Child’s £10K charity ride for air ambulance

A young boy who received life-saving care from Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is taking on an incredible challenge to raise money for the charity.

James, a determined young fundraiser from Dorset, is aiming to raise £10,000 for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA) by completing 100 laps of his road on a specially adapted trike. Over 100 days, he will complete the one-kilometre circuit to thank the charity’s critical care team, who came to his aid when he suddenly became unresponsive at home.

His mum, Kerrie, called 999 and administered CPR for eight minutes until paramedics arrived and took over. DSAA’s critical care team worked alongside ambulance service colleagues to stabilise James before he was transferred by helicopter to Southampton Hospital for ongoing care.

Thankfully, James has recovered well and is back home enjoying his trike. His family is now fundraising for DSAA in recognition of the speedy, critical medical care that gave him the best possible chance. James is aiming high with a fundraising target of £10,000 and has already raised more than £6,800, including Gift Aid.

Josie Dear, Supporter Engagement Officer at Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance said: “A huge thank you to James and his family for choosing to support DSAA through this incredible challenge. It’s wonderful to see James doing so well, and we’re so glad our team could be there for him when he needed us most. We’re incredibly grateful for their support and wish James the very best with the rest of his challenge!”

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is a charity funded by the generosity of its supporters. Every donation will help DSAA continue providing life-saving, pre-hospital critical care to parents across Dorset and Somerset.

If you would like to donate to James’s fundraiser, you can do so using the link below: www.dsairambulance.org.uk/fundraisers/james-marchant-air-ambulance-to-southampton-hospital