London’s Air Ambulance Charity secures new helicopters after successful fundraising

Omaze’s London house draw has made history, raising £4m for London’s Air Ambulance Charity and propelling the organisation past its long-standing “Up Against Time” appeal target. Since 2022, the charity has been fundraising for two new helicopters to replace its existing fleet, with a total cost of £15m to buy the new aircraft and keep them flying.

Prior to the launch of the Omaze partnership the charity sat £3m short of their target, but across a whirlwind 6 week campaign the Omaze community broke all records to take the charity well past their target. The appeal total now sits at an incredible £16m and will mean the charity will be able to bring the two new helicopters online and ready to serve London from October 2024.

London’s Air Ambulance delivers life-saving hospital treatment and medics to the scene, when patients are so seriously injured that there is no time to reach hospital. Critical traumatic injury can happen to anyone, at any time, and is the biggest cause of death in people under 45 in the UK.

Each year, it costs London’s Air Ambulance Charity £15m to provide a 365 day a year, 24/7 service. It will cost an additional £15m to replace its two current helicopters, bring each new helicopter into service and keep them flying for years to come.

“Two years ago, the charity launched its most ambitious ever fundraising effort, looking to raise an additional £15m to replace its two current helicopters.

“It was a huge challenge, but we have been blown away by how people have shared our belief in our life-saving cause. Thanks to the record-breaking amount raised by the Omaze community, the appeal has now passed its £15m target ahead of its September deadline, meaning the charity can continue to save lives across the city and be there whenever and wherever we are most needed.”

Jonathan Jenkins, London’s Air Ambulance Charity CEO.

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