Click any menu item to expand it, click again
to collapse it.

Home Page Home Page
Redevelopment of FM Hall FM Hall Development HOME

The Freemasons' Grand Charity

East Lancashire Freemasons show their support for the North-West Air Ambulance Service

One of the two bright yellow North West Air Ambulances

The air ambulance service has been operating since 1999 and in April this year a second aircraft was put into service - based at City Airport at Barton. Prior to this the service missed up to 60 jobs per day as the single aircraft was already busy on missions. The Service can now also do emergency transfers and is planning to have a Doctor on board in addition to the Pilot and Paramedics (the latter who come from NW Ambulance Service on a two year secondment for which they are specially trained).

The Service now flies well over 1000 missions per year at a cost approaching £4M - £750 per hour just to keep the aircraft flying. All of this income comes from charitable donations and this allows the NW Service to fly 365 days per year, covering 5500 square miles and move trauma, heart attack and other emergency patients to Hospital from pick up in under 10 minutes!

The Freemasons' Grand Charity have granted over £500,000 to the Air Ambulances nationally during the last 5 years. Somewhere in England and Wales an Air Ambulance takes off every 10 minutes flying a total of 19,000 missions per year. The £180,000 Grant given this year was divided between the Provinces.

Today our Assistant Provincial Grand Master, WBro Derek Thornhill, attended City Airport together with representatives from the Provinces of Cheshire and West Lancashire to give £12,000 to the NW Service. After a tour of the facility and an explanation as to how the helicopters and crew operate Derek made our donation saying that East Lancashire Masons will be proud and delighted to see their money once again supporting NW Air Ambulance and contributing to the continued provision of this excellent service.

 

WBros Dennis Rudd, APGM (West Lancs.), Eric McConnell, ProvGChStwd (Cheshire)
and Derek Thornhill, APGM, with paramedics Mark Etherington and Suzanne Thompson,
Chief Executive, Lynda Brislin, Director of Air Operations, Andy Adamson and Capt. Neil Airey

 

Landing at Barton
Preparing for patient air-lift
Pilot explains operations
Loading the equipment
Ready for action
Two Aircraft serving the NW

Find out more about the Air Ambulance Service and how you can help at http://www.northwestairambulance.com/


Visit The Freemasons’ Grand Charity’s website at www.grandcharity.org