Former patient Andy Constable from Margate is kindly sharing his story to encourage people to take part in our Summer Rapid Response Raffle, which goes live today (7 July). Top prize in the raffle is a fantastic £5,000, with a second prize of £1,000, 3rd prize of £250 and five prizes of £50. Each entry costs £1 and entries received before 5 August will be eligible for a chance to win a special visit to our Redhill base where they can meet our crew and see one of our helicopters.
In 2021 Andy, a keen supporter of Margate FC, was doing some voluntary work at the club when he fell from a ladder. He woke up in hospital in London three days later to learn that he had been taken there by air ambulance after falling around 5 metres.
Andy and his family have since become dedicated supporters of KSS.
Andy explains: “It’s become really important to me to raise money for this amazing charity because they helped save my life. KSS has become a really important part of our lives.”
KSS Paramedic Ben Macauley was part of the team that cared for Andy.
Ben remembers: “We were particularly concerned with Andy as he had broken multiple bones including his pelvis, a number of ribs and a thigh bone – a very serious collection of injuries. Had we taken him by road, this would have meant a journey of around 90 minutes. By flying, we were able to bring this down to under 30 minutes.
“We treat many people but we don’t often get to meet them afterwards. It’s great to see what a good recovery Andy has made. His fundraising is incredible and as crew, we appreciate every single penny. It allows us to do the job we love, for those in crisis.”
In 2024, we undertook 627 missions to tackle accidental injuries like Andy’s and made 62 raffle winners across our region. We carried out 272 accidental injury missions in Kent, 184 in Sussex, and 151 in Surrey, plus a further 20 in the surrounding area. We were only able to help those people thanks to public support, including everyone who plays or donated to our raffles.
The closing date for our Summer Rapid Response Raffle is closing date Is 22 August. To take part visit our raffle page.
