Dr Neil Thomson, a Zimbabwean doctor specialising in emergency medicine, attends accidents with the Warwickshire and Northants Air Ambulance, the sister charity to our own air ambulance which will take to the skies in April from East Midlands Airport – once £300,000 has been raised.

He said: "The road paramedics have very good skills and deal with emergencies excellently. What we bring to the party is specialised skills. We can stabilise the patient before they go to hospital.

"Normally a patient would be taken straight to the nearest hospital with an accident and emergency. Then they have to be transferred to a specialised unit.

"For example there is no brain unit in Leicester, so a road accident victim might be taken to Leicester to be stabilised before being taken to Queen's Medical Centre, in Nottingham, where there is a brain injury unit.

"We can stabilise them and take them straight to a specialist centre, whether that's a head injury or burns unit."

And that, as Neil points out, might not mean the difference between life and death but it could save your legs.

Of course, in some cases, the ambulance does save lives.

There is a great deal of evidence indicating that the first moments after an accident can make the critical difference.

A helicopter won't get stuck in congestion or worry about traffic lights, but even over restricted air space, such as prisons and military bases, the ambulance takes priority.

And a horse rider who falls off, suffering severe head injuries is likely to be in an inaccessible spot, but that's not a problem to the air ambulance team.

Paramedic Philippa Sansome, who effectively works as a co-pilot, said: "We have landed in some interesting spots. We sometimes have to keep cows away from the helicopter. They get scared off when we land, but they are always curious so we have to shoo them away again."
So what are the personal reasons for doing it? To me, they are heroes, daily braving the sky to save our lives.

Philippa said: "We don't ever come in thinking 'we are going to be heroes today'. It is very satisfying to get a letter from someone you know, that if we hadn't been available they might not have survived, but that's not the reason we do it."

So what about the pilots? My image of a helicopter pilot is a suave, debonair, Tom Cruise-style bloke or perhaps a flying version of Parker, from Thunderbirds.

Senior pilot Captain Richard Craske said: "It's a job I had aspired to for some time because for me it is the top job in helicopter flying. It is an exciting and challenging role and certainly the most fulfilling of my career. Being part of a highly professional team which makes a difference to many people each and every day is tremendously exciting and rewarding".

* Next week I speak to a crash victim who was rescued by the air ambulance.
* Keep up to date with the appeal on our website www.meltontimes.co.uk where there are more pictures and a 360 degree panoramic of the inside of the helicopter.

SO FAR SO GOOD: Support for our appeal has been staggering and news of events has been coming in thick and fast. More than £4,500 has been banked but we still need more.

These are the latest fundraising efforts that we know about. Please get in touch with us if you are arranging one.

Melton Market staff are rallying round and collection buckets will be in the Market Tavern at the cattle auction, farmers' market, car boot sale and the fortnightly horse sale. And on Wednesday, February 27, in the exhibition hall a bingo night is being held, with prizes donated by everyone at the market, time is to be confirmed.

Meanwhile, diners at the Samworth Centre cafe can enjoy food and raise money for the appeal. Manager Jackie Taylor is making heart-shaped biscuits to sell, Air Ambulance sandwiches are also available and there is a collection box, too.

Asfordby residents will help the cause at a coffee morning on Friday, March 7 in the lounge of Bradgate Flats, Bradgate Lane. There will be a tombola, bric a brac and refreshments from 10am until noon. Donations for the stalls can be given to David Shilham at 1 Church Lane, Asfordby.

And pupils at King Edward VII school are making a CD of popular songs to be sold in aid of the charity.

THE motto of the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance is 'help us today, you may need us tomorrow'.

It is supported entirely through voluntary donations – and it costs £1.5m a year to operate the service.

There are a number of ways in which you can help:-
*Fundraising at home, work or school
*Having a collection box
*Becoming a corporate sponsor
*Becoming a volunteer
*Making a donation by cheque (see coupon below), not forgetting to fill out the Gift Aid declaration
lMaking a donation by cash. An account has been set up at The Melton building society where cash donations and the proceeds from fundraising events can be paid in. The account number is GGG3336694COO – Air Ambulance.

But whatever you do, let us know by contacting reporter Ben Truslove on (01664) 412522 or e-mail ben.truslove@meltontimes.
co.uk