Barratt Homes chips in £1,500 as Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance looks to move base

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance has received a major boost from a local housebuilder towards its Operation Airbase appeal.

As the life-saving charity looks to relocate to a more central site in Southampton – from which it can reach almost any patient across the county within 10 minutes of take-off – Barratt David Wilson Homes’ Southampton office has contributed £1,500 to help make it happen.

Staffed by volunteers and with no funding from central government, the air ambulance responds to an average of five incidents a day, including cardiac arrests, road traffic collisions, falls and assaults.

Keith Wilson, the charity’s director of income and engagement, said: “Operation Airbase will be the single biggest leap forward in our 17-year history.

“Getting to our patients even faster will give our crew every opportunity to get that patient to hospital alive and for that patient to return home to their family and friends.

“We are incredibly grateful to the people and businesses like Barratt in our local community who support our vision to save time and save lives.”

Tamsin Nichols, marketing co-ordinator at Barratt David Wilson Homes’ Southampton division, added: “We’re committed to supporting organisations in the communities in which we’re building.

“Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance provides a vital service that’s available free of charge to everyone in the county, and we’re delighted to be able to support the amazing work they do.”

• hiowaa.org