Carlisle MP, John Stevenson, has praised the work of the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) after a visit to its Langwathby base.

The air ambulance does not receive any NHS funding and currently needs more than £6.7 million to keep flying with over 1,600 call outs in 2021.

GNAAS needs to raise £8 million per year with plans to expand the rapid response vehicle service and night service.

The cost-of-living crisis has made the operation more expensive as the cost of jet fuel and utilities has risen rapidly and it has made fundraising trickier with many people feeling the pinch.

‘’The highly skilled crews of the Great North Air Ambulance service put the people of their community at the heart of everything they do’’ Mr Stevenson said.

“The air ambulance plays a vital role in supporting the publicly-funded emergency services and I was privileged to get an update on its life-saving work and it’s vision for the future.’’

 

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