Big cash boost for Essex and Herts Air Ambulance

2 July 2019, 07:41 | Updated: 2 July 2019, 07:43

Essex and Herts Air Ambulance is celebrating securing a big grant from the government.

It applied for £1.5 million of the £10 million made available to England's air ambulance charities in the Chancellor's budget last autumn.

It's been awarded the full amount - which will be used to help pay for the planned new airbase at North Weald.

The total cost of the airbase will be in the region of £4 million.

Within his statement last year the Chancellor said: "Across the length and breadth of England, our air ambulance services work tirelessly 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to get those with life-threatening illnesses and injuries to the expert medical care they need. They do a fantastic job and today I am making £10 million of funding to help them go on doing so."

A planning application for EHAAT's new Airbase at North Weald was submitted to Epping Forest District Council last December and a decision is expected shortly.

Jane Gurney, Chief Executive Officer of EHAAT said: "We are delighted to receive this contribution from Government. It will mean that some of the funds initially put aside for our new premises at North Weald can now be used to help develop and improve the life-saving service we provide for patients. We value the support of the communities we serve and are thankful for their continued support."