UK-based outdoor brand Berghaus has donated thousands of pounds worth of clothing and equipment for Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) staff to use during callouts across the North East and Cumbria. The kit that has been supplied by Berghaus includes waterproof and insulated jackets from the more specialist end of its range, designed for use in extreme conditions throughout the year.
The Great North Air Ambulance Service runs two emergency response teams, at Teesside International Airport and Langwathby, near Penrith. Last year, GNAAS air ambulances responded to 1640 call-outs, assisting with many of the region’s most severely injured or ill patients. As a charity, GNAAS relies on financial donations and other support to sustain the services that it provides.
Earlier in the year, Gordon Ingram, operations manager and senior paramedic, met James Hodgson (head of design) and Graeme Paige (category manager) of Berghaus at an event and the three discussed ways in which they could work together.
As a result, Berghaus agreed to supply GNAAS with a set of kit for around 50 personnel, including all the doctors and paramedics who make up its two emergency response teams. The air ambulance staff now have four-season waterproof, down and fleece jackets, along with overtrousers and other items such as holdalls and accessories, worth around £30,000 in total.
Ingram said, “We work 365 days a year and need to be prepared to face the worse of the elements. We simply could not go out and perform effectively as a team without the right kit. This generous gift has ensured that one thing we don’t have to worry about is our clothing as we head out into the unknown of the next mission.”
Paige added, “GNAAS provides a vital service across the north and we know that outdoor enthusiasts are among the many people who are hugely grateful for the work that the paramedics and pilots do so well. As a company based in the same region, Berghaus is proud to be able to help the air ambulance service in this very practical way, keeping the team dry and warm so that they can focus on their primary task of saving lives.”
GNAAS needs to raise around £5 million every year to continue operating. To find out more about the organisation and how to support it, visit the website and follow @gnairambulance on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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