Childbase funds life-saving missions for Children’s Air Ambulance

Loud applause greeted the Children’s Air Ambulance when it landed at Childbase Partnership Head Office in Newport Pagnell marking the end of a year-long fund-raising drive for the charity which raised over £120,000 for about 45 life-saving missions.

The air ambulance was met by charity representatives from each of the 44 day nurseries and Head Office. Congratulating the fund-raising teams were Jonathan Penny, Head of Business Development at Children’s air Ambulance, and Tracey Grunwell, Major Giving Manager, who said:

“Thank you for everything you have done for us; you really have helped to save lives.”

Charity Representative, Carolyn Wilson, at the new, purpose-built Cherry Trees Day Nursery on the Cranfield University site summed up the feelings of colleagues in day nurseries throughout the South of England who all comfortably exceeded fund-raising targets for the year with events like swimming the English Channel, climbing and hiking in the Pyrenees, summer fairs and cake sales.

“We were all shocked to learn that such a vital, life-saving service for children and babies relies totally on charitable donations. When you are surrounded by happy, confident children enjoying life you simply cannot imagine them being denied what they need in an emergency because there is a lack of money,” she said.

Children’s Air Ambulance has just one helicopter covering the entire country, providing rapid response times to medical emergencies for children and babies, and as a result can only reach one in every three who need their life-saving, specialist care.

Lucy Thompson, Head of Childbase Charity and Fund-raising, thanked colleagues company-wide for their tireless efforts, and parents of children in nurseries who gave so generously in sponsorship for a variety of challenges and at fund-raising events including a Channel Swim and conquering the Pyrenees in a four day hike and climb.

“We have a proud tradition of fund-raising at Childbase, adopting a single charity for a year-long focus in raising awareness and cash for their efforts with children and young people. Helping to fund life-saving missions for Children’s Air Ambulance has meant a great deal to all of us,” she said.