Air Ambulances UK has announced the shortlist of nominees for its 2023 Awards of Excellence, and we have been shortlisted in three categories.

The annual awards celebrate and recognise the specialist life-saving skills and commitment of those working tirelessly within the air ambulance community.

Special Incident of the Year: Road traffic collision, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

We have been shortlisted for a multi-vehicle, mass-casualty road traffic collision that we attended alongside our colleagues at Great Western Air Ambulance and Wiltshire Air Ambulance. There were a total of eight patients and eleven helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) crew on scene.

With low-lying cloud and stormy scenes in waiting, the team had to navigate demanding circumstances to ensure they arrived safely on scene, before locating the most seriously ill patients who required urgent critical care.

Innovation of the Year: Simulator Van

It takes years of training, countless flying hours and rigorous preparation to become a HEMS Pilot, but our mobile flight simulator gives you the chance to experience the sensation of what it is like to fly our H135 helicopter on a mission.

Crowds of people throughout the Summer have jumped into the cockpit and put their pilot skills to the test, to experience the thrill of flying our famous yellow and green helicopter.

Charity Team of the Year: Engagement team

This award is for an air ambulance charity team which has made an outstanding contribution to the overall work of the charity.

This shortlisting recognises the dedication from the Engagement team who work so hard behind the scenes to ensure the people in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight continue to have the best pre-hospital care possible.

The winners of the Air Ambulances UK Awards of Excellence will be announced on Thursday 30 November at Select Car Leasing Stadium.