Clarification on confusion between Midlands Air Ambulance Charity and an organisation called HESE and/or Stoke Air Ambulance

In recent months we have received several enquiries from our supporters asking if we are connected to a charity called ‘Helicopter Emergency Service Equipment’ (HESE) also known as ‘Stoke Air Ambulance’. For clarification, it is important to note that HESE/Stoke Air Ambulance is a separate organisation and is not connected to Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity is proud to be the primary air ambulance for Stoke-on-Trent and the wider Staffordshire area. We are tasked by the regional statutory ambulance service and play a vital role in emergency response and patient care for the county. We have a proven track record of delivering enhanced critical care – for more than 34 years – and are rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission.
We attend all of the missions we are tasked to by the statutory NHS 999 tasking body, West Midlands Ambulance Service, who endorse our lifesaving service and have provided the following statement:
“The Staffordshire area is one of the best served regions in the country for air ambulances, with West Midlands Ambulance Service able to access seven different aircraft from four different Helicopter Emergency Medical Service charities for incidents, most notably Midlands Air Ambulance Charity (MAAC), which is the primary air ambulance operator for Staffordshire … and we currently see no requirement for any further aircraft in the area as we are already always able to task a helicopter in a timely manner to cases in this area.” Chief Executive, Professor Anthony Marsh

We are fully committed to the Staffordshire region and have recently invested in a new air ambulance helicopter and are marking its first six months of operation at Royal Stoke Hospital in June.

Our helicopter crew operate from our Tatenhill airbase during daylight hours, enabling them to rapidly reach patients in the county within an average of just ten minutes. In fact only last weekend we hosted our annual Tatenhill Open Day where we welcomed the local community.

To manage costs efficiently and make the most of public donations, our Tatenhill aircraft returns overnight to our HQ at our Cosford airbase to refuel, for maintenance and to access controlled (advanced) medicines.

As a charity, we are committed to operating as efficiently as possible while continuing to deliver the highest standard of care to those in critical need.

We understand that the Fundraising Regulator investigation into Stoke Air Ambulance remains on going. Whilst we do not want to place an ask on anybody, it does help if people and organisations raise their concerns directly with the Fundraising Regulator – so that they have specific information to act upon. In case you did want to share any concerns, I have provided their contact details below. It is helpful to share specific evidence e.g. the letter you have sent us with the source and date.

• Phone: 0300 999 3407
• Email: complaints@fundraisingregulator.org.uk
• Online: www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/complaints/make-complaint
• Post: Fundraising Regulator, Eagle House, 167 City Road, London, EC1V 1AW

Raising concerns with The Fundraising Regulator helps them to ensure charities comply with the Code of Fundraising Practice and that people can therefore donate to trustworthy charities with confidence.

For clarification, so you know you are donating to the air ambulance that covers your area:
• If in doubt, always check the Registered Charity Number. The Registered Charity Number for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity is 1143118.
• All marketing material from Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, as well as our red collection tins and buckets, will be clearly identified with our name, logo and will be displayed alongside our registered charity number (1143118).
• Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s canvassers only ever sign up members using Direct Debit payments (we never take cash payments at people’s homes for subscriptions).
• The canvassers working on our behalf always carry Midlands Air Ambulance ID badges and wear branded clothing.
• If you would like to clarify whether a canvasser you have encountered is representing Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, please contact us on 0800 8 40 20 40 or email info@midlandsairambulance.com and our Supporter Care Team will be happy to assist.