CORNWALL Air Ambulance returns to Truro with the opening of a new charity shop in the city centre.

The store is scheduled to open in early summer in River Street, with an official date to be announced. It promises the same fresh and modern design as recent openings in Wadebridge and Launceston, with dedicated shopping areas including women’s and men’s fashion.

Each year, the Cornwall Air Ambulance shops bring in over £1-million in vital funds, helping to provide a lifesaving service across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The crew attends more than 1,000 missions every year, by means of an AW169 helicopter and two rapid response vehicles. In 2024, Cornwall Air Ambulance was tasked to over 60 missions in Truro and the surrounding areas alone.

Truro shop manager Ally Bowker said: “We’re thrilled to be returning to Truro with a bigger and better shop, with even more pre-loved bargains.

“The new shop not only has more internal space, but also a dedicated donation drop-off point within the store, along with charity information and easy access to signing up to Gift Aid.

“The team and I cannot wait to see all our regular customers again, and we hope they will enjoy helping us to save lives through every purchase and donation.”

Anyone interested in volunteering at the store can find out more and apply online at cornwallairambulancetrust.org/volunteer/

Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust is the charity that fundraises to operate the helicopter emergency medical service. Its specialist paramedics are operational 19 hours a day, 365 days a year. On average, the helicopter is on scene within 12 minutes across mainland Cornwall, and less than 30 minutes on the Isles of Scilly. It costs over £7-million annually to keep the charity running, with no direct government funding meaning the charity relies on the generosity of supporters.