Air ambulance charity faces rise in daily running costs

Yorkshire Air Ambulance pilot Cpt Steve Cobb with paramedics Lee Davison and Darrel Cullen.

The charity now needs to raise a further £2,790 each day, taking the new daily running costs to £9,990, equivalent to £3.6 million each year.

Chair of YAA Peter Sunderland, said: “For the last five to six years we have been able to fix our daily running costs at £7,200 each day, or the equivalent of £2.6million every year.

“However, we have not been immune to the challenging economic environment over the last few years and as a result, are seeing a major impact on our running costs. We have to pay utility bills like everyone else, and we’ve all seen an increase in those costs over the years.

“But mainly, we are seeing increasing operational costs – primarily fuel, premises, maintenance and other on-costs associated with operating two very large helicopters.”

Last year the YAA attended a total of 933 incidents, and in turn transported 431 patients directly to hospital for treatment – up from 376 patients the previous year.

This summer the charity will relocate from their current base at Leeds Bradford Airport to a new improved base at Nostell Priory near Wakefield.

Peter said: “We are confident that we will be able to meet the new daily running cost of £9,990, and with the support of the people of Yorkshire, we can continue to provide a state of the art, rapid response emergency service 365 days per year across the region.”