UK North West Air Ambulance Charity was called to more than 3,000 missions across the North West of England in 2023, including, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria, an area covering 5,500 square miles.

The North West Air Ambulance Charity has released figures showing that 2023 was its busiest year to date, surpassing 3,100 missions, this is a new yearly record with 300 more callouts than in the previous year.

The Charity’s confirmed figures showed cardiac arrest and medical incidents accounted for over 950 callouts for the year, with road traffic collisions at 780 and accidental injuries at 680.

The Charity launched in 1999 with one helicopter and now operates with three helicopters and four critical care vehicles. Two helicopters are based at Barton Airbase in Manchester, and the third is based at Blackpool Airbase.

David Briggs, Director of Operations said: “Each year the number of missions we attend increases and 2023 was our busiest year yet. We remain ever grateful to our amazing supporters; without them, we wouldn’t be able to continue saving lives across the North West. The charity is solely funded by public donations; we receive no government funding and are not part of the NHS.”

2024 is an important year for the North West Air Ambulance Charity as they are celebrating their 25th anniversary.