Life-saving local charity Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance has picked up a prestigious national award, pipping big hitters like Great Ormond Street Hospital and The National Trust to the post.
HIOWAA has picked up the fundraising team of the year accolade at the Third Sector Awards 2023, a huge achievement for a regional charity of its size.
The award recognises the dedication of the team who work hard behind the scenes to ensure patients in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight continue to have the best pre-hospital care possible.
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Whether they’re at events out in the community, giving talks to local groups and clubs or offering support to people looking to fundraise, the engagement team works in support of the pilots, dispatchers, doctors and paramedics to help save lives in the region 365 days a year.
The charity, with headquarters in Nursling, was up against a host of national and regional charities including Great Ormand Street Hospital Children’s Charity, National Trust and Blood Cancer UK.
Judges commended the charity’s “practical and impact-focused approach to fundraising... and looking at the real drivers of growth and being brave enough to make those steps.”
HIOWAA Director of Income and Engagement, Keith Wilson, said: “We are delighted that our engagement team and approach to generating income for this charity has been recognised by the Third Sector Awards judges.
"Our collective passion for innovation, collaboration and putting our supporters first is what drives this team, and being awarded alongside some of our favourite national charities is welcome reward for our efforts.”
The prestigious annual event celebrates the outstanding achievements of individuals and organisations operating in the charity sector, marking their tireless efforts and transformative impact.
The life-saving charity has also been shortlisted for three Air Ambulance industry awards: Innovation of the Year for its mobile flight simulator, Charity Team of the Year, for the engagement team, and Special Incident of the Year, in which its crew attended a multi-vehicle, mass-casualty road traffic collision in Cheltenham.
The winners of the Air Ambulance's UK Awards of Excellence will be announced on November 30.
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