For residents across much of the UK, emergency medical services are stretched. For lucky residents of South and West Wales, MedServe Wales is there as back up when ambulance services are at full capacity. Now in its 31st year of operation, the charity has a team of practitioners that delivers enhanced and critical care year round. We spoke with Tim, one of their volunteer practitioners and quartermaster, to tell us more about the charity and the fundraising efforts, having raised over £1,300 with our help to date.
Tell us all about MedServe Wales
MedServe Wales was set up in 1994 to bridge the gap between Ambulance Service Care and Hospital Care for the most critically sick and injured across South and West Wales by a group of Doctors. Since then the charity has developed into a multi-disciplinary team of paramedics, nurses and doctors that support the Welsh Ambulance Service in the delivery of Enhanced and Critical Care. Our Volunteer Medics are available 24/7, 365 days a year to respond to 999 emergencies. I personally volunteer for the charity alongside my day job within the Welsh Ambulance Service. As well as being a volunteer practitioner, I also manage the stock of supplies and equipment we have access to.
What do MedServe need to raise many for?
As I’m sure you can imagine the cost of running a medical charity is high. Each case that we attend requires us to use medications and equipment that can only be used once. As such it is vital that we can replace equipment and medications so that we can deliver care at the side of the road, place of work, sporting venue or at the patient’s address.
Why did you sign up to easyfundraising?
We saw it as a great opportunity for our community to support us without it having to cost them anything, while being simple to administer. Easyfundraising has now become a vital tool in our fundraising arsenal as it provides a steady stream of income year round without any extra effort or resources required from our side.
What has the extra funding received made possible?
The funds that we receive via EasyFundraising activities go towards the medications and equipment used by our volunteers in the management of the critically ill and injured. From simple pain relief to sedation, antibiotics to anesthetic and from defibrillator pads to surgical equipment, everything that we deliver above that of the standard ambulance response is funded by the donations we receive. Every penny raised really does make a difference to our ability to fund equipment and deploy our team (Callsign DR01 ‘Delta Romeo Zero One’) and our solo responders (who respond in their personal ‘Blue lit’ cars) to some of the sickest across South and West Wales. To have raised an extra £1,200 for our charity has been fantastic, we’re so grateful to our supporters!
Is there a project or target for your fundraising this year?
We have a number of requirements that are ongoing:
– PPE for our 12 new volunteers
– Medication
– Medical Equipment
– Blue Light Insurance for DR01
– Tyres for DR01
How do you promote easyfundraising to your community?
We utilise Social Media to spread the word, as well as highlighting this fundraising method at all of our charity engagement events. These are great as along with explaining how it works, we can actually show potential supporters how much we’ve raised so far and show examples of what we’ve purchased with the money.
What advice would you give to other causes like yours to help them raise as well as you have?
Don’t give up – it can take a while for the total to grow but it’s worth it. The more supporters you get the more you will raise. We find it really valuable to share with supporters what the funds have been used for, to motivate supporters to keep on using easyfundraising. Utilise Social Media as much as possible too – get in front of people when they are about to shop.
How you can get behind MedServe Wales
For their local residence, MedServe is providing a vital service which is all made possible through funding and the commitment of practitioners like Tim, who give up their free time to be on call to those in need. If you would like to support MedServe Wales with every online shop, sign up to support them.
Are you connected to a cause that could use some extra funding? Register your cause.