WHEN THE HEART STOPS,
THE CLOCK STARTS.
Help us reach people fast this Christmas. Thank you.
Your donation of:
Messages to our crew from recent donors
It costs around £57,000 a day to keep our service flying. This Christmas, the gift of life is in your hands. Thank you.
In the time it takes you to read this sentence, your heart will beat six
times. Now eight… ten… twelve…
Life can change in a heartbeat.
On the same day, at almost exactly the same time, two lives hung in the balance. Jon collapsed while cycling near Sevenoaks. Martyn went down just 50 metres from the finish line at a parkrun in Sittingbourne. People nearby began CPR and used a defibrillator. We launched two helicopters and two medical teams. Our crews took over, placed them on life support at the scene, and flew them to specialist cardiac care. Minutes mattered. By air, the journeys took about 10 minutes. By road they would have taken more than 40.
Those 30 minutes helped save their lives.
THIS CHRISTMAS THE GIFT OF LIFE IS IN YOUR HANDS
25 PEOPLE
approximately the number of people day across Kent, Surrey and Sussex have a cardiac arrest at home or in the community
EVERY MINUTE
someone's heart isn't beating their chance of survival drops by 10%
ONLY 1 IN 10
people survive cardiac arrest
A heartbeat apart. The stories of John and Martyn
On the same day, at almost exactly the same time, two lives hung in the balance.
Early intervention is critical to what we call ‘The Chain of Survival’. When people on the ground keep hearts beating and oxygen flowing, KSS doctors and paramedics can arrive quickly to place patients on life support at the scene. This stabilises people like Jon and Martyn, ensuring oxygen reaches their brain and keeping vital organs – including the heart, liver and kidneys – functioning properly. Then, KSS pilots like Dave Gifford can fly patients to specialist cardiac care in hospital as fast as possible.
When every second counts. Every £1 matters.
Every second counts to get expert medical help to get to the scene, fast. This can mean the difference between survival and heartbreak.
It costs us £1.2 million each year to respond to the most critical cardiac arrest patients across Kent, Surrey and Sussex.
A year at KSS
Two .
Thanks to people like you
Jon's story
"Without Tina, Alan and the others who gave me CPR, I wouldn’t be here."
On 4 March 2023 I’d gone out cycling as I normally did with my club, Sidcup Cycles, I was 58. As usual we’d gone out at half eight on a Saturday morning to do 40 or 50 miles Usually we’d ride out to somewhere in the Kent countryside with a stop halfway for a coffee break.
I don’t remember what happened, but I later learned that I suffered a cardiac arrest and I ended up leaning against a bush while still on my bike, which made it hard for the people around me to work out what had happened as it looked like I was still trying to ride the bike.
Martyn’s story
"We are both living proof that knowing how to do CPR can save a life."
In December 2022 I had given up the delivery job because the traffic around Sittingbourne was getting too stressful. The following February I was asked if I would like to go along to our local Parkrun and do a 5K because I enjoy walking.
I got to within 50 metres of the finish. My friend Dave and my daughter, who’d both finished, came out to run across the line with me. At that moment I collapsed. My eyes were rolling and I was gasping like a fish and it was clear to the people with me that something was badly wrong.
Anonymous - December 5, 2025
Donated: £45.00
"God bless you all."
John Goodman - December 5, 2025
Donated: £25.00
"Thank you for being there for us in our hour of need."
Anonymous - December 5, 2025
Donated: £30.00
"In memory of my Friend Daphne Hitchins"
Marie Godfrey - December 4, 2025
Donated: £60.00
"Keep up the fantastic work."
Rayner Snelling - December 3, 2025
Donated: £20.00
"Keep up the good work we need you all"
Lars Lemonius - December 3, 2025
Donated: £500.00
"Thank you for a wonderful carol service on Monday."
Anonymous - December 3, 2025
Donated: £45.00
"I have donated monthly to KSS for some time but in October was fortunate to be a winner in your Club 24/7 Lottery. I really appreciated this and your invite to visit but as I was unwell at the time and am nearly 80 I didn’t see this until time had passed and was not really able to accept. I just want to show my appreciation of the work you do and my good fortune!"
Joan Clark - December 3, 2025
Donated: £100.00
"Keep up the good work."
Sylvia Scott - December 2, 2025
Donated: £10.00
"Such a vital service, keep up the good work"
Kris Rods - December 2, 2025
Donated: £20.00
"Thank you. You guys are heroes"
Anonymous - December 2, 2025
Donated: £60.00
"Our gift is in memory of Ray Pinder whose family identified your organisation and cause as one Ray would wish to support. We wish you well in the extraordinary work of care and service you undertake."
Battel Bonfire Boyes - December 2, 2025
Donated: £250.00
"Donation from Battle Bonfire Society, following street collection at our annual Bonfire celebrations"
John Savage - December 2, 2025
Donated: £75.00
"Thank you all so much for all your dedication and professional skills in saving lives every day."
Antonia Comer - December 2, 2025
Donated: £14.00
"On the ground or in the air all of you paramedics are angels"
Anonymous - December 2, 2025
Donated: £50.00
"Thank you for all your knowledge and expertise. Thank you for giving people a second chance in their hour of need."
Susa Hope - December 2, 2025
Donated: £75.00
"The family originally in Kent began support many years ago. I want to continue that."
Tara Shefford - December 2, 2025
Donated: £14.00
"A charity close to my heart, you helped save my husband's life on the 7th Nov 2020 in Guildford. A day we celebrate life now more than ever"
Geoff Wild - December 2, 2025
Donated: £50.00
"A very worthy cause which I am pleased to give to."
Anonymous - December 2, 2025
Donated: £30.00
"Thank you so much for all you do. The people of Kent know you are there when needed."
Anonymous - December 2, 2025
Donated: £45.00
"Angels, the lot of you! **"
Susan Lancaster - December 2, 2025
Donated: £45.00
"Thank you KSS Air Ambulance for your dedication to help all those in need of your incredible life saving service, especially during the Christmas festive season. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! ♥️"
Barbara Gouin - December 2, 2025
Donated: £45.00
"thank you for all you do"
Anonymous - December 2, 2025
Donated: £14.00
"Well done for the work you do and a Happy Christmas also a Happy New Year and many thanks for the work you do"
Brian Allwood - December 2, 2025
Donated: £10.00
"The work you all do is second to none, amazing commitment"
Stuart Anthony Mitchell - December 2, 2025
Donated: £45.00
"Please donate. You never expect to be a former patient!"
Janet Knowles - December 2, 2025
Donated: £60.00
"My son’s life was saved by 3 wonderful women doing CPR and knowing how to use a Defibrillator. Everyone should learn how to respond if needed."
Szilvia Kocsy - December 2, 2025
Donated: £50.00
"Thank you for your invaluable work. This Giving Tuesday, I'd like to say thank you for your work. Last year, I missed my citizenship ceremony due to a massive accident on the motorway. I went to celebrate with my family. Others didn't even make it home. We had a private ceremony afterwards. But having passed the accident scene, never before did I think about the work you do. So just my way of saying: thank you for all you do."
Chloe Shaw - December 2, 2025
Donated: £14.00
"Help them"
Chloe Shaw - December 2, 2025
Donated: £14.00
"Thankyou!"
Waverley Contract & Supply Ltd - November 27, 2025
Donated: £115.00
"May this contribution help carry someone to safety, comfort a family, and strengthen the heroes who respond without hesitation."
Ayatollah Dehghani - November 26, 2025
Donated: £5.00
"Human beings are bound together as members of one body; when pain touches one, the others cannot remain untouched."
Lucy Ching - November 25, 2025
Donated: £50.00
"Thank you for the service you provide"
Hazel Hanley - November 24, 2025
Donated: £25.00
"Keep up your amazing work"
Pauline Evans - November 23, 2025
Donated: £100.00
"THank you for doing such an incredible service"
Mike Crosd - November 23, 2025
Donated: £100.00
"Marvellous service - keep up the good work!"
Anne Graham - November 22, 2025
Donated: £50.00
"Thank you for efforts and I hope it will be a quiet Christmas."
Lisa Montague - November 21, 2025
Donated: £60.00
"Thank you for the incredible work you do. I truly cannot express how grateful I am that you were there to transfer my brother Lee from Maidstone Hospital to Ashford after he suffered a completely unexpected cardiac arrest at just 46. Your swift action was absolutely vital to him still being here with us—and able to spend Christmas with our family today. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."
Terence Wright - November 20, 2025
Donated: £100.00
"Many thanks for rapidly attending my cardiac arrest event 0n 03/12/24 at East Horsley Station."
Chris Bourn - November 20, 2025
Donated: £90.00
"Thank you for all the good work you do!"
Kathleen Chivers - November 20, 2025
Donated: £100.00
"Keep up your essential lifesaving work. You are needed by so many people. Kate."
Kathryn Fuller - November 19, 2025
Donated: £14.00
"I am in constant awe of paramedics - luckily I have no experience of KSS Air Ambulance but I do of Road Ambulance and I know you are all part of the same amazing team. You all work together to help people at the worst times of their lives and for that I applaud and love what you do and how you do it!"
Anonymous - November 19, 2025
Donated: £14.00
"Love from all of us"
Caterham u3a group. Monday canasta - November 18, 2025
Donated: £240.00
"we greatly appreciate what you provide for our area in Surrey and other areas."
Anonymous - November 18, 2025
Donated: £45.00
"Long may your wonderful service be available to us. Thank you everyone."
Anonymous - November 17, 2025
Donated: £30.00
"Thank you for always being there."
Rebecca Oseman - November 16, 2025
Donated: £14.00
"Please support this worthy cause"
Peter Bailey - November 16, 2025
Donated: £30.00
"Thank you for all the wonderful work you all do to save lives."
Anonymous - November 15, 2025
Donated: £20.00
"Keep up the good work. You are amazing! God help you in what you do for others. Selfless acts of kindness. You are superstars."
Anonymous - November 15, 2025
Donated: £200.00
"Carry on the good work which you do whatever the weather."
Simon Collins - November 15, 2025
Donated: £14.00
"Learnt about KSS in an event yesterday so impressed by the work this charity does !"