DEVON AIR AMBULANCE TRUST
Registered charity 1077998 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register
Devon Air Ambulance Trust is the charity that funds and operates Devon?s Air Ambulance service.The service is provided free at the point of need, to anyone and everyone in Devon and neighbouring counties, resident or visitor; based on clinical need, urgency, accessibility and distance to the most appropriate hospital for the clinical needs of the patient.
Causes: The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts
The accounts state that the charity reported a surplus of £1.4 million for the year ended 31 December 2024, driven by record legacy income of £8.4 million which significantly exceeded budget expectations. Per the trustees' report, this surplus was largely due to timing differences in cash receipt, resulting in a legacy debtor of £8.3 million and requiring drawdowns from investments to support cash flow. The charity maintains free reserves of £9.4 million, which exceeds the stated policy target of covering 12 months of expenses following a 33% decrease in revenue.
Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Employees paid over £60,000: 42
“During the year 42 employees were paid £60,000 or more (2023: 38, 4 in the Trust and 34 in the Trading Company), 5 in the Trust and 37 in the Trading Company.”
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Fundraising cost ratio: 34.9% of fundraised income, as disclosed
“For each £1 we spend on fundraising and income generation (including support costs) in 2024 we raised £2.87.”
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: 12 months of expenses following a 33% decrease in revenue (held: £9.4m)
“The Trustees aim for free reserves plus undesignated investments to cover 12 months of expenses following a 33% decrease income streams in the Charity”
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Cosmic provided recruitment assistance for the Digital Lead, invoicing £2,810.
“Cosmic have also provided work through a government funded scheme to provide training to the DAA employees during the year. In 2024 Cosmic assisted with the recruitment of our Digital Lead by reviewing the Job Description and assisting with interviewing and selection. Cosmic invoiced £2,810 for this work.”
“The charity charged the subsidiary intercompany loan interest of £507,058 (prior year: £506,465).” — page 40
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Intercompany loan interest charged by the Trust to the subsidiary was £507,058.
“Cosmic have also provided work through a government funded scheme to provide training to the DAA employees during the year. In 2024 Cosmic assisted with the recruitment of our Digital Lead by reviewing the Job Description and assisting with interviewing and selection. Cosmic invoiced £2,810 for this work.”
“The charity charged the subsidiary intercompany loan interest of £507,058 (prior year: £506,465).” — page 40
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Nicola Steevenson, a non-executive Director of the trading company, received £400 in 2023 for training services via Human Performance Solutions; no payments in 2024.
“Cosmic have also provided work through a government funded scheme to provide training to the DAA employees during the year. In 2024 Cosmic assisted with the recruitment of our Digital Lead by reviewing the Job Description and assisting with interviewing and selection. Cosmic invoiced £2,810 for this work.”
“The charity charged the subsidiary intercompany loan interest of £507,058 (prior year: £506,465).” — page 40
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: Devon Air Ambulance Trading Company Limited
“The charity owns the entire issued share capital of 2 ordinary shares of £1 each of Devon Air Ambulance Trading Company Limited, incorporated in England & Wales (Company number 3876276).” — page 41
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Crowe U.K. LLP. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.
Year-over-year changes
- Employees paid over £60,000: 38 (FY2023) → 42 (FY2024).
Comparing this charity’s FY2023 and FY2024 accounts as analysed by this site.
In the news
Recent coverage mentioning this charity by name (automated match; headlines belong to their publishers).
Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Devon Air Ambulance Trust (matched by registered charity number).
Funders the charity credits
Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).
- Parker Hannifin — “A generous donation from manufacturing company, Parker Hannifin, has funded the purchase of essential CPR and defib training equipment.” (source page)
Property (HM Land Registry)
27 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold); recorded price paid £180k. All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)
Cost of raising funds
£5.6m
Reported reserves equal ~7.7 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 35.2% of total income — above the 90th percentile for charities its size (median 3.8%) (benchmarks).
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (23/12/2021) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
- Received assets from another charity (16/10/2020) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
- Anthony Michael Cramp
- Becky Smith
- Darrell Lee Mann
- David Peter Nicholson
- Eleanor Jane Adams
- Helen Susan Pennack
- Ian Anthony Fortune
- Jillian Nye
- Nicola Claire Steevenson
- Oliver Michael Charles Dismore
- Richard Owen Davidson
- Ryan Bebbington
- Victoria Burr
- Victoria Ruth Smiley
- William Lewis Fletcher Matthewman
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Devon
Income and spending
Common questions
Is DEVON AIR AMBULANCE TRUST financially healthy?
Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a surplus of £1.4 million for the year ended 31 December 2024, driven by record legacy income of £8.4 million which significantly exceeded budget expectations. Per the trustees' report, this surplus was largely due to timing differences in cash receipt, resulting in a legacy debtor of £8.3 million and requiring drawdowns from investments to support cash flow. The charity maintains free reserves of £9.4 million, which exceeds the stated policy target of covering 12 months of expenses following a 33% decrease in revenue. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Crowe U.K. LLP.
Who funds DEVON AIR AMBULANCE TRUST?
Funders whose own accounts filings name DEVON AIR AMBULANCE TRUST as a grant recipient include THE ROAD SAFETY TRUST, THE LINMARDON TRUST, THE PILMUIR ESTATE, THE ORR MACKINTOSH FOUNDATION LIMITED, THE HEATHCOAT TRUST.
Known funders
Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
Funders of similar charities
Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.
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Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with DEVON FREEWHEELERS.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.