This December, South Central Ambulance Charity is looking for volunteers to get festive, get active, and raise vital funds at Santa Runs in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, and Southsea, Portsmouth.
The Marlow Santa Run takes place on Sunday, 7 December, with the Southsea Santa Run taking place on Saturday, 20 December. South Central Ambulance Charity has guaranteed places at both events and is now looking for people willing to run, walk or festively jingle bell their way to the end of the 5km course in Marlow, or tackle the 5km or 10km course in Southsea.
All funds raised will go directly to help the fully funded community first responder volunteer programme – which will be operational over the whole Christmas and New Year period – and supporting ambulance staff wellbeing. Every step will help continue this vital work.
Over the festive season, SCAS Charity volunteers will be fully operational supporting patients in their local communities, ensuring help reaches them as quickly as possible.
Vanessa Casey, chief executive officer of the SCAS Charity, said:
“We are enormously grateful to all our supporters who fundraise for us during the year. Taking part in one of these local Santa Runs is a great way to end the year and to support the ambulance service during its busiest time. Our volunteers are only able to continue the vital patient care they provide thanks to the donations we receive to provide them with the equipment and resources they need. Thank you all for your support.”
For further information and details of how to register for the events, please contact:
Stephen Jordan
07795 237 516
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Notes to editors
- South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) has a committed team of over 800 volunteers working across the service. Volunteering ranges from patient facing opportunities to supporting the development of both SCAS and the SCAS Charity.
- Community first responders and military co-responders are trained and despatched to attend 999 medical emergency calls within their local communities. They are deployed by SCAS’ clinical coordination centre and form an integral part of the ambulance service’s emergency patient response.
- Volunteer responders provide essential lifesaving treatment and support in those crucial minutes before the ambulance crew arrives. This includes responding to patients of all ages suffering a life-threatening emergency such as a cardiac arrest, heart attack, breathing difficulties or stroke. Our volunteers are trained by South Central Ambulance Service. These volunteers come from every walk of life. What they have in common is their desire to make a difference by volunteering to support patient care in emergency situations. Each year they attend over 30,000 incidents across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire.
- The SCAS Charity funds the uniform, equipment and training for the volunteer responders. They are trained and managed by the SCAS community engagement and training team.