The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) has said it is doing its best to continue operating as usual and be there for those in need during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The charity released a statement that said: “Please rest assured that we are monitoring the situation closely, following all of the current guidelines and taking all necessary steps and precautions to ensure patient and crew safety.
“This means we have implemented steps such as extra Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), stopped all non-essential personnel from visiting the air base, and implemented new remote working practices for our staff.
“We will continue to monitor the situation closely and work to adapt to the ever-changing environment to continue delivering urgent critical care to our community.”
GWAAC provides critical care and air ambulance services to Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Gloucestershire, attending to over 5 critically ill or injured patients a day on average.
The charity receives no day-to-day government funding and relies solely on the support of the local communities it serves to raise over £4 million a year needed to remain operational.
Due to the current virus outbreak, charities are expecting to see a huge impact on their income over the coming months.
With local fundraising events being cancelled, the charity is urging their supporters to do what they can to support them.
The statement continued: “We are a charity and can only continue to be there for the seriously ill or injured with your help.
“Unfortunately, we are in the process of cancelling or rearranging a large number of events, large and small, which would have provided much-needed income.
“We understand this is a difficult time for everyone – financially, practically or emotionally. However, you can still help your local air ambulance in other ways.
“Whether it’s clearing out your house for items to donate to our new charity shop, or pledging to leave us a gift in your will – you can help us get through this difficult time.”
You can find out more at www.gwaac.com/how-to-help.
You can find the latest coronavirus information, advice and community updates for the Bath & North East Somerset area on our dedicated live blog here.
