The Association of Air Ambulances is today calling on all of the UK’s air ambulance community to nominate an individual or team for this year’s Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence. These prestigious, independent awards honour the exceptional contributions of staff and volunteers in the UK air ambulance community.
The Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence have quickly become a prestigious event for the pre-hospital care sector and last year saw over 250 people watch BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin hand over 10 Awards to some outstanding individuals and teams.
Nominations are now open so the entire sector’s most inspirational people get the recognition they deserve. The Awards are judged by an independent panel of experts, chaired by Chloe Smith MP, and presented at a gala dinner in London on 16 November. Recipients last year included pilots, paramedics, doctors, fundraisers and volunteers.
National Director of the Association of Air Ambulances, Clive Dickin, said:
Last year’s ceremony was a wonderful occasion where everyday heroes were recognised, and these awards will once again reflect the incredible dedication to duty of all those involved in the air ambulance sector.”
Nigel Hare, Operations Director at Devon Air Ambulance, won the Charity Staff Member of the Year Award last year. He commented:
The awards recognise the immense amount of work undertaken by volunteers, fundraisers, charity staff, clinicians and pilots. It needs all of these people to enable skilled clinicians to arrive safely, quickly and free to patients in their time of need.”
This year, in recognition of the incredibly forward-thinking nature of the air ambulance sector, a new Award has been added: an Innovation Award. Nominations are now sought in the following categories:
- Outstanding Young Person Award – Bond Air Services
- Charity Staff Member of the Year – Milestone Aviation Group
- Air Ambulance Paramedic of the Year – Prometheus Medical Ltd
- Air Ambulance Doctor of the Year – AgustaWestland
- Air Ambulance Pilot of the Year – Turbomeca UK
- Air Ambulance Campaign of the Year – Lottery Fundraising Services
- Charity Volunteer of the Year – Bag It Up Group
- Special Incident Award – Airbus Helicopters
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Medical Aviation Services
- Innovation Award – Under offer
The closing date for nominations is 1 September 2015. The winners will be announced at the Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence gala dinner to be held on 16 November.
Further details of award categories, together with a nomination form can be found here.
