The Earl and Countess of Wessex paid a visit to the new airbase used by the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Service earlier this week.
At the new airbase, located in North Weald, Edward and Sophie were given the chance to thank first responders for the work they undertook during the coronavirus pandemic.
Upon arrival, the royals met the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire and the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Essex, as both counties receive service from the new airbase and then met with the critical care team, staff, and volunteers with the Air Ambulance Service, and learned about the proposed ‘Centre for Excellence’ that the charity would like to start at the new location to advance pre-hospital care.
“We are absolutely delighted to have welcomed Their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex to our new airbase in North Weald, and we are very grateful for their interest and support for our charity,” said Jonathan Trower, the Chair of Trustees. in a statement on the EHAAT’s website.
“We were able to show them our outstanding new facilities for our team and to discuss our exciting plans for the further development of our emergency medical services across Essex and Hertfordshire.”
Some of the first responder charities and organisations invited to meet Edward and Sophie included various NHS Trusts, Essex County Fire and Rescue, Essex Police, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue, Hertfordshire Police, North East London and Essex Trauma Network, the Royal Army Medical Corps, Specialist Aviation Services, and St John Ambulance.
“This is a real milestone in our charity’s history,” said Jane Gurney, with the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Service. “It was a fantastic opportunity to bring together all of the organisations who have worked so hard during these challenging times of the pandemic. I am truly honoured that we have been able to showcase our new airbase at North Weald and share our vision for a Centre for Excellence that will continue to develop pre-hospital care into the future.”
