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

At BASICS Essex, our team of volunteer clinicians are dedicated to providing critical pre-hospital care to Essex residents, responding to emergency medical incidents across the county at the request of the East of England Ambulance Service.   Nick Sillett, aged 38 from Bishop’s Storford, is one of these passionate volunteers & joined the BASICS Essex team in 2016, continuing alongside his current job as an Advanced Paramedic Practitioner Critical Care and Clinical Supervisor.   Graduating from the University of Hertfordshire in 2008 with a degree in Paramedic Science, Nick always wanted to pursue a career as Paramedic.  Throughout his career, he has continuously sought to enhance his clinical and professional skills, taking on various roles such as Clinical Team Leader and Staff Officer.   “ I have volunteered in some capacity since I first joined St. John Ambulance aged six (probably what sparked my career ambition to become a Paramedic).    I joined the forerunning of BASICS Essex, BEARS, in 2016 when the charity purchased its first dedicated enhanced care car.  I was keen to be part of this new team, learning from Doctor colleagues and bringing the skills and experience I have gained in London to my local community.”   He is a part of our enhanced car crew responding as part of a team but also can act as a solo responder, allowing him to be available for callouts whilst also spending precious time with his young family.   When he isn’t working or volunteering, Nick can be found kayaking on the local waterways.   “In all honesty, it can be difficult juggling time, especially with a young family – but as a solo responder I am able to book on and off of the system to remain flexible.”   As part of his day-to-day role, Nick attends the most critical ill and injured patients, utilising an extended scope of practice and clinical formulary to autonomously assess, manage, and coordinate complex care in demanding situations.    He holds an MSc in Emergency and Resuscitation Medicine from QMUL and is a visiting lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire, where he enjoys teaching and developing future Paramedics.  He has a specific interest in Point of Care Ultrasound and holds a PGCert in Medical Ultrasound.   Nick shared how this experience helped serve some of his memorable moments working as a volunteer responder for BASICS Essex.   “I recall attending a road traffic collision case as a BASICS Essex Responder where there were multiple critically injured patients.  I was the first critical care paramedic on scene and worked with two air ambulance teams to provide enhanced care to both patients.  Their injuries were so severe that their initial prognosis was very poor.     “When I received an invitation to a patient reunion with them, 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.”   OUR VOLUNTEERS NEED YOUR SPONSORSHIP.   As a charity organisation, we rely solely on the generous donations of public and corporate sponsorship, so that we can equip our volunteers with the best vehicles, PPE, medical equipment and training to save lives and make a difference within Essex communities.

At BASICS Essex, our team of volunteer clinicians work around the clock providing critical pre-hospital care and assistance to the East of England Ambulance Service, typically managing day-to-day roles alongside this.   This includes volunteer James Samouelle from Chelmsford, who works as an Advanced Critical Care Practitioner for the East of England Ambulance Service.   Talking about his introduction to BASICS Essex eight years ago, Jay said;   “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.”   As an autonomous responder, Jay confidently manages family life while volunteering for BASICS Essex on average 100 hrs per month, assisting in pre-hospital critical care incidents across the county.   In a recent case, Jay was called to the home of Nicola Giles from Broomfield, who had dislocated her hip and was in need of urgent pain relief.   As an experienced Advanced practitioner, Jay can often carry stronger medicine types on board his vehicle than what is typically stored by Ambulance crews, meaning he could assess the situation, effectively administer pain relief to Nicola and ultimately make it easier support the crew in getting her quickly and safely to hospital. Sharing her experience, Nicola, aged 59 from Broomfield, said; “I would like to share my thanks and appreciation to Jay from BASICS Essex, who visited me at my home alongside the East of England Ambulance service after I had dislocated my hip and was in a lot of pain. “Before the incident, I had not heard of the charity, and was surprised to learn that it was volunteer medical professionals at my side donating their time to keep Essex residents safe. “Jay and the team were extremely pleasant, aiding my comfort with appropriate painkillers, re-assuring me with smiles and laughter, and assisting in getting me to Broomfield Hospital safely and securely.” Three months on, Nicola is finally back to driving, while Jay continues to be an outstanding volunteer for BASICS Essex. He added, “Testimonials like this remind me of why I love volunteering for BASICS Essex. While the role is certainly not without its challenges and difficult moments, I enjoy the notion of helping people, be that adding experience to the crews on site, saving lives, or simply making a patient smile.

Following a generous donation from the HELP Appeal, local emergency medical charity BASICS Essex, has announced the launch of both a new Pre-hospital Critical Care response vehicle and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), supporting its plans for wider incident reach across the county.   The charity, which consists of 25 volunteer clinicians, provides pre-hospital critical care across the heart of Essex communities at the request of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust.   BASICS Essex has experienced over 600 callouts in the past five years, with volunteer doctors and paramedics responding to road traffic collisions, cardiac arrest and other critical medical incidents.   The local scheme was awarded over £40,000 in project funding for the new vehicle and PPE from the HELP Appeal, via the British Association for Immediate Care. The HELP Appeal aims to improve pre-hospital care and is the only charity in the country dedicated to funding NHS hospital helipads including at Basildon University Hospital and Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford. Paul Gates, Chairman of BASICS Essex, said; “We are extremely thankful to the HELP Appeal for its continued support to the scheme via the British Association for Immediate Care. “Having the second vehicle allows us to provide further pre-hospital critical care across the county, while the investment in PPE helps us to improve both the safety and ability of our volunteer clinicians to function in all conditions.”   Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal said: "We are proud to support these incredible volunteers who play such a crucial role in medical emergencies. In critical moments, quick and effective care can save lives, and this investment will help the team to reach and treat patients faster. Our donation not only contributes to better outcomes for those in urgent need but also provides vital protection for the team who are at the heart of life-saving work across Essex.” To find out more about the HELP Appeal, please visit: www.helpappeal.org.uk Alongside the new vehicle launch, BASICS Essex has also announced a ‘Sponsor A Clinician’ campaign, seeking new corporate partners to pledge yearly support to fund one or more of the clinical volunteers who respond within the scheme.   As part of the pledge, the charity will provide a complimentary CPR and AED workplace session, promotional listing and regular updates from the team.   Paul finished; “We hope the campaign will bring more awareness of the critical work of our volunteers, raise the importance of having appropriate CPR training in the workplace and ultimately support operational costs through sponsorship.

We are thrilled to announce that BASICS Essex has received an incredible £15,000 donation, raised by the dedicated team at Anderson Development Group based in Chelmsford. The funds were collected through the efforts of their fantastic runners who participated in this year’s London Marathon. We are deeply grateful to Anderson Development Group and their runners for their hard work and commitment, which will help us continue delivering life-saving emergency medical care across Essex. The London Marathon is no easy feat, and we want to congratulate each runner for their remarkable achievement. Below is a table showing the list of runners and their impressive finish times: Once again, a massive thank you to everyone involved. Your support ensures we can continue making a real difference in our community! Runner Time Adam Bedingham 03:28 Alasdair Sherry 03:39 Derry Jay 04:08 Liam Crancher 04:15 Andrew Jay 04:48 Inge Nijkamp 04:48