London's Air Ambulance Charity

What London's Air Ambulance Charity does

London's Air Ambulance Charity is a registered UK charity (Charity Commission #801013), founded in 1989, that delivers an advanced trauma team to London's most critically injured patients. The service operates two Airbus H135 helicopters ('Amy' and 'Beth') during daylight hours from The Royal London Hospital helipad — the highest hospital helipad in Europe at 284ft — and nine Volvo XC90 rapid response cars overnight and in adverse weather, providing 24/7 coverage across Greater London's 10 million residents, workers, and visitors. The clinical team, seconded from Barts Health NHS Trust (doctors) and London Ambulance Service (paramedics), performs hospital-level interventions at the scene, including procedures pioneered by the charity: blood on board (first UK air ambulance, March 2012), pre-hospital REBOA (world-first, June 2014), and pre-hospital ECMO (first in the UK, May 2025). The charity has treated 52,000+ patients since 1989, with 2,031 treated in 2025 at an average helicopter response of 7.5 minutes.

The charity is 95% funded by public donations and operates a community-led, multi-channel fundraising model: regular givers and lottery players (~54% of funding), one-off donations, corporate partnerships (Baker McKenzie, ZOLL), philanthropy and trusts (London Freemasons £3M, Omaze £4M, Julia and Hans Rausing seven-figure), in-memory giving, events (London Winter Walk, London to Brighton Cycle, Helipad Abseil), and face-to-face and telephone fundraising agencies (Tower, BriteVox, APPCO, Gilcore, Family First Professional, NTT). FY2024/25 income was £26M against £14M consolidated operating costs, with the £16M Up Against Time appeal (closed October 2024) funding the helicopter fleet replacement. The charity has no external parent company and is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Bob Forsyth, with CEO Jonathan Jenkins and a new 15-year 'Hope Across London' strategy running through 2039.

The charity's technology stack is operationally focused: a bespoke EE-built dispatch app (launched 2015) routes calls to iPads in seconds, ZOLL X Series monitors and RescueNet CaseReview are integrated for clinical data capture, and an Institute of Pre-Hospital Care — partnered with Queen Mary University of London — runs the UK's first BSc and MSc in Pre-Hospital Medicine. AI research (Bayesian Network predictive analytics, ongoing randomized trials in trauma care) is in collaboration with QMUL and NHS Barts but remains pre-deployment.

Name

London's Air Ambulance Charity

Legal name

London's Air Ambulance Charity

Website

https://londonsairambulance.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

London's Air Ambulance Charity delivers a doctor-paramedic advanced trauma team to critically injured patients across London via two Airbus H135 helicopters and nine rapid response cars, serving 10 million residents 24/7 and funded almost entirely by public donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Air Ambulance and Emergency Medical Services

NAICS

Ambulance Services (621910), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Disaster Response, Rescue & Tactical EMS (DMAT/USAR/SWAT/HAZMAT Medical) (HLAFANAH), Emergency Medical Services (EMS) & Ambulance Services (BPAIAGAC), EMS Education, Training & Simulation Centers (HLAFANAL)

Keywords

• Air ambulance services
• Helicopter emergency medical
• Pre-hospital trauma care
• Charity fundraising
• Critical care transport

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Donations and Fundraising: The charity is 95% reliant on public support. In 2024/25, £26 million was raised from supporters and partners, including a restricted £7.6 million for the Up Against Time appeal. Regular givers and lottery players provide approximately 54% of funding. Income streams include one-off donations, regular monthly giving, lottery, face-to-face fundraising, telephone fundraising, community fundraising, events, corporate partnerships, trusts and foundations, and legacy gifts in wills.
2. Lottery: London's Air Ambulance Charity's weekly lottery offers players a chance to win £1,000. Each entry costs £1 per week (£5 per month rounded up). Draws take place every Friday. The lottery provides regular income and is a key component of individual giving, contributing approximately 54% of total funding alongside regular givers.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners such as Baker McKenzie and ZOLL provide funding, fundraising support, and in-kind contributions (equipment donations). Partnerships are structured as strategic partnerships, charity of the year, cause related marketing, payroll giving, and sponsorship. Baker McKenzie raised over £120,000 in under a year.
4. Trusts and Foundations / Philanthropy: Philanthropists, trusts, and foundations invest in the charity. Notable donations include London Freemasons (£3 million), Julia and Hans Rausing (seven-figure), Omaze partnership raising £4 million, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer's £1 million grant in 2014.
5. NHS Partnership Support: Barts Health NHS Trust provides a monthly grant and helipad facilities at The Royal London Hospital. The London Ambulance Service employs and remunerates paramedics on secondment. This is not primary revenue but operational support that reduces cost burden.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

London's Air Ambulance Charity delivers an advanced trauma team to critically injured patients in London and the surrounding area via helicopter and rapid response cars. The charity treats on average 5 patients every day for serious injuries including stab wounds, shootings, road traffic collisions and falls from height. The helicopter operates during daylight hours (08:00 to sunset) while rapid response cars provide 24/7 coverage, with the charity pioneering multiple pre-hospital medical innovations.

Product overview

London's Air Ambulance Charity is a charitable organization providing advanced trauma response services rather than a traditional software product company. The core service offering consists of an advanced trauma team delivered via two H135 helicopters (Amy and Beth) during daylight hours and nine Volvo XC90 rapid response cars operating 24/7. The service is augmented by the Physician Response Unit (PRU), which transitioned to NHS management in April 2026. Supporting services include Patient Liaison support, the Institute of Pre-Hospital Care (offering BSc/MSc degrees), community fundraising programs, a weekly lottery, corporate partnerships, and in-memory giving options. Key technology innovations include an EE-powered dispatch app and ZOLL medical equipment integrated with RescueNet CaseReview for clinical data management. AI-powered predictive analytics for trauma care decision support is under development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• London's Air Ambulance Charity Lottery: Weekly lottery with a chance to win £1,000, contributing to regular income for the charity.
• Physician Response Unit (PRU)

Products and services

• Helicopter Emergency Medical Service Helicopter-based emergency medical service that delivers an advanced trauma team to critically injured patients across Greater London during daylight hours (08:00 to sunset). The helicopter enables rapid response to major trauma incidents including stabbings, shootings, road traffic collisions, and falls from height.
• Rapid Response Car Service 24/7 rapid response car service that delivers the advanced trauma team to critically injured patients when the helicopter is unable to fly (during night hours and adverse weather conditions). This ensures continuous coverage of London's emergency medical needs.
• Blood on Board Pre-hospital blood transfusion service that delivers blood products to trauma patients at the scene, enabling life-saving transfusions before hospital arrival. Pioneered by London's Air Ambulance in 2012.
• Pre-hospital REBOA Pre-hospital REBOA (Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta) procedure that controls life-threatening hemorrhage in trauma patients at the scene of injury. Pioneered by London's Air Ambulance in 2014 as a pre-hospital capability.
• Pre-hospital ECMO Pre-hospital ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) service providing advanced cardiac and respiratory support to critically ill patients at the scene of injury. Pioneered by London's Air Ambulance in 2025 as a world-leading pre-hospital capability.
• Charity Lottery Regular lottery subscription program that provides ongoing funding for the charity while offering participants the chance to win prizes. Represents a key recurring revenue stream from individual supporters.
• Corporate Partnership Program Corporate sponsorship and partnership program that enables businesses to support London's Air Ambulance Charity through financial contributions, employee engagement, and CSR initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• 52,000+ patients treated since 1989; 2,031 patients treated in 2025; 6 seriously injured patients treated per day on average
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Integration1 record

AI capability3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and historical.

• Family First ProfessionalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 May 2026The newest agency partner joined the charity in May 2026. Their fundraisers work across London in retail environments, public spaces and other event locations.
• GilcoreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 February 2026One of the newest agency partners, Gilcore fundraises on behalf of the charity in event spaces and retail locations across London. They began working with the charity in February 2026.
• APPCOminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 April 2025Appco began partnering with London's Air Ambulance Charity in April 2025. Their teams fundraise in retail locations and other event spaces across London.
• Queen Mary University of London (QMUL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025The Institute of Pre-Hospital Care at London's Air Ambulance partnered with Barts and the London School of Medicine at Queen Mary University of London to create the UK's first Intercalated BSc degree in Pre-Hospital Medicine (February 2014). QMUL continues to co-deliver BSc and MSc Pre-Hospital Medicine degrees with the charity. The charity's research data scientist is also a researcher at QMUL.
• OmazecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2024Omaze partnered with London's Air Ambulance Charity in June 2024 as the beneficiary of their house draw. The partnership raised £4 million for the Up Against Time appeal, surpassing the £15 million target. The Omaze house draw launched June 2024 and the donation was announced August 2024.
• Baker McKenziecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2023Baker McKenzie (global law firm) partnered with London's Air Ambulance Charity from October 2023. In under a year, the firm raised over £120,000 through Big City Collection Days, the Helipad Abseil, fitness challenges, and internal events. Donations to the Up Against Time Appeal resulted in Baker McKenzie's logo being displayed on helicopter G-LAAB. The firm also funded a life-saving ultrasound machine.
• NTT FundraisingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021NTT is a specialist telephone fundraising agency supporting charities across the UK. Since partnering with London’s Air Ambulance in 2021, NTT has helped welcome new supporters and ensure every supporter receives a positive, informed experience through welcome calls for new lottery and regular giving supporters. Phone numbers used: 0203 476 8475, 0203 476 8477, 0203 343 8126.
• BriteVoxcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021BriteVox joined the charity in 2021 and fundraises across London in retail environments, public spaces and door-to-door. To date, they have welcomed over 25,000 active supporters to the charity.
• EEcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 February 2015EE partnered with London's Air Ambulance to develop and launch a life-saving dispatch app in February 2015. The app, built in collaboration with the London Ambulance Service, sends suitable calls within moments to iPads held by medical teams and pilots, enabling tasking within seconds. The app is credited with reducing dispatch time by up to two minutes.
• Tower FundraisingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2015Tower Lotteries is the longest-standing fundraising agency for the charity, specialising in recruiting lottery players for Air Ambulance charities nationwide. Working in retail sites, public spaces, hospitals and medical centres across London, Tower introduced more than 38,000 active supporters to the charity.
• ZOLLcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2009ZOLL has been partnered with London's Air Ambulance Charity for 15 years. ZOLL provides X Series Monitor/Defibrillators carried on every flight and in every rapid response car. The partnership has deepened to include ZOLL supporting improvements to clinical data collection using RescueNet CaseReview and the Institute of Pre-Hospital Care's Resuscitative Science symposium. ZOLL President Elijah White called it 'extremely proud' of the connection.
• Virgin Group (Sir Richard Branson)historicalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 1997In December 1997, Sir Richard Branson revealed he had been rescued by emergency helicopters five times and agreed to back the charity. Virgin purchased the helicopter from the Daily Express and covered operational costs. The Virgin partnership lasted several years and the helicopter bore Virgin livery. The relationship is historical.
• London Ambulance Service NHS TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon Ambulance Service employs and remunerates London's Air Ambulance paramedics, who typically join for one-year secondments. LAS also provides dispatch services via its Emergency Operations Centre and collaborated with the charity to develop the EE dispatch app for rapid tasking via iPad.
• Barts Health NHS TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBarts Health NHS Trust employs and remunerates the doctors, who typically join for six-month secondments, and the consultants who are permanently associated with the service. Barts Health also provides a monthly grant and helipad facilities at The Royal London Hospital required for operations. Care Quality Commission regulatory requirements for clinicians are covered by Barts Health.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Air Ambulance UK: UK umbrella organization representing the air ambulance sector, including London's Air Ambulance Charity. While not a direct operational peer, it is the governing body for the network and relevant for sector benchmarking and policy advocacy.

Direct peers

• Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance: UK charity providing helicopter emergency medical services across South East England. Operates with similar doctor-paramedic trauma team model, relies on public donations for ~90% of funding, and delivers advanced pre-hospital interventions including blood transfusion.
• Devon Air Ambulance: UK charity providing HEMS across Devon, with similar charity operating model, lottery-driven income, and pre-hospital advanced clinical capability. Comparable in fundraising structure and clinical service profile.
• Great North Air Ambulance Service: UK charity providing HEMS across the North East, North West, and Cumbria. Comparable doctor-led pre-hospital care model, charity-funded structure, and reliance on community fundraising and corporate partnerships.
• Magpas Air Ambulance: UK charity providing advanced pre-hospital medical care via helicopter and rapid response vehicles across the East of England and beyond. Similar clinical innovation ethos and charity-funded operating model.
• Midlands Air Ambulance Charity: UK charity operating helicopter emergency medical services across the West Midlands and surrounding regions. Similar charity-funded operating model, doctor-paramedic trauma team delivery, and lottery-driven fundraising approach.
• Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance: UK charity providing helicopter emergency medical services across Scotland. Operates with comparable clinical model (doctor-paramedic team), charity-funded structure, and community fundraising dependency.
• Essex & Herts Air Ambulance: UK charity providing helicopter emergency medical services across Essex and Hertfordshire. Operates with similar doctor-paramedic clinical model and charity-funded structure reliant on public donations and lottery.
• East Anglian Air Ambulance: UK charity operating helicopter emergency medical services across East Anglia, funded primarily by public donations. Comparable to London's Air Ambulance in mission model (advanced trauma team response via HEMS), fundraising approach (lottery, regular givers, community fundraising), and clinical capability profile.
• Cornwall Air Ambulance: UK charity providing HEMS in Cornwall. Comparable in charity model, clinical delivery (advanced trauma team), lottery fundraising, and pre-hospital emergency medical care focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/LDNairamb
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/londonsairambulance1
• Facebookfacebook.com/LDNairamb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/londons-air-ambulance
• Instagraminstagram.com/londonsairambulance

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 London's Air Ambulance Charity