The Thames Valley Air Ambulance (TVAA) recently received cheques totalling £6,000 from the Master of Concordia Lodge 2492, Simon Shirley, and his partner Beverley Hewitt.
Founded in 1893, Concordia Lodge meets at the Masonic Centre in Aylesbury. The money was partly raised by Simon and Beverley during their Ladies Night, held at The Oxfordshire Golf Club in February and partly donated by the Freemasons’ Grand Lodge.
On a very blustery and damp afternoon Bekki James, Corporate Fundraising Manager for the TVAA, was at RAF Benson to welcome Simon, Beverley and Ron King, who represented the Grand Lodge. Bekki explained the work of the Air Ambulance and showed them around the facilities and aircraft. They were then able to chat to Oliver Hawksley (doctor) and Andy Colledge (paramedic) who had just returned from a call to a young child with serious health problems. They explained that having stabilised the child they had been able to take him swiftly to hospital, where he could be cared for by the specialist paediatric team.
Bekki said: “Last year TVAA completed over 675 life-saving missions. They varied from serious road traffic accidents to sporting incidents and, as with today’s call out, responding to seriously ill people of all ages, to deliver a unique life-saving service to patients, where and when it is most needed.
We are so grateful to Buckinghamshire Freemasons and, indeed, to every person who donates to the TVAA, without whose generosity we couldn’t operate this incredibly versatile and essential service.”
Top picture shows l to r: Oliver Hawksley (doctor), Beverley Hewitt, Andy Colledge (paramedic) and Simon Shirley (Master of Concordia Lodge).
Lower picture shows I to r: Simon Shirley, Beverley Hewitt and Ron King
