ACTOR, ADVENTURER & TV STAR  CHARLEY BOORMAN

 JOINS SIMON LE BON & MIKE TINDALL

AS A CELEBRITY AMBASSADOR

FOR THE AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE

 

CHARLEY BOORMAN, the actor, writer and TV star of the hit adventure series The Long Way Round, The Long Way Down, Race To Dakar and By Any Means, has become the latest high profile name to endorse the work of THE AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE (TAAS) by becoming one of its celebrity ambassadors.

Boorman joins Duran Duran pop star Simon Le Bon, England Rugby International Mike Tindall MBE, Hollywood actor Rob Lowe, Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason and Formula 1 legend Damon Hill all of whom are passionate supporters of TAAS.

Charley Boorman will support TAAS with its national PR campaign, fund raising and awareness. The charity will also this year launch a bespoke Children’s Air Ambulance service across the UK, which will be dedicated to the transfer of critically ill children and babies between specialist hospitals across the UK.

The son of acclaimed film director JOHN BOORMAN, he first shot to fame as a child actor in the film’s Deliverance, Excalibur, The Emerald Forest, Hope & Glory, The Bunker and The Serpent’s Kiss.

More recently Boorman has become known for his epic motorbike adventures. It was on the set of “The Serpent’s Kiss” where he first met fellow motorbike enthusiast, actor and now long time friend Ewan McGregor. It was this encounter that was to spark a series of adventures across the world and a TV series that spawned The Long Way Round (2004) biking overland from London to New York via Europe and Asia and “The Long Way Down” (2007) which saw the duo travel from John O’Groats to Cape Town. The TV series became a phenomenal success and produced a best selling book and DVD.

First established in 2003 as a charitable organisation, TAAS now provides a vital helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) across five counties in the heart of England operating out of Coventry (WNAA) and East Midlands Airports (DLRAA).

TAAS operates two fast response, state-of-the-art Agusta civilian helicopters that can be airborne in less than 45 seconds. With a top speed of 185 mph, carrying a clinical team, which typically consists of highly skilled critical care paramedics and a doctor skilled in emergency care medicine, they can be on scene in a matter of minutes. A rapid response emergency service can often mean the critical difference in saving lives and preserving life changing injuries. Delivering the type of critical clinical care skills of the TAAS team at a scene can be crucial.

Road traffic collisions involving motorcyclists are ranked in the TOP 3 highest “mission call outs” for TAAS. Motorcyclists often suffer multiple serious and life threatening injuries, many of which involve head and spinal trauma. These injuries require the utmost care and the fastest possible medical attention, which the TAAS’ clinical teams and helicopters provide. With the recent establishment of a national Major Trauma Centre network, this service also further facilitates accessing these centre’s of excellence quickly, which can have a big impact on life saving care.

TAAS is a charity that Charley Boorman was particularly keen to support and become involved with. As a passionate motorbike enthusiast and adventurer, he is all too aware of the dangers motorcyclists face every day on the road and in adventures through extreme locations.

Speaking as he visited the TAAS operational base at Coventry airport before embarking and filming his next big TV adventure series “Extreme Frontiers”  Boorman said;

“As someone who is passionate about motorcycles and adventure, I know how important it is to help support the valuable work of The Air Ambulance Service raising awareness and funds so that they can continue to provide the very best emergency medical care and attention.  Having one of the fastest types of emergency helicopters with a specialist clinical care team on board and skilled pilots, means they can reach serious accidents and injuries to motorcyclists on busy roads or in remote locations quickly and can administer any specialist care that is needed.

TAAS receives no funding from Government or the national lottery and relies solely on public donations and so I would urge motorcycle enthusiasts and the public to support the charity by visiting the website to take a look at the incredible work these people do and to help make a real difference by making a donation onlinewww.theairambulanceservice.org.uk or by calling 08454 130999.”

Last year The Air Ambulance Service reached its 14,000th mission landmark through its combined services of WNAA and DLRAA and is called out to attend an average of 150 missions each month. It is one of the busiest Air Ambulance Service’s in the country and serves a combined total population of around 4.4 million.

Commenting on the new ambassador role TAAS CEO Andy Williamson said; "We are delighted to have Charley Boorman’s support as an ambassador to the charity.  Many of the road traffic incidents we are asked to attend involve motorcyclists with serious injuries. To have the support of such a well known TV presenter, adventurer and motorbike enthusiast is a huge support to our campaign. Charley’s support will raise valuable awareness to the biking enthusiasts and communities and will be invaluable in helping to get our message across.”

Under the guidance of CEO Andy Williamson the organisation won a coveted 2011 Orange Business Award and national recognition for its fundraising strategies. It is now regarded as one of the most successful charitable organisations of its kind and is an outstanding example of Prime Minister David Cameron’s “Big Society” blueprint in action.

 You can make a donation to

The Air Ambulance Service or The Children’s Air Ambulance by calling

08454 130 999

or visiting our websites at

 www.theairambulanceservice.org.uk

or

www.thechildrensairambulance.org.uk