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AIR AMBULANCE CHARITY KENT SURREY SUSSEX (KSS) NEEDS MORE VOLUNTEERS

Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) needs your support! Having just announced that 2022 was the busiest year in its 33-year history, the life-saving charity is urgently seeking to recruit more volunteers in order to help with more events and activities in the coming year.

The charity, which provides world-leading pre-hospital emergency care 24/7, currently has over 150 volunteers, who provide support through a wide range of activities including managing collection boxes, marshalling at events, speaking at community events, office tasks and more. Volunteers offer a few hours on an occasional basis or regular hours each month.

Bridget Pepper, from the KSS Volunteer Development Team said, "Our volunteers are highly valued members of Team KSS, and we are incredibly grateful to the 150 plus volunteers who currently donate their time to support us. Over the last year, KSS has benefited from over 4,000 hours of support from volunteers and our volunteers were involved with raising or collecting over £250,000 on our behalf."

"This year, with demand for our service at an all-time high and the need to raise even more funds due to the increased costs of operating our service, we are ramping up our fundraising activity and planning to run more events than ever before. To do this, we need to recruit more volunteers and we have a wide range of opportunities available to suit people of all ages and abilities."

"Whilst the charity benefits hugely from volunteers selflessly donating their time to us, we know that our volunteers enjoy many benefits from working with us, including meeting new people, attending events and feeling a sense of pride in supporting an incredible charity in their local community."

One of KSS's volunteers, Nathan Dunbar from Polegate, East Sussex shares his experience of being involved with KSS. He says, "I was reading about KSS and decided volunteering would be a good way to give back some of my time to those who help and support those who need it! Since joining as a volunteer at the end of my school years, I have been able to meet supporters presenting cheques, marshal events that are raising funds for KSS, take part in the car draw and spread the word when bucket collecting."

"As a volunteer I am proud to be part of a team that represents a cause that has benefited so many families across Kent, Surrey and Sussex. I'm proud when I can share the amazing achievements of KSS with others. I enjoy meeting other members of the team, talking to supporters, and I feel proud to wear the KSS name."

"I've attended events alongside the crew, and they have always made me feel part of Team KSS. It's a fantastic feeling when you know your time and support is greatly appreciated. Whenever I see the crew flying over, it is great to see them in action although I always remember it is because someone is in urgent need of their help."

Bridget Pepper concludes, "We hope people from across the communities we serve will get in touch with us and find out more about how they can get involved. We really appreciate all the support we receive."

KSS is an independent charity. It costs £16.6M a year or £45K per day to operate its world leading, life-saving service. This is a significant increase from the £15.2M required in 2022. 87% of KSS's total income is raised through the incredible generosity of its supporters and 10% through NHS commissioning funds. If you are interested in finding out more about being a KSS volunteer, please contact volunteering@aakss.org.uk or visit www.aakss.org.uk

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