Historical landmarks and other large buildings across Hampshire have undergone mysterious makeovers, thanks to a late-night guerilla marketing campaign that brought the city skyline to life.
Southampton Bargate, Places Leisure (Eastleigh), Portchester Castle, Westgate Museum and the Roman Walls were temporarily transformed into enormous cinema screens to highlight the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance Operation Airbase appeal through imaginative and captivating storytelling.
Thousands of onlookers gazed up at the illuminating projections, which featured flight footage of the helicopter, interviews with the charity’s life-saving crew and emotional testimonials from former patients whose lives have been saved by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance crew.
The charity needs to raise £3.6 million to relocate its airbase from Thruxton, Andover, to a site near Southampton Airport. The move will dramatically reduce the time it takes for the doctors and specialist paramedics to reach seriously ill and injured patients, saving vital minutes in their care.
Approximately 70% of the service’s call-outs are to the south of the region: Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. This currently takes a minimum flight time of 15 minutes from the current base. The move to a more central area will mean they can reach almost every patient in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight within 10 minutes of take-off.
Portchester Castle lit up to highlight our appeal.
Specialist Paramedic Lead Nick Gray said:
“Every second we save could mean the difference between life and death – or between each patient returning to the life they had before.
“There have been so many occasions where if we could have just got here even sooner, it would have made such a difference’. Whether starting a blood transfusion sooner or getting the patient into an induced coma, this move will give us the chance to send more people on the road to recovery.”
The charity’s Director of Income and Engagement, Keith Wilson, said:
“It’s important for us to get out into the communities we serve and spark conversations about our life-saving work and our exciting plans. Whether they’re long-standing supporters or stumbling across our work and mission for the very first time – we want to inspire new supporters and encourage people to engage with their local air ambulance.
“A huge thank you to everyone who has donated to our appeal, which has raised £800,000 in its first six weeks.”
For more information, visit the Operation Airbase appeal page.
