CORNWALL Air Ambulance’s commitment to volunteers has been recognised.

The charity based at Trevithick Downs has achieved the Investing in Volunteers award for a third successive time.

Achieving the award highlights how Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust values its volunteers and demonstrates its commitment to “best practice” and “meaningful, effective, volunteering.”

The award is the UK quality standard for good practice in volunteer management and is valid for three years, which means the charity will keep the accreditation until 2029, having held it continuously from 2017.

Cornwall Air Ambulance needed to complete a rigorous six-step process to achieve the award that included an assessor meeting with some of their ground crew volunteers and members of the wider team.

The final report noted that Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust is particularly mindful of volunteer health, safety and welfare and when asked what the charity does well, many volunteers referenced inclusivity.

Volunteers interviewed unanimously felt appreciated and valued and the report stated it was evident that volunteers felt incredibly proud of volunteering for the charity.

Tim Bunting, Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust's chief executive officer, said: "Everyone at the charity is incredibly proud to receive this award.

“It reflects the fantastic work of our volunteer manager, Jackie Eastwood, who has helped create an environment where our ground crew volunteers feel valued and supported.

"Most importantly, however, it is recognition for our volunteers themselves.

“They are the unsung heroes of our charity, giving their time, skills and passion to keep our helicopters in the sky and our crew providing specialist care each and every day.”

Volunteer manager Jackie Eastwood said: “We are so pleased to have once again received this accreditation, which helps to highlight the exceptional care we always strive to provide for all our amazing volunteers.

“Our ambition is to continuously generate a feeling of our ground crew volunteers being valued. They are a vital part in ensuring we can continue to provide critical care to those in need, right across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Simply put, we would not be able to provide the service we do without them.”

One of those vital volunteers is Karolyn Albutt, who over the past nine years has volunteered in a multitude of roles for the charity and currently gives her spare time to help run reception at the headquarters in Newquay.

Karolyn received help first-hand from the Cornwall Air Ambulance crew when her granddaughter was airlifted to Derriford Hospital for an urgent procedure many years ago.

Karolyn said: “My granddaughter's outcome could have been a lot worse without the care the crew provided that day.

“I don’t have lots of money to donate, so I choose to give my time instead.

“I’ve learnt so much during my time here including how to properly use a computer. It’s a fantastic way to meet people and is great for your mental health.

“It’s the people that make volunteering here so special.

“There is great camaraderie, and we all get on so well. If anyone is thinking of volunteering for Cornwall Air Ambulance, just do it.”