Charity of the Year Winner: Thames Valley Air Ambulance SPONSORED BY


After a dining break and announcement of the generous £2,406 sum table-donated for the Berkshire Community Foundation, it was appropriate that Nadine Dereza should introduce the Charity of the Year award ceremony – and the six finalists.


Chilterns MS Centre: Based at Wendover, the centre has provided advice and care to people with multiple sclerosis and their families for 30 years. Recent growth in treatments has meant the centre has needed to increase income – and it has done this by an impressive 47%.


DEBRA: Based in Crowthorne, DEBRA supports individuals and families affected by Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) – a painful genetic skin condition. It receives no direct government funding and relies on the public’s generosity for its important work.


Oxfordshire Community Foundation: Established in 1995 the Foundation connects donors to small local charities and community groups. 2015 was a record year for donations and grant-making.


SeeSaw: Providing grief support for children and young people in Oxfordshire since 2000, SeeSaw has helped 4,400 young people over the years and worked within 80% of the county’s schools.


Thames Valley Air Ambulance: Has grown over the past 15 years into one of the UK’s leading air ambulance charities, flying 365 days a year. The TVAA service has responded to 16,000 missions since its formation. Since introducing blood on board in 2014 it has already performed over 50 life-saving blood transfusions by the roadside.


Ufton Court Educational Trust: Established in 2006, with Sir Kenneth Branagh as its patron, Ufton Court is dedicated to changing children’s lives through challenging and inspirational learning outside the classroom.


Judges were looking for a charity that demonstrated outstanding service to its beneficiaries, innovative fundraising ideas and achievement of its goals.


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – DECEMBER 15/JANUARY 16 www.businessmag.co.uk


John Wilcox (2nd right), Thames Valley Air Ambulance, collected the award from Mike Farwell (right), James Cowper Kreston


Fittingly, Mike Farwell, head of charities and education at sponsor James Cowper Kreston, named the ‘Charity of the Year’ – Thames Valley Air Ambulance.


Commenting on their decision, the judges noted that 2015 was not only a 15th anniversary landmark for the TVAA’s, but also that it had been a tremendous operational year overall.


“A charity that survives purely on donations and fundraising has to continually innovate, which they have successfully achieved, and they have reinvested funds to improve and expand services. With exciting plans for 2016, the charity continues to push the boundaries of medical intervention, aviation and on- scene patient care to deliver a unique life- saving service where and when it is needed across the Thames Valley.”


Interviewed on stage about the TVAA’s pioneering blood transfusion abilities,


finance director John Wilcox explained that other air ambulances now carry blood on board, ‘bringing the hospital to the patient’, which has improved patient recovery rates. “We are now stabilising and fixing people there and then.”


With its helicopter now equipped with ultrasound and blood transfusion equipment the TVAA service had ‘raised the bar’ in clinical excellence terms, TVBMA guests heard.


Dereza expressed surprise that the TVAA receives no funding other than by donations and fundraising. Wilcox simply replied: “We are very proud to serve the communities of Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire and for our work – 365 days of the year saving people’s lives, putting them back together – to be recognised by organisations like yours.”


DEBRA took the second place honour, gratefully accepted on stage by the charity’s treasurer Jim Irvine. Third place went to the Chiltern MS Centre with chief executive Robert Breakwell receiving that award.


All the other shortlisted finalists received Highly Commended certificates.


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