Thames Valley Air Ambulance unveils state-of-the-art facility

The new facility has purpose built mannequins, a lounge area and a mocked up trauma ward ready for paramedics to prepare for real life emergencies

Thames Valley Air Ambulance has unveiled its state-of-the-art training and operations facility.

Paramedics now have access to an immersive suite, purpose built mannequins and wellbeing room for training.

The service previously used a space at RAF Benson, near Wallingford, but has moved to the headquarters in Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire.

The facility brings together critical care paramedics and fundraising teams.

James Perks is one of the critical care paramedics using the new facility

James Perks, critical care paramedic, said the facility was "purpose built" and can be used any time.

He added: "The disadvantage we had when we worked at RAF Benson was everything was in a cold hanger outside, moth-eaten, falling apart and actually here is a dedicated space."

The new training department took 18 months to design and build.

While the air ambulance is still stationed at RAF Benson, most of the specialist paramedics will now set off from the HQ in one of five response vehicles.

Paramedic Neil Plant said their work complements the ambulance service

Neil Plant, critical care paramedic, added: "It's a fairly low percentage of work compared to what the ambulance service does.

"We try and highlight those jobs where we're going to make a real difference, so in extended skills like cardiac care, trauma management, where anaesthetics are required, blood needs to be given.

"We go out and we complement what the ambulance service do."

The air ambulance was set up in 1999 and has been called out nearly 35,000 times in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire since.

In the last year it attended more than 3,000 emergencies, the highest number in its 25 year history.

Amanda McLean, chief executive of Thames Valley Air Ambulance said the service relies solely on donations from the public

The new facility, which has been funded by donations, also has a wellbeing room, to allow staff to decompress after difficult shifts.

Chief executive of the service, Amanda McLean, said: "We need to get between £12-13m every year and we get no national lottery or government funding to do that, so all the money comes from the community that we serve.

"I spent a lot of time meeting our fabulous supporters and thanking them for doing that and we're grateful for every donation we get."

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2240.