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Air ambulance charity founder given award

KSS Air Ambulance KSS founder Kate Chivers lifts a glass trophy - her lifetime achievement award - and smiles at the camera alongside chief executive David WelchKSS Air Ambulance
KSS founder Kate Chivers received a lifetime achievement award from chief executive David Welch

An air ambulance charity has awarded its founder with a lifetime achievement award.

The Kent Surrey Sussex air ambulance (KSS) presented the award to Kate Chivers at an event which marked 35 years since the charity launched in November 1989.

Ms Chivers was given the award for her work in establishing the service as an independent charity when it ran out of funding from local health authorities.

She said: “I can’t tell you how much this means to me. There’s nothing in this world that can’t be achieved with determination and the desire to make things better."

She added: “Who would have thought our fledgling would become such a beautiful eagle?"

Since 1989, the KSS said it has carried out 46,000 missions across 3,500 square miles of Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

David Welch, chief executive of KSS, said: "We’ve been on an incredible journey during the past 35 years, thanks to the vision and determination of Kate and the amazing support of our staff, volunteers, former patients and their families, supporters and Trustees."

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