Air ambulance charity welcomes latest Young Ambassador

In April 2022 KSS flew to the side of William’s dad, Chris, to provide specialist critical care at the scene of a serious accident at work.

Chris, a farmer, sustained multiple injuries to his leg and pelvis in the accident when two large hay bales fell from a height in a barn.

Since then Chris and his family have supported the charity in many different ways, including speaking at a clinical governance meeting and reading at one of its Christmas Carol Concerts. William has also helped to raise much-needed funds by taking part in the charity’s Hound Hike fundraising initiative.

Sarita Taneja, Patient and Family Aftercare Manager at KSS, said: “William has an incredibly kind nature and I know he is going to be a fantastic addition to our team of Young Ambassadors who have all provided tremendous support to the charity over the last two years.

“Whether it’s raising vital funds by taking part in our fundraising activities or inspiring others in their communities to support us by sharing their stories, they’ve all been incredible.”

William, from Horsham, West Sussex, is passionate about being a KSS Young Ambassador.

He said: “I’m very excited to become an ambassador for KSS because they helped my Dad last year when he had a bad accident at work. I want to meet other children who have similar stories so we can learn more about the air ambulance and tell other people about what they do. I also want to come up with ways of raising money so the helicopters can fly to more people and save even more lives." 

Our other Team KSS Young Ambassadors:

• Chanel, from Seaford, East Sussex whose grandfather passed away after a motorcycle accident.

• Charlie from Aylesham, near Canterbury, Kent, knocked down by a car outside his home when he was just eight years old.

• Isaac from Snodland, Kent treated and airlifted to a major trauma centre when he was two following a road traffic collision.

• Louis, from Maidstone, Kent who sustained a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain after an accident at home when he was two.

• Madi, from Claygate, Surrey who was two when she was kicked in the face by a passing horse.

• Max from Rainham, Kent. KSS saved his dad’s life in 2020 after he suffered an aortic dissection at home.

• Murray from Haywards Heath, West Sussex who was inspired to support KSS after we helped care for his dad Noel following a serious motorcycle collision.

• Phoebe from Isle of Sheppey, Kent whose Grandad was involved in a serious accident at work in 2018.

This month the Team KSS Young Ambassadors are getting behind Restart a Heart with KSS Online CPR Awareness Sessions, an initiative that the charity has organised to create an army of new life-savers across the South East.

On Monday 16th October (national Restart a Heart Day) the charity is running free interactive online awareness sessions on CPR aimed at children of Key stage 2 and over, and adults.

Over 80 schools and organisations are already signed-up to take part in the sessions, totalling over 6,500 people.

Across the South East, an average of 22 people each day suffer a cardiac arrest out of a hospital. Sadly, the overall survival rate last year for this group of people was around 11%, but bystander CPR can make a critical difference. 

This exciting initiative will provide thousands of people across the region with skills that could help them save a life. 

You can quickly sign up for the sessions at aakss.org.uk/restart