THE Wales Air Ambulance charity has launched an emergency appeal to support its vital work during the coronavirus pandemic.

Many of the ways that the charity raises vital funds include face-to-face public events and footfall through its shops. Following government advice, all the charity’s public activities have been postponed and its retail outlets have closed.

As an important front-line service in the Welsh healthcare landscape, the Wales Air Ambulance service has a vital role in the response to the current pandemic, as well as continuing to attend non-virus-related medical incidents.

However, the public restrictions mean that the charity will see a significant decrease in the money that it can raise to maintain its operation.

As a result, online fundraising has become critical to its sustainability.

Ann Evans, who has been a fundraiser for WAA for 12 years in the Cardigan and Newcastle Emlyn area, said: ‘This is an awful situation. You wake up in the morning and think this can’t be true.

"We live out here in West Wales, the nearest hospital is 30 miles away – we rely heavily on the Wales Air Ambulance. There were such a lot of fundraising events planned which are now having to be stood down. It is devastating but understandable under the circumstances.

"We’re losing out on vital funds and that's why we have the emergency appeal to help us through this period. When the time is right, we will get together to do something to raise more funds for the Wales Air Ambulance.’

Mark Stevens, the Charity’s South Wales fundraising manager, said: “The pandemic has brought untold chaos, hardship and suffering to countries around the world and as the scale of the crisis laid before us is significant, the Wales Air Ambulance has an important part to play.

“As a charity, we rely on the public’s incredible generosity to fund our four helicopters across Wales. We need to raise £6.5 million every year to keep the rotor blades turning. Many of our fundraising activities are no longer possible, so we are now asking our dedicated supporters to move their aid online.

“This is an extremely difficult time for everybody, and we appreciate that not everybody will be in a position to do so, but if you can support us in any way, we would be very grateful.”

There are several ways that the public can continue to support the Wales Air Ambulance.

These include online donations, signing up to the Charity’s Lifesaving Lottery or by coming up with their own innovative ways to fundraise at home. Further information can be found via www.walesairambulance.com.

Alternatively, you can help by donating £5 via a ‘text to donate’ number, to do this just text HELI to 70711.