Life-saving missions in Hertfordshire and Essex have been given a huge boost after tens of thousands of pounds was raised.

A charity evening raised £41,000 for the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance - a charity which provides a free life-saving helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) for the critically ill and injured of Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas.

The air ambulance charity receives limited government funding but mainly relies on public donations - with each flight costing on average £2,500. Pilots normally fly four missions a day.

So any extra funding is welcome and the charity is "blown away" by the latest donation, which has come courtesy of Watford-based pharmaceutical company Sigma.

Sigma’s annual community pharmacy conference ran for a week in February, attended by delegates ranging from community pharmacists, pharmaceutical suppliers, the media and many from the UK health sector.

In total, £41,000 was raised in just two hours.

During the fundraising evening, Kate Oliver told guests about how she was rescued by the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance after she was involved in a crash.

Harrow Times:

Kate Oliver speaking on stage

She is recovering well after the helicopter was able to get her to a specialist hospital within the 'golden hour' - a critical time period where urgent and specialist medical treatment takes place that can reduce the likelihood of death.

Tony Stone, from the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance, said: "We were just blown away by the sheer kindness and generosity of the UK pharmacy community who were so quick to respond as soon as the call went out in the evening.

"Our reliance on the public and private organisations like Sigma are a real lifeline for our being able to continue to provide such a life critical service.

"While the funds raised this evening were huge, we still need to keep the in-flow of funding going just to survive and man the air ambulances with the doctors, para-medics and the entire technical team."

Harrow Times:

Tony Stone

Sigma's co-chairman Kamal Shah lost his wife in a road crash a few years ago but his son survived after he was rescued by the air ambulance service.

Mr Shah said: "On a personal level, I cannot thank the air ambulance service enough for their speed and efficiency in executing a fast rescue on that fateful evening when I nearly lost all my family on the roadside.

"Sigma are so proud to be able to sponsor and work with this worthy charity during 2020."