Air Ambulance launches appeal after £1.1m deficit

An air ambulance charity has launched an appeal for public support after reporting a £1.1m deficit in its latest annual report.

Devon Air Ambulance attended more than 2,100 emergencies last year but rising operating costs and reduced legacy income had left it spending more than it receives, according to the charity.

A spokesperson said there was no immediate threat to frontline services but a further deficit is forecast next year despite measures expected to save around £400,000 annually.

"We are determined to protect frontline patient care, but we cannot do this alone," said director of corporate services Dave Hawes.

The charity, which receives no direct government funding for its day-to-day operations, said it was the second deficit it had recorded in recent years.

Devon Air Ambulance reported a gap of more than £2m in 2023, before higher legacy income helped it return a surplus in 2024.

Planned savings include cost-cutting measures and a review of its organisational structure, although the charity said these would not fully close the projected shortfall.

Hawes said the report highlighted both the impact of the service and the financial pressures facing charities.

"The cost of delivering our service continues to rise, while income is becoming increasingly challenging and unpredictable," he said.

Head of Operations Tania Martin said there would be no impact on services.

"A million pounds sounds quite scary, but I don't want to create alarm," she said.

"We're not in a position where we're about to close overnight. We're not impacting services in any way at all at the moment."

The charity has launched a "Keep Us Flying" campaign to encourage donations and help secure the service's future.

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