A PILOT who suffered serious injuries after a glider crash near Colchester has said “he would have died” without the help of a lifesaving Essex charity.
Steve Jones saw his life changed in April 2021 when his glider crash-landed shortly after take-off, breaking up into pieces.
The light aircraft smashed into a field near Fordham Road in Wormingford, with Steve stuck inside the fuselage with serious injuries.
A helicopter emergency medical services team from Essex and Herts Air Ambulance was there in minutes, attending to his injuries and giving him vital blood products.
They airlifted him to Addenbrookes Hospital where he underwent eight operations in seven days.
Steve said: “I feel very lucky the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance crew were with me in minutes.
“I had a broken spine, broken leg, arm, and pelvis, and they were able to give me a blood transfusion.
“Where would I be without the air ambulance? Well, if they hadn’t got to me so promptly, I quite simply wouldn’t have survived and wouldn’t be here now.
“It was the air ambulance which saved my life, they are there for all of us and give so much.”
Steve gave thanks ahead of Air Ambulance Week, which takes off across the UK this week, beginning today.
EHAAT is running ‘Go Red Go Yellow – wear it, bake it, make it!’ to raise much-needed funds for the charity throughout the week after attending 2,582 missions last year, with each mission costing about £2,200.
The initiative is asking supporters to choose a colour, raise funds and save lives.
This could either be by holding a coffee morning with homemade Lemon Drizzle and Red Velvet cakes, or schools and businesses holding a dress-down day where everyone dresses from head to toe in yellow or red.
Head of income generation at EHAAT Emma Barker said: “This year we are celebrating 25 years, but with no National Lottery funding and with very limited government support, it is the incredible donations which keeps us flying.
“That’s why national initiatives such as Air Ambulance Week are so important in raising awareness of the lifesaving work we do.
“Ultimately, our missions are funded by donations.
“The past 25 years is not our achievement – it is the achievement of the people of Essex and Hertfordshire, and we are grateful to you all.“
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