Landmarks lit up for air ambulance base appeal

Landmarks across Hampshire have been lit up as part of an air ambulance fundraising campaign.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) is hoping to raise £3.6m through its Operation Airbase appeal to fund a move to new headquarters.

Portchester Castle, near Portsmouth, Southampton's historic town walls and Parchment Street, in Winchester, were among the sites temporarily transformed into cinema screens to highlight the appeal.

The charity said relocating from its current airbase in Thruxton, Andover, to a site near Southampton Airport would "dramatically reduce" the time it takes to respond to emergencies.

Thousands of people saw the illuminating projections, which featured flight footage of the helicopter, interviews with crew and testimonials from former patients, said the charity.

HIOWAA has already raised £800,000 towards its target.

Keith Wilson, HIOWAA's director of income and engagement, said: "It’s important for us to get out into the communities we serve and spark conversations about our life-saving work and our exciting plans."

The air ambulance service is currently based across two locations, with operations near Andover and the charity team in Southampton.

It said about 70% of call outs were to the south of the region - Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.

"This currently takes a minimum flight time of 15 minutes from the current base," said the charity.

The service said a move to a more central area would mean it could reach almost every patient in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight within 10 minutes of take off.

Specialist paramedic lead Nick Gray said: "Every second we save could mean the difference between life and death – or between each patient returning to the life they had before."

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