MAGPAS

Maybe you’ve never heard of MAGPAS, but if so, be thankful if you live in the East of England where MAGPAS, the Emergency Medical Charity, provides the UK’s only dedicated night time charity air ambulance with a highly trained doctor and paramedic on board. Over 50 of the UK’s leading medics volunteer with MAGPAS to provide over £3.6 million worth of frontline medical care – free of charge. The Helimedix team works together to save lives day and night, anywhere in the Eastern Region.

MAGPAS has been saving lives for the past 40 years and has come to the rescue for over 50,000 people. The MAGPAS Helimedix are dedicated to saving lives but they can only continue to do so with the public’s support through fundraising and donations. They are so grateful to their volunteers and donors as they don’t receive any government or lottery funding and need at least £500,000 to operate, especially as they have been using police helicopters which have been withdrawn because of financial cutbacks in the service.

Frances met the charity’s Communications Manager Antonia Brickell in 2011 and offered to help the charity in whichever way she could.

She has since interviewed a Luton-based young man whose life was saved by MAGPAS. She visited his home and talked to his father, taking photographs of both of them. She then placed the story, plus the pictures in the Luton News.

Frances has attended MAGPAS fund raising events and has liaised with Antonia to try and help the charity to meet corporate executives and fund raising organisations which may be able to help the charity.

She also assisted Antonia in the preparation of the corporate fundraising documents for 2012.

“Your wondrous talents. Such wonderful news about your article and fantastic to get into the local Luton press with such a strong article. We all really appreciate the time and effort you’ve put into this – thank you so much! “ Antonia Brickell, Communications Manager MAGPAS