Magpas Air Ambulance
Magpas Air Ambulance is a UK charity founded in 1971 providing 24/7 pre-hospital emergency medical care across 13 East of England counties via helicopter and rapid response vehicles, serving 10M+ people and treating 1,177 patients in 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersHuntingdon, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Magpas Air Ambulance does
Magpas Air Ambulance is a UK-registered charity (No. 1119279) founded in 1971 by Drs Neville Silverston MBE and Derek Cracknell MBE, delivering 24/7 pre-hospital emergency medical care across the East of England. The service is dispatched by the East of England and East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trusts and operates one AW109SP helicopter (airborne within 3 minutes, 170–200 mph) plus three Volvo XC90 rapid response vehicles, all equipped with hospital-standard medical kit including ventilators, portable ultrasound, and surgical procedure equipment. Each mission is staffed by a senior doctor and critical care paramedic trained in Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) — a GMC-recognised sub-specialty largely pioneered by Magpas clinicians — bringing A&E-level interventions (anaesthesia, advanced life support, surgical procedures) directly to the scene. The charity serves a population of over 10 million across 13 counties, treated more than 60,000 patients since founding, and recorded 1,948 dispatches treating 1,177 patients in 2025.
The business model is donor-funded rather than commercial. The charity needs to raise £6.5m annually to fund operations, with each mission costing approximately £3,000. The Magpas Air Ambulance Lottery (£5/month per ticket) is the dominant revenue stream, generating over £3.3m and accounting for 80% of total funding; 75p of every £1 ticket goes to the service. Supplementary revenue streams include one-off and recurring public donations (with Gift Aid), philanthropy and major gifts (Mission Makers programme, with tiers from £2,000 for equipment to £100,000 for research), corporate partnerships and CPR/defibrillator training, legacy giving (nearly £2m raised in the past four years via partnership with Octopus Legacy), and ancillary room hire at the 2023-vintage Alconbury Weald headquarters. The service is dispatched free at the point of use to patients and receives no regular state funding, preserving operational independence.
Magpas Air Ambulance firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Magpas Air Ambulance
- Legal name
- Magpas Air Ambulance
- Website
- https://magpas.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Magpas Air Ambulance is a UK charity founded in 1971 providing 24/7 pre-hospital emergency medical care across 13 East of England counties via helicopter and rapid response vehicles, serving 10M+ people and treating 1,177 patients in 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Magpas Air Ambulance industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Air Ambulance Services
- NAICS
- Ambulance Services (621910)
- SIC
- Services-Hospitals (8060)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Air Medical Transport (Helicopter/Fixed-Wing) (HLAFANAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) & Ambulance Services (BPAIAGAC), Community Paramedicine & Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH/CP) Programs (HLAFANAI)
Keywords
Where Magpas Air Ambulance is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Magpas Air Ambulance business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Lottery: Magpas Air Ambulance lottery at £5/month per ticket includes weekly draw entry plus an additional ticket for the annual Superdraw. Weekly prizes: £1,000 (1st), £100 (2nd), £25 x4 (3rd), £10 x10 (4th). Annual Superdraw prize of £5,000. 75p of every £1 ticket goes directly to funding the service. The lottery raises over £3.3 million annually, accounting for 80% of the charity's funding.
- Public Donations: One-off and recurring monthly donations from the general public via the website. Suggested one-off amounts of £15, £25, £60 (minimum £3). Monthly giving at £4, £7, £10 tiers. Gift Aid eligible for UK taxpayers, increasing donations by 25%.
- Philanthropy and Major Gifts: Large-scale donations from individuals and trusts/foundations, including named giving programmes (Mission Makers), equipment funding (£2,000), education funding (£5,000), core funding (£10,000), patient care (£25,000), aftercare (£50,000), and research (£100,000).
- Corporate Partnerships and CPR Training: Corporate Social Responsibility partnerships including sponsored events, workplace CPR and defibrillator training sessions (1-hour, minimum 10 employees), and general corporate fundraising.
- Legacy Giving: Gifts left in wills. In the past four years, legacy gifts raised nearly £2 million. Partnership with Octopus Legacy provides free will-writing service using code MAGPASFREE.
- Room Hire: Meeting, conference and training room hire at the Alconbury Weald headquarters. Three spaces: boardroom (up to 22 seated), visitors' centre (up to 32 seated/50 standing), and small meeting room (up to 6). EV charging points available at 43p/kWh.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | One-off donation at set amounts |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly recurring donation |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly lottery subscription |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Magpas Air Ambulance product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Magpas Air Ambulance is a registered charity providing 24/7 pre-hospital emergency medical care across the East of England via one AW109SP helicopter (airborne within 3 minutes) and three Volvo XC90 rapid response vehicles, staffed by doctors and critical care paramedics. The service brings hospital-level treatments including anaesthesia, surgical procedures, and advanced life support directly to patients at the scene. The charity is funded primarily by public donations and a monthly lottery (raising over £3.3 million annually, 80% of funding), with supplementary income from corporate CPR training, philanthropy, legacy gifts, and room hire.
Product overview
Magpas Air Ambulance operates as a single integrated emergency medical service providing 24/7 pre-hospital care via helicopter and rapid response vehicles, supplemented by fundraising products (lottery, donations, legacy giving, events) and community programs (CPR training, room hire, patient aftercare). The core air ambulance service utilizes one AW109SP helicopter and three Volvo XC90 rapid response vehicles equipped with hospital-standard medical equipment. Fundraising products support the charity's £6.5m annual funding requirement, with the lottery alone generating over £3.3 million (80% of funding). Community engagement programs include CPR/defibrillator training, corporate training, and meeting room hire at their Alconbury Weald headquarters.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Air Ambulance Emergency Service 24/7 pre-hospital emergency medical care delivered by air (helicopter) and land (rapid response vehicles), bringing hospital-level treatments to patients in life-threatening situations. Operates one AW109SP helicopter and three Volvo XC90 rapid response vehicles, staffed with doctors and critical care paramedics trained in Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM). Free at the point of use; dispatched by NHS ambulance service trusts.
- Magpas Air Ambulance Lottery
- Community CPR and Defibrillator Training
- Corporate CPR Training
- Room Hire
- Legacy Giving Program
- Patient Aftercare and Support Services
- PHEM Training Course
- Fundraising Events and Challenges
- Philanthropy Programs
Quantifiable outcome
- 1,872 emergency calls responded to last year, treating ~900 patients
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Magpas Air Ambulance
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Magpas Air Ambulance technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Feature4 records
Magpas Air Ambulance partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- East of England Ambulance Service NHS TrustcorePrimary dispatch partner and collaborator. Magpas Air Ambulance works in partnership with the East of England Ambulance Service, with four Magpas critical care paramedics serving as Advanced Paramedics in Critical Care with the trust. This enables critical care delivery not only from the air ambulance but also from RRVs, predominantly based in Peterborough.
- East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS TrustcoreSecondary dispatch partner covering parts of the East of England region.
- Air Ambulances UKcoreMagpas Air Ambulance is a member of Air Ambulances UK, the national body representing air ambulance charities across the UK.
- East of England Ambulance ServiceminorThe East of England Ambulance Service uses Magpas Air Ambulance's visitors' centre and boardroom for meetings and workshops.
- Mind CPSLminorMind CPSL has used Magpas Air Ambulance's visitors' centre multiple times for meetings and workshops.
- Octopus LegacyminorPartnership with Octopus Legacy to offer a free will-writing service to supporters. Code MAGPASFREE unlocks the free will-writing service (online, telephone, or in-person).
- LFS (Lottery Administrator)coreLFS administers the Magpas Air Ambulance lottery, ensuring fairness, transparency, and compliance with gambling legislation. LFS also employs fundraisers for door-to-door and community lottery sales.
- Unity4coreUnity4 fundraises on behalf of Magpas Air Ambulance through telephone outreach to supporters throughout the year.
- Run for CharityminorPartnership with Run for Charity to provide access to a wide array of charity running and challenge events for Magpas fundraisers.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Magpas Air Ambulance competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Yorkshire Air Ambulance: Charity-funded air ambulance operating two helicopters across Yorkshire. Closely comparable to Magpas in operating model, fundraising approach (lottery + donations + legacies), and reliance on volunteer support.
- London's Air Ambulance: Helicopter emergency medical service covering London, run as a charity with NHS partnership. Direct peer in the PHEM clinical model, though with different funding mix (significant NHS grant) and a larger urban operating environment.
- Wales Air Ambulance: Charity delivering air ambulance services across Wales with helicopter and RRV assets. Closely comparable to Magpas in charity-funded clinical model and lottery-led fundraising approach.
- Great Western Air Ambulance: Charity providing helicopter EMS across Bristol, Bath, Gloucestershire, and surrounding counties. Direct peer in clinical model and charity-funded structure, with comparable annual fundraising scale.
- Midlands Air Ambulance: Largest UK air ambulance charity by missions, operating multiple helicopters across the West and East Midlands. Direct peer in service model and charity-funded structure; useful as a scale benchmark versus Magpas's single-helicopter fleet.
- Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance: Scotland's only charity-funded air ambulance, operating helicopters and RRVs. Direct peer in funding model and clinical service, though serving a different geography (Scotland only).
- Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex: Charity-funded helicopter emergency medical service covering south-east England. Comparable to Magpas in clinical model, doctor-CCP team composition, and lottery + donation fundraising approach.
- Essex & Herts Air Ambulance: Charity-funded air ambulance serving Essex and Hertfordshire with helicopter and RRV assets. Direct peer to Magpas: comparable clinical model (doctor + CCP teams), similar £3-5m+ fundraising scale, and overlapping regional donor pool in the East of England.
- East Anglian Air Ambulance: UK air ambulance charity operating across East Anglia with a similar helicopter-plus-RRV model. Most directly comparable to Magpas due to overlapping geography (Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk) and the same fundraising approach.
Broad incumbents
- Air Ambulances UK: National membership body representing the UK's 21 air ambulance charities. Comparable as an industry umbrella of which Magpas is a member; not a direct operational competitor but a relevant ecosystem reference for sector-level funding and policy advocacy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Magpas Air Ambulance social profiles
Digital presenceMagpas Air Ambulance compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Magpas Air Ambulance financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Magpas Air Ambulance leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Magpas Air Ambulance funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Magpas Air Ambulance M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Magpas Air Ambulance
What does Magpas Air Ambulance do?
Magpas Air Ambulance is a registered charity providing 24/7 pre-hospital emergency medical care across the East of England via one AW109SP helicopter (airborne within 3 minutes) and three Volvo XC90 rapid response vehicles, staffed by doctors and critical care paramedics. The service brings hospital-level treatments including anaesthesia, surgical procedures, and advanced life support directly to patients at the scene. The charity is funded primarily by public donations and a monthly lottery (raising over £3.3 million annually, 80% of funding), with supplementary income from corporate CPR training, philanthropy, legacy gifts, and room hire.
Is Magpas Air Ambulance a public or private company?
Magpas Air Ambulance is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Magpas Air Ambulance founded?
Magpas Air Ambulance was founded in 1971. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Magpas Air Ambulance based?
Magpas Air Ambulance is headquartered in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Magpas Air Ambulance make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Lottery is the primary driver. The others are public Donations, philanthropy and Major Gifts, corporate Partnerships and CPR Training, legacy Giving and room Hire.
Who are Magpas Air Ambulance's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Yorkshire Air Ambulance, London's Air Ambulance, Wales Air Ambulance, Great Western Air Ambulance, Midlands Air Ambulance, Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance, Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance and East Anglian Air Ambulance. Air Ambulances UK is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Magpas Air Ambulance have an API?
No public API is recorded for Magpas Air Ambulance.
What industry is Magpas Air Ambulance in?
Magpas Air Ambulance's product category is Air Ambulance Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAFANAD, Air Medical Transport (Helicopter/Fixed-Wing), with a secondary code of BPAIAGAC, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) & Ambulance Services. Its NAICS code is 621910 and its SIC code is 8060.