Air Ambulance family room revamped by community

Wiltshire Air Ambulance has given the family room at its airbase a revamp with help from the community.

The room offers a safe space for grieving families and a welcoming environment for those patients who want to reconnect with the pilots, critical care paramedics and doctors who have treated them at the scene of emergencies.

Located on the ground floor of the charity's airbase in Semington it offers comfort away from the operational side of the service.

Local business and volunteers came together to complete the makeover.

Louise Cox has met patients she has previously treated

Louise Cox is an Air Operations Officer Specialist Paramedic Critical Care at Wiltshire Air Ambulance and has met patients she has previously treated and their families.

"It can be very difficult for both the families and the crew," said Miss Cox. "It's important we secure a space and give people the opportunity to take the time they need."

Miss Cox said that quite often patients have amnesia following trauma or "memories they can't quite process".

Meeting the crew in a safe space gives them the chance to answer questions and "help to fill in the blanks" said Miss Cox, adding "that can often lead people to progress their recovery both emotionally and physically".

Julie Swain was treated by the Wiltshire Air Ambulance in 2019 following a motorbike accident

In 2019, Julie Swain and her partner were three miles (4.8km) from home after a day in Calne at a bike event.

Miss Swain's bike broke down and whilst being toed home she had an accident that left her with a life threatening brain haemorrhage.

After weeks in hospital, Miss Swain and partner, Adam, visited the crew that treated her.

"Although I don't remember anything about it, Adam lived through it all and I think it was good for him as well," said Miss Swain.

Finding out information that Miss Swain couldn't remember helped her recovery, she said "It fills in the gaps".

She added: "And it was good to actually connect with them (the crew) and thank them."

Reacting to the new family room Miss Swain said: "It's very comfortable.

"Anything that puts you in a more comfortable position's got to be an improvement."

Katy Burke, Business Manager for Wiltshire Air Ambulance

Katy Burke from the charity was the project lead for the family room makeover.

Previously the room resembled more of a conference room and Mrs Burke felt it was not fit for purpose, "I wanted to make it that warm, friendly, living room like environment" she said.

As a charity the Wiltshire Air Ambulance relies on the community it serves for survival and the family room was no exception with sofas donated by a local furniture shop, and volunteers painting, cleaning, assembly furniture and offering carpentry skills.

Mrs Burke said "It was a massive community effort.

"Everyone coming together to pull this (the family room make over) together for the community really has, I hope, been a passion project not just for me but for those guys too."