Cornwall Air Ambulance is calling on you to join the mission to bring home a second helicopter this Air Ambulance Week.

Running from September 9 to 15, the national awareness week is highlighting the importance of air ambulance charities across the country and their lifesaving work,and their lifesaving work, with the message ‘today’s supporter, tomorrow’s lifesaver’.

During an incredibly important year with the Heli2 Appeal, Cornwall Air Ambulance is using the week to emphasize how a second high-specification AW169 aircraft will help the charity boost the resilience and capability of its service.

Paul Maskell, Critical Care Paramedic, said: “It’s really important that we get a second AW169. What that will do is increase our capability across the 365 days, 19 hours that we cover. We’ll be able to fly to more patients and ultimately save more lives across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.”

To mark the awareness week, St Michael’s Mount will be lighting up red from 8pm on Thursday 12th September for Cornwall Air Ambulance.

Each act of support today becomes hope for tomorrow, increasing the chances of survival and improving patient outcomes.

New dad Lewis was one of those patients, when he suddenly collapsed at home in Redruth last year. With fears he may be suffering from a brain bleed, he needed the help of Cornwall Air Ambulance. Thanks to the rapid response of the charity’s specialist critical care paramedics, they were able to treat and stabilise Lewis before his onward care at hospital.

Lewis said: “I never thought I’d be a recipient of your care, never. There is something about this charity and something about Cornwall, and when you bring it together, the achievements and the future that it’s planning for with a second helicopter, it’s really ambitious, and we need that in Cornwall. I’m amazed by how many calls you go to every month, there is so much reliance on that one aircraft and it’s such a vital resource for our county. I’m a very, very proud supporter and I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for my family.”

There are numerous ways that people can support the Heli2 Appeal, to help raise £2.85million to bring a second lifesaving helicopter to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

So far £1.25 million has been raised, but the charity says it needs to now need to push towards the remaining amount.

Donations can be made through their website but there are also only a few weeks left to enter their big Heli2 raffle.

More details and how to support the Heli2 Appeal can be found on the Cornwall Air Ambulance website’s Heli2 appeal page at https://cornwallairambulancetrust.org/heli2-appeal/.