HELIMED56

FOLLOW MEFOLLOW ME

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance Magazine

Goodbye toour PilotDave Bronniman

WINTER 2014/15

Andrew Read, an amazingachievement at Run for It!

Berridge goes to extreme lengths for HIOWAA

rom being able to attend road trafficcollisions in the evening rush hour onwinter nights, to medical incidents afterthe hours of darkness, this expansion ofour service is a huge step forward for us.None of it could have happened withoutyour continued generosity and I feel trulyprivileged to be working for a charity thathas such strong support from thecommunity that it serves.I look forward very much to getting

out and about as soon as possible, tostart meeting as many of you as possible,and learning what your HIOWAA meansto you. I join the charity at a time of many

changes, and it is with a real sadness thatwe are saying ‘good bye’ to our PilotDave Bronniman, a hugely admired Pilotwho leaves a very big pair of boots to fill.I have heard many stories from formerpatients, who always remember howDave’s cheerful disposition helped to pullthem through during their hour of need.Also, I never had the honour of meetingParamedics Fraser Rowbotham and JohnGamblin, both of whom have moved onto new and exciting challenges, but Iwould like to pay a special tribute toFraser, who joined the HIOWAA crew atthe very start of operations back in 2007and went on to become a ParamedicTeam Leader. We wish them all the verybest as they move on to pastures new –they will be much missed, but alwayswelcome back. It would be very remiss of me to

forget one other very important leaver. I am certain you will all want to join mein thanking John Perry for his many yearsof dedicated leadership of HIOWAA. Hehas brought us to where we are todaywith a combination of grit, charm and

ContentsWelcome to the Winterissue of HELIMED56

4 Kings Park Road, Southampton Hampshire SO15 2AS

t. 023 8033 3377e. enquiries@hiow-airambulance.org.ukwww.hiow-airambulance.org.ukCharity No. 1106234

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance

What an exciting time to be joining such a fantastic charity!The week I joined HIOWAA, everywhere I turned I either reador heard about the news that we will be upgrading to a newhelicopter to start night flying next year.

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Editor: Sherie Williams EllenDesign and Production: CB Graphics, Cliff Bryant Photography:Front cover: Sherie Williams EllenInside Front cover: Els Freshwater All the rest: Staff and Volunteers

Welcome from Alex LochranePatient Story - Ben Coward Love your Air AmbulanceDavid BerridgeRe-Use-Ya Shoes DayReaders’ PhotosGetting to know us – Alex LochranePatient Story - Sheila DarbyLadies Wot SwimRun For It! Winter EventsDave BronnimanFlight for LifeSue Tull - ChallengesKnight FrankSailing RegattaMinutes MatterDriver Awareness CoursePatient Story - Samantha O’SullivanSaddle upThe Ride of your Life Battleships Bag it Up

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determined, seasoned leadership. I knowmany will miss him, but I hope we havenot seen the last of him. On behalf of youall, I thank him profoundly and wish himand Marilyn a very happy retirementhoning their golf handicap!

These are exciting and important times,and I already know what a motivated andpassionate team I will be leading as wetake your charity forward. And finally, one of the first things that I

was asked when I joined the charity was‘Did I have a suitable hat for Hats4HiowaaDay?’ It’s a long time since I was asked towear a hat to work for the day, but I gotinto the spirit and dug out the brightestand boldest hat I could find in my wife’swardrobe. Photos appeared on theHIOWAA Facebook feed the next day andI’m pleased to say that now I feel readyfor anything that might lie ahead in thenext few years!

Alex Lochrane Chief Executive

We have ambitious plans forthe years ahead and our costsare set to nearly double whenwe begin night flying next year.

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Ben Coward… how not to ride a bike!

had a tension pneumothorax andstraight away was in a great deal of painand couldn't breathe. My friend (Neil)called an ambulance immediately as hecould tell something was seriously wrong. Due to our location, Neil had to leave

me and go off to find the Paramedics.When they arrived, Neil said theyimmediately requested that a Doctorcome to the scene. They were superb (I wrote a thank you letter to them!) as if they hadn't diagnosed the conditionquickly enough, I am aware that I maynot be here today. There were a numberof emergency services involved - severalambulances, the Doctor and helicopter. A random cyclist was asked by theParamedics to cycle to the other side ofthe woods to get an oxygen cylinder, asmine was running out and it was quickerfor the cyclist than on foot!Over the next hour or so, I had lots of

medication, including a lot of Ketamine,as the Doctor had to put in a chest drain.The Doctor made the call to request theAir Ambulance due to my location andstate. One of the bizarre things wasbeing laid on my back and seeing thehelicopter hover over the trees as they

were trying to locate us. I was in and outof consciousness, but recall the feeling of taking off when I eventually got in the helicopter. Neil said that once they had put in the

drain there was a sense of relief from allthe medical professionals. He had to callmy wife, which he maintains was aninteresting phone call. She and my mumwere advised to go to SouthamptonGeneral Hospital, and they got therebefore I arrived and had to watch mebeing brought down from the landing pad.My mum said that it was scary seeing me,as I was wrapped up and had dripsattached - they couldn't actually see that it was me. I am so grateful for the medical

intervention; for the decisions madethroughout, the calming support and theurgency of the Air Ambulance to get meto the trauma department. The event hasmade both my parents and parents in lawregularly donate to the Air Ambulance asit provides such a valuable service. I neverexpected to be using the Air Ambulanceand those who use it very rarely do. Myonly regret is that I couldn't fully enjoy

I was cycling with a friend of mine in Chilworth Woods when I attempted a jump that I maybecould have attempted as a 16 year old boy, but not as a middle aged man. I ended up flyingthrough the air and don’t recall much, apart from landing on my collar bone.

I

the experience of a helicopter ride as Iwas lying flat and unconscious most of the way.I spent three days in hospital with a

drain in me. I had also broken six ribs andmy collar bone was in four pieces. Aftersix weeks of recovery at home I had tohave an operation on my collar bone and ametal bar put in to piece it back together.I was off work for three months and hadto have regular scans and check ups. I wasin lots of pain and it took a long time to beable to do the simple things, such as lyingon my back or side, bending over ormaking the slightest physical movements,as I was so short of breath. Also I canstrongly advise against sneezing when youhave six broken ribs!My friend came to my house after a

few days and told me how serious it allwas and this was when it really hit homeand the emotions kicked in.

I am more aware of my capabilitiesnow, and how close I came to not beinghere. It hasn’t put me off being on my bikethough, and I was back on it later in theyear. In a twist of fate, though, I fell offmy bike again and broke three more ribsand damaged my Rotator Cuff.Fortunately, it was just an ordinaryambulance ride on this occasion!

Patient’s Story

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Now when my young nephewsees the Air Ambulance healways tells me that it is

my taxi!

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Love Your AIRAMBULANCE Month

e wanted to see how muchmoney could be raised during the month,calling upon our supporters to get involvedwith everything from sponsored silencesto cake sales, dressing up and marathons. We appealed to local companies to get

behind the campaign, asking individuals tostep forward as company ‘Ambassadors’for the month, spurring on theircolleagues to help a life saving service.DS Medical, Caffe Nero and Sentinel

Housing Association were some of thecompanies to get involved. DS Medicalcontributed a percentage of their onlinesales throughout the month, Caffe Neroheld a raffle draw for customers andSentinel Housing Association raised animpressive £230 on Hats4Hiowaa Day. Even the HIOWAA crew took part byhelping us to film a parody of the openingsequence of the sitcom, ‘Friends’. Weposted the finished video on You Tube(you can find a link on our website) andasked our supporters to share it andmake a text donation.

Hats4HIOWAA DayOn Friday 17th October we called uponour supporters, old and new, to wear ahat to work for the day and to take a‘selfie’ to share through social media.

Hundreds of people took part, and oursocial media pages were flooded withphotographs of people wearing hats ofevery shape size and description. Thank you to everyone who helped to

make our first ‘Love Your Air AmbulanceMonth’ such a success.

In October we launched our first ‘Love Your Air Ambulance Month’,asking our supporters to show their appreciation for the work carriedout on a daily basis by our Paramedics, Doctors and Pilots.

We asked for a minimum textdonation of £1 and the

donations started coming in as early as 8.30am.

W

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Berridge goes to extremelengths for HIOWAAFor the past 20 years, David Berridge has raced in some of the most Extreme Ultra Distance races in the world.

Fundraisers

e has had success and failure, frombeing last in the Norseman ExtremeTriathlon to being a top ten finisher in hislast Desert race and ultimately winningthe 6633 Ultra, a tough 352 mile racethrough the Arctic. In 2011, hecompleted the Yukon Arctic Ultra inorder to raise money for HIOWAA. Onlyfour people managed to finish the 430mile race, an extreme challenge in whichtemperatures dipped below -60 degrees.

...In this extract we catch up with Davidand his companions close to the end ofthe Yukon Arctic Ultra.

After several hours, it was time to bitethe bullet and get going - today we wouldbe clambering the first of the twomountains: Eureka Dome, not the highestbut the steepest.It was whilst getting ready that I

realised I had made a stupid, schoolboyerror: I had left my shoes outside of mysleeping bag and now they had frozensolid. Forcing my nice warm feet into thenow blocks of ice, was, I decided, not thebest way to start the day.Fortunately, it had finally stopped

snowing, the going was still hard work butby late morning we had reached the footof the Dome. Normally I climb quite well- this mountain, I decided, would requireslow nonstop plodding, my speciality. Itwas steep and never-ending. Slowlypushing my way forward, inch by inch Iprogressed.As we started our descent, I was still

struggling, trying to convince my old bodythat we had not quite finished yet.

I turned around and backtracked,scouring every inch of the trail, I couldn’tfind the checkpoint. When I reached thebridge, I turned around and walked alongthis part of the trail for the third time andthen I heard the most beautiful sound inthe world: a snow machine. Thecheckpoint was about 2km away, all I hadto do was keep going. Once in the warmth of the small but

cosy cabin, the race crew went outof their way to make sure I had food anddrink. As I thawed out and started toremove my shoes and socks, I realisedthat my socks were in fact frozen to myfeet-try as I might, gentle coaxing was notgoing to work, brute force was what wasrequired. I literally ripped the socks off,bits of green sock remained firmlyattached to my frozen feet. I threw thesocks into the bin. Now, sitting in thecorner like a naughty child, I tried to verydiscreetly to look at what sort of damagehad been done. I wish I hadn’t: three toeson my right foot were aubergine in colour.I was shocked, and now the stupidity of

neglecting to put the shoes in my sleepingbag was confirmed. I’m no Doctor, but Iguessed that aubergine-coloured toesmeant only one thing-frostbite. I did theonly thing I could do, I held my frozen toesin my hand, hoping against hope that Icould thaw them out before anyonespotted them.After several minutes of covert

toe-thawing, Kev became suspicious andasked to have a look at my feet. I movedmy hand away and without missing a beathe said that my feet were frostbitten andthat my race was over. I didn’t, couldn’t,argue - I knew that one stupid mistake hadcost me.

I was reduced to a simpering wimp,lying there waiting for the next jolt ofabsolute agony. I lay awake, comfort eatingthe last of my chocolate, shortbread, crispsand sweets. I had covered the best part of400 miles and was in a good position, butone lapse had cost me the race. The morning eventually arrived and

Mark was understandably keen to getmoving. The temperature outside was -46degrees, which in turn meant that thecrew were unable to get the snowmobilesstarted. Consequently, the crew were nothappy about sending Mark off on his own.They would be unable to get to himshould anything happen. He just had to waita bit until the machines could be started.Meanwhile, Kev wanted to have a look

at my feet to see what damage had beendone. I showed him the wretched things,and much to his surprise, they were muchbetter: the aubergine colour had beenreplaced with red, blotchy and blistered

H

My feet were sore, the tips ofmy fingers were numb and myenergy levels at an all-time low.We crossed a bridge and

I continued for the best part ofan hour before the pennydropped: I must have walked

past the checkpoint.

There was nothing for it, exceptto get some sleep and eat.

Sleep, however, was out of thequestion. The pain was

excruciating, coming in waves,fist and buttock-clenchingwaves of pure agony.

Below is an extract from David’sbook ‘Fartleks and Flatulence’, asometimes funny account of howhe got into the world of Ultra

Distance Running...

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toes. I was asked how they felt and ofcourse I lied, said they felt slightly tenderbut otherwise fine, and promptly gave animpromptu demonstration of my walking ability.Mark finally got the all clear to go at

11:30. I got the all clear, well sort of,after much warning about not letting mynow very susceptible feet get frost bittenagain, the damage, I was warned, wouldbe severe and permanent. I promised to be careful and check

them periodically, uncrossed my fingersand left the Indian river checkpoint anhour after Mark. As I hobbled off, I wasmentally drained. One minute my racewas over, now it was back on, I hadfrostbitten feet, frost damaged finger-tips,no food and had had no sleep. I neededto finish within 14 hours of Mark to keepmy second place and worked out that itwould take me some 18/20 hours ofnonstop plodding to finish.

‘Fartleks and Flatulence’ is availablefrom Amazon.co.uk. Next May David willagain be raising money for HIOWAAwhen he takes part in the Gobi March.

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his was my second year co-ordinatingthe HIOWAA ‘Re-Use Ya Shoes!’recycling campaign, and the resultsexceeded all expectations. In 2013, just over 3.8 tonnes of

footwear were donated. I am thrilled thatthis year, thanks to the support fromschools, members of the public and localgroups, a staggering 4.25 tonnes weredonated and collected; this is an increaseof just over 9%. The success of this campaign is one of

many which reflect the commitment ofour communities across Hampshire andthe Isle of Wight to supporting the lifesaving work of the Air Ambulance. Ludlow Infant Academy in Woolston,

Southampton managed to collect themost footwear with an incredible total of374 kg! On Monday 3rd November Alex

From Monday 15th to Friday 19th September, the pupils, parents and staff of 41schools and colleges delved into their wardrobes and cupboards to find old andunwanted footwear to support the Air Ambulance…

Re-Use Ya Shoes!A HUGE SUCCESS

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Re-Use Ya Shoes!

We can take shoesof any size, type

or condition, andfootwear that is

beyond repair willnot go to waste

Lochrane (Chief Executive), Ian Browning(Community and Corporate Fundraiser),Paul ‘Rocky’ Rock (HEMS Paramedic),and Tim Ross (HEMS Paramedic) andSally Murrell (Permanent MedicalPassenger) attended Ludlow InfantAcademy to present the pupils and staffwith a framed certificate, a children’srecycling book, and some individual flagsfor the pupils.

Jeannie Gibbons from Ludlow InfantAcademy said ‘Our pupils worked really

hard to collect shoes for the AirAmbulance and I’m delighted with theresult. This has a been a great learningexperience for our children, who have notonly learned about the importance of re-cycling, but also about the life savingwork of the Air Ambulance.’Your donated footwear is recycled

internationally through Bag It Up Limited,with footwear being sent to the mostappropriate locations, depending upon theneed. Any footwear that is beyond repairis broken down into parts and re-used.Bag It Up Limited operate a strict ethicalpolicy, and the company only works withgrading and sorting partners who operatea zero waste policy, both in the UK and overseas. Please do keep donating your dry,

unwanted footwear and textiles at ourrecycling banks, which can be locatedusing your postcode via the following link:http://biugroup.co.uk/banklocator/.Footwear and clothing can be donated viaour recycling banks all year round.Thank you to everyone who took the

time to support our campaign - withoutyour support, it could not happen. It wasalso wonderful to receive such positivefeedback.

Cat Burns

As we visited with the Pod, thepupils and staff were able toget an idea of what an AirAmbulance looks like on theinside, and to speak to thecharity staff and crew.

Aleyna Edin (year 2), Jake Eames(year 1), William Hobbs (year 1) and Charlotte McDonald-Woods (year 2)Petersgate Infant School

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Participants:Andover Church of England Primary School, Andover Banister Primary School, SouthamptonBeechwood Junior School, SouthamptonCarisbrooke College, NewportChamberlayne College for the Arts,SouthamptonCompass School, SouthamptonCowes Primary School, CowesCranford Park CE Primary, Yateley Foundry Lane Primary School,SouthamptonGlenfield Infant School, SouthamptonGomer Junior School, GosportGurnard Primary School, CowesHalterworth Primary School, RomseyHart Plain Junior School,WaterloovilleHeatherside Infant School, FleetHolbrook Primary School, GosportHordle CE Primary School, LymingtonHorndean Infant School,WaterloovilleLudlow Infant Academy, SouthamptonMarchwood CE Infant School,MarchwoodMedina House School, NewportMeonstoke Church of England Infant School, SouthamptonNewtown Primary School, GosportNightingale Primary School, EastleighPetersgate Infant School, Clanfield Pilgrims' Cross Church of EnglandAided Primary School, Andover

Pinewood Infant School, FarnboroughPortsmouth High School, PortsmouthRyde Junior School, RydeSelborne Church of England Primary School, SelborneSouthsea Infant School, PortsmouthSt Francis Catholic and Church ofEngland Primary School, VentnorSt Patrick's Catholic Primary School,SouthamptonSt. Bernadette's Catholic PrimarySchool, FarnboroughSt. Nicholas' School, Church CrookhamStockbridge Primary School,StockbridgeSummerfield Primary School,NewportThe Bay Primary School, SandownWeyford Junior School, Bordon Wildern School, SouthamptonWoodlands Community College,SouthamptonValley Park Ladies ClubThe Otterbourne W.I.Phoebe Corcoran

and countless members of the publicthroughout Hampshire and the Isle ofWight.

“Current statistics show that 75% ofour collections consist of reusabletextiles, 24% is recycled into industrialwipers, mattress fillings, insulation andnew fibres. The remaining 1% isreformed into dust and pellets as acombustible source of fuel. Allpackaging products are recycled orreused where possible”.(www.biugroup.co.uk)

“Just a quick note to say how much wehave enjoyed being a part of Re-Use YaShoes! week… We wish you well withthis campaign and hope the appealraises lots of much needed money foryou. We were extremely happy as aschool community to support a localcharity. The children on our schoolcouncil were really keen to promotethis appeal too”.Horndean Infant School

“The chap that came was really kindand thoughtful and spent time with thechildren explaining how the money israised through the shoes that ourfamilies donate”.Newtown C.E (Voluntary Controlled)Primary School

“We are thrilled with the amount ofshoes that have been donated, quite anincrease on last year!”Heatherside Infant School

Ludlow Infant Academy presentation

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P

Send your images to:caroline@hiow-airambulance.org.uk or upload to our Facebook page

Here are some of the imageswe have already received...

We love receiving photos ofthe Air Ambulance in actionas people are out and aboutwith their cameras on hand. If you see Helimed56

anywhere in the county,please don’t hesitate to snapaway and capture it in all its glory!

Happy SnappingPhotos

Christopher Hill

hotos published will be automaticallyentered into our Readers’ PhotoCompetition. The winner of the bestphoto printed over the next four issueswill have the opportunity to visit ourAirbase in Thruxton. The winner will benotified by email and all arrangements tovisit the Airbase will be arranged throughHIOWAA Head Office.

Alex Band

Alan Milford

Angela Unsworth

Readers’

Mike Jukes

Lorri C

lark

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Alex Lochrane

Your background is in theRoyal Navy. Can you tell us abit more?I joined the Navy at 19, straight fromschool, in 1983 (6 months after theFalklands war). I joined as a warfare/navigation officer and spent two yearstraining before I went into Submarines,both Nuclear and Diesel, until 1996. I then served in Surface Ships until 2002,including UN Peace Enforcement opsduring the Kosovo crisis in 1999 andpeace support in Sierra Leone in 2000.After a tour as second in command inHMS Monmouth, I studied in Paris at theEcole Militaire for one year in 2003before going to the Ministry of Defenceuntil 2006. I left the RN in 2007 as aCommander.

What made you decide tocome out of the Navy?Because they wouldn’t let me go back to sea!

Since coming out of the Navy,you have worked in thecharity sector. Which charitieshave you worked for?My first job in the charity sector was forThe Denys Eyre Bower Bequest atChiddingstone Castle (2007-2009). I wasdirector of the Castle, managing directorof an events company and director of theeducational and heritage trust that

Getting to know usMeet our new Chief Executive, Alex Lochrane.

owned, housed and displayed a £17mcollection of Egyptian, Stuart, Japaneseand Buddhist art and antiquities – it’s along story how they all came to betogether! In 2014 I joined The Jubilee Sailing

Trust, an amazing charity that operates theonly two purpose-built square rigged(Pirates of the Caribbean!) sailing shipsthat are designed to be sailed by novicecrews of all physical abilities. 2000 people,including about 700 with a range ofphysical disabilities, including manyrecovering Servicemen and women, sailevery year and the Trust has justcompleted its first ever circumnavigationof the world, taking two years.

Do you think you will be ableto draw upon your experiencein the charity sector in yournew role as Chief Executive,HIOWAA?Absolutely. I have quite a bit of experienceof working with volunteers and valuing theenormous and fundamental contributionthey make to every charity. I have also got a good handle on

fundraising and being careful with theCharity’s money and reputation, as well asforming visions and plans for the future, incollaboration with Trustees.Operationally, I have worked very

closely with helicopter aircrew before andI understand the very strong safety cultureand extremely close team cohesion thatexists in their world. It is very clear to mealready that the teamwork that exists inHIOWAA is a strong reflection of this andI know that, working together as a teamof Trustees, Volunteers, Staff, Aircrew andMedics, we will achieve amazing – and lifesaving – things.

What do you look forward tomost about your forthcomingchallenge?Most of all I’m looking forward to workingto gain the trust of a very significant bodyof supporters and partners in HIOWAA. I am particularly looking forward tomeeting and being inspired by a new teamof supporters, volunteers and staff.

I want to build on John Perry’s fantasticwork and on growing HIOWAA’sreputation for delivering a life savingservice to the people of Hampshire andthe Isle of Wight. I look forward to developing a way in

which we can shout loud and proud aboutthe impact that our helicopter and theHEMS teams have on saving lives thatmight not otherwise have been saved.This is our ‘product’ and we need to beshowing unequivocally how very strong it is. Working with an energetic and clearly

highly experienced board of Trustees whoare passionate about, and very focused on,taking HIOWAA forward into morecomplex but essential operations, is goingto be an exciting challenge.Having been married to an NHS nurse

(Louisa) for nearly 25 years, and being thevery proud dad of an NHS Doctor (nearly,Annabel qualifies next Summer!), I havegot a little bit of ‘spectator’ medicalexperience, but it is already very clear thatthe HIOWAA HEMS teams are a powerfulforce. I believe our NHS is the best in theworld and the people within it whodeliver urgent and emergency pre-hospitalcare, are superheroes in my books. Whowouldn’t want to work alongside them?

You have some big shoes tofill. Has John Perry given youany advice?I would never try to become John; he willalways occupy a very special place in theHIOWAA family album and he has broughtthe Charity to an amazing place wherethere is everything to play for in thefuture.He hasn’t left his shoes and I don’t think

HIOWAA has seen the last of him! It isvery clear to me from the profound depthof knowledge and detail that he hasamassed, that he will always be a strongand active supporter of the Charity.He has already given me an excellent

introduction, but we will be handing overgradually and he and I will no doubtremain in close contact as I come up thecurve in the coming months.

Sheila Darby

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A Patient’s Story

arly on Boxing Day morning I wasdue to join my daughter and grandchildrenin Hill Head (Hants) to catch the 11.15Ferry to the IOW, where we were to joinmy son-in-law's brother's family.I texted my daughter to say that I was

leaving my home (near Solihull) at7.00am. I travelled along the M40 feelingfine, and joined the A34. Suddenly Ibecame slightly woozy and decided Iwould stop for a coffee at the TOTService Station on the Newbury bypass.The feeling of tiredness increased and Iknew I must stop soon, but I missed theturning for the Services and realised Imust stop straight away. I rememberpulling into the side of the road, hearingthe sound of the 'rumble-strips' and that's all.I was so lucky because all this was

seen by a retired fireman and his wifetravelling behind me who immediatelygot to the scene, calling the Fire Service (I had to be cut out of the car) Police,and Air Ambulance.Apparently I was able to give my name

and my daughter's phone number.I remember vaguely being aware of a

It all happened during the Christmas period, 2011.My husband was in a Nursing Home suffering fromVascular Dementia and I wanted to spend ChristmasDay with him, so I had travelled down to Bristol andspent a few days with my son and family, returninghome on Christmas Day.

lot of noise, banging and then the whirr of the helicopter. I don't think I was awareof being aboard the helicopter, I justremember how kind everyone was.

I don't remember any pain but theFireman's wife said I was in a lot of pain -I discovered she was a nurse, and Iremain in touch with both her and herhusband today. I spent three weeks in Southampton

Hospital and was then transferred toPortsmouth for two weeks. I stayedanother six weeks with my daughter, also a nurse, before returning home.I am now driving again and if going on

any long journeys, I stop for breaks atregular intervals.My son, who is a Radiologist, and

daughter, state repeatedly that I would

NOT be alive today if HIOWAA had notcome to my rescue so quickly! My familyand friends support you and you havebecome our ‘favourite charity'...

I was taken to SouthamptonHospital where I found mydaughter - I rememberfeeling desperately upsetbecause I had spoilt their

Christmas!

This photograph of me at home was taken 3 monthsafter my accident.

Hollie, her new baby, Jemima and myself (4generations!) in 2014.

Celebrating my 80th birthday with my love

ly family!

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Ladies WOT swim

The Ladies Wot Swam around the Island

he circumnavigation took exactly 24hours, 7 minutes and 45 seconds and wasthe culmination of 18 months of planningand training to swim in the strong tidesand choppy waters, which surround theIsland.Despite the painstaking planning, they

had a few last minute hitches thatincluded a narrowing changeable weatherwindow and losing their pilot to illness inthe days before the event. However, withthe help of several friends, they were ableto borrow a yacht from Sunsail (PortSolent) and find a support crew less than24 hours before starting.The swimmers (Ann 67, Kate 45,

Pauline, 40 and Heather 34 years) werejoined by Chris (aged 62) whose idea itwas originally, but who was unfortunatelyunable to swim, having had major surgeryearlier in the year. ‘For me, after having had the

disappointment of not being able to bepart of the swim team, to still be part ofthe team, as swim Mum, was anexperience that I would not have missed.I have to admit that at times I was veryenvious when the swimmer was beingswept along with the tide, but then quiteglad that I was on the boat when the tideturned and the swimmer was working sohard, inching along, daring not to stop incase they got swept backwards’Starting at St Helen’s Fort on the

eastern edge of the Solent, they swam asa relay, each taking a one hour slot andthen resting for three hours, beforereturning to the chilly water. They madetheir way steadily along the Solent,retracing the steps of their numeroustraining swims.‘These practice swims were vital to

ensure that we hit the Needles at theright time, if not, we faced being chuckedout of the Solent towards Christchurch,or spat back down the Solent from wherewe had come. Both of which would have

Between the 23rd and 24th August 2014, four Hampshire based ladies successfully swam round the Isle of Wight to raise money for HIOWAA.

T ruined our chance of completing theswim.’ Pauline says.Previous training swims had been in

daylight, however, the weather had it’ssay in making the Solent leg one to becompleted in the dark. This meant therewas minimal traffic, allowing the team totear along, taking full advantage of thestrong tides.

... for the swimmers, the mixture of clearstars in the sky and phosphorescence inthe water was amazing, and these weremoments to treasure. It is very rare thatthe waters in the Solent are so calm.’ They rounded The Needles exactly as

predicted, and headed for the roughwater at St Catherine’s Point. Heatherdrew the short straw and pushed throughthe rolling waves and whirlpools. From

there on in it was a race against the tide,passing Ventnor at a snail’s pace, as theteam continued to hug the rocks all theway along the shore till they reachedSandown, sometimes making as little as500m progress in an hour, against a tidewhich ripped down the bay. Finally, thetorrent abated and Kate was able topower her way past Sandown and theWhite cliffs before Bembridge and thetides finally came back in their favour,pushing them towards the finishing line. Ann summarised the ladies thoughts:

‘Everyone was so thrilled after completingthe swim, and we were so pleased thatdonations were flooding in for the AirAmbulance. In total we raised just over£4000, just enough to keep the AirAmbulance going for as long as it took usto swim round the Island’ More than all the hardship that the

ladies suffered undertaking the swim, theabiding memory for them is theoverwhelming generosity of so manypeople, be it supporting them or digginginto their pockets. The Ladies Wot Swimall wish to say a big THANK YOU.

Heather Lunt describes the night time swim in the Solent. ‘The cloudlessskies made for some spectacular views...

Chris Pitman, Pauline McCracken and Ann Brimelow

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Running for HIOWAA atthis year’s RUN FOR IT!

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Run for It!

his year, we asked our runners to getdressed up in ‘Emergency Services’themed outfits, and they rose to thechallenge with everything from Doctors,Firemen and Policemen to Super Heroestaking part. Runners of all ages turned upon the day, with the youngest tocomplete one lap of the circuit being justthree years old.For the first time this year, runners

over the age of 15 had the option ofrunning six laps of the circuit - a halfmarathon distance. The first to finish thesix laps was Trevor Baggot, whocompleted the distance in 1 hour and 50minutes. Second was Sabrina Gregorywho achieved it in 1 hour and 57 minutesand third was Dean Weymouth whofinished in 1 hour and 59 minutes.One particular participant achieved a

very significant result. Last year AndrewRead completed a lap of the circuit in hiselectric wheelchair, and to cheers fromwell wishers, he managed to get out ofhis wheelchair and walk four steps overthe finish line.

On Sunday February 12th 2012,Andrew was in a serious accident when

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who came along to show their supportfor the Air Ambulance by running laps of Thruxton circuit in September.

the car he was in came off the road andhit a lamp post. Due to the seriousness ofhis injuries, Hampshire and Isle of WightAir Ambulance was called to assist.Fortunately, a second Air Ambulance wasnearby with a specialist Neuro Surgeonon board. Both Air Ambulances arrivedon scene and treated Andrew for serioushead trauma and damage to his hips. Hewas flown to Southampton Generalwhere the specialist care he needed couldbe given.Upon his arrival at Southampton

General, Andrew’s future looked bleak,Doctors saying that he would be unlikelyto survive his injuries.Andrew was moved to Queen

Alexandra Hospital, which was closer tohis home. Again, Doctors advised that hiscondition may not improve but Andrewproved them wrong once more. By midApril he was breathing on his own and hiscondition was constantly improving. Since then, Andrew has gone from

strength to strength and is determined towalk even further when he takes part inRun For It! next year.Our thanks go to Hildon Water for

providing bottled water on the day, andto Fyffes Limited Basingstoke for donatingbananas for hungry runners. Thanks alsoto our North West Hampshire based firstaiders and to all of the volunteers whogave up their time on a Sunday morningto come along and support us.

Thank you to everyone who took partand we look forward to cheering you onagain next year.

This year he went one betterand walked the distance fromthe entrance to the pit stop tothe finish line. It was anemotional finish and an amazing achievement.

Run For It! raised just over£2,000 this year and this

money will go towards helpingus to continue to save lives.

Runners in fancy dress

costume on the day

13

E V E N T SW I N T E R

Christmas Grotto and FatherChristmas Part 1. December 5th, 8:00 am - 4:45 pm. We will be on board the Portsmouth-Fishbourne Ferry all day with ourcollection pots and merchandise for salingcrossings. There will also be a ChristmasGrotto. Fishbourne/ Portsmouth Ferry.

Alton Yuletide Festival.December 7th, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.Alton Yuletide Festival is a free eventwhich attracts hundreds if visitors. Thereis lots to see and do, including meetingFather Christmas, enjoying ChristmasCake, seeing miniature donkeys andalpacas. Musical entertainment isprovided by local choirs, schools andorchestras. What better way for thefamily to spend the day. Alton TownCentre.

Petersfield Christmas Market.December 7th, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm.Repeating the winning formula fromprevious years, Petersfield ChristmasMarket will be joining forces withHampshire Farmers Market to bring alarge varied market with a vast range offantastic festive items to make yourChristmas magical. Petersfield TownCentre.

Christmas Grotto and FatherChristmas Part 2. December 12th, 8:00 am - 4:45 pm. As well as collection pots and sale ofmerchandise during crossings, there willbe a Christmas grotto with FatherChristmas. Fishbourne/ PortsmouthFerry.

Sainsburys Store collection withChoir.December 19th, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.Store Collection, Voxpop choir singingfor two one hour slots in the middle ofthe day. HIOWAA will be there with ourcollection buckets raising funds.Sainsbury’s, Fox's Road, Newport, Isle ofWight.

Tesco Store CollectionDecember 22nd-23rd, 9:30 am -5:00 pm.Hampshire and Isle of Wight AirAmbulance will have a collection as wellas information and merchandise for salein the foyer. Tesco Extra Ryde

Here is a list of events thatHIOWAA will be attending,with volunteers eithercollecting donations or sellingmerchandise.

Andrew Read, an emotional finish and an amazing achievement at Run for It!

14

Pilot

have been offered a job opportunitywhich will broaden my flying skills andallow me to experience a different partof the world. It has been a really harddecision to leave, as I thoroughly enjoyflying the Air Ambulance and workingwith both the air crews and the groundcrews of the Ambulance Service whoprovide such a valuable service to thepeople of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The Air Ambulance wouldn’t exist if it

wasn’t for all the volunteers (many ofwhom I have met), who in their owntime, support the Air Ambulance; themembers of the public and businesseswho donate or set themselves challenges,

Dave BronnimanPilot Type Chap

and the charity staff who have thechallenge of co-ordinating it all.

The Air Ambulance is a team effort andwould not function without the completeteam. I would just like to say thank youfor letting me be part of the team andkeep doing what you are doing – becauseit works.

IIf it didn’t exist, I wouldn’thave had the humbling

privilege of watching first handthe crews saving people’s livesand dealing with life changinginjuries time and time again.

I have had the privilege of flying the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance since December 2007 and am now moving on to pastures new.

Dave Bronniman and Paramedic Pat Andrews

Dave Bronniman

15

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Instructions to your Bank or Building Society.Please pay Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, Direct Debits from the account detailed in this instruction, subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this instruction may remain with the Hampshireand Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, and if so, details will be passedelectronically to my Bank/Building Society.

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16

Sue Tull - an inspirationto us all

Since then, she hasn’t looked back,and has travelled to far flung corners ofthe earth in search of new challenges.Sue turned 66 this year and will beclimbing Mt Kilimanjaro for HIOWAA inFebruary 2015. We caught up with herrecently to talk to her about some of themany challenges that she has undertakenin the past fourteen years.

What made you decide to undertakeyour first challenge?I had just had a hip replacement and thesurgeon told me to go and enjoy my newhip. So I thought I should do just that. Iread an article about a 100 mile ‘trek’across the Serengeti for the N.S.P.C.C.and I decided to go for it. I had neverowned a pair of walking boots or a rucksack before, or even been to Africa, so itwas a real challenge and a greatadventure for me.

Fifteen years ago, Sue Tull trekked 100 miles across the Serengeti, having recently had a hip replacement.

I looked up the word ‘trek’ in thedictionary, and the definition was ‘arduouswalk.’ I soon found out the meaning ofthe word arduous. But after surviving the‘trek’, I was hooked, and could not waitto tackle something new.

What has been your most memorablechallenge?It has to be horse riding in Patagonia,which I did for Spinal Research. Thescenery was breath taking, and I could notbelieve that I was there, riding alongsidethe Gauchos, who are superb riders.

What was the hardest challenge thatyou’ve undertaken?In 2009 I climbed to Everest Basecamp.The previous year I had done the IncaTrail and I felt that I needed to dosomething more adventurous. We weretrekking for thirteen days at very highaltitudes in the extreme cold.

What inspires you to keep taking onnew challenges?Perhaps I am a little mad? I did a cyclechallenge once, not having ridden a bikesince I was a teenager. I just went out andbought myself a road bike, which I didn’thave a clue how to ride, and that wasthat. Learning how to ride the bike was achallenge to master, and that was before I even began the real challenge! It’s alwaysgood to know that the money I raise hasgone to a good cause. And I meet suchlovely people along the way.

What advice would you give toanyone thinking of taking on anendurance challenge?If a challenge appeals to you, and youthink you could do it, go for it!

You’ve climbed to Mount EverestBase Camp – do you have any advicefor our Kilimanjaro participants?‘Pole pole’ means ‘slowly, slowly’ inSwahili. So do just that! One thing you cannot prepare yourself for is the altitude.You just have to remember to walk, ‘polepole’ and drink lots of water.

How will you be preparing forKilimanjaro?I shall be doing as much walking as I cando throughout the winter, and tacklingsteep hills. The steps of St.Catherines Hillin Winchester are good for getting fit, ifyou don't live too far away. You can climbup and down the steps and the ridgesuntil you are completely exhausted.

Is there a challenge that you still havea burning desire to take on?I would love to cycle from Lands End toJohn O’Groats.

Sue Tull

Sue on her trek to climb to Everest Basecamp

17

Sue on her trek to climb to Everest Basecamp

Sue in Ladakh, in the Indian Himalayas

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That’s when we started talking toHIOWAA about a schools initiative.’ As a result of these talks, this term,

we launched our ‘Be a 999 Hero’campaign, supported by Knight Frank.Thanks to the backing of Knight Frank,we have been able to offer schoollesson plans and information packs tolocal primary schools, teaching KeyStage 1 and 2 children about what to doshould they find themselves in anemergency situation, and about the roleof the Air Ambulance in their local

In October, Winchester Estate Agent Knight Frank came on board as a HIOWAA Gold LevelCorporate Sponsor. Partner Andrew Rome told us ‘We wanted to make a financial commitmentto the Air Ambulance, but we wanted to take it a step further.

community. The information packscontain everything from simple puzzles,to facts about the helicopter and the daily

Throughout next year we will begoing in to local schools, talkingabout the work of the Air

Ambulance and helping childrento understand what they needto do in the event of an

emergency.

Launch ‘BE A 999 HERO’Schools Campaign

Knight Frank

work of the Air Ambulance crew. Knight Frank will also be supporting

HIOWAA by including information aboutthe work of the charity in all of theirliterature, including a poster in their mainshop window. If you know a school that might be

interested in our ‘Be a 999 Hero’campaign, then please get in touch withRachel Pearson on 02380 333377 or onrachel@hiow-airambulance.org.uk

19

hese are very exciting times for us. To be able to undertake night missionsand to be where we are needed afterdark, just as we are now in daylight, is ahuge extension of our service to thecommunities we serve.At the same time, our service

continues to evolve in many other ways.Carrying blood for emergency transfusionsis now part of the routine equipment onboard. Increasingly we fly with prehospital trauma specialist doctors onboard – they can anaesthetise, set upfluids, even open a chest, and all at thesite of the incident. With many emergencyskills learned from work in the field with

In September, with the Minutes Matter campaign only a whiskerfrom its £1.5million target. We were able to announce ourcommitment to full night flying from Summer 2015.

MINUTES MATTER CAMPAIGN TAKES TO THE AIR

our armed forces, these doctors withtheir specialist expertise make a radicaldifference to patient outcome in theworst cases.Listen out for us after dark late next

year. We are there because the people ofHampshire and the Isle of Wight havesupported us so generously. We cannotthank them enough. With no Governmentor National Lottery support, we are therefor local people where and when theyneed us most and funded entirely by localpeople. We are humbled by theirgenerosity as we push our service to newlevels.

T

e asked Hampshire businesses tojoin us for a fun and exciting day’s racingon the Solent, giving them theopportunity, not only to raise funds forthe Air Ambulance, but also to entertainclients, network or just to thank staff. In the capable hands of Sunsail Events,

nine boats took part in the regatta,including teams from Santander, Bond AirServices, Oliver Stanley & Partners,Brewin Dolphin, Rathbones, LotteryFundraising Services and BDO.

Departing from Port Solent inPortsmouth, participants sailed on a fleetof Beneteau First 40 Yachts, the first racebeing won by our very own HIOWAAteam. Lunch took place at the Royal YachtSquadron and there was even a fly overby the Air Ambulance.

The inaugural HIOWAA Sailing Regatta took place on Tuesday,23rd September 2014, raising just under £6,000 for HIOWAA.

HIOWAA inaugural Sailing Regatta

W

(L-R) Marcus de Ferranti (Chair of Trustees), Keith Mans (HIOWAA Trustee), Mrs Rosalie Mans, Caroline Roe (HIOWAA Trustee), Mr Trevor Jones (Chairman of Governors, SCAS), Mrs Pat Jones, Jill Thomas (Sunsail professional crew), Alex Lochrane (Chief Executive, HIOWAA) and Colin Eales (Sunsail professional skipper).

HIOWAA Sailing Regatta

20

The Driver Awareness Trainingteam show support for Hampshireand Isle of Wight Air Ambulance

eople give many different excuses forspeeding, which is why Hampshire andIsle of Wight Air Ambulance aresupporting the Driver Awareness Trainingteam within Hampshire Constabulary intrying to make our roads safer foreveryone. In April alone this year, the Air

Ambulance attended over 40 traumarelated incidents and over half of thosewere due to road traffic collisions onHampshire roads.Hampshire Constabulary are working

to reduce the amount of incidents on ourroads by offering a National SpeedAwareness Course for people who arecaught speeding.The alternative to prosecution has

been offered for some driving offencessince October 2007, with a DriverDistraction course introduced to driversdistracted behind the wheel, such aswhen using a mobile phone, and aNational Speed Awareness Course for

those who have committed speedingoffences.The aim of the National Speed

Awareness course is to improve theknowledge, attitudes and behaviour of anydriver attending a course, in an attempt toreduce the chances of that driver beinginvolved in a future speeding incident.

...highlight stopping distances and look atthe consequences of a collision, showingparticipants why a small increase in speedmakes a significant difference in the eventof an emergency situation.The course is delivered over a four

hour interactive session where candidatesare encouraged to participate and sharetheir views and experiences.Motorists who are caught speeding aregiven the opportunity to enrol in the

Everyone is guilty of driving slightly above the speed limit from time to time;maybe you’ve been late for work or late picking the kids up from school.

P National Speed Awareness course for anominal fee which then prevents thatperson from having points applied to theirdriving licence. HIOWAA would like to congratulate

the course trainers on doing such afantastic job increasing road safetyawareness across the county. There hasbeen an astounding response to thecharity collection pots that are placed inthe rooms where the courses are held.Since February 2012 the amount ofmoney donated to the charity is in excessof £50,000. This is an astonishing amountof money and HIOWAA is very grateful toall those involved in raising such asignificant amount.There appears to be a positive interest

in HIOWAA and many people donatemoney at the end of the course, despitethe fact that they have paid a fee toattend.Zoe Puddephatt, Driver Awareness

Training Office Manager, said: “The DriverAwareness Training team withinHampshire Constabulary are very happyto support Hampshire and Isle of WightAir Ambulance and the fantastic work thatthey do saving lives and managing seriousinjury at the roadside. We look forwardto continuing this relationship into thefuture."

Driver Awareness Training Team Story

In each session, the trainers explorepeople’s attitude towards speed andexplain how to identify the speed limitfor any road in England and Wales ...

This photo was taken at Eastleigh Holiday Inn during a Driver Awareness Training session and the two trainersare Jim Bettley (standing) and Derek Harper (sitting).

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The day I lostcontrol of my horse

I

Samantha O’Sullivan will be taking part in our SkyDive Challenge in April next year. Here she tells usabout how HIOWAA came to her rescue on the daythat she lost control of her horse.

Spinal Board – my right leg was beginningto hurt now. They were just cutting offmy jodphurs and Back Protector whenmy window cleaner wandered up the fieldto see what the commotion was all about.There I was in my underwear, with thewindow cleaner asking if I was ok!

My daughter and her friend containedour other horses and the helicopterlanded within metres of me. Two verynice men jumped out and explained thatthey were going to take me to Hospitaland it was going to be a great "Ride". Myonly concern was that I didn't want anyneedles. They were brilliant, I canhonestly say that I had no fears and at thatpoint I still thought that there probably

wasn't much wrong with me and that Iwas making a fuss.My husband and daughter decided to

drive to the Hospital and meet us there.The Air Ambulance crew were great,speaking to me throughout the flight andreassuring me.When we arrived at Southampton

I was seen straight away. I'm not sure ofthe exact time scale, but I do rememberthe HIOWAA crew coming to see mebefore they left, and they knew that I hadfractured my Spine at L1, L3 & L4, withcompression at L2. All stable fractures.They reassured me again that I was goingto be fine before they left.I was in hospital for three weeks and in

a Body Brace for six months.I rode Raffi a few times after my

accident but I did lose my confidence. I still wanted to be involved with horsesso I took up Carriage Driving and I nowcompete with The British Scurry & TrialsAssociation.

had my accident on August 5th 2009.It was a beautiful summer day and I washaving a riding lesson at our home inSherfield English, Nr. Romsey.We were in our open field, myself, my

instructor, my 9yr old daughter and herfriend.My horse "Raffi", a 16:3hh Friesian, was

being really lazy (probably due to theheat and his laid back nature) so I wassitting with a loose rein when all of asudden he took off up the field, boltingaway from the others. I can only assumehe had been stung, as this simply wasn'tin his nature. I tried to re-gain somecontrol without success, and when wereached the peak of the hill, Raffi just"slammed the brakes on". I was wearing a full Back Protector at the time, which I think was actually my downfall on thisoccasion, as I somersaulted through theair, 12ft over his massive neck and head.I couldn't tuck & roll because the backprotector kept my torso rigid and Ilanded in a perfect sitting position - aperfect flick flack.As my Instructor and the girls came

galloping up the hill towards me, I justknew something wasn't right. I wasn't inextreme pain but somehow I just knewsomething felt wrong. My daughter rodeback to the house to get my husband andhe came out and suggested that I was just"winded" and that I should get up andwalk it off! Thankfully, my Instructorinsisted that we call an Ambulance. This is the slightly amusing part. Within

a very short time there was anEmergency Doctor at our farm gate but,in the drama of the situation, nobodycould find the key, so the Doctor had toclimb over the gate – I felt ridiculous forcausing such a fuss. The Paramedicsneeded to get me laid out straight onto a

My Instructor was holding myneck for the Paramedics when

we heard a helicopterapproaching. At this point, Iwas still oblivious to the fact it

was for me.

Samantha with her Scurry Ponies ‘Hit & Run’

Samantha with Raffi

A Patient’s Story

ne of our Community Fundraisers,June Leatheam, has actually ridden acrossvarious parts of Mongolia, four times, sowe thought we’d ask her some questions.

Why Mongolia?I’d been on a walking trek up the AtlasMountains in Morocco, and realised thatmy rear end was much better at comingdown mountains than going up. But Iwanted to take on another challenge,and, after looking through a challengebrochure, saw ‘Horse Riding in Mongolia’.As I used to ride (quite a while back) Iread on, and was then hooked. Mongoliais such an incredible place, and anamazing country to ride across, and onceyou have been, you may be hookedforever.

Do you need to be an experthorse rider?You need to have the basic skills (ie youcan stay on/walk/trot/canter etc.) and,you do need to be comfortable ridingquite long distances each day. So if you

22

O

Challenges for 2015/16

haven’t ridden for a while, try rowingmachines, as they exercise all the rightmuscles.

What does it cost?We have gone for the self funding option,as we do appreciate that it is gettingharder to get sponsorship, so we ask youto raise a minimum of £500 for HIOWAAplease.

The actual challenge cost is£2478, which includes: International flights to and from the UK(including all known UK air taxes at thetime of costing).

Full back-up support including first aidqualified staff and first aid supplies.

All ground staff including English speakingdrivers, cooks and porters.

Entrance fees to National Parks or otherplaces of interest on the itinerary.

Accommodation during the challenge(including hotel stay on arrival inMongolia).

Internal road and air transfers as peritinerary.

All challenge management before, duringand post event.

If you have any questions,then please contact June at:june@hiow-airambulance.org.uk

or on 07966 017 236Or visit www.charitychallenge.com/cc/hiowmongolia

An exhilarating challenge for our horse riding supporters. Mongolia 10th – 20thSeptember 2015. Whether you’re a keen horse rider or a cycling enthusiast,we have a once in a lifetime challenge for you.

Saddle up forHIOWAA

23

Join us in February 2016 to cycle450km through South East Asia acrosstwo of the world’s most beautifulcountries, Vietnam and Cambodia.Vietnam has shaken off the turbulentevents of the 20th century to emergeinto this millennium as one of the worlds‘must-see’ destinations. Its lively cities,beautiful coastline and lush greencountryside make it an ideal place toexplore. This challenge, crossing theMekong Delta by bike, gives you theopportunity to push your limits whilstgaining a unique insight into thisfascinating country. Oh, and did wemention that Vietnamese cuisine isconsidered to be amongst the greatest inthe world (think SE Asian meets French)!As you cross over the border into

Cambodia, you will witness the povertythat is far more apparent in this country.Cambodia is still considered to be oneof the poorest countries in the world.

After our hugely popular Kilimanjaro climb,taking place in February, we have set our newoverseas challenge for 2016.

The ride of your lifecould save a life!

However, this does not stop the localsfrom being some of the most welcomingpeople you will ever have the privilege ofmeeting. From its vibrant and chaoticcities to its plethora of ancient templesand ‘Wats’, Cambodia should be on everytraveller’s hit-list.

GRADING.Tough. You will be cycling long distancesover several days in a tropical climate.You will have to deal with tired legs, lotsof bugs and the occasional torrentialdownpour.

TRIP DURATION.11 days in total with 7 days of cycling.Places are limited so contactjames@hiow-airambulance.org.uk toexpress an interest.

We need you today, youmight need us tomorrow.

Can youPick OutPat?Our favourite HIOWAA mascot, Pat theParamedic, has been hidden throughoutthe pages of the magazine. He appearson several pages, and on some pages he has been better hidden than others.Can you find him yourself ? There are nine!

Battleships on board!

On 15th February 2015, we will behosting our own Battleship Tournamenton board the Wightlink Ferry, and we are looking for teams of three to join inthe fun. Players will join the Wightlink St Clare

ferry, either from Portsmouth orFishbourne, sporting their Battleshiptournament t-shirts. Games will initiallybe played on paper graphs, however, twolucky teams in each round (to be drawnout of a hat) will get to play their game

HIOWAA Battleship Tournament 2015Can you sink your opponent’s battleships before he sinks yours? A guessing game fortwo players, Battleships dates back to World War 1 and was first published as a pad-and-pencil game in the 1930s and then as a plastic board game in 1967.

on our giant Battleships Boards, with shipsthat have been built by local schools.

Refreshments will be provided for allparticipants.Semi finals and finals will be played on

Tournament

giant Battleships Boards, with the overallwinner being crowned 2015 BattleshipTournament winners, and presented witha trophy.Please note that children must be 8

years or over to play and that childrenunder the age of 16 must be accompaniedby an adult.

To sign up please contactRosemarie@hiow-airambulance.org.uk orring 07966013546

24

If a team loses their round,they can either get off theferry at the next port, or stayon to watch the rest of the competition.

Sponsored by

An easy way to support our Air Ambulance.

To find your nearest Recycle Bin, click onour website and register your postcode.

Recycling to Save Lives

For more information please visit:www.bagitup.org.uk

We accept:Clothes

UnderwearShoesBlanketsSheetsTowels

25

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance4 Kings Park Road, Southampton, Hampshire SO15 2AS

t. 023 8033 3377 e. enquiries@hiow-airambulance.org.uk www.hiow-airambulance.org.uk

Charity No. 1106234

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance would like to thank our Corporate Partners for theirgenerosity, help and support in so many ways. Our Corporate Partners include:

Our Corporate Partners

Gold Corporate PartnersExxon Mobil

Freemasons Grand Charity

Hendy Group

Knight Frank

National Motor Museum Beaulieu

Premier Underwriting

Southern Water

Thruxton Circuit

Wightlink

Silver Corporate Partners

AT Andover Trailers

Brijan Coach Tours

British Automobile Racing Club

Denplan

Stannah

Skandia

Total Rail Solutions

Bronze CorporatePartners

AXIS Fire and Security Services

Henderson Green Consulting Engineers

Karin A Sennitt, Chartered Accountant

Omnimed

Powertraveller

South Midlands Communications

TAG Farnborough Airport