Life-saving emergency services charity, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) have welcomed two brand-new hi-tech promotional fundraising vehicles to their fleet.
The two Fiat Ducato vehicles have been specially designed and built to allow the YAA fundraising teams to take a state-of-the-art educational supporter experience out on the road and into communities.
Equipped with interactive technology, the vehicles feature a replica cockpit from their H145 helicopters, with screens showing aerial footage of the views the crews experience whilst flying in the air ambulance helicopters. Also featuring in the vehicles are screens for presentations and interviews with the crew, interactive iPads for an immersive user experience and a seating area where supporters can chat with YAA staff and volunteers.
The outside of the vehicles has been wrapped with distinctive YAA branding meaning the vehicles are instantly recognisable.
The promotional vehicles will also play an active role in the YAA’s brand new schools educational project, which aims to teach children about the service and inspire the next generation of supporters.
Having taken over a year to design and build by Derby-based Neat Vehicles, the purchase of the two Fiats has only been made possible through generous funding and sponsorship by long-standing YAA supporters B.Braun Medical Ltd and the Yorkshire Freemasons. Each have pledged to support one of the vehicles.
Both organisations are dedicated long-standing supporters of the Charity, with Sheffield based B.Braun Medical working with the Charity for over 17 years with both financial and professional support, and Yorkshire Freemason’s from across the region offering ongoing fundraising and financial support.
Peter Sunderland, Chairman of the YAA commented: “These two new promotional vehicles mark a significant advancement in our educational and fundraising experiences, but have only been made possible due to the generous support from both B.Braun Medical and the Yorkshire Freemasons. We genuinely cannot express our thanks enough to them to make all this possible. The new vehicles will be key to our future community fundraising and educational activities. They will help us pave the way for a new immersive style of interacting with the public and our supporters, which we hope will engage both new and established supporters alike and will showcase our life-saving work across the Yorkshire region.”
Paul Steel, Aesculap Academia Managing Director, B. Braun Medical Ltd. said: “The promotional vehicles look just fantastic. We’re delighted that we’re able to support such a wonderful project which will enable the Yorkshire Air Ambulance to have educational and fundraising benefits across Yorkshire. We have supported the Yorkshire Air Ambulance for many years, encouraging people and businesses to get behind the charity and we know that these vehicles will make a huge difference to the vital work the fundraising team do in the community. It will open up opportunities to attend events that previously might not have been possible.”
Yorkshire Freemasons West Riding Masonic Charities Chairman, Stuart Cadman, explained that they were providing the funds jointly with neighbouring province, Yorkshire North and East and said: “We are really pleased and delighted to be part of the YAA promotional vehicle project at a time when many charitable and community initiatives and fund-raising have been impacted by the effects of COVID-19. The YAA is at the very heart of our community as it continues to help save lives throughout Yorkshire and Yorkshire Freemasons, through the generosity of our members, are proud to be able to continue our support for this vital emergency service.”
After an initial planned launch this summer, the project has been severely delayed due to the unimaginable impact COVID-19 has had on both the YAA and the nation as a whole. The charity are hoping that they will be able to start utilising the vehicles in local communities in Spring/Summer next year when the impact of COVID-19 starts to safely subside and are following national government guidance and advice.
The Yorkshire Air Ambulance serves 5 million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,500 missions every year. The Charity operates two, state-of-the-art Airbus H145 helicopters and needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.
