The North West Ambulance Charity is inviting the public to support them through their festive Robin Tree Appeal.

The charity raises money for projects focussed not only on helping to save lives within our communities but also directly supporting the well-being of staff working for North West Ambulance Service.

This year, in exchange for a donation of your choice, you can dedicate a message to a loved one and help the charity continue its valuable work. To do so, simply visit the online donation page and click the donate button in the corner of the screen. You can also read other people’s kind dedications.

Over the last two years, North West Ambulance Charity has funded one million pounds of charitable projects. Over two-thirds of that has been spent on saving lives in the community by buying community-access defibrillators, keeping them running by buying replacement parts and funding equipment for volunteer community first responders.

Here’s how your gift can make a difference:

• £10 provides hot drinks and snacks to crews experiencing long queues at hospital emergency departments over winter.
• £20 enables the charity to provide extra training support for one volunteer community first responder.
• £30 buys replacement pads for a lifesaving defibrillator within a community.
• £500 provides clinical training aids.
• £600 provides new outdoor seating for staff and volunteers at their ambulance station to provide a relaxation area.
• £1200 provides a lifesaving defibrillator for a community.

Head of the Charity, Ian Savage, says, “You can make a dedication to anyone you like. It could be in memory of a loved one or to express thanks to our emergency crews, 999 and 111 call centre staff or patient transport service teams from whom you may have received treatment, support or care from this year. It’s entirely up to you.  When you choose to support us, of course, we’ll be incredibly grateful, but we’ll also send you a beautiful wooden robin tree decoration to keep.

“As an NHS charity, we are totally reliant on donations to help us continue our vital and lifesaving work within communities across the region, all of which are over and above where NHS budgets can reach.

“As well as funding life-saving equipment for the local community, our charity supports ambulance service staff, allowing them to be at their best to help people in their time of need. Helping to create calm spaces to take a well-earned break or supporting initiatives to boost mental and physical health, it all makes a difference.”