Cornwall Air Ambulance Must Find Extra £120,000 After Aviation Fuel Costs Double
Why It MattersCharity-funded helicopter emergency medical operators carry fuel price risk directly, with no state funding to absorb it, leaving them dependent on donations to hold flying hours steady.
The air ambulance service for Cornwall and the Isle of Scilly has to find an extra £120,000 this year after the cost of aviation fuel doubled, chief executive Tim Bunting said. He described the current period as "very, very challenging times, not least with the price of fuel."
Cornwall Air Ambulance, which was the UK's first air ambulance service when it launched in 1987, took delivery of its second helicopter in 2025 after raising £2.85m over two years. Bunting said the service receives no government funding and must rely on its supporters to keep the helicopter flying. He said costs have "gone up significantly" but that the service would "never compromise on the quality of our operation," adding that the priority is delivering life-saving services throughout the year.
Donations raised in the service's Christmas appeal will be match-funded up to £100,000 by an anonymous donor, which Bunting said would be "massive in terms of those rising fuel costs." The development comes as Devon Air Ambulance has launched an appeal after facing a £1.1m deficit.
