A LIFE-SAVING charity needs cash urgently if it is to carry on with its vital work.

Volunteer doctors and paramedics from British Association for Immediate Care Essex are urging residents to help raise funds to purchase essential medical equipment.

The service, which provides pre-hospital medical care to seriously ill and injured patients, was one of many charities who have had their finances impacted by the pandemic.

Paul Gates, BASICS Essex Chairman explained: “Our committed volunteer doctors and paramedics make themselves available around the clock throughout the year.

“They are often first on the scene, be it at the roadside, in a field, or a home emergency.

“Our non-restricted income, the money that pays for our insurance, medical equipment, training, and fundraising expenses has decreased due to the pandemic.

“It costs us £60,000 a year to run the charity and without that income we will struggle to continue.”

The charity will be celebrating its ten-year anniversary on June 8.

Responders have continued to support the NHS throughout the pandemic and have attended patients severely affected by Covid.

In 2020 volunteers from BASICS Essex were mobilised 114 times, up 78 per cent on the 2019 figure of 64 mobilisations.

So far in 2021 volunteers have responded to 44 incidents.

The incidents they attend include cardiac arrests, road traffic collisions and serious trauma cases.

The volunteers respond in their own vehicles or in the scheme response car at the request of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust.