Children throughout Scotland are being invited to support the country’s only charity-funded air ambulance service in a bid to have a life-saving helicopter land at their primary school.
Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) has contacted around 2,000 primary schools nationwide to challenge the youngsters to a fundraising competition. And the winning schools in each of five regions will receive a visit from the charity’s next-generation helicopter before it goes into service later this year.
The Skyward Challenge for primary schoolchildren is part of SCAA’s Operation Skyward – a fundraising drive to raise the extra £2 million needed each year to bring the country’s most advanced emergency medical response helicopter of its type to Scotland. The state-of-the-art H145 D3 helicopter is currently being fitted out to SCAA’s specifications and will replace the charity’s existing helicopter at Aberdeen.
SCAA Community Fundraising Manager Kate Loades explained that they were keen to involve the country’s younger generation in this exciting new advance in Scotland’s pre-hospital care network.
“Operation Skyward will support SCAA’s ambition that no one in Scotland should die because help can’t get there in time,” she said, “and we want to engage schoolchildren in the arrival of our new aircraft.
“The new helicopter will be making a nationwide tour before going into service to let the people of Scotland see what their amazing support has achieved. And primary school children can play their part in our exciting challenge and win a chance to have the helicopter land at their campus.”
Schools will be challenged to raise funds by carrying out 145 laps. This could be done in their playground, local park or swimming pool, over hurdles or assault courses. The more imaginative, the better.
“We’re looking for the most innovative and engaging activities as well as the champion fundraisers,” said Kate. “By attracting sponsorship and support for their efforts from friends, family, the school and the wider community, pupils will be helping to fly SCAA into the future and perhaps even to their playground.”
Kate explained that the leading fundraisers in each of five regions would be determined by dividing the total raised by the number of children enrolled at the school, giving small rural and island schools the same chance as larger ones. Winners will be chosen from: Fife, Lothian & Borders; Highlands & Islands; North East Scotland; Tayside; and West Central & South West Scotland.
Registration by schools for the Skyward Challenge is now open and teachers and pupils have until June 13 to create, promote and carry out their fun-filled activities.
“We’ll be asking schools to offer their playground or playing field as a potential landing spot for the helicopter or identify a community space nearby where they could gather to welcome the aircraft and crew,” said Kate. “It will be a very exciting day for the winning schools.”
This week, emails were sent to primary schools in every corner of the country and Kate is encouraging teachers to take up the challenge and involve their pupils in what will be a life-saving fundraiser.
The winning schools will be informed of their success on June 20 and then have their suggested sites surveyed for suitability.
“SCAA often lands at schools to reach those seriously ill or injured in the nearby communities,” said Kate. “It will be nice to land outwith emergencies and let the children see what their support has delivered up close and personal.”
SCAA’s existing helicopter air ambulances at Perth and Aberdeen will still be operating their service while the new aircraft makes its flying pitstops around the country ahead of operational deployment – ensuring no let-up in the charity’s life-saving work.
Primary schools are invited to register for the Skyward Challenge at:
