The Gazette has launched a campaign to save Wiltshire's air ambulance. The Great Western Ambulance Service Trust wants to move the county's vital helicopter service from its base in Devizes to Filton, near Bristol and share it with Avon.

The Gazette believes this will threaten the lives of people in Wiltshire, who pay for the running of the air ambulance through fundraising. At present the air ambulance can reach any part of the county in eight minutes. Who knows what service we will get if it moves to Bristol?

The air ambulance has saved countless lives over the past decade. Now it needs your help. Write with your objections to GWAS' plans at: Tim Lynch, Chief Executive, GWAST, Jenner House, Langley Park Estate, Chippenham, SN15 1GG.

You can sign our petitions at the Gazette's offices in Market Place, Devizes, Market Place, Chippenham, Kingsbury Street, Marlborough and 100 Victoria Road, Swindon.

The petition is also available at the following outlets: Nettleton Post Office Costcutters, Chippenham FK Davis & Sons, Market Lavington E F Duck & Sons, Devizes Costcutters, Marlborough Midway Stores, Ramsbury Sherston Post Office Abbey News, Malmesbury Swindon Street Seller Baileys News, Wootton Bassett Mike Wood Tryes, Devizes

Boy, 12, joins fight for air ambulance

Adam Corbett of Kington St Michael in the Wiltshire Air Ambulance

12:37pm Tuesday 30th September 2008

Adam Corbett, one of the youngest supporters of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, has organised his own petition to save it.

Hope soars for helicopter bid

12:33pm Tuesday 30th September 2008

Great Western Ambulance Service has given the clearest signal yet that it will sign up for five years to continue with the joint Wiltshire Police helicopter and Air Ambulance.

Wife owes life to rapid response

Sue and Len Goodridge believe the air ambulance should be kept as it is

11:17am Thursday 28th August 2008

Sue and Len Goodridge have good reason to be grateful to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

Car club remember chairman

1:23pm Thursday 7th August 2008

Members of the Bristol Pegasus Motor Club presented a cheque for nearly £3,000 to Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal last week in memory of their chairman, Kieran Winter.

I can’t believe it’s going

Sam Sherwood, six, with mother Rachel, dad Jonathan and brother James, nine

1:19pm Thursday 7th August 2008

Samuel Sherwood, six, is recovering at his home this week after a bout of fitting led to his being airlifted to hospital.

Riders raise £750

PC Heather Barham and paramedic Shaun Russell

11:58am Thursday 7th August 2008

Police officer Heather Barham has handed over a cheque for more than £750 to Wiltshire Air Ambulance following a Horsewatch fete.

Staff training so far fails to meet targets

11:57am Thursday 7th August 2008

Great Western Ambulance Service has admitted it is failing to meet its target on training staff this year.

Ambulance is overspent by £690,000 since April

11:56am Thursday 7th August 2008

The Great Western Ambulance Service is overspent by £690,000 since April.

Wrangling set to continue

John and Sandra Philips have collected more than 1,000 signatures for the ambulance

11:53am Thursday 7th August 2008

Attempts by bosses at the Great Western Ambulance Service to offer assurances about the future of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance has only succeeded in creating more confusion.

Appeal gauntlet is thrown down

From left, Tracey Edwards, Jonathan Oliphant, Ann Levick, Richard Youens, Lady Jones, Roger Karn and Dr Richard Riseley-Prichard

12:17pm Thursday 31st July 2008

A group of eminent people from Wiltshire is calling on the Great Western Ambulance Service to relinquish control of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal.

More News»




Your Say Your Gazette

I refer to the article on Chippenham RFC seeking permission from the Rugby Football Union to allow their second team to be promoted to Southern Counties (level seven of the RFU league structure) should they finish top of Dorset & Wilts 1 North (level eight), (Gazette & Herald, February 28). The most interesting aspect of the article was actually what was not said by the club’s representative or was not mentioned.  − Colin Brockhurst, Corsham

Set up reserve league »

A newsletter hit my doormat on March 2 from ‘Nick Watts and the Lib Dem team’ headlined: Freeze Wilts council tax say Lib Dems. This document goes on to tell us that: “hard-working families cannot afford unnecessary council tax hikes in these difficult times” and so “Nick Watts and the Liberal Democrats have promised not to support any attempt by Wiltshire Conservatives to hit families by increasing council tax this year”.  − Peter Kemp, Chippenham

Don't believe claims »

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