Peterborough ambulance worker flies in to raise vital funds for charity

Ben Hawkins an Emergency Dispatcher from Peterborough, and Chloe Spencer, a Senior Emergency Medical Technician and Student Paramedic from March in Cambridgeshire, will be travelling 1.5km at a breath-taking 100mph on Zip World’s Velocity 2 zipline at Penrhyn Slate Quarry in North Wales in July to raise money for The Ambulance Staff Charity (TASC).

The pair have both been given support by the charity, and were keen to give something back to ensure others can get the same support.

Chloe said: “Both of us are recovering from previous mental illness and have partnered up to raise money for something we share a passion about - our green family.

"This is our opportunity to raise as much money as possible to support them either mentally with psychological support, physically through physio or with financial support.

"TASC is the charity supporting thousands of ambulance staff, like us, who rely on the support and generosity of wonderful people, like you.”

The team have already raised over £1,600, having smashed their original goal of £800, and are now aiming to raise over £2,000 which can help TASC provide an extra 33 hours of counselling or 39 sessions of physiotherapy for people injured in the line of duty.

Ben said: “TASC has helped 100s with both their physical and mental health. We are so passionate about making a change and TASC are the charity allowing this to happen. So many of our colleagues are feeling the stress of the pandemic and feeling unwell mentally so it’s important they can go to TASC for support so we can continue to help patients who need us. We ask that if you can’t donate then you share our page so that someone who may be able to support us can. Thank you so much to everyone who’s supported us so far.”

Launched in 2015, TASC is the national charity dedicated to caring for those who care for us and provides mental, physical, and financial wellbeing support and advice to help ensure the UK’s lifesaving ambulance community is strong, healthy, and ready to be there for us when we need them. As well as serving and retired ambulance staff, the charity also supports the family members of ambulance staff, Paramedic Science students from year two onwards and current ambulance service volunteers such as Community First Responders (CFRs).

Jasmin Rana, TASC’s Director of Income Generation and Supporter Engagement, said: “We’re so grateful that Chloe and Ben are battling their fears and taking on this epic challenge to support our cause and raise vital funds for TASC.

"Ambulance staff have one of the most stressful jobs in the UK, and the continuing and long-term impacts of Coronavirus are making their job that much harder.

"At TASC, we’re seeing demand for our services growing year-on-year and this is rapidly increasing as our lifesaving ambulance staff experience the mental, physical and financial impacts of the pandemic. With the support of people like Chloe and Ben, TASC can continue to be there for the UK’s lifesavers when they’re struggling and need a bit of help themselves.”

Ben and Chloe are raising funds online via JustGiving: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/chloe-bentasc