Autumn Statement: Wales Air Ambulance Charity receives donation from LIBOR banking fines

The Wales Air Ambulance Charity has been successful in its bid for funding from the LIBOR banking fines, announced in the Treasury’s Autumn Statement today.

The £1m boost will go towards increasing flying hours and the charity’s plans for night operations.

WAAC’s chief executive Angela Hughes said:

“It’s the charity’s vision to become a 24-hour operation and this donation from the LIBOR fund takes us a step closer to reaching that goal.

“Our bid set out how a donation from LIBOR would help us to set up a fully-functional night operation for the whole of Wales, enabling us to carry out paediatric, neonatal and adult missions on board our aircraft.

We’re delighted to have secured £1m, which will cover one third of our costs for night flight planning.”

Wales Air Ambulance Charity needs to raise £6.5m in charitable donations every year to keep its four helicopters flying. The charity will continue fundraising and appealing for donations to reach its goal of a 24/7 service.

It works in partnership with NHS Wales, who supply medical crews and kit on board the helicopters.

It is the second time the Wales Air Ambulance Charity has applied for and received funding from the LIBOR banking fines. In 2015 the charity received £1.5m towards a helicopter upgrade, which will help to cover the operation of a new fleet for a period of one year from 2017.

WAAC will receive the £1m LIBOR donation in April 2017.