Bridport Rotary Club members with their partners and guests enjoyed an informative talk about the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (D&SAA), from Harry Hendry and Alan Harrow, volunteers with the organisation.

The D&SAA was the chosen charity of Bernard Paull during his year as Club President which ended in July this year. Half of the pofits from the well supported and very enjoyable performance by the Bridport Big Band at the Jubillee concert in May, plus contributions and donations from club members, resulted in a total of £1,300 for the S&DAA. This was handed to Harry and Alan at a recent meeting at the Bridport & West Dorset Golf Club.

The D&SAA is a registered charity, which provides relief from sickness and injury for the people of Dorset and Somerset. It has one air ambulance with an air and road-delivered critical care capability. They receive no direct funding from the Government or the National Lottery and rely on the generosity of the public for support. Their operational costs are over £5 million a year and the approximate cost per mission is £3,000.

Julie Plowden, Deputy Chief Officer of the D&SAA thanked the Club for its support and said "Our crews are continuing to provide a critcal care service for 19 hours a day, both by air and by road, through very close cooperation with our NHS colleagues across the region. We are also in a position to help to move patients between hospitals if that is required, by road or air, whichever is the most appropriate. Clearly at a time when clinical staff in hospitals are under pressure, this is a real benefit."

The Rotary Club is delighted to support the D&SAA and the excellent service it provides.