East Anglian Air Ambulance launches £8.2m appeal for new base
Charity seeks public support to maintain lifesaving services
East Anglian Air Ambulance has launched an urgent £8.2 million fundraising appeal to establish a new air base in Cambridgeshire following planning permission approval for a site outside Fulbourn.
The charity needs to relocate ahead of the planned closure of Cambridge Airport in 2030.
Without a Cambridge base, the service's operations would be halved, leaving only one airbase in Norfolk, which would significantly increase response times for life-threatening emergencies across the region.
The Cambridge Air Base Appeal aims to fund a new facility at New Shardelowes Farm, ensuring continued delivery of hospital-level critical care to patients in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk for decades.
Matthew Jones, CEO of East Anglian Air Ambulance, emphasised the urgency of the appeal:
“We are at a pivotal moment in our history. For nearly two decades, we have worked in partnership with the owners of Cambridge Airport, Marshall, to ensure that our Cambridge-based helicopter, critical care cars, and specialist crews can reach people in their greatest time of need, quickly and effectively."
“Now, this vital part of our lifesaving service is under threat. We’ve moved swiftly to secure planning permission for a new site in Fulbourn, but we must now raise the funds to build the base. This is our biggest and most ambitious challenge yet, and we can’t do it alone. We urgently need the public’s help.”
Several local individuals, whose lives were saved by the air ambulance’s crews, are supporting the appeal, including Mia Cornelius from Haverhill, Jonathan Moran from Peterborough, and Deryck Thake from Cambridge, each having compelling reasons to be grateful for the service.
Jones added: “The vision for our new Cambridge base isn’t just about bricks and mortar. It’s about making sure people in life‑threatening emergencies across our region continue to receive the very best care, fast."
“It will also allow us to meet increasingly complex operational needs, provide world-class training facilities, and protect our ability to serve our communities for generations to come."
The charity has laid out multiple ways for individuals across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk to contribute to the appeal.
Community engagement is encouraged through fundraising events, ranging from bake sales and marathons to skydives, with schools, businesses, sports clubs, and groups invited to support East Anglian Air Ambulance collectively.
The charity estimates that if each household in the region gave £10, the target could be reached instantly.
Responding to the most serious emergencies, the air ambulance provided critical care to 1,845 people, including 151 children, in 2025 alone.