In June 2023, RAF Valley personnel established an ambulance co-responders team to assist the Welsh Ambulance Service and NHS Trust, to respond quickly to emergencies across Ynys Môn and, when called upon, part of the mainland including Bangor.
Today, this volunteer service has come of age with the handover of its own dedicated emergency response vehicle funded by North Wales Freemasons.
The RAF Valley co-responder team was the brainchild of Flying Officer William Dinmore, who arrived at RAF Valley in October 2022. He pursued the idea of starting an RAF Valley co-responders team capable of providing key support to the local community and the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust (WAST). In 2023 alone, the RAF Valley team responded to 23 emergency call-outs and provided life-saving care to 17 patients.
In accepting the bespoke vehicle on behalf of RAF Valley, group captain Matt Hoare, the station commander, said, ‘We are proud to be part of this endeavour and our volunteer team is already making a tangible difference – providing timely emergency assistance to those in need within our Ynys Môn community.’
Head of North Wales Freemasons John Hoult, said:
‘We are proud to support the RAF Valley co-responder team by funding this bespoke emergency response vehicle. This will improve their ability to support the Welsh Ambulance Service and enhance first responder capacity across the island of Anglesey and beyond.’
