Air Ambulance Week 2026 takes off across the UK from 7th – 13th September, raising awareness of the lifesaving work of air ambulance charities. Here in Northern Ireland, Air Ambulance NI is celebrating the support they receive from local communities and sharing updates on their first-owned helicopter and Lift Off Together, a campaign that allows supporters to dedicate their name, or the name of a loved one on the undercarriage of their brand new helicopter.
This national awareness week brings together air ambulance charities from across the UK to share one powerful message: “Every Mission Starts With You.”
Across the UK, air ambulance crews are dispatched to more than 137 lifesaving missions every day, while in Northern Ireland the crew is called out, on average, twice daily. Whether you choose to donate, fundraise, or simply spread the word, your support helps critical care teams reach people in their moment of need.
Air Ambulance NI rely on generous donations to generate the £8,200 they need each day to continue delivering urgent, advanced medical care to people with sudden life-threatening injuries or illnesses. By supporting this local charity, you’re helping save lives and improve patient outcomes for local families like Jack Whittle’s.
On 4th April 2025, nine-year-old Jack’s family experienced every parent’s worst nightmare when he suddenly collapsed during a PE lesson at school in Portadown.
It was the week before the Easter holidays and Jack had been staying with his grandparents. That morning, he was in great form, playing his games, laughing. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But at 11:37am, everything changed.
Jack’s mum, Nicole, received a call from the school secretary asking her to come to the school immediately as there had been an incident during PE.
“At first, we thought maybe he’d bumped his head or had a fall,” she said. “Cardiac arrest never even crossed our minds.”
When they arrived, the principal and secretary met them in tears and brought them inside. In the assembly hall, Jack lay unconscious on the floor.
Jack had suffered a cardiac arrest during PE and had no heartbeat for 15 minutes. His teachers immediately began CPR and used the school’s defibrillator. Their quick thinking provided essential resuscitation until paramedics arrived moments later, followed closely by the Air Ambulance helicopter, which landed directly in the playground.
The HEMS team, combined with the NIAS teams worked tirelessly at the scene before transferring him to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.
“It was so frightening watching it all happen, but the ambulance crews and Air Ambulance team were incredible,” his mum said. “They were calm, focused and never stopped working on him. That gave us hope.”
Jack was cared for in intensive care and, after six long days, was gradually woken from the coma. To his family’s relief, he began breathing on his own very quickly and started responding well. He was later moved to Clark Clinic Ward, a specialist children’s cardiology unit, for two weeks and has been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy.
Jack’s recovery has been nothing short of remarkable.
“Despite everything he’s been through, he’s just been so brave,” his mum added. “He’s gone from strength to strength. We’re just so proud of him. We got our boy back and that’s thanks to everyone who helped save his life that day.”
Reflecting on the experience, the family say the speed and specialist care provided by the teachers, NIAS and HEMS made all the difference.
“When you’re told your child’s heart has stopped, you think the worst. Knowing that a doctor and paramedic could reach him so quickly and give him that level of care before he even reached hospital is unbelievable. We truly believe the Air Ambulance helped give Jack his second chance.”
Kerry Anderson, Head of Fundraising at Air Ambulance NI said:
“Every lifesaving mission begins long before our helicopter takes to the skies – it begins with the incredible support of our community. Whether you donate, fundraise, volunteer or simply help spread the word about the vital work of Air Ambulance NI, you are playing a part in helping our crew reach someone when they need us most. Air Ambulance Week is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the people behind the service and recognise the difference that your support makes every single day. Together, we can help ensure that when the call comes, our team is ready to lift off and deliver lifesaving care to those who need it most.”
Air Ambulance NI recently procured its first owned helicopter. This acquisition represents a major step forward in securing the long-term sustainability and resilience of the charity. The new helicopter is currently with Sloane Helicopters at their aviation base in Sywell, England where it is undergoing an extensive medical fit out to ensure it is ready for the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) operations. The process of modifying a standard helicopter into a HEMS aircraft is a highly regulated engineering lifecycle that transforms a civilian airframe into a flying intensive care unit. The fit out includes 11 modifications including radio communications system that is bespoke to Northern Ireland.
This Air Ambulance Week, Air Ambulance NI is inviting people across Northern Ireland to support its Lift Off Together campaign, launched in celebration of the new aircraft that will serve communities across the region. For a donation of £200, supporters can have their name, or the name of someone special, featured on the underside of the new helicopter. With limited space available, it is a rare opportunity to be part of the charity’s next chapter and help the new aircraft ‘lift off together’.
You can find out more about Lift Off Together here: Lift Off Together | Air Ambulance NI
