THERE was sky-high excitement at St Stephen’s School in Saltash as the brand-new Cornwall Air Ambulance helicopter, Heli2, made a surprise landing on the school field – all part of a special thank-you for the school’s fantastic fundraising efforts.

The visit marked a memorable moment for pupils and staff, who were thrilled to welcome the helicopter and its crew. As part of its flight testing phase, Heli2 touched down right in front of the children, giving them the chance to get up close to the aircraft, meet the crew, as well as ask questions about their vital work.

The visit was especially meaningful for St Stephen’s, which has been actively involved in supporting the Heli2 campaign – Cornwall Air Ambulance’s mission to raise £2.85-million to bring a new, upgraded helicopter into service.

The new aircraft offers more space, faster speeds, longer flying time and advanced medical equipment, enabling the critical care team to reach patients across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly more quickly than ever before.

Over the past year, pupils at St Stephen’s have taken part in a series of creative and energetic fundraising events to help make the campaign a success. From cake sales and drawing competitions to their school choir competing in a local singing contest, every activity was aimed at raising both money and awareness for this life-saving service.

Another highlight was the school seeing their name proudly emblazoned on the underside of the helicopter in recognition of their contribution to the fundraising campaign.

More than 1,000 names have been added to the new helicopter after supporters paid a minimum of £100 for their name of choice to be added. The names appear in alphabetical order on the underside of the helicopter, making up three large yellow chevrons, which are visible when the aircraft flies overhead.