Essex & Herts Air Ambulance

Name

Essex & Herts Air Ambulance

Legal name

Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust

Website

https://ehaat.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Air Ambulance Services

NAICS

Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Air Medical Transport (Helicopter/Fixed-Wing) (HLAFANAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ambulance Fleet, Equipment & Logistics Services (HLAFANAN), Air Ambulance & Medical Passenger Charter Operators (THABADAK)

Keywords

• Helicopter emergency medical service
• Air ambulance charity
• Prehospital critical care
• Emergency medical response
• Charity fundraising services

Headquarters

HQ city

Colchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, regular giving, in-memory giving, major gifts, gifts in Wills, and fundraising events. The charity relies on the generosity of the people and businesses of Essex and Hertfordshire, with only limited government support and no National Lottery funding.
2. Lottery and Raffle: Flight For Life Lottery costs £5/month with 57 cash prizes and a £1,000 top prize weekly. Superdraw costs an additional £10/month for a chance to win up to £25,000. Raffle tickets also sold separately.
3. Charity Retail Shops: Multiple charity shops throughout Essex and Hertfordshire selling pre-loved items including clothing, antiques, accessories, homeware, games, toys, and books. Also operates a donation drop-off centre and online shops via eBay and Vinted.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate fundraising through the High Flyers scheme, Mission: Critical corporate events, The Big Biz Quiz, and corporate donations. Companies like Beresfords Group have raised significant sums through black-tie events.
5. Trusts and Foundations: Funding from trusts and foundations, including a £1.5 million donation from the Government's LIBOR fund used toward the AW169 helicopter purchase.
6. E-commerce and Merchandise: Online shop selling branded merchandise, clothing, gifts, and pre-loved items. Primary response bags developed to EHAAT's own specifications are also available for purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Essex & Herts Air Ambulance operates a 24/7 Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) and Rapid Response Vehicle service delivering hospital-level pre-hospital critical care to critically ill and injured patients across Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding counties. The charity funds this free service through individual donations, regular giving, the Flight For Life Lottery, charity retail shops, corporate partnerships, and trust grants, while also operating community education programmes and retail outlets.

Product overview

Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) is a charitable air ambulance service providing 24/7 pre-hospital emergency medical care. The core product is the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) delivered via two AW169 helicopters and rapid response vehicles. The service is staffed by pre-hospital care doctors and critical care paramedics who bring hospital-level treatment directly to patients. Supporting offerings include the Flight For Life Lottery and Rotor Raffle for fundraising, multiple charity shops across the region, the CPR Smart Schools education programme, and the Centre for Excellence which conducts research to advance pre-hospital care. The charity also operates a Patient & Family Liaison service and Visitor Centre Experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Air Ambulance Service (HEMS) 24/7 Helicopter Emergency Medical Service delivered via two owned AW169 helicopters and Rapid Response Vehicles, crewed by pilots, pre-hospital care doctors and critical care paramedics who provide hospital-level interventions (including pre-hospital anaesthesia, advanced trauma care, and blood/lyoplas transfusions) at the scene of life-threatening emergencies in Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding counties. Provided free of charge to patients.
• Flight For Life Lottery and Superdraw Recurring monthly lottery subscription: Flight For Life Lottery costs £5/month and includes 57 cash prizes with a £1,000 top weekly prize; Superdraw is an add-on for £10/month offering a chance to win up to £25,000. Open to individual supporters in the UK via online sign-up and direct marketing.
• Rotor Raffle Annual raffle programme with multiple cash prizes supporting air ambulance operations. Tickets available online and via direct marketing to supporters.
• EHAAT Charity Shops and Donation Centre 13 charity shops across Essex and Hertfordshire (Basildon, Braintree, Buntingford, Burnham-on-Crouch, Canvey Island, Eastwood, Hemel Hempstead, Hitchin, Letchworth, Royston, Stevenage outlet, West Mersea) selling pre-loved clothing, antiques, accessories, homeware, games, toys and books, plus a Stevenage donation drop-off centre. Operated by EHAAT Charity Shops.
• EHAAT E-commerce Online Shop Online shop selling branded merchandise, clothing, gifts, and pre-loved items, plus primary response bags developed to EHAAT's own specifications. Also operates eBay and Vinted storefronts.
• Visitor Centre Experience On-site visitor experience at EHAAT's North Weald airbase offering members of the public tours of the airbase, the AW169 helicopter and rapid response vehicles, and education about the charity's life-saving work.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,407 missions and 1,001 patients treated in 2026
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026A 20-year partnership (since 1 July 2006) between EEAST and the three air ambulance charities (EHAAT, East Anglian Air Ambulance, and Magpas Air Ambulance). EEAST's Critical Care Desk (CCD) in Norwich, Chelmsford, and Bedford is managed by experienced critical care paramedics who watch over every 999 call and dispatch HEMS teams where advanced out-of-hospital care is needed. The partnership includes pioneering initiatives such as the cardiac arrest desk with real-time video CPR coaching for 999 callers.
• Rotary Club of RoystonminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 October 2017Donated £2,000 to fund a Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) installed on the exterior of EHAAT's Royston charity shop. This marked the beginning of EHAAT's ongoing project to install PADs at all its charity shops.
• Leonardo Helicopters (formerly AgustaWestland)coreTechnology or Integration · 25 June 2017Manufacturer of the AW169 helicopter, EHAAT's first owned aircraft (purchased 2017). The majority of the £6.5 million helicopter cost was funded by public donations. Leonardo describes EHAAT as one of the leading AW169 customers for emergency medical services in the UK.
• Specialist Aviation Services (SAS)coreTechnology or Integration · 25 June 2017Operates and maintains the helicopters for EHAAT. SAS has been closely involved with EHAAT for nearly ten years. Provided free promotional flying hours for the helicopter tour across Essex and Hertfordshire in 2017.
• East Anglian Air AmbulancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the three regional air ambulance charities in the 20-year partnership with EEAST, serving the East of England region. All three charities collaborate under the partnership to deliver integrated pre-hospital care across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk.
• Magpas Air AmbulancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the three regional air ambulance charities in the 20-year partnership with EEAST, serving the East of England region. Collaborates with EHAAT and East Anglian Air Ambulance under the partnership to deliver integrated pre-hospital care across the six-county region.
• The Princess Alexandra Hospital, HarlowcoreOthersSupplies daily batches of O Negative packed red blood cells to EHAAT's airbases at Earls Colne and North Weald, replenished as required. Critical for enabling pre-hospital blood transfusions that save lives from significant bleeding and blood loss.
• Essex Voluntary Blood Service (EVBS)minorOthersVolunteer riders from EVBS deliver packed red blood cells daily from The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow to EHAAT's airbases, ensuring the blood supply chain remains operational.
• NHS (via East of England Ambulance Service)coreOthersEHAAT is not part of the NHS and receives only limited government support. However, it works in close partnership with NHS services, particularly EEAST, for dispatch and patient handover. The charity features in the NHS-affiliated Major Trauma System visible through Netflix's 'Critical: Between Life and Death'.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Magpas Air Ambulance: Magpas Air Ambulance is a regional UK air ambulance charity providing prehospital critical care by helicopter and rapid response vehicle. It is a close operational peer and works with EHAAT and East Anglian Air Ambulance in the same EEAST emergency-care network.
• London's Air Ambulance: London's Air Ambulance is a charity delivering hospital-level prehospital care by helicopter and rapid response car in the UK. It is directly comparable in clinical capability, air-medical delivery and reliance on public fundraising, although it serves a different metropolitan catchment.
• East Anglian Air Ambulance: East Anglian Air Ambulance is a UK charity operating helicopter emergency medical services and is one of EHAAT's two principal regional peers within the EEAST partnership. Its mission, aircraft-and-RRV model, clinical staffing and donation-funded operating model closely match EHAAT's.

Regional players

• Midlands Air Ambulance Charity: Midlands Air Ambulance Charity operates a regional helicopter emergency medical service across the Midlands. It compares closely on aircraft-based critical care, clinical crew composition, mission volume and reliance on community donations.
• Devon Air Ambulance: Devon Air Ambulance provides helicopter emergency medical services and critical-care transport in Devon. It is comparable in mission type, clinical capability, regional coverage and dependence on donations, lottery and community support.
• Air Ambulance Northern Ireland: Air Ambulance Northern Ireland provides helicopter emergency medical services with doctors and paramedics across Northern Ireland. It is a comparable regional air ambulance charity with a similar clinical mission and fundraising model.
• Wales Air Ambulance: Wales Air Ambulance is a charity providing helicopter emergency medical services across Wales. Its physician-and-paramedic clinical model, regional fleet and community-funded operating structure make it a directly comparable air-ambulance peer.
• Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance: Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance operates helicopter emergency medical services across Scotland with critical-care teams. It shares EHAAT's air-ambulance category, rapid clinical response and charitable funding model despite serving a distinct geography.
• Great Western Air Ambulance Charity: Great Western Air Ambulance Charity provides helicopter emergency medical services and rapid response vehicles in the south-west of England. Its regional air-medical model, hospital-level interventions and donor-dependent structure make it a relevant operating peer.
• Kent Surrey Sussex Air Ambulance: Kent Surrey Sussex Air Ambulance is a UK air ambulance charity serving the south-east with helicopter emergency medical services and critical-care teams. It has a similar nonprofit, physician-and-paramedic, rapid-response model and a comparable fundraising challenge.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EHAAT_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYi7tCcXW4jT8b0kL3M6Xhw
• Facebookfacebook.com/EHAAT charity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/essex---herts-air-ambulance
• Instagraminstagram.com/ehaat_uk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Essex & Herts Air Ambulance