ESSEX & Herts Air Ambulance Service, which is a frequent visitor to Thurrock on mercy missions, is to receive £140,000 from the Department of Health and Social Care.

The money is part of an emergency £6 million awarded to Air Ambulances UK for distribution to the 21 air ambulance charities to help cover increased operational spending they have faced as a result of the additional activities undertaken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pam Withrington, Fundraising and Marketing Director at the service, said, "We are pleased to receive this money from the Government during these uncertain times. It follows a period in which our crews have continued to provide a 24/7 life-saving service to the critically ill and injured and gone above and beyond to support their NHS colleagues.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant effect on our fundraising this year, with events and initiatives being cancelled or postponed because of the lockdown. In order to make up for an expected shortfall in donations of around £500,000, it is vital that we continue to raise funds to support our life-saving service, and this money will really help us to cover unbudgeted COVID-19 costs."

In April EHAAT announced that the critical care team based at the charity's Earls Colne airbase would be available to assist the NHS with the transfer of patients between hospitals. The team based at North Weald continued to provide vital care to the people and communities of Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas by helicopter and rapid response vehicle.

In addition to supporting the need for urgent inter hospital transfers, the charity supported the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust at Basildon Hospital, Broomfield Hospital and Southend Hospital with the provision of a Pre-hospital Care Doctor from the EHAAT team, to assist with patient transfers between these three hospitals.

Also in April EHAAT's Patient Liaison Managers were part of the Family Liaison Team at the temporary NHS London Nightingale Hospital, where they supported families affected by COVID-19 as well as carrying out their core EHAAT work.

To find out more about the charity's work and how you can support it, click here or call 0345 2417 690.