We were pleased to welcome a group of GCSE Health and Social Care students from Newmarket Academy to Helimed House, our Norwich base, on 4 March. As part of Godolphin’s ‘Beacon’ project, the students gained a unique look behind the scenes at East Anglian Air Ambulance to inspire and shape their career aspirations.
The Godolphin Beacon Project was launched in September 2016 as part of a shared vision between Newmarket’s largest employer, Godolphin, and the Academy to support and develop the career progression pathways of students in the local community of Newmarket. With our Anglia Two (Cambridge) crew just a six-minute flight away from the home of British horseracing, our yellow helicopter is a familiar sight over the town when tasked to emergencies in the area.
On their visit, the students learned that East Anglian Air Ambulance is far more than a yellow helicopter. They heard about the specialist roles that come together to ensure our crews can respond rapidly to emergencies across the region, bringing critical care directly to the scene of medical emergencies. These can range from equestrian incidents to cardiac arrests and collisions on the region’s roads. They heard unique insights from the pilot expertise that keeps the H145 aircraft flying safely, to the role of our Research, Audit, Innovation and Development (RAID) group, and the support offered to former patients and their families by our Aftercare team. This special look behind the scenes helped the Newmarket Academy students to see how their unique skills could translate into tangible impact for patients who have experienced some of the worst moments of their lives.
Conor McGeown, Head of Philanthropy at East Anglian Air Ambulance, said, “We’re delighted to participate in the Beacon Project to inspire the next generation and raise awareness of the vital services that operate within the community. For the students, a visit to Helimed House to meet some of the people involved in the 24/7 lifesaving service was a valuable insight into how aviation, engineering and clinical expertise come together to benefit the most seriously injured and unwell people in our region.”
Conor adds, “For our team, welcoming the Newmarket Academy students to Helimed House is always a privilege. It also allows us to strengthen our connection with the Newmarket community – an area we’re proud to serve. Each visit provides an opportunity to share the realities of our work, showcase the innovation behind modern air ambulance operations, and encourage young people to consider a career in this field.”
One of the students from Newmarket Academy said, “Overall the day was an amazing experience, I am so glad that I got to experience this as not many do. A big thank to East Anglian Air Ambulance for allowing us to come into your work area and learn about the work that you do.”
We hope the visit not only helped to broaden horizons but also helped to shape future careers. You never know – one of the East Anglian Air Ambulance doctors, critical care paramedics, pilots or engineers of the future may well have been a student on the visit this month – and that would be a wonderful story to tell.
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