As families across Essex gather to celebrate the festive season, the volunteer clinicians of BASICS Essex , the county’s emergency pre-hospital critical care charity, will once again be on the road—responding to the most serious incidents where someone’s Christmas relies on us . In 2025, the charity has experienced its busiest year on record , responding to over 300 emergency callouts  at the request of the East of England Ambulance Service. These incidents typically represent the top 10% of the most critical emergencies , including traumatic injuries, cardiac arrests, road traffic collisions and life-threatening medical emergencies in homes and across the roadside. To keep pace with demand and continue providing hospital-level care at the scene, BASICS Essex has made major investments this year, including a new critical emergency response vehicle , a Lucas Mechanical Chest Compression Unit , upgraded PPE , and other essential emergency equipment. Despite these advances, the charity does not receive statutory funding and remains reliant on donations to operate. With 25 highly skilled volunteer responders —including doctors, paramedics, and enhanced trained emergency clinicians—the team provides specialist support throughout the year, including throughout the festive period. A Lifesaving Service, Powered by Public Support To sustain its operations, BASICS Essex must raise £80,000–£100,000 every year . Funding ensures responders have the life-saving tools, training and equipment required to deliver advanced medical care before patients reach hospital—a vital link in the chain of survival. The Charity’s Christmas Message This year’s appeal centres around a simple but powerful message: “We provide emergency pre-hospital critical care because someone’s Christmas relies on us.” The charity is encouraging individuals, communities, and local businesses to donate or fundraise throughout December. Even small contributions help ensure clinicians can continue to reach patients at their most vulnerable moments—often making the difference between life and death. How to Support BASICS Essex This Christmas Make a one-off or monthly donation Choose BASICS Essex as your workplace charity Organise a festive fundraiser, such as a Christmas jumper day or sponsored challenge Share the charity’s Christmas appeal on social media to raise awareness To donate or learn more, please visit: www.basicsessex.org.uk

We’re delighted to announce that Aermec UK   has joined BASICS Essex’s growing network of corporate supporters through our ‘Sponsor a Clinician’  scheme, proudly sponsoring BASICS Essex Chairman & volunteer clinician Paul Gates. Aermec UK  provides advanced Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) solutions for industrial and commercial enterprises across the UK. While operating nationally, the company has strong roots in Essex and remains committed to supporting its local community. We spoke to Lucy Hutchins, Aermec UK's Health Safety & Environment & Quality Manager about the sponsorship;  Why did Aermec UK choose to support BASICS Essex? “As a national but Essex-based company, when possible we like to support our local community. We see BASICS Essex as not only a local worthwhile cause, but it is also a charity that serves and helps our local communities.” Beyond sponsorship “We regularly engage in wellbeing activities and enjoy supporting charitable initiatives. Throughout the year, we anticipate organising activities dedicated to raising funds for BASICS Essex, alongside our sponsorship.” BASICS Essex provides specialist pre-hospital emergency medical care across the county — with volunteer doctors responding to serious incidents in their own time, often arriving before an ambulance to provide life-saving treatment. Every clinician is a highly trained medical professional who donates their expertise, equipment, and time to support patients in critical need. The ‘Sponsor a Clinician’  initiative gives local businesses an opportunity to make a direct and tangible impact by helping fund the equipment, training and operational costs that enable these volunteers to continue their vital work. Paul Gates, said "The team and I are incredibly grateful to Aermec UK for their generous support and for helping us continue to deliver critical pre-hospital care to those who need it most in Essex. I am personally honoured to be chosen for sponsorship - while the funds will help the team continue to save lives across the country." Learn more about our Sponsor A Clinician campaign here

At 34 years old, based in  Kent , Matt Burton balances a busy life as both an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in Emergency Medicine and a dedicated volunteer for BASICS Essex.   By day, he works across adult and paediatric services at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust. By night—or whenever the call comes—he brings his expertise to the roadside, living rooms, and anywhere else his patients might need him.   His journey into  this field   began in 2013 when he  joined  the London Ambulance Service. “I worked in ambulance, response vehicle, and control, in both standard paramedic and advanced practice roles,” he recalls. After several years in prehospital care, he transitioned into hospital practice in 2019, where he’s since worked across two busy South London hospitals. “I’ve seen a good mix of patients and built up a lot of knowledge and skill quickly,” he explains.   But even with the variety of hospital practices, Matt felt something was missing. “I found BASICS and felt like I could use these skills for wider use in the local community” , he says. “This seemed like a no-brainer and an area of practice I had often thought was needed in my prehospital work. BASICS felt like a bridge to that.”   That bridge has not only allowed Matt to use his skills outside of the hospital walls, but also to share them with others. “I like that being a BASICS  Essex volunteer is not just about bringing knowledge and skill to the roadside. We regularly debrief ambulance crews, and these are a great opportunity to share knowledge and educate,” he explains.   “While we meet a lot of critically ill patients in our line of work, the most rewarding part of the role is being able to offer a sense of calm both for patients and supporting clinical services in distressing situations – being able to de-escalate and discharge on scene without overwhelming local health services is hugely important."   Of course, none of this would be possible without the right tools. “Our monitor is the most important piece of equipment we take to incidents,” he notes. “It gives us vital information such as blood pressure, oxygen levels, heart tracing, carbon dioxide level—without this we couldn’t do many of the things we do, such as anaesthesia, sedation, or enhanced analgesia.”   Outside of his demanding roles, Matt is first and foremost a family man. With a partner and three children, his downtime is precious. “Family time is really important to me,” he says. And when he isn’t working or with his family, you’ll often find him outdoors. “I really enjoy BBQ cooking and can often be found grilling in the garden!”   For Matt, volunteering with BASICS Essex isn’t just about critical interventions—it’s about being present for patients and crews when it matters most, bringing calm to chaos, and ensuring care extends beyond the hospital walls.

Sponsor A Clinician Each year our growing team of 25 BASICS Essex volunteer clinicians give their time to provide critical emergency medical care across Essex Communities. Your business can make a BIG difference , by pledging £1,000 a year (two years minimum) to help a BASICS Essex volunteer clinician provide essential Pre-hospital care across the country. This will help provide crucial funds for PPE, Equipment, and training for your designated volunteer. What does my business get for sponsoring? Your business will recieve a Corporate sponsor listing on BASICS Essex website with logo and link. We will publish several social media posts mentioning your sponsorship during the year. Your sponsored clinician will run a Complimentary company CPR and AED session for your team Your Company logo will be printed on the designated sponsored clinician's hoody. You will recieve Monthly updates from clinician and BASICS Essex, in which you are welcome to share with followers Our team can assist with fundraising tactics and ideas! Tim Anderson, BASICS Essex Volunteer “Putting my skills and experience as a Paramedic to use in supporting the care of people in Essex as a BASICS Essex volunteer has been an excellent way to give back to my community. Your corporate sponsorship helps fund PPE, essential equipment and training costs to support our scheme." Nick Sillett, BASICS Essex Volunteer “When I received an invitation to a patient reunion, I was astounded. Meeting them was really rather emotional and I felt privileged to have played a very small part in their care and recovery. This case still motivates me to volunteer for BASICS Essex to this very day.” James Samouelle, BASICS Essex Volunteer “Working in the ambulance service, I had a loose understanding of what BASICS Essex was, but it wasn’t until I saw a roadside incident close to home that I began to realise I could do more to support my local community, and that’s why I joined the scheme.” Learn more about our volunteers and the rest of the team here wan Our Sponsors Lucy Hutchins, Aermec UK's Health Safety & Environment & Quality Manager “As a national but Essex-based company, when possible we like to support our local community. We see BASICS Essex as not only a local worthwhile cause, but it is also a charity that serves and helps our local communities.” Learn about Aermec Get in touch and become a sponsor today! First name* Last name Email* Phone Write a message Submit

TCS London Marathon Please note that we currently have a reserve list for the 2026 Marathon, but hope to have spaces for 2027. The London Marathon is the capital's most popular sporting event, with over 50,000 people taking part last year. Looking to join? BASICS Essex has 20 places available for 2026. BASICS Essex Team Runners will receive: A fundraising pack, full of hints and tips to help you smash your target A BASICS Essex running T-Shirt or Vest London Marathon phone support, advice and guidance Support on the day from BASICS Essex 'Cheer Points' along the route Subject to venues being open, a Pasta Party, ahead of the event Registration fee £150 (Non-refundable) Fundraising target £2000 (Excluding Gift Aid) Have you received a place through the Public Ballot or your Running Club? We need your support... Run with our team of life savers. Help ensure, our vital 999 Emergency Medical Charity, can continue to provide its voluntary life saving work. For further information contact our Community Fundraiser: christine.winzar@basicsessex.org.uk / 07932695389 2024 Runners Congratulations and thank you to all the BASICS Essex runners for TCS London Marathon 2024! Garry Raised nearly £2,000 - Thank you! Anderson Builders 6 runners raised £15,000 - Thank you! VIRTUAL MARATHON Looking to run the London Marathon virtually from anywhere in the world? We can also support you with the TCS Virtual London Marathon, and we'd love to be your charity of choice! Get in touch for more information! Meet John Tyszkiewicz John participated in the Virtual Virgin London Marathon 2020, in aid of BASICS Essex. He ran 26.2 miles around his chosen route in Essex. John has raised over £4,000 which will help BASICS Essex volunteer Clinicians, save further lives across Essex communities.

Meet the team TRUSTEES Paul Gates Chairman Dr Ian Gibson MBE Honorary President Dr Phil Brown Clinical Director Dr C John Eaton Trustee Rob Davies Trustee NON-TRUSTEES Chris Anderson Treasurer Stuart Jackson Honorary Secretary AUTONOMOUS RESPONDERS (Respond individually from home or work) PAUL GATES DR JOHN CHATTERJEE MR JAMES SAMOUELLE MR NICK SILLETT DR TOM CLACK DR RYAN PERRY MR LAURIE PHILIPSON MRS GAYNOR WAREHAM DR MATT BUCKLAND-HOBY TEAM RESPONDERS (Respond as part of the scheme Enhanced Care Car) DR PHIL BROWN MR JOHN HORTON MR TIM ANDERSON MISS CLAIRE FITCHETT MR JAMIE RICKARD MR ASHLEY REED MR ALEX GIRLING DR NEIL STUDD MR MATT KING DR CHRIS HARDY (In Training) DR RICHARD BOOKER DR PADDY WILKINSON FUNDRAISING TEAM CHRISTINE WINZAR Community Funding Officer LISA THOMAS Trust and Grants Officer BELINDA HUNT Fundraiser IT/Digital CHRIS LOZEAU IT/Digital Volunteer