Devon Air Ambulance celebrates 30 years of lifesaving service with family-friendly events
Devon Air Ambulance (DAA) is proud to reach a huge milestone this Summer as 30 years of lifesaving service are to be celebrated at two family-friendly events, the first of which was held on July 10th at Bideford Rugby Football Club and the second will be held at Darts Farm near Topsham on Saturday 13 August.
This family day out marks 3 decades and over 30,000 missions bringing advanced, time-critical care to communities across Devon and is a perfect time for the charity not only to reflect on the past 30 years but also share what the future holds with everyone.
What is happening at the Darts Farm Event?
Visitors can tour the Helicopter which will be operating from Darts Farm for the day, and chat to the pilot and operational crew. There will also be a chance to see close-up one of the charity’s Volvo XC90 rapid response, blue light, critical care cars.
For the first time, visitors will be able to step on board the H145 Helicopter G-DAAS by immersing themselves in a brand new VR (Virtual Reality) experience where you will discover all the lifesaving equipment and gadgets on board.
Did you know that approximately 75% of Cardiac Arrests happen in the home? Visitors to this special event will have the opportunity to meet the South West Ambulance Service Volunteer Team and learn how to give lifesaving CPR & how to use a defibrillator too. They can also help you to find out where your nearest defibrillator is in your local community.
Don’t miss the Evolution of Devon Air Ambulance exhibit and be sure to follow the story of Devon Air Ambulance by taking part in a fun family audio treasure trail activity, where participants have the chance to be entered into a prize draw to win an amazing collection of beautiful children’s books.
The Devon Air Ambulance retail team is also bringing along a pop-up shop where shoppers who like a charity shop bargain can browse and buy from a wonderful range of donations. This was a huge success at the recent Bideford event as all clothing is priced at £3, £2 and £1.
Formed in 2013 and named after the famous “Back Beach” in Teignmouth, the cool sounds of shanty sea song singers the Back Beach Boyz, will be keeping everyone entertained during the afternoon.
Charlotte Leventis, Head of Communications at Devon Air Ambulance says: “Following our recent 30th Anniversary event at Bideford we are now looking forward to our next event at Dart’s Farm where we hope everyone will come along and celebrate all that has been achieved by the charity in the past 3 decades. It’s our kind supporters that make our service possible every day, 365 days of the year and we want to celebrate that. There’s no need to book, just turn up and enjoy all there is to see and do on the day!”.
Members of the DAA patient liaison team will also be available at Darts Farm to chat about your experience of Devon Air Ambulance or that of a family member, so be sure to visit them throughout the day.
Long-time corporate supporter, Bridge Motorcycles of Exeter, is kindly supporting the celebrations with sponsorship and will be bringing some incredible bikes along with Devon Advanced Motorcycles attending too.
The event will be held on Saturday 13 August, 10am to 4pm, at Darts Farm, EX3 0QH just outside Exeter with ample free parking available. For more information about what’s happening at this event, visit the DAA Website here.
