Celebrating Terry’s incredible contribution

Since 2018, volunteer Terry Southgate has been the driving force behind every bucket collection for East Anglian Air Ambulance in Norfolk and Suffolk. Thanks to his dedication, these collections alone have raised an amazing £125,000 to help people in some of their darkest moments. We recently celebrated his remarkable achievements with a special morning at Helimed House, our Norwich base, following recognition for Terry at a national awards ceremony.

Over the past seven years, Terry has done it all: researching and planning each collection, handling the paperwork, organising and supporting fellow volunteers, and making sure everything runs smoothly on the day. From supermarkets and schools to larger events at Newmarket and Great Yarmouth Racecourses and Snetterton Circuit, if you’ve seen an East Anglian Air Ambulance bucket collection in Norfolk or Suffolk, chances are Terry made it happen.

Terry’s commitment is truly remarkable; he’s completed over 8,000 hours of volunteering, attending over 450 events, raising over £125,000 through collections alone. This dedication saw him shortlisted in the Volunteer of the Year category at the national 2025 Air Ambulances UK Awards of Excellence, held in Telford on 3 December, for which he was highly commended.

To celebrate Terry’s remarkable achievements, we recently surprised him with a special gathering at Helimed House, joined by volunteers who have supported these collections over the years. We also unveiled Terry’s name on our Thank You Wall as a lasting tribute to his efforts.

Sarah Nunn, Volunteer Support Lead at East Anglian Air Ambulance, said, “Because of Terry’s ability to build positive relationships, he’s been welcomed back to local events time and time again to carry our bucket collections in aid of East Anglian Air Ambulance. It’s a privilege to see everything that Terry has achieved, and how well thought of and respected he is by all.

Sarah adds, “We were all thrilled when Terry was ‘highly commended’ at the Air Ambulances UK Awards of Excellence this month and can’t thank him enough for a truly wonderful seven years, which has helped save countless lives.”

Emily Matthews, Community Fundraiser, says, “Terry has been a constant for East Anglian Air Ambulance. He is always helpful, supportive and gives unwavering support. His help with looking after the team’s collections throughout Norfolk and Suffolk has been invaluable and we truly appreciate all that he does for us.”

Terry says, “It’s wonderful to be recognised in this way. I was so proud to get my award. The party was fantastic – a huge surprise. It was so good to see so many faces, some I haven’t seen for years, and many who had taken time off work just to be there. East Anglian Air Ambulance is a wonderful charity offering a crucial lifesaving service, so it’s important to keep the funds coming in to keep it going. A huge thank you to all the volunteers who give their free time to help with the collections.”

Terry, you’ve done so much to keep our crews in the air and on the road to save lives – thank you!