AN AIR ambulance charity has received well-deserved thanks and praise from an ex-patient from Yate.

When Myra Sweatman suffered from an extremely high heart rate of 240 beats per minute – over double the normal adults resting heart rate – the Great Western Air Ambulance charity was called to provide critical care and within five minutes reached her home from their Filton base.

Mrs Sweatman has described their care as “absolutely outstanding” and the crew as “fast acting and on the ball”, heartening comments that reflect the excellence of this emergency service that now has to rely entirely on public donations to keep going.

She intends to make a donation to the charity, which is part of the regional 999 emergency response service, out of gratitude for their critical care.

Her contribution, no matter the size, is a welcome gesture and the charity, which receives no funding from the government or the national lottery, will undoubtedly be grateful.

Raising the profile of their invaluable work and the genuine gratitude of patients is equally as important.

The charity needs £1,750,000 each year to remain operational and it is imperative that we help to achieve this and offer support in any way possible, by means of volunteering, fundraising and generally raising awareness of the highly commendable service that we would surely miss if it were not there.