News
If I sold the most raffle tickets for a trip in a London Air Ambulance helicopter I would be very proud of myself and I would get a chance to have a ride in one as well. My neighbour offered to help me sell the raffle tickets so I had to tell people about the good work the London Air Ambulance does. They need as much money as possible because it costs £5,000 per day to run a helicopter.
When Miss Cohen told me I had won the prize, I couldn’t believe it and I couldn’t wait to tell everyone.
My dad took me to Whitechapel hospital where this big, red helicopter was on top of the roof. We were told about all the safety rules by a fireman and then he ran us through where the doctor, paramedic and injured person would be during an emergency. We were really high up on the top of the hospital and I could nearly touch the clouds!
We had to wear huge, heavy helmets and were strapped into our seats before two pilots revved up the engine. Next minute we were up in the air and I could hear the pilot asking for permission to fly down the river Thames so we could see all the sights. We saw St Paul’s Cathedral, HMS Belfast, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Lord’s and Wembley Stadium, everything looked tiny.
Unfortunately, ten minutes later we had to land in Denham Aerodrome where they keep the helicopters overnight. I could see these little specks waving as we got nearer to the ground, it was my mum, brother and granddad. We landed on a little trolley with the letter H printed on it. It was amazing.
Both pilots were really nice people and said, “please thank your school for their hard work”. I stop and hope there is no-one badly injured on that stretcher every time I see the red helicopter in the sky. The London Air Ambulance does a great job.
Tim 5SR
July 2008
