AN URGENT call for help has come from the doctors and paramedics of Thames Valley Air Ambulance as the charity is hit hard during the pandemic.

The emergency response charity is fully funded by community donations by while the country battles coronavirus its attentions have too turned to the frontline as its staff turn to support the NHS.

As a result of the lockdown, the charity is predicting a £1million shortfall in donations and has lunched its first ever 'urgent appeal' to the public.

It is calling on the community to dig deep and donate where possible, to help them provide vital life-saving responses to emergencies across Berkshire and surrounding counties.

Thames Valley Air Ambulances director of fundraising Neil Harman said: "We are truly in an unprecedented situation.

"Never before in our history have we anticipated such a large loss in fundraising over such a short period.

"We do want to reassure the public, that whatever the response to our appeal, we will continue to provide lifesaving care in the immediate future and be on hand to back-up the NHS in our efforts to tackle the pandemic.

"We are calling on those that can give, to back us at this time and help us secure our service well into the future."

The charity has in its 21-year history been entirely funded by the public and community it serves and has not received any funding from the government or National Lottery.

In the last financial year, the number of times Thames Valley Air Ambulance were dispatched to patients in need increased by more than 110per cent.

In total, the charity’s teams of paramedics, doctors and pilots were called out to 2,670 patients across our region.

To help support the charity's efforts go to tvairambulance.org.uk/donate