When people talk about calling to mind the very spirit of prehospital medicine—commitment, sacrifice, and a relentless drive to help others - few stories compare to that of Dr Phil Brown. His route into BASICS (British Association for Immediate Care) wasn’t just unusual; it was extraordinary. It was a journey shaped by family, dedication, and an unwavering belief that he could - and should - make a difference outside hospital walls. From Environmental Health Officer to Emergency Doctor Long before he ever donned a stethoscope, Phil Brown was deeply embedded in another world of public service: environmental health. Rising to Principal Environmental Health Officer and earning an MSc and Chartered status, he had a stable, respected career. But one moment changed everything. The traumatic and poorly handled birth of his first child forced Phil to confront a difficult truth - he was in the wrong profession. He had joined St John Ambulance at 16 and never lost his fascination with medicine and the ambulance service. The spark had always been there; now it roared. And so, with two young children, a mortgage, and a supportive wife who believed in him wholeheartedly, Phil walked away from his comfortable career and into medical school at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine. It wasn’t the Caribbean elective and leisurely student life many enjoy - Phil spent his elective at Basildon Ambulance Station, riding out with crews, absorbing everything he could about frontline emergency care. If he was going to be a doctor, he was going to be a BASICS doctor. Born for BASICS From his very first day of full GMC registration in 1999, Phil became operational with the North East Essex Doctors Emergency Service (NEEDES). While most new doctors cautiously find their footing, Phil jumped straight into prehospital care. Within two years he was Chair of the charity - a position he held for a decade. His commitment wasn’t just professional; it was woven into his family life. Phil often responded from his own fully equipped, marked-up car - frequently with his wife Carole and daughter Emily sitting patiently in the passenger seats. They waited through stabbings, road traffic collisions, and countless emergencies. Emily remembers many vividly, including the family’s first shout - straight from a child’s birthday party to a fatal RTC at the Army and Navy roundabout. Even trips to Tesco became potential emergency deployments. Trolleys of shopping would be thrown atop medical kit before tearing off to a call. Firefighters, with trademark good humour, regularly unloaded the shopping while Phil assessed scenes. “BASICS has always been a family thing,” Phil says - and it’s true. For years, Emily volunteered as the paediatric patient in Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) courses taught by Phil, while Carole served as course administrator. Today, Emily is a senior officer with the East of England Ambulance Service - proof that Phil’s passion didn’t just shape his own life, but his family’s future too. Leading Through Change Phil is not just a clinician; he is a builder, a reformer, and a protector of the organisations he serves. When NEEDES faced collapse in 2009, it was Phil who restructured the charity and kept it alive. When the Essex BASICS landscape evolved, he led the merger that created BASICS Essex, becoming its longstanding Medical Director. His influence expanded beyond the charity sector. Phil became a GP with special interest in emergency and unscheduled care, clinical lead for out-of-hours services, an Associate Specialist - and later locum Consultant - in Emergency Medicine at Colchester General Hospital, and Associate Medical Director for the East of England Ambulance Service. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when medication prevented him from performing face-to-face work, he stepped forward to serve in the Ambulance Service control room. There, he helped triage the region’s sickest patients, supported crews on scene, and later took on leadership of the region’s frequent and complex callers. Pioneering Prehospital Medicine Phil’s prehospital achievements read like a timeline of modern BASICS development: First doctor to fly on the Essex Air Ambulance , undertaking more than 75 missions voluntarily. Major incident response training , qualifying as both strategic and tactical medical commander. Participation in numerous exercises including at Stansted Airport , and triaging casualties from the First Gulf War . On-call rota for aircraft hijackings  at Stansted - often involving long, uneventful days taken as unpaid leave. Dozens of courses taught and directed in general practice, emergency medicine, and prehospital care. All of it unpaid. All of it fuelled by passion. A Career Recognised Phil’s work has not gone unnoticed. Among his many honours: Lifetime Achievement Award (2024)  from BASICS UK Fellowship of the Royal College of General Practitioners The Queen’s Golden, Diamond, and Platinum Jubilee Medals The King’s Coronation Medal St John Ambulance Long Service Medal In 2025, he became the 251st President of the historic Colchester Medical Society. A full-circle moment for a man whose path was anything but traditional. Winding Down - But Never Stopping Today, Phil describes himself as “mostly retired,” though the description barely fits. He continues to serve as a trustee for BASICS Essex, works part-time as Associate Medical Director for EEAST, and still responds as a BASICS doctor - though he admits he’s unsure for how much longer. After a lifetime on call, Phil is looking forward to more time in Cyprus, more quiet countryside days, and well-earned rest. But even as he steps back from frontline work, the legacy he leaves is enormous. Thousands of patients have been touched by his actions. Hundreds of clinicians have been shaped by his teaching. Entire services have been strengthened by his leadership. And all of it began with one brave decision: to walk away from a good job because he believed he could do more.

BASICS Essex has long been powered by extraordinary people. Our volunteer clinicians give their time, skill, and compassion to bring advanced medical care to those who need it most, often in the most challenging circumstances. Their dedication is the reason so many lives across Essex have been saved, supported, and changed. As the charity continues to grow, so does the need to strengthen the foundations that support our responders. That’s why we’re delighted to welcome Kim Turner as our new Corporate and Community Fundraising Officer - a role designed not to change what makes BASICS Essex special, but to enhance and protect it for the future. For her, joining BASICS Essex is more than a professional step; it’s deeply personal. She has experienced first‑hand the impact of prehospital care - from losing a young family member in a road traffic collision, to seeing a close friend’s life saved by a similar scheme, to meeting patients whose lives were transformed by clinicians just like ours. These experiences have shaped her belief in the importance of this work and her commitment to supporting those who deliver it. Although she now lives in West Suffolk, she grew up on the Suffolk-Essex border and spent much of her teenage life in and around Colchester. In many ways, joining BASICS Essex feels like a full circle. Alongside her new role, she is the proud mum of two teenage boys, volunteers as a Community First Responder for the ambulance service and co‑runs a green‑waste recycling and tree surgery business in North Norfolk. When she’s not working or responding, she can often be found in her workshop, creating with wood and wire, usually accompanied by her golden retriever, Bramble Her focus at BASICS Essex is simple: to build sustainable fundraising, strengthen awareness, and ensure our clinicians have the resources they need to continue their lifesaving work. With strong foundations and a united team, the future of BASICS Essex looks incredibly bright.

A woman from Chalkwell (Southend-On-Sea) has helped save a life just days after attending a CPR and AED training session delivered by BASICS Essex , highlighting the real and immediate impact of the charity’s voluntary workshop. Nearly half of UK adults (43 %) have never learned CPR, according to British Heart Foundation research. This equates to an estimated 23 million people without basic CPR training. BASICS Essex recently delivered a CPR and AED workshop for members of the Legra Ladies Women’s Institute , based in Leigh On Sea, as part of its Sponsor A Clinician scheme  — an initiative that allows organisations to support the charity’s volunteer emergency clinicians while receiving life-saving CPR and AED and other benefits in return. Just a few days after the session, one of the attendees was travelling through Southend when a member of the public collapsed at the Royal Shopping Centre.   Thanks to the confidence and skills gained during the training, she was able to step in and assist immediately — supported by a nurse and other responders on scene — helping to save the individual’s life until emergency services arrived. The incident powerfully demonstrates how supporting BASICS Essex doesn’t just fund emergency medical response across the county — it directly equips everyday people with the skills to save lives . A spokesperson from the Legra Ladies WI said: “A massive thank you to John and BASICS Essex for providing the CPR training for our group. The events I experienced a couple of days later are a real testament to the importance that everyone should receive CPR training — it can really make a difference when you are least expecting it to.” John Horton, Volunteer Clinician for BASICS Essex, added: “The Sponsor A Clinician scheme allows organisations to see first-hand the impact of their support. CPR is something anyone can do, and early intervention can be lifesaving. Hearing that this training was used in a real emergency just days later shows exactly why this work matters.” What to Do If Someone Collapses (UK Guidance) BASICS Essex encourages everyone to learn basic life-saving skills. If someone collapses and becomes unresponsive in the UK: Check for danger and responsiveness Make sure it is safe to approach. Gently shake their shoulders and ask loudly, “Are you okay?” Call 999 immediately If they are unresponsive and not breathing normally, call 999  (or ask someone nearby to call) and put the phone on loudspeaker. The call handler will guide you. Start chest compressions Push hard and fast in the centre of the chest — around 100–120 compressions per minute . Don’t worry about getting it perfect; doing something is far better than doing nothing. Use an AED if available If there is a public defibrillator nearby, switch it on and follow the spoken instructions. AEDs are safe to use and will only deliver a shock if needed. Continue until help arrives Keep going until the person shows signs of life or emergency services take over. CPR Training Through the Sponsor A Clinician Scheme BASICS Essex delivers CPR and AED workshops exclusively to organisations taking part in its Sponsor A Clinician scheme . These sessions are practical, accessible and designed to give people the confidence to act in a real emergency. By sponsoring a clinician, organisations: Directly support life-saving pre-hospital emergency care across Essex Receive CPR and AED training for their team or members Help spread vital emergency response skills into local communities To learn more about the Sponsor A Clinician scheme, click here.

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.

By a grateful BASICS Essex patient, Julie from Southend: "I knew the instant I hit the floor that something was badly wrong. My left foot was twisted at a strange angle & pain was building fast. By chance—good or bad—I was on a video call with my twin sister, Angie. I asked her to call an ambulance while I tried not to panic. My right leg had landed on a brass lampstand, leaving a deep gash that looked close to the bone. Angie arrived quickly and pressed a clean tea towel on the wound while I held my left foot, worried about the blood supply. Any injury is complicated for me. I live with cystic fibrosis, mild heart failure and osteopenia, and my care team are already discussing a lung transplant. The ambulance crew soon arrived and gave me gas and air while assessing the damage. They suspected my foot was dislocated and broken in two places. Stronger pain relief and a realignment were needed, so they called for a doctor. I didn’t know it then, but the doctor on his way Chris, was a volunteer with BASICS Essex , an emergency medical charity. Chris drove from Burnham and reached me in about half an hour. Calm and reassuring, he administered stronger medication and worked with the paramedics to move me outside where there was room to treat me. Living in a chalet bungalow meant the stretcher wouldn’t fit through the lounge. With extra pain relief on board, Chris realigned my dislocated foot to protect the blood supply and prevent further damage. Thanks to his skill, we avoided serious complications before I even reached hospital. In A&E, doctors attempted two further realignments but the joint kept slipping. Surgery was the only option. Two days later I underwent an operation under a spinal block—general anaesthetic was too risky given my lung and heart problems. Surgeons fixed metal plates and screws to my left ankle and cleaned and stitched the deep cut in my right leg. Only afterwards did I learn that Chris was a BASICS Essex volunteer and that the charity receives no government funding . These highly trained doctors give their time freely, responding across the county when the NHS is stretched and patients like me need urgent specialist care. I am profoundly grateful. Without BASICS Essex I would have endured hours of unnecessary pain and might have faced permanent damage. It is because Chris arrived when he did, my foot was realigned quickly & I have every chance of walking again after rehabilitation. To everyone who donates or fundraises for BASICS Essex—thank you. Your support puts doctors like Chris on the road, turning terrifying accidents into stories of expert care, compassion and hope." Learn how you can support here.

Every day across Essex, our emergency services step forward to help people in their hour of need. From road traffic collisions to sudden medical emergencies, the dedication of ambulance crews, firefighters, police officers, air ambulance teams, and voluntary services ensures that our communities are protected around the clock. Their work is nothing short of extraordinary. At BASICS Essex, we are proud to play our part in this life-saving network in Essex. As a pre-hospital emergency medical charity, our volunteer clinicians, including Doctors and Paramedics, provide enhanced critical care at the roadside or wherever it is needed. We work closely with the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) and the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance teams to ensure patients receive the very best care as quickly as possible. When a 999 call is received, the EEAST call handler gathers vital information about the incident before dispatching the most appropriate resources. Depending on the circumstances, this may involve a combination of ambulance crews, BASICS Essex volunteer clinicians, and air ambulance teams. This joined-up approach is particularly valuable during high-demand periods, as it reduces waiting times for critically ill patients and ensures they have the best chance of survival. Working Together in Critical Moments Collaboration between services is at the heart of what we do. Paramedics bring their incredible frontline expertise; air ambulance teams provide rapid transport and advanced interventions; and BASICS Essex volunteer doctors add senior skills to the scene. Each service complements the other, creating a safety net for patients at their most vulnerable moments. A recent case illustrates this teamwork in action. In the early hours of the morning, BASICS Essex were tasked to assist EEAST crews with a patient in his 30s who had suffered a heart attack. En route to a specialist cardiac centre, the patient went into cardiac arrest several times. Thanks to the combined efforts of ambulance paramedics and our volunteer doctor—who provided advanced interventions and accompanied the patient to hospital—the man not only survived the journey but was sitting up and talking just days later. Stories like this are a powerful reminder of the impact collaboration can have. No single service can do it all—but together, we achieve outcomes that save lives. The Human Side of Emergency Response Behind every incident are highly skilled professionals and volunteers giving their all in challenging and often unpredictable situations. The long nights, complex cases, and emotionally demanding calls are met with unwavering commitment to patient care. BASICS Essex volunteers dedicate their time and expertise freely, often balancing demanding medical careers with their charity work, all with one goal: to give patients the best possible chance when seconds matter. Looking Ahead As we celebrate the work of Essex’s emergency services, we also look forward. Demand continues to grow, and so does the need for collaboration. By strengthening partnerships, sharing expertise, and supporting each other, we can ensure that communities across Essex continue to benefit from world-class emergency response. At BASICS Essex, we are honoured to work alongside our colleagues in the ambulance service and air ambulance teams. Together, we are proving—every day—that collaboration saves lives. As a charity that receives no government funding, we actively pursue donations and fundraising efforts from the general public and local businesses. If you can help us, get in touch here.

Volunteer clinicians in Essex explain how local businesses can get involved to help emergency medical charity BASICS Essex deliver its life-saving service. BASICS Essex is a local charity with a specialised team of 25 volunteer clinicians on call to provide critical pre-hospital care within minutes of a 999 call, working at the request of the East of England Ambulance Service. The team of experienced volunteer doctors and paramedics are equipped to administer advanced pre-hospital care that traditional ambulance services cannot always provide. “ Our impact within the community is huge, but can go unnoticed”, says James Samouelle, an Advanced Critical Care Practitioner from Chelmsford, who has volunteered for the charity for over 8 years. “You might not have heard of BASICS Essex unless you are in a situation where you or a family member needs us, so building public awareness can be a challenge. “ 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.” In 2024, the team was activated on 178 occasions across Essex, with cardiac arrest and medical incidents accounting for 53% of all calls. The team gave over 7,500 hours of voluntary time to helping save lives. Nick Sillet, an Advanced Paramedic Practitioner and Clinical Supervisor / BASICS Essex volunteer, has responded to several road traffic collisions with critically injured patients, and recalls his recent invite to a patient reunion. “Meeting the individual and their family was 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.” The charity does not receive any government funding and relies entirely on the generosity of the community it serves to stay operational, with £80,000 in annual running costs which include investment into medical equipment, vehicles, and day-to-day operations. “There are lots of ways that businesses can play a part in helping us save lives, through corporate fundraising, charity spaces for the London Marathon, or even ‘Sponsoring a clinician’ like myself!”, Nick added. BASICS Essex new Sponsor A Clinican  scheme is encouraging local businesses to pledge to fundraising £1,000 per year, with Colchester based Accountants Wood + Disney the first to sigh the pledge. Each business that gets involved will receive a host of benefits on offer including a team CPR / AED session, a logo on the Clinician’s hoody, regular team updates and highlighting team fundraising efforts across various digital channels. “We want to encourage businesses that want to do something charitable and want to support their local community, to use whatever means they have to help us,” Jay added. “If your business wants to do something good for the Essex community, please get in touch or visit our website to find out more about who we are and what we do.” Click here to learn more about our 'Sponsor A Clinician' Campaign

BASICS Essex is pleased to share the outstanding efforts of this year’s London Marathon runners, with 21 inspiring individuals taking on the challenge on behalf of our emergency medical charity. This year, our inspiring runners raised a total of over £35,000 for the charity from fundraising efforts, which will support us with equipment, training and maintaining the day-to-day operations of the charity, allowing our volunteer clinicians to provide life-saving support across Essex communities. Alongside this incredible support, we saw some incredible runner journeys including Jamie Campbell from Southend who broke a Guinness World Record attempt as ‘World Fastest Shrimp’ and an unlikely duo of veteran runners John and his Grand-daughter Katie, who combined have completed the marathon over 39 times. Damon Nugent also received his ‘London Classic’ medal for finishing three competitive races, while we witnessed first-time runners Tracey and Max accomplish their first London Marathon in great time! Paul Gates, Chairman, “I would like to say thank all of our runners who have shown incredible spirit in their fundraising efforts, which will go a long way in supporting the charity. They are real lifesavers as without their energy and ability to raise the tremendous amount we would be unable ot do what we do and save lives across Essex. We are also pleased to announce that we now have spaces for the London 2026 Marathon” Click to learn more about the 2026 Marathon and get in touch today!

We are excited to announce the first corporate sponsor for our ‘Sponsor a Clinician’ partnership, Wood & Disney Ltd, who are sponsoring local clinician Dr Matt Buckland Hoby.   Each year our growing team of 25 BASICS Essex volunteer clinicians give their time to provide critical emergency medical care across Essex Communities. ​​​​   Matt, a GP by background, who has undertaken additional training in pre-hospital critical care, has been responding for BASICS Essex for over five years in the North East Essex area.   We spoke to Georgia Hines, Client Manager at Wood & Disney about the importance of this CSR activity!   Firstly, who are Wood & Disney? Wood & Disney Ltd are your local friendly accountants based in Colchester. We are jargon-free and pride ourselves on being advisors to ambitious entrepreneurs building amazing futures together.     Why do you think it is important to support local charities in Essex?  We want to support the local community wherever we can and understand the difficulties local charities can face when compared to the large national charities. As a team, we want to support local charities alongside the national ones as it means we can see the impact our support provides.     What made you choose BASICS Essex?  I met the team at a chamber of commerce event and found out about BASICS Essex does and think this is such an important service, when I fed back to the wider team this is something which we wanted to support. The addition of supporting a Colchester-based clinician was a bonus and this is where most of the team live so will be great to support something so local!   What are you most looking forward to with the relationship?  We are looking forward to supporting BASIC’s work, finding out more about what you guys do, how we can support you further and also learning some potentially life-saving skills along the way!   What fundraising plans do you have for the year?  While we haven’t quite wrapped our brains about this part, we are looking forward to bringing the team together to come up with some fun ideas to fundraise!   We look forward to supporting the team with their fundraising journey. Learn how your business can sponsor a clinician in your area here!

At BASICS Essex, our volunteer clinicians provide pre-hospital critical care across the county, which is completely funded by the generosity of public and corporate fundraising and sponsorship. Since 2023, Chelmsford-based Gepp Solicitors has been working with BASICS Essex as a charity partner, contributing to over £3,500 in fundraising contributions. Miranda Best, Business Development and Marketing Director at Gepp Solicitors, said;   “We were on a look out for an exciting local charity that is driving impact in our community and that received minimal government funding. BASICS Essex met all these needs, and the team were very keen to meet and inspire colleagues.”   In a passionate presentation, BASICS Essex Chairman Paul Gates kicked off the relationship by sharing stories of how volunteer clinicians are dedicated to providing pre-hospital critical care and saving lives while supporting the East of England Ambulance Service. NHS Trust Over the past three years, Gepp Solicitor colleagues have fundraised through a series of activities including Quizzes, Just Giving donations and Christmas Cards, alongside a challenging trek across the Lake District. Furthermore, the Law firm has continuously invited BASICS Essex colleagues to the Young Farmers Show, where our volunteer clinicians have demonstrated CPR and AED sessions, raising local awareness of the charity. We look forward to also attending this year’s event on Sunday 18th May 2025   Miranda added, “The one thing I love about this sort of CSR activity is that it really brings the team together. It has been a real team effort and I’m incredibly proud of colleagues who have supported this incredible charity. With recent fundraising, BASICS Essex has invested in a new emergency response vehicle, improved personal protective equipment and training for volunteer clinicians, Paul Gates, BASICS Essex Chairman; “We are incredibly grateful for the support that Miranda and the Gepp Solicitor team have provided over recent years, and look forward to continuing our strong relationship in the future.” The charity has also set up a new ‘Sponsor A Clinician’ scheme, offering benefits such as a complimentary CPR workshop and website listings for local businesses who want to support the charity. Learn more about how you can support the team here https://bit.ly/sponsoraclinician