15th Nov 2019
London’s Air Ambulance Charity are thrilled to announce that our 30th Anniversary Gala was our most successful ever, raising a record £550,000 for our life-saving charity.
This is the equivalent of 275 potentially life-saving missions, helping us to continue to provide on-scene emergency care to the 10 million people who live, work and travel in the capital.
The Gala is the culmination of our anniversary celebrations and was attended by His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, as our 30th Anniversary patron. The event was an opportunity not just to look back and thank our operational crews, supporters, volunteers and charity team for their extraordinary efforts, but also to look forward to the next 30 years saving lives.
The Duke met with some of our medical and operational crew, former patients and supporters of the charity to thank them for their service. He also delivered a moving speech in support of our charity. As an air ambulance pilot himself, the Duke has witnessed the impact of our work first hand.
His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge said:
“I was delighted to become your Patron for the campaign this year to shine a light on the incredible work that the charity undertakes on a daily basis and to help champion positive mental health and wellbeing in the emergency services. Having served as an air ambulance pilot myself, I am in no doubt about the crucial life-line that air ambulances provide all over the U.K.
“I wish you all the best as you build on this year’s successes and continue providing crucial life-saving support to Londoners for many years to come.”
You can read the Duke’s speech in full here: https://www.royal.uk/speech-duke-cambridge-londons-air-ambulance-charity-gala
The event was also attended by a number of VIP guests, including Eric Clapton, Fabiana and Bernie Ecclestone, Jay Rutland and Daniella Helayel. Lord Jeffrey Archer was our auctioneer for the evening and the event was hosted by presenter Natalie Pinkham.
Jonathan Jenkins, CEO of London’s Air Ambulance Charity said;
“As our 30th Anniversary year draws to a close we can’t thank the Duke enough for his heartfelt support for our Charity, and it was wonderful to hear him deliver such a moving speech at our Gala dinner.
“We are delighted that so many supporters donated so generously to our charity, making it our most successful Gala to date. All the funds raised will help us continue to be there for London for the next 30 years, every second of every day.
“We are also very grateful to our sponsors Maddox Gallery, Citco and the Phoenix Group; to each of the table hosts, and to our auctioneer Lord Jeffery Archer for helping us raise so much on the night.”
Companies who helped to support the event include international contemporary and modern art galleries Maddox Gallery, leading provider of asset servicing solutions to the global alternative investment industry Citco Group of Companies and long standing charity partner life and pensions consolidator Phoenix Group.
Event partners were William Grant & Sons, Dickinson & Doris, Mount Street Printers, and Château Marjosse.