Sir,
Last night (Monday, September 9) my quilt group, The Landsker Quilters, presented the Wales Air Ambulance Service with a cheque for £1,800. We raised this money by raffling a quilt we made as a group.
A paramedic, Dorian James, came to accept the cheque and gave us a very informative talk and showed us a short video on the work the Air Ambulance carries out in our area.
Now I come to the point of my letter. The Wales Air Ambulance Service gets no government funding whatsoever, unlike the Scottish and London Air Ambulance Services. Also there has been no lottery money awarded for our service.
Although based in Swansea, the aircraft can reach a trauma patient in any part of Pembrokeshire within 12 minutes, a great time saver over the road ambulance. From Tenby for instance it can then get the patient to Withybush Hospital within four to eight minutes.
The aircraft can carry two stretcher patients and has two paramedics and a pilot on board. There is only enough money for one pilot and when he's off duty, a pilot from Thames Valley is seconded into our area.
This, to me, all sounds so desperately sad, that in this day and age, although we have the latest technology and experience to help trauma patients in trouble, this service has to be funded by the kindness of such people who bought our raffle tickets or those others who give their time to raise funds personally.
The aircraft has space for logos for those companies who may wish to sponsor its work. So far it only has one logo!
So let's hope none of us ever has need of this wonderful service, but just in case, please try and think of ways to raise more money for it.
In the meantime, I would like to thank everyone who bought our raffle tickets and if you would like to join our group, we meet every Monday at the Queens Hall in Narberth at 7 pm.
Pauline Lynch,
Heddwch,
Wiseman's Bridge.