so I feel extremely privileged to be here.  I also feel extremely proud to be part of such a dynamic, supportive and highly experienced team that treats and cares for time-critical patients. Working alongside the doctors, other paramedics and the pilots, together as a team, we are able to provide Yorkshire and other regions in the UK with the highest quality of care possible and achieve the best outcome for the patients that we attend to.”

YAA Acting Clinical Operations Manager Paul Holmes said: “We are very proud to have such an incredible, hardworking and highly skilled team of male and female HEMS Paramedics. Gender shouldn’t matter as long as you’re able to do the job and these women are just as physically fit as their male counterparts. It’s fantastic to be part of a charity that celebrates gender equality.”

Otley snack bar raises more than £30k for YAA

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Otley bus station snack bar has reached an incredible fundraising milestone of more than £30,000 for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) is a life-saving rapid response emergency service providing emergency care to 5 million people across 4 million acres of Yorkshire.

The snack bar, run by Diane Kerr and Debbie Lamb, has a stall outside their shop selling books, jigsaws and YAA merch with all the proceeds going towards the air ambulance charity.

Diane said: “Our customers bring in donations for us to sell cheap and cheerful. There’s a little bit of everything and the majority of items are 50p. Although we do get a fair price for some of the more expensive items.”

The Otley Bus Station Café has supported the charity, which turns 22 this October for the last 15 years.

“The air ambulance is such an important local charity, and you never know when you might need it. It’s a charity for all”, said Diane. “I’m so thankful to all our customers for bringing their items and helping us reach over £30k. We’re like kids in a sweet shop when items are brought in, we really enjoy what we do.”

Clare Deacon, West Yorkshire Community Fundraiser at Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “The £30,294 raised by Otley’s bus station snack bar is a phenomenal amount and will help tremendously towards the vital funding of our service.

We would like to thank the staff and their customers for their generosity and support. It is local communities and businesses like these that are the lifeblood of our Charity, and we cannot express our gratitude enough.”