Chris Evans with Wales Air Ambulance national clinical and operations manager Jason Williams
A former ambulance worker and fundraiser for the Wales Air Ambulance is calling on Conwy and Denbighshire residents to join him in supporting the charity’s lifesaving work during National Volunteers’ Week 2014.
Colwyn Bay resident Chris Evans, who clocked up more than 40 years in the ambulance service, is urging others to join him in volunteering for the charity, which has carried out over 19,000 emergency missions since launching on St David’s Day 2001.
Chris, who formerly coordinated ambulances across Denbighshire as the region’s locality officer before retiring in 2005, has been fundraising for the air ambulance for 18 months. He was inspired to help the charity after seeing an air ambulance presentation he arranged as chair of the NHS Retirement Fellowship in North Wales.
Chris said: “As an ambulance worker, I’ve always appreciated the value of Wales Air Ambulance, especially here in the north – having one of the highest mountains in the UK on your doorstep does pose its challenges when you need to act quickly.
“When I heard the talk at the fellowship meeting, it brought home how important it is to keep this service running, and volunteers are an important part of making that happen.
“I like to help in any way I can and it’s great to meet other supporters. So many have been affected in some way, whether they’ve seen a neighbour or relative airlifted, or maybe even been hurt themselves. We simply don’t know when we’ll need an air ambulance and that’s why I volunteer.
“The ambulance service has been my life. Volunteering for the Wales Air Ambulance is a fitting way for me to continue to give and help others.”
The charity, which costs more than £6 million a year to run, is seeking new volunteers from across Conwy and Denbighshire to join Chris in raising funds to keep the three air ambulances, based in Caernarfon, Welshpool and Swansea, flying over Wales.
Lyndsey Demillow-Jones, Wales Air Ambulance’s community coordinator for the area, said: “Chris was the first volunteer on my team and has been such a reliable support, I’d have been lost without him!
“Our volunteers are fantastic and I’m proud to work with such generous, friendly and fun individuals. But our team in Conwy and Denbighshire needs more volunteers to join us.
“There are plenty of ways to support the charity, from helping with events and collections to volunteering at our community shops.
“There’s no better time than National Volunteers’ Week to join our team.”
For more information on volunteering in Conwy and Denbighshire, contact Lyndsey on 07814 139341, or email [email protected]. Alternatively, visit www.walesairambulance.com, follow the air ambulance on Twitter @air_ambulance, or visit Facebook.com/walesairambulance
