CONGRATULATIONS to the following winners of this week’s draw:

JACKPOT                     £1,000.00       S P WHYATT, SALISBURY

2ND PRIZE                  £ 250.00          P GILLINGHAM, POOLE

3RD PRIZE                   £ 150.00         S J STAPLES, CLEVEDON

4TH PRIZE                   £ 125.00         B ANDERSON-SMITH, WEYMOUTH

5TH PRIZE                   £ 100.00         G TURNER, BOURNEMOUTH

CONSOLATION PRIZE WINNERS:

F N Barker, Wimborne

J Oliver, Bournemouth

E Florey, Bridgwater

D Minchin, Wimborne

D C Martin, Sturminster Newton

J Chilcott, Watchet

F Peacock, Bridgwater

S B Jarvis, Dulverton

Mrs M Mills, Bridgwater

A Roberts, Wimborne

The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Flight for Life Lottery was launched on the 19^th December 2000 by Jeremy Beadle and since its launch, it has gone from strength to strength. It is one of the easiest and most sustainable ways of showing your support. It costs £1 a week to join. There are five main cash prizes, including a Jackpot of £1,000 and a number of other consolation prizes on offer. There are no rollovers, so the prizes must be won each week. If you would like join, just call: 01202 849530 or email: lottery@dsairambulance.org.uk

Luke Adams, Carl Tinsley, Michael Chapman, Chris Cope and Glenn Powell are putting on a brave face tomorrow evening (Friday), when they take place in a charity Waxing Event taking place at the River Parrett Inn, Bridgwater.

The event, which was an idea that came together one Friday evening, is raising funds for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and the British Forces Association.

Luke, landlord of the River Parrett and one of the brave men being waxed, is looking forward to the night and said, “We are not nervous now at all, just really excited.  Anyone who attends on the night will be in for a fun packed evening.  We are all being waxed from the neck down.  People can come along on the night and buy a strip of wax for £3 and have a go.  We are hoping to raise as much as we can for these two great charities.”

The night starts at 7pm (River Parrett Inn, Salmon Parade, Bridgwater)

Our cheeky little cartoon helicopter was given the name ‘Dasher’ at 5.00 pm this evening.

Dasher was created by Dave Hindson, a paramedic and friend of the Charity and the naming competition was launched in our ‘Beeline’ magazine last November.

We had some really great entries which we received by phone, post, email and via our Facebook page and we are delighted that so many people took part in this fun initiative.

The winner of the competition was Katie Dymott aged 10 from Poole in Dorset.

Bill Sivewright our Chief Executive Officer said, “We had so many names suggested, our selection panel had a tough time picking the winner, but in the end we selected ‘DASHER’ (Dorset and Somerset Helicopter Emergency Rescue).

“We are very grateful to Katie and will be inviting her to our airbase where she can see the real helicopter and meet the crew.  I’m sure you can expect to see more of Dasher in the near future.”

Why don’t you write a story about Dasher’s adventures and send them to us!  Who knows, we might just publish them on our website or in our magazine.  Simply email: editor@dsairambulance.org.uk or write to us at:  Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, Landacre House, Castle Road, Chelston Business Park, Wellington, Somerset  TA21 9JQ

CONGRATULATIONS to the following winners of this week’s draw:

JACKPOT         £1,000.00        M MEAD, FERNDOWN

2ND PRIZE      £    250.00        P SHAW, BRIDGWATER

3RD PRIZE       £   150.00        C R TINKLER, POOLE

4TH PRIZE       £   125.00        J LAWRENCE, POOLE

5TH PRIZE       £   100.00        S A GUEST, FERNDOWN

CONSOLATION PRIZE WINNERS:

M Jones, Weston-Super-Mare

G I Pritchard, Bridport

M O Upham, Bridgwater

Mrs B Blundy, Gillingham

Y Butcher, Poole

T Giles, Poole

P Turner, Somerton

M Hayward, Wimborne

L Brown, Weston-Super-Mare

J Baxter, Wincanton

The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Flight for Life Lottery was launched on the 19^th December 2000 by Jeremy Beadle and since its launch, it has gone from strength to strength. It is one of the easiest and most sustainable ways of showing your support. It costs £1 a week to join. There are five main cash prizes, including a Jackpot of £1,000 and a number of other consolation prizes on offer. There are no rollovers, so the prizes must be won each week. If you would like join, just call: 01202 849530 or email: lottery@dsairambulance.org.uk

A farm worker who did not think he would see his son or wife again after being crushed in a farm accident has thanked the air ambulance crew he says saved his life. 

Alex Page, 26, of Radstock, who was left with life-threatening injuries after the incident in Ston Easton two weeks ago, said his recovery is down to the air crew as well as the other emergency staff who responded so quickly.

Mr Page said: “It was all pretty dramatic and I did not think I would see my six-month-old son Oscar or my wife Kelly again.

“I don’t know how to thank the people who saved my life – I don’t know who they were but thank you.

“Because of the internal bleeding I would not have survived without the air crew who airlifted me to hospital so quickly.”

Mr Page had been working on a loading shovel when the arm came down, trapping him between the arm and front axle and crushing him.

His spleen was ruptured and with internal bleeding and broken ribs he thought he was going to die.

“I want to remind people about the air ambulance and what a vital service it is and remind people to keep the donations going for the air ambulance,” said Mr Page.

“The air ambulance really does something quite incredible. It is amazing what they do and I didn’t think I would feel so affected by what they did for me.”

He also praised the rest of the NHS staff for their immediate response and the high standard of care.

“The first responder was on the scene within minutes and then the paramedics. When I got to hospital a trauma team was waiting for me. It all seemed to be in such a short time.”

After an emergency operation Mr Page was in intensive therapy for a few days and is now at home recovering.

A spokesman for South West Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are delighted to hear that Mr Page is pleased with the care afforded to him, and convey our good wishes for his onward recovery.

“Once again the air ambulance has demonstrated its value in delivering the trust’s clinicians to hard to reach locations to provide time-critical life-saving care.”

Tracy Bartram, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance’s communications manager, said: “We really hope that Alex’s recovery is a good one.

“Due to data protection, the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is unable to make contact with patients direct and it is not until they contact the media or the charity direct that we find out how they are doing.

“We are delighted to have been a crucial part in Alex’s life-saving incident and wish him and his family well.”

With thanks to the Somerset Guardian for sharing this story.

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance have been presented with £500 this week from members of Burnham and District Model Railway Club.

Railway club member John Langley, visited the charity’s headquarters in Wellington, Somerset to present a cheque to Bill Sivewright, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Chief Executive Officer.

The money was raised through the sale of a ‘Simonds Brewery of Reading, Bristol and Devonport, Vent Van’ and included a donation from the group.

Burnham and District Model Railway Club was founded in 1976 with the aim of furthering the model railway hobby within the Sedgemoor area of North Somerset and it has certainly achieved that.

During the early years, the group of enthusiasts met in several rooms above a shop in Burnham town centre.  Now, with steady growth it has its own permanent rooms in the community centre and organise their own exhibitions each year, the largest being Sedgemoor Rail, normally held over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Mr Langley said, “Knowing that donations to charities have been severely impacted over the last few years, the club has been actively pursuing its policy of funding charitable worthy causes. Where possible we have chosen locally based organisations rather than the large national ones which generally have better resources. 

“We have given donations to many local charities over the last year and we are delighted to be able to support the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance with the proceeds from the Simonds Brewery of Reading, Bristol and Devonport Vent Van,” he concluded.

About Burnham and District Model Railway Club

Burnham and District Model Railway Club meet every Tuesday and Thursday evening at the Community Centre, Berrow Road, Burnham on Sea, Somerset between 7.00 pm and 10.00 pm.  Membership is available to all who take an active interest in railway modelling.  The Burnham and District Model Railway Club is a member of the Wessex Association of Model Railway Clubs and the Association of Model Railway Clubs Wales and the West of England.  www.burnhamanddmrc.org

CONGRATULATIONS to the following winners of this week’s draw:

JACKPOT                    £1,000.00        DR R G CHARMAN, POOLE

2ND PRIZE                   £ 250.00          E V WEST, WEYMOUTH

3RD PRIZE                   £ 150.00          J HATHAWAY, WEYMOUTH

4TH PRIZE                   £ 125.00          T SWEENEY, WIMBORNE

5TH PRIZE                   £ 100.00          B GADD, YEOVIL

CONSOLATION PRIZE WINNERS:

L Armstrong, Yeovil

B M Slocombe, Taunton

S R Dove, Bridport

Mr & Mrs Lynch, Minehead

T St George, Wellington

H J Boyce, Crewkerne

J Chambers, Portland

D P Chidgey, Langport

J Brough, Wimborne

T & S Couling, Blandford Forum

The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Flight for Life Lottery was launched on the 19^th December 2000 by Jeremy Beadle and since its launch, it has gone from strength to strength. It is one of the easiest and most sustainable ways of showing your support. It costs £1 a week to join. There are five main cash prizes, including a Jackpot of £1,000 and a number of other consolation prizes on offer. There are no rollovers, so the prizes must be won each week. If you would like join, just call: 01202 849530 or email: lottery@dsairambulance.org.uk

The event, which is not designed as a race and involves cycling through some of Dorset and Somerset’s most beautiful countryside, takes place on Sunday 20^th May 2012 and on-line registration is now open.

There are two different cycling routes and distances available.  For those who like a challenge, the brilliant 54 mile cycle which starts in the Somerset port of Watchet at 11.00am and finishes at West Bay near Bridport will not disappoint.  For those that don’t want to cycle that far, there is a shorter 11 mile route which begins at Drimpton in Dorset at 2pm and also finishes at West Bay.

Last year, hundreds of cyclists took part and rode the equivalent of half way around the world to help us raise funds.  With a mixture of quiet back roads, interspersed with some very demanding climbs and equally hairy descents, the event has something to offer for everyone!

“We wanted to build on the great success of last year’s C2C event and make this year’s event even better,” explained Bill Sivewright, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Chief Executive Officer.

“With this in mind, we have changed the finishing point of the shorter 11 mile route, which means that both the 54 mile and 11 mile routes finish at the same location in West Bay.

“We are also providing transport for both bike and cyclist for the first 54 entrants that book early.  People that live in the Dorset area will be able to ‘get a ride’ from West Bay, to the starting point at Watchet Harbour and then cycle the 54 mile route back home.

“For those that live in the Somerset area, similarly we are offering the first 54 entrants a ride back from West Bay to Watchet Harbour once the event has finished,” concluded Bill.

Participants of last year’s event raised an incredible £33,000 in sponsorship and we are hoping that everyone who enters during 2012 will encourage their family and friends to sponsor them.

The first 200 entrants will receive a 2012 Coast to Coast Cycling Challenge t-shirt and prizes will be awarded for the individual and team who raise the most money in sponsorship.

Prior to the event, entrance fees are:  Adults (£10) & Under 16′s (£5).  On the day entrance fees are:  Adults (£15) & Under 16′s (£8)

To register online, click here or to enter via post you can download an entry form.  Alternatively please call: 01823 669604 or email: c2c@dsairambulance.org.uk

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has attended more than 8,570 emergencies since its launch 11 years ago, saving many lives and aiding recovery with the speed at which casualties have been taken to hospital.

Coast to Coast 2012 is being supported by Porter Dodson, The Bicycle Chain, Pollard, The George Hotel, Bond Air Services and Clarke’s fruit wholesalers.

CONGRATULATIONS to the following winners of this week’s draw:

JACKPOT                     £1,000.00       W E STERLAND, BOURNEMOUTH

2ND PRIZE                   £ 250.00          DS & AD LANIGAN, FERNDOWN

3RD PRIZE                   £ 150.00         J LANGDON, CREWKERNE

4TH PRIZE                   £ 125.00         DR R J PRICE, BRISTOL

5TH PRIZE                   £ 100.00         MRS CUMMINGSOOLE, WAREHAM

CONSOLATION PRIZE WINNERS:

K Collins, Broadstone

K Long, Bath

B Coomber, Weymouth

C J Green, Wellington

G J Bungay, Crewkerne

I Hurley, Christchurch

Mr & Mrs J H Smith, Wareham

J Bennett, Poole

G Bale, Wimborne

S Scrase, Yeovil

The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Flight for Life Lottery was launched on the 19^th December 2000 by Jeremy Beadle and since its launch, it has gone from strength to strength. It is one of the easiest and most sustainable ways of showing your support. It costs £1 a week to join. There are five main cash prizes, including a Jackpot of £1,000 and a number of other consolation prizes on offer. There are no rollovers, so the prizes must be won each week. If you would like join, just call: 01202 849530 or email: lottery@dsairambulance.org.uk