COMMUNI T Y HEROES
Community Heroes THESE CHARITIES AND ORGANISATIONS HAVE MADE A HUGE IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY DURING THE PANDEMIC: FIND OUT WHAT THEY’VE BEEN UP TO AND HOW YOU CAN HELP
EAST ANGL IAN AIR AMBUL ANCE
SAVING LIVES & SUPPORTING THE NHS With the NHS under huge pressure, East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) has carried on its vital mission of responding to emergencies and providing critical care 24/7 across the region, as well as supporting hospitals during the pandemic. Inter-hospital critical care transfers, via land ambulance, are needed to help manage capacity in intensive care units as hospitals battle Covid-19, and the EAAA teams are well placed to provide this expertise. In December, EAAA hit the milestone of being tasked 30,000 times since its launch in 2000 – revealing what a crucial service the charity provides for critical care in East Anglia. This year, EAAA hopes to realise its long-term ambition of delivering 24/7 care by helicopter, to help even more people in need. Get involved: Play EAAA’s weekly lottery or join in with this year’s Get Up And Go Yellow fundraiser when the popular challenge returns (date to be confirmed). You can also keep an eye on EAAA’s event calendar: several events which had to be cancelled last year are in the pipeline for 2021, such as Trek 24 – a 24 mile or kilometre walking challenge in September along the North Norfolk coast or around Hexton Manor near Bedfordshire. You can also consider leaving the life-saving charity a gift in your will. These gifts help future generations benefit from EAAA’s care, and you can make use of the charity’s free, online will-writing tool, Bequeathed, at eaaa.org.uk.
FOODCYCLE
TACKLING FOOD WASTE AND FEEDING THE COMMUNITY
With incomes hit hard during the pandemic, the issue of food poverty was thrown into even sharper relief. One organisation doing its level best to feed people in need – while alleviating food waste – is FoodCycle, which creates meals for the community using food that would otherwise end up in the bin. From April to December, the Cambridge FoodCycle team, made up entirely of volunteers, delivered nearly 2000 meals, and saved 9.5 tonnes of food waste. Get involved: Volunteer positions are open for roles including food collection and cooking or hosting at ‘Cook and Collect’ projects, plus Check-in and Chat, a phone service where volunteers call guests for a weekly natter to help combat social isolation. This is a great option for volunteers who would like to give back to the community but are either unable to commit to a set time each week or don’t have a FoodCycle project nearby. Visit foodcycle.org.uk.
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