THAMES VALLEY AIR AMBULANCE
The charity uses various fundraising methods to fund the operation of the Air Ambulance service covering Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity reported a net decrease in funds of £3.6 million, bringing total unrestricted and restricted funds to £12.6 million. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves of £9.1 million exceed the stated policy target of £8.7 million, which is designed to cover a six-month doomsday scenario. The charity plans to run deficit budgets for two further years to invest in future operations while maintaining reserves above the policy threshold.
What the accounts disclose
“Of the total expenditure of £13.6m, £8.6m was spent on charitable activities. This means that, for every £1 spent, 63p went towards operating our lifesaving service, with 37p being spent on generating funds to ensure we can continue to operate the service in the future.” — page 19
“Under the policy, the target level of reserves is set to cover a doomsday scenario involving a catastrophic loss of income, leading to the organisation being unable to continue to operate as a going concern. If it was then deemed that the Charity would be unable to recover, continuity of patient care is of paramount importance and therefore the reserves target is set as six months net expenditure with a 50% drop in income, plus a further six months of operational and support costs to ensure the charity can carry out a managed winding down and passing of the critical care service onto another provider. When the budget for 2024-25 was set, this target amounted to £8.7m.” — page 19
“The results in this set of accounts are for the Group, which include the Charity’s two wholly owned subsidiaries, Thames Valley Air Ambulance (Trading) Limited, and Thames Valley Air Ambulance (Leasing) Limited. The latter was established to operate the finance lease with Babcock for the helicopter acquired in 2015 – this arrangement has now come to an end and the Leasing company is now dormant. The trading subsidiary carries out various activities, but the majority of income is from textile recycling.” — page 18
In the news
- Young patient among supporters to have names on Thames Valley Air Ambulance helicopter
- Thames Valley Air Ambulance save 76 people's lives with blood transfusions
- City Council makes £17,000 donation to Thames Valley Air Ambulance
- Milton Keynes City Council donates £17,000 to Thames Valley Air Ambulance through metal recycling scheme
- Thames Valley Air Ambulance using blood transfusions to save lives
- Thames Valley Air Ambulance lands in Oxfordshire neighbourhood
- Thames Valley Air Ambulance statement after boy involved in crash
- re3 Partnership boost for Thames Valley Air Ambulance
What the charity says about itself (2024/25)
“This year we were called out to deliver critical care 3,127 times.”
“We treated: 2,056 patients”
“We supported: 1,076 new patients and their loved ones through our Aftercare service”
“In that time, they have delivered 46 sessions, with over 600 attendees.”
Funders the charity credits
- Healthy Financial Services
Property (HM Land Registry)
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Care Quality Commission ratings
- TVAA Stokenchurch: Outstanding
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (10/10/2024)
- Received assets from another charity (28/03/2023)
Trustees
- Christopher Ian Bannisterchair
- Abimbola Sowande
- Christopher Barry Shone
- Hamish Roy Callender Cormack
- Jane Cotton
- Kay Frances Honner
- Lesley Boler
- Paul John Dilley
- Rebecca Riffel
- Sarah Alys Connaughton
- Simon Paul Le Clerc
- Vijay Jassal
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £9.8m | £13.6m |
| 31/03/2024 | £12.2m | £12.2m |
| 31/03/2023 | £11.1m | £11.4m |
| 31/03/2022 | £13.9m | £14.9m |
| 30/09/2020 | £9.7m | £9.0m |
Common questions
Is THAMES VALLEY AIR AMBULANCE financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net decrease in funds of £3.6 million, bringing total unrestricted and restricted funds to £12.6 million. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves of £9.1 million exceed the stated policy target of £8.7 million, which is designed to cover a six-month doomsday scenario. The charity plans to run deficit budgets for two further years to invest in future operations while maintaining reserves above the policy threshold. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by HaysMac LLP.
Who funds THAMES VALLEY AIR AMBULANCE?
Funders whose own accounts filings name THAMES VALLEY AIR AMBULANCE as a grant recipient include THE ADRIAN SWIRE CHARITABLE TRUST, THE CHURCHILL FOUNDATION, PETER SOWERBY FOUNDATION, THE ROWSE FAMILY TRUST, THE KRISTINA MARTIN CHARITABLE TRUST.
Known funders
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| ASSOCIATION OF NHS CHARITIES | 3 | £721k |
| THE PENNIES FOUNDATION | 2 | £35k |
| THE EDWARD GOSTLING FOUNDATION | 1 | £1.5m |
| FRANK BRAKE CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £190k |
| THE GRANT FOUNDATION | 1 | £160k |
| THE SHANLY FOUNDATION | 1 | £128k |
| MYRISTICA TRUST | 1 | £100k |
| THE NFU MUTUAL CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £70k |
Charities like this
- THE DORSET AND SOMERSET AIR AMBULANCE CHARITY
- ASSOCIATION OF AIR AMBULANCES (CHARITY) LTD
- Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex
- EAST OF ENGLAND AMBULANCE SERVICE NHS TRUST CHARITABLE FUNDS
- WELSH AIR AMBULANCE CHARITABLE TRUST
- THAMES HOSPICE
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THAMES VALLEY AIR AMBULANCE | £9.8m | — | — | above | 37.0% | no doubt |
| THE DORSET AND SOMERSET AIR AMBULANCE CHARITY | £11.0m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| ASSOCIATION OF AIR AMBULANCES (CHARITY) LTD | £2.0m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex | £24.4m | — | 17 | within | 17.5% | no doubt |
| EAST OF ENGLAND AMBULANCE SERVICE NHS TRUST CHARITABLE FUNDS | £329k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| WELSH AIR AMBULANCE CHARITABLE TRUST | £17.0m | — | — | within | — | no doubt |