There’s no shortage of fundraising drives and donation appeals these days. What’s rarer is a pause to simply say thank you.
That’s the idea behind the annual Thankathon run by Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance Charity—and this year’s effort has gone further than ever before.
In a single day, staff, volunteers and trustees reached out to 1,759 supporters, a notable jump from last year’s total of 1,072. It’s a simple exercise on paper—phone calls, handwritten cards, emails—but one that carries weight for a charity that relies entirely on public support to keep flying.
The numbers tell part of the story. Over the course of the day, the team made 518 phone calls, sent 1,172 handwritten cards and followed up with 69 personal emails. Each message came directly from someone within the organisation, rather than a generic note or automated response.
The recipients were just as varied: individual donors, volunteers, local businesses, schools, pubs and community groups, along with those supporting the charity in memory of loved ones. It’s a broad network, and one that underpins the service’s day-to-day work.
Adam Baker, the charity’s Director of Communications and Supporter Engagement, described the Thankathon as a deliberate change of tone—less about asking for more, and more about recognising what’s already given.
That support remains essential. Without government funding, the charity depends on voluntary contributions to operate its helicopter and rapid response vehicles across Wiltshire and Bath.
In 2025 alone, the team responded to 1,159 missions. These included 283 cardiac emergencies, 181 road traffic collisions and 273 other medical incidents. The service also treated 130 children and carried out 413 night-time missions—figures that underline both the scale and range of demand.
Against that backdrop, the Thankathon feels less like a gesture and more like a necessary part of the relationship between the charity and the community it serves.
It won’t grab headlines in the same way as a dramatic rescue or a major appeal, but for those on the receiving end of a call or a handwritten note, it’s a reminder that their contribution—however large or small—hasn’t gone unnoticed.
