Wellington-based Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has launched a brand new range of gift cards to help support the charity’s life-saving work over the Christmas period.

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (DSSA) responds to the most seriously ill and injured patients by air and by road for 19 hours every single day. Each life-saving mission costs approximately £3,000 and the team can only continue their vital work, with thanks to the generosity of the public.

There are four different gift card designs which can be purchased for either £10, £25, £50 or £100. Each card has been designed with the charity’s critical care team’s work in mind.

‘The Little Things’ gift card costs £10 and could help towards the cost of essential supplies used by the critical care tea, when treating seriously ill or injured patients.

The ‘Mine’s A Pint’ gift card, £25, could make all the difference by helping towards the cost of a much-needed pint of blood for a critically ill or unwell patient. Each year, approximately 50 patients attended by DSAA need vital blood products to help them reach hospital alive.

Having these blood products immediately at hand means the clinicians have an amazing resource to resuscitate patients who are suffering from severe trauma, or other conditions where large quantities of blood have been lost.

The ‘Let’s Snuggle Up’ gift card, £50, could help towards the cost of a blizzard blanket to provide vital warmth and make a patient feel safe. When a patient is critically unwell, reducing their exposure to the cold and preventing further heat loss plays an important part of their pre-hospital care. Blizzard blankets are 400 per cent warmer than synthetic blankets and 150 per cent warmer than down-insulated garments and bags.

Finally, the £100 ‘See The Stars’ gift card could help towards a pair of night vision goggles, to help light the way for the crew when they are working in the dark. Night vision goggles work by amplifying light and projecting pictures onto two small screens inside the goggles.

One hundred per cent of the proceeds raised from the sale of the gift cards will go towards the charity’s operational costs to support its life-saving work. The cards can be sent direct to the person purchasing them to be personalised, or supporters can arrange for the card to be sent direct to the recipient after the purchase has been made.

To purchase a gift card visit the charity’s online shop at https://www.dsairambulance.org.uk/shop. Alternatively, call 01823 669604 or email [email protected].