27 Jan 2017
We have been reunited with an ex-patient who helped save our charity from closure in 1993. Paul's contribution came to light after we trawled through historic archives to develop a new digital timeline, which tells the story of both the highs and lows of our charity.
In the early 1990s, London's Air Ambulance faced opposition from medical professionals who questioned the use of emergency medical helicopters and on-scene advanced trauma care. Our charity was faced with closure. During this tough time, it was patients and the public who came to our rescue. There was one man in particular who made sure supporters' voices were heard; his name was Paul Montgomery, then from Northolt, and he had first-hand experience of our charity when he was treated following a road traffic collision.
Calling for help on social media channels, we asked our supporters if they could track down Paul so we could say thank you to the man who fought so passionately to protect our charity.
The 30-year-old collected a 650-name petition against cuts to our service and spoke out to the media to prove our charity had public backing and make sure it continued to save lives across the capital.
Paul got in touch after being alerted to the search by his sister Sharron. We have invited Paul to meet the medical team at our helipad in Whitechapel, so we can acknowledge his incredible support.
To find out more about our charity's journey before and after Paul's petition, visit our digital timeline.