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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

Wife owes life to rapid response

11:17am Thursday 28th August 2008


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

Mrs Goodridge, 59, was flown by the helicopter to hospital after she collapsed and stopped breathing.

After spending ten days in the Royal United Hospital, Bath, Mrs Goodridge is back at home in Bromham and recovering well. The couple say their experience demonstrates the need to retain the Wiltshire Air Ambulance as it is, shared with the police.

Great Western Ambulance Service is negotiating with Wiltshire Police over what length of time to sign up for when the lease on the helicopter expires in December. The police want a five year partnership but GWAS has indicated it wants to sign up for two years.

Mrs Goodridge started feeling unwell with pains in her chest on July 30 just after 8pm and then collapsed.

Mr Goodridge dialled 999 and was given instructions over the phone. This included CPR when Mrs Goodridge stopped breathing. The air ambulance arrived in a field at the front of their house six minutes after the call.

Mrs Goodridge was flown to the RUH and arrived there in about seven minutes.

Tests showed that she had not had a heart attack but suffered a cardiac arrest due to stress, a problem with her prescription medicine and a low level of potassium.

Mr Goodridge, who has a Gazette petition to save Wiltshire Air Ambulance in his shop, Edward & Alan in The Causeway, Chippenham, said: "I think the air ambulance saved Sue's life. It's most important to keep it flying in its current arrangement with Wiltshire Police as it flies at night which is when Sue needed it."

Mrs Goodridge said: "Nobody knows what tomorrow is going to bring and you never know when you will need the air ambulance."


More Save Our Air Ambulance stories

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

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