Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance launches appeal for second helicopter amid soaring demand
Charity says there are now daily emergencies it cannot attend because crews are already deployed elsewhere
The Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance has launched a major public fundraising appeal to help fund a second helicopter - saying demand for the service has risen by more than 135 percent in recent years.
The charity says it has already secured most of the £7 million needed for the new aircraft, but is now asking communities across Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire to help raise the final £500,000 needed to get it operational by late summer 2027.
The new campaign, called the “Mission Possible 2 Appeal”, was officially launched last week.
The charity currently operates across 3,500 square miles - the largest geographical area covered by any air ambulance service in the UK - and says there are now one to two major emergencies every day it cannot attend because its helicopter is already responding elsewhere.
Chief Executive Karen Jobling said demand for the service is continuing to grow rapidly.
“For more than three decades we've been there for patients and their families on some of the worst days of their lives, but the reality is that demand is now outgrowing what one helicopter can deliver,” she said.
“A second helicopter will mean we can reach around 400 additional patients every year and ensure more families get the chance to have their loved one return home,” Karen added.
The new AW109 helicopter has already secured a place on the production line, with the charity hoping it will officially enter service in October 2027.
“We've been incredibly fortunate to receive significant pledges and support from private funders already, but now we're asking the people and communities of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire to help us get over the finish line and hit our £500,000 target,” she said.
“Every day there are major incidents happening but with one helicopter we can’t be in two places at once. That's incredibly difficult because we know every call represents someone's loved one.”
Fundraising events linked to the appeal are already planned, including the Lincoln Dragon Boat Festival at Brayford Pool on July 11th.
People can donate or find out more about the Mission Possible 2 Appeal through the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance website.