The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) has responded to six emergency call-outs in the Isle of Man in the last four months, since a new funding agreement was reached with Manx Care.

In that time, the critical care team has been deployed to three road traffic collisions, two assaults and one cardiac arrest, providing advanced treatment on scene before airlifting patients to specialist hospitals in the UK.

The service currently operates on a per-mission funding model agreed with Manx Care in April, after public concern and fundraising campaigns led to a 12-month extension of the agreement.

Before the agreement was made, Health and Social Care Minister Claire Christian admitted in Tynwald that Manx Care was operating with GNAAS on a ‘goodwill basis.’

But the contract renewal ensured that critically ill and injured patients in the Isle of Man continue to receive life-saving pre-hospital care.

However now, GNAAS estimates it needs to raise at least £124,000 a year to cover the additional costs of operating in the Isle of Man, including crew training and over-water safety equipment.

While monthly donations currently average around £5,000, this remains only half the amount needed to keep the service flying to the island.

The charity has now recruited a fundraiser based in the island, due to start within weeks, to help close the funding gap.

Any money raised above the minimum target will be used to reduce the cost burden on Manx Care.

GNAAS interim chief executive Joe Garcia MBE said: ‘We’re looking forward to meeting the Manx community this month and spreading the word of the vital work we do.

‘We’ve seen some fantastic fundraising carried out recently in the island, including those who participated in the Parish Walk and a very generous donation of £30,000 from the Peel charity shop, which is greatly appreciated.’

Since March 2022, the service has been called out more than 65 times to incidents on the Island.

To learn more or donate, visit gnaas.co.uk.