Kent Surrey Sussex Air Ambulance wins National Charity of the Year award
They provide emergency life-saving care across West Sussex
Last updated 11th Sep 2020
The Air Ambulance Kent Surrey and Sussex (KSS) is celebrating a major success after it was crowned National charity of the year.
It won the prestigious Charity Times award which was open to national and regional charities and not-for-profit organisations from across the UK.
The life-saving charity, which provides life-saving care across West Sussex, has been crowned Charity of the Year (income over £10 million) in recognition of consistently delivering an outstanding and pioneering service and demonstrating all round excellence, particularly over the last year.
The award, given during its 30th anniversary year, provides a fantastic endorsement for KSS as it seeks to raise vital funds to cover the significant shortfall that it must raise in order to make sure it can continue to save lives 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Its current fundraising initiative, the 30 for 30 Challenge, encourages people to take part in an activity inspired by the number 30, beginning their activity at any point during September.
The fundraiser focuses on health and well-being, encouraging supporters to get up and get active.
People of all ages from across Kent, Surrey and Sussex have signed up for the 30 for 30 Challenge and KSS is hoping that more participants will sign up as the month progresses.
The KSS team are also getting behind the 30 for 30 Challenge. Employees, volunteers and trustees from across the organisation have been invited to collectively walk 30 million steps to celebrate KSS’s 30th anniversary year.
KSS’s CEO, David Welch, is cycling 30 miles a day and the charity’s Chair of the Board of Trustees, Helen Bowcock, will swim 300 lengths of a swimming pool.
David Welch comments;
“As we celebrate our 30th anniversary year, we couldn’t be prouder of what we have collectively achieved. Winning Charity Times’ Charity of the Year Award, a highly competitive national award, is the icing on the cake!
“As always, we must continue to look to the future for our charity – and safeguarding the future of KSS remains our priority.
"At the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic we faced a shortfall of £2.9m but thanks to the immense generosity and dedication of our supporters we have been able to raise £1.5m so far.
"Despite this success we still need to address our outstanding £1.4m shortfall to ensure we can continue to save lives. We are so grateful for the support and kindness we have received to date and we are urging people to get behind our 30 for 30 Challenge – either by doing a Challenge themselves or sponsoring those who are taking part.”
The announcement of the award coincides with Air Ambulance Week 2020 which highlights the incredible care that is delivered by air ambulance charities across the UK, bringing the emergency department to the side of patients who are critically ill and injured. Since its inception 30 years ago, KSS has attended 30,000 life threatening incidents.
How to take part in the KSS 30 for 30 Challenge
People are being asked to make up an activity inspired by the number 30. You could do something for 30 days, a 30-hour run, walk or hop, anything, so long as it revolves around the number 30. Then encourage your friends, family and colleagues to sponsor you for your 30 for 30 efforts and raise vital funds.
Those taking part must remember to tag @airambulancekss #kss30for30 on social media with any photos or videos of your challenge. You can email them to the charity as well at hello@aakss.org.uk