This summer there will be a callout every three hours? Will you help the GWAAC to get there?
We’re absolutely delighted that the GWAAC (Great Western Air Ambulance Charity) which provides Critical Care and air ambulance services across Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset, Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire will be at Fresh: Art Fair this April! Come along to meet them in the foyer and chat about their important work and find out more about how you can donate or volunteer.
The Fresh: team are extremely Excited to confirm that the charity, along with their mascot Charlie the Critical Care Bear will be joining us on Saturday 29th April along with a Rapid Response Vehicle which will be located by the front entrance on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th April along with some of the team’s specialist paramedics (provided they aren’t called urgently to assist a member of the public.)
The icing on the cake is that the charity are looking forwards to launching a brand new limited-edition print (sold in aid of GWAAC) from Bristol-based street artist Andy Council. Details will be confirmed nearer to the event!
The GWAAC, is a registered charity which relies on donations from the public. From fundraising events to corporate partnerships to playing their weekly lottery there are many ways to support the team and help to maintain their life-saving equipment.
In 2022, the charity responded to a stunning 1,808 calls for help – which amounts to over 150 calls a month – the helicopter and critical response car making rapid journeys throughout our geographical area to assist those with grave injuries and ensure that they get the medical assistance that they need.
One horsewoman who had been involved in a fall resulting from crushing injuries described the help she received:
The charity’s vision is to ensure that everyone receives the lifesaving pre-hospital emergency care they need, wherever they are, whenever they need it.
Their mission is to deliver cutting-edge pre-hospital care to everyone who needs it. It is is funded by and works for local communities, it is also a highly regarded and people focused charity – all supporters are welcome.
GWAAC is striving to help all patients by improving Pre-Hospital Emergency Care, identifying effective interventions, promoting good practice and developing innovative new approaches. This has led to the installation of – and training for a number of defibrillators – partnering with Heartsafe to launch an all in one lifesaving automated external defibrillator (AED) package. This collaboration makes it easy for communities to keep and locate a defibrillator on their street.
What they say:
“GWAAC have partnered with Heartsafe to launch an all in one lifesaving automated external defibrillator (AED) package. This collaboration makes it easy for communities to place a defibrillator on their street. Every year in the UK 30,000 people suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. For every minute that passes, a person’s chance of survival goes down by 10%.
Sadly, only 1 in 10 survive. An AED is an easy-to-use medical device that can deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to someone who is in cardiac arrest. It is an essential part in trying to save their life. CPR should be done until a defibrillator reaches the person. Right now, only 40% of people receive early CPR and fewer than 2% have a defibrillator used prior to
the ambulance arriving. The availability of AEDs and the knowledge of how to use them is inadequate. We simply need more defibrillators in our communities”
The charity has also launched Great Western Heartstarters – a training initiative teaching children in throughout the region how to deliver effective CPR and use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
The GWAAC is a Bristol based charity, headquartered at
Great Western Air Ambulance Charity,
County Gates,
Ashton Road,
Bristol, BS3 2JH
Registered Charity No: 1121300
Want to get in touch? You can email them at: info@gwaac.com
or find out more about what they are doing via their social media channels – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube – LinkedIn
