Devon Air Ambulance Trust proud to have been shortlisted for special awards

Friday, 29 November, 2013

Presentation of the AAA award left to right: Louise Minchin (BBC Breakfast), Nigel Hare, Operations Director of DAAT, Ged Jones of LFS (sponsor of the award), Heléna Holt, CEO of DAAT, Caroline Creer, Fundraising Director of DAAT and Dr Phil Hammond (co

Devon Air Ambulance Trust (DAAT) has been shortlisted for a remarkable five awards including three national Air Ambulance Association (AAA) and two regionally focussed awards.

DAAT’s series of helicopter drop-ins “Devon Air Ambulance on Tour” last summer designed to introduce the new aircraft to the community has been shortlisted in the AAA Excellence Awards 2013 in the category of Campaign of the Year.

The Charity has also been nominated in the category of ‘Special Incident’ for a call out to Watchet in January when a baby was rescued from the water after strong winds blew his buggy into the harbour.

Ann Ralli, whose determination founded DAAT in 1992 after the tragic death of her son Ceri Thomas in a road traffic collision, has also been shortlisted for the AAA Lifetime Achievement Award.

Locally DAAT’s Logistics Officer has been shortlisted in the Western Morning News Business Awards in the category of Employee of the Year. Despite only being with the Charity for 16 months, 27 year-old Adam Short was nominated by his colleagues for his commitment and contribution to the Charity’s work and for his willingness to go ‘above and beyond the call of duty’.

The Charity has also been recognised in the Pride of Plymouth Awards 2013 shortlisted in the Emergency Services Award category, nominations of which were made by the general public in the Plymouth area.

DAAT Chief Executive Heléna Holt said: “We are delighted to have received these nominations and to have been shortlisted.  It’s a great honour as it recognises the Charity and service as a whole; not only the operational work that our pilots, paramedics and dispatch team undertake on a daily basis, but also the unsung heroes, our fantastic team of staff and volunteers and of course the community that we serve and their amazing fundraising efforts..  Naturally we hope to win at least some of the awards but just to be nominated and shortlisted really is the icing on the cake of what has been a remarkable year with the arrival of our new helicopter and celebrating our 21st birthday.”

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