PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE GREAT NORTH AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE

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1 PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE GREAT NORTH AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE REGISTERED CHARITY No REGISTERED COMPANY No

2 WELCOME Thank you for your interest in the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS). This guide has been put together to help businesses and community groups support our charity. We hope you find it useful. To get straight to the point, in getting behind your local air ambulance, you are contributing towards saving lives and improving patient outcomes. We are called upon more than 1,000 times every year, and each time we are activated it costs on average 2,500. The costs of operating three highly-sophisticated air ambulance helicopters, equipping them with life-saving drugs, and staffing them with expert paramedics and doctors is around 4m every year. Raising this is a constant battle for the staff and volunteers at the charity. With your support, this task will be made a lot easier. But it is not all about what you can offer us. Supporting the charity will bring benefits to your business or group as well. It brings people closer together, it attracts positive publicity and it promotes a positive culture within your organisation. Later on in this publication, you will hear about ways in which businesses have benefited from supporting the charity. Supporting doesn t necessarily mean direct donations however, because there are a whole range of other ways which people can support GNAAS, from volunteering to organising fundraising events. This guide will outline some of the ways you can help but please do not feel bound by it as some of the most successful fundraising ideas are those which are totally unique. Our staff will do everything they can to help you get the most out of our partnership. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries at all. We would be delighted to hear from you. Yours sincerely, Grahame Pickering MBE

3 BENEFITS OF SUPPORTING GNAAS Supporting a local cause GNAAS operates in your area, saving local lives. What better way to integrate yourself into your local community than by showing your support? Corporate social responsibility Many organisations have corporate social responsibility requirements which bind them to carry out positive work in their wider community. Fulfil yours by helping GNAAS to continue its life-saving work. Team building Helping our charity can bring members of your business or group closer together. Volunteering is a great leveller; help break down barriers and build lasting relationships that will benefit your organisation for years to come. Public relations Align your organisation with GNAAS and benefit from positive public relations. Our team are happy to advise on the best ways of making sure everyone knows about the good work you are doing.

4 CORPORATE OPEN DAYS One of the best ways to see if your business can work closely with us is to get involved in one of our corporate open days. The open days allow you to witness behind the scenes operations and to meet the people who are at the heart of the charity. This opportunity enables you to gain an insight into what it means to be a supporter of the service, whilst networking with other businesses with similar pledges of support. On the day, call outs permitting, the aircraft will make an entry, flying into the corporate day base, creating some great photo opportunities for those attendees who wish to capture the special moment. A tour of the helicopter by its crew will give you the chance to see the aircraft up close, and there will be the rare opportunity to ask any questions you may have with working crew members. Our mascot Miles the Bear will also make an appearance for those who fancy a handshake or photograph. The events are free to attend, usually run from 10am until approximately 2pm and are held at partnering venues throughout our entire area. The open days come at no cost to the charity. To book your place at the next one or for a chat about how you would like to get involved with GNAAS, please call

5 VOLUNTEERING All of our volunteers report that their experience has allowed for personal growth and a sense of accomplishment that they are doing something worthwhile. Mandy Drake, Head of Fundraising Does your organisation encourage staff to volunteer in the local community? Volunteers are the life-blood of the Great North Air Ambulance Service and are relied upon to carry out a wide range of tasks. A couple of hours a week can make a huge difference to our fundraising efforts and there are plenty of roles that can add to your employees skill base. The charity wants volunteers to benefit from the partnership, so tasks can be tailored to individual needs, reflecting what the volunteer would like to achieve. If employees wish to focus on helping GNAAS give presentations to community groups, then this is an opportunity for volunteers to build their confidence, talk to a broad range of people and improve their communication skills. Volunteers who help at events throughout the year, from fundraising balls to beer festivals, get the chance to meet a variety of people and to engage with individuals from all walks of life, which provides a brilliant opportunity to reach out to the community, find friends and learn new skills. Other jobs include: Manning show stalls Cheque presentations and meeting supporters Helping with administrative work Store collections

6 TRADING COMPANY There are a number of other ways to help the charity without making direct financial contributions. The Great North Air Ambulance Service Trading Company specialises in recycling and donates 100 per cent of its profits to the charity. By recycling your goods with the GNAAS Trading Company, you are not only helping the environment, but you are making a very real contribution to the work of the air ambulance service. Services we offer: Recycling clothing Good quality used clothing including shoes, boots, belts and household textiles. They are a valuable commodity and we can provide you with our bags if you hold the collection we will even come and pick up the clothing. Confidential document shredding Some of the region s biggest firms trust us to shred their confidential documents. We can provide you with our shredding bags and numbered security seals. We operate a level three cross cut shredder at our site in Newton Aycliffe and we also provide a certificate of destruction. This is a professional service offered at competitive prices. Mobile phone recycling We accept all types of mobile phones for recycling. If you are upgrading your stock, please get in touch and help the air ambulance. Ink/Toner cartridge recycling We will come and collect your used ink/ toner cartridges, giving them a new life and raising money for the charity. Furniture We take all types of good quality used furniture for re-sale. However, we can only collect local to our Newton Aycliffe depot. If you would like any information about any of these services, please call

7 FIRST AID TRAINING Why not utilise our medical expertise by taking part in one of our first aid courses? Since the first one in 2006, more than 6,000 people have been trained in different aspects of first aid by our team. Not only are you and your staff getting first-class tuition, but all of the profits from the competitively priced courses are donated to the charity to help maintain the helicopter fleet. We offer the following courses: Three-day First Aid at Work an in depth course for those working on premises considered higher level of risk, perhaps where machinery or chemicals are used. One-day First Aid at Work Covering all the essentials in one day, this course suits those working in premises deemed of lower risk, such as shops or offices. Annual Update a three hour course designed to top-up your skills to keep you abreast of the latest developments in first aid. Statutory Two-day Paediatric First Aid suitable for those working in schools, or child minders, or early years/foundation stage providers. Bespoke courses are also available and have been delivered to rugby clubs, equestrian centres, advanced motorcyclists, schools of dance and pony clubs. Basic Life Support and Automated External Defibrillation. Previous customers include fire & rescue services, steel manufacturers, hotels, chemical industries, sports clubs, schools, foster carers, youth service providers, estate agents, banks and airport authorities. Further details of courses or availability of dates can be obtained by ing peter@greatnorthairambulance.co.uk or by contacting *Our courses have gained approval from the Health and Safety Executive, in accordance with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations We are also members of the Federation of First Aid Training Organisations (FOFATO) and registered with the newly formed First Aid Industry Body (FAIB).

8 NEW WHERE WE WORK BERWICK-UPON-TWEED HELIPADS AT HOSPITALS OTTERBURN GNAAS BASES CARLISLE A66 LANGWATHBY WHITEHAVEN Remote mountain tops may be popular with hill walkers, but they are often impossible to reach by road ambulance. Sadly, heart attacks and serious falls are commonplace on the fells in our region. Our aircraft can land in some of the most testing conditions, bringing expert doctors and paramedics to the scene. LAKE DISTRICT BARROW-IN-FURNESS BAINBRIDGE For rural residents, getting to hospital can be a long and uncomfortable experience. Our aircraft are never more than a fifteen minute flight away from their nearest hospital. Travelling in a helicopter is quick and smooth and the patient can be treated en route by our specialist paramedic and doctor teams. HA

9 Horse riding accidents are a frequent occurrence and can often result in serious head and spinal injuries. To make matters more complicated, these incidents often happen in the countryside, miles from hospital and often inaccessible by road. In the vast majority of cases, an air ambulance can land nearby, minimising discomfort for the patient and accelerating the speed with which they receive treatment. Patients often need transferring from hospital to hospital for specialist treatments. Our aircraft frequently transport seriously ill patients across the Pennines for life-saving care. CASTLE Road accidents are the biggest single type of incident we attend. They are also often the most serious, with high-speed impact a leading cause of major trauma. Major roads and motorways make good landing sites, so our aircraft and crew can get rapid access to those in need. MIDDLESBROUGH DARLINGTON DURHAM TEES VALLEY AIRPORT SCARBOROUGH NORTHALLERTON RROGATE YORK AIRCRAFT TYPE Eurocopter Dauphin AS365N2 TOP SPEED 306 km/h ROTOR SPAN 12m LENGTH 14m RANGE 3hrs 30mins max (usual operation range 1hr 10mins)

10 OUR SUPPORTERS SAY... Katie Burney, charity officer at Wilko said: At Wilko we know how important it is to support and be a part of the communities we serve, and we demonstrate this by backing local registered charities which share our family values. In the past, Wilko had nominated a national charity of the year each year, however last year we pledged to support regional charities within the communities where our stores are based. Following this decision, two Wilko regions chose to support the Great North Air Ambulance Service because of the truly worthwhile work it carries out in the local community. A year of fundraising saw Wilko team members host and take part in a wide range of events, including themed fancy dress fundraisers, hosting football tournaments and charity quizzes. Not only does the charity support help to boost team spirit and really encourage stores to work together as a team, but more than 180,000 in funds was raised following the activity. This has gone towards the ongoing costs of operating a fleet of helicopters based across the North East, Cumbria and North Yorkshire and ultimately, has helped save lives. Buoyed by the fantastic figure raised, our team members were extremely keen to extend their support by hosting another year of fundraising activity. We had a wonderful first year supporting the Great North Air Ambulance Service and we hope the grand total raised by our stores will make a real difference. The Great North Air Ambulance Service team has been fantastic to work with and the charity has proved to be very popular with our customers. This year s fundraising is well underway and there are plenty of ideas in the pipeline to see us through the rest of the year.

11 It s not just big businesses getting behind GNAAS though. Staff and customers at The Willow Tree Inn, a village pub in Leeming, North Yorkshire, have been supporting the charity since the tragic death of Sam Clayton in Sam died following a road traffic collision at the age of 17. Pub managers, Vicky and Jonathon Clayton, Sam s father, immediately threw their support behind GNAAS. Mrs Clayton, 42, said: The Great North Air Ambulance played a vital role in us being able to have an extra week with my stepson Sam. Ever since, we have supported the charity through a variety of different ways to do our bit in helping keep the aircraft flying. walking fundraiser in the Yorkshire Dales, there is also a three peaks challenge, quoits competitions, domino contest and raffles. They also keep collection tins behind the bar, sell merchandise and use the pub as a drop-off point for the community to give recycling. Mrs Clayton said: We love holding the events, there is a real sense of community spirit and everyone joins in the fun. It builds team work with our employees and there is a real jolly atmosphere when raising money for such a great cause. We have lots of things planned for the future and we can t wait to see them come to fruition. This is only the beginning. The pub holds a wide range of fundraising events throughout the year. A team is entered in the Shunner Shuffle, a 30 mile climbing and

12 OTHER WAYS TO HELP Payroll giving This easy, tax-effective method costs you less to give more. Employees can make regular and one-off payments directly from their pay, taxfree. This means there is little effort needed to give to charity whilst still reaping the good feeling that you are making a difference. Regular giving Regular giving is another way that employees can give on a monthly basis to the charity and it is available for those who want to set up their own direct debit. The system is quick and easy to set up, and each month, a regular amount is automatically deducted from your credit card or bank account. You choose how much to give, and you can increase or decrease the amount at any time. Lottery The GNAAS monthly lottery offers you the chance to donate to the charity with the added bonus of potentially winning something back. For as little as 50p a week, you can support the service by joining its weekly lottery draw. As well as benefitting the charity, buying a ticket gives you the chance to scoop one of 58 cash prizes dealt out every week. Prizes range from 10 to 200 and are distributed after the draw which takes place every week on a Wednesday.

13 SMALL CHANGE, BIG DIFFERENCE Do you have a public area where you can display a collection tin? GNAAS can provide collection tins for your business that make a big difference to the charity. Collection tins raise around 10,000 from small change every month, so their use is hugely important in contributing towards for the 4m needed to run the service each year. The fundraising activity asks for little effort from your business, so it is a hassle free way to show your support. All you have to do is display the tin, making it a simple, rewarding way to raise money for the charity. A member of the GNAAS team will empty your tins periodically or when requested to do so. For more information on tins please call Do you have either a chip and pin or online payment system in your business? You can also support us by setting up this service that allows your customers to decide whether they would like to make a donation to the charity. This method is a cost-effective and straightforward way for you to offer your customers the choice to join in, and make even more of a difference to the charity you and your employees already support. The system is technology driven and works quietly in the background with no need for staff to ask customers to donate, making it a straightforward way for your company to make a difference. To help raise money and awareness by placing a collection tin in your business or for more information on either of these, please call

14 EVENTS Sponsored Challenges GNAAS offers you, your staff or your colleagues the chance to take on a range of challenges like skydives, treks and overseas adventures. We can provide the support of a public liaison officer who will offer advice on promoting fundraising, as well as providing sponsorship forms, t-shirts and other useful equipment that can help your workforce make the most of their charity endeavour. Case Study A team of cyclists from Rockliffe Hall Golf and Spa Resort near Darlington braved the challenging terrains across the North East and Cumbria to take on the Coast to Coast bike ride to raise money for the charity. The staff tackled the infamous 147 mile route in September and raised over 2000 for GNAAS. Once again we re in training for this great cycling challenge - boosted by even more members of the team joining in. It is gruelling but it s nothing compared to what the amazing team at the GNAAS do, saving lives week in week out. We ve chosen a new route this year- just as challenging, if not more so- and we re readying ourselves for a mix of terrain and whatever the Northern weather might throw at us. Nick Holmes - Managing Director at Rockliffe Hall

15 Our events The charity holds events throughout the year which are perfect for networking, team building or as staff rewards. Looking for a team-building exercise? Then look no further because our It s A Knockout contests are perfect for integrating new staff into the team or reinforcing old bonds. Above all, they are a lot of fun. What better way to thank your staff than treating them to a night of glamour at our fundraising ball? The ball provides a luxurious setting in which to network or just to relax and have a good time. These popular events regularly attract high profile figures such as ITV Tyne Tees news anchor Pam Royle, a GNAAS patron, who is also a regular host. Our events usually feature a charity auction, and we are always on the lookout for donations of prizes. Workplace Organised Events Holding a workplace organised event is a great way to energise your workforce and show your on-going support for the charity. Workplace events can be simple, such as dress down days, cake sales and tombolas. These are all ways to make an ordinary day at work a bit more fun. However inventive you are and whatever activity you chose, the aim of the event can be to raise money for a worthwhile cause in the process - a sure motivator for any team. The charity s dedicated public liaison team is happy to help promote the event by listing it on the GNAAS website, and will provide equipment such as banners, collection buckets and merchandise, to help bring the event to life. Our mascot, Miles the Bear, may be able to attend as well, though early booking is essential! Sponsorship opportunities As a charity, we are always working to keep our costs down where we can. One way we manage this is by offering sponsorship opportunities to our supporters. Benefit from the exposure of having your logo on our mascot, at our events and on our publications. Please get in touch for more information.

16 Office telephone: Office address: The Imperial Centre, Grange Road, Darlington, DL1 5NQ Follow /GNairambulance