Cumbria's BEEP Doctors have acquired a third emergency response vehicle thanks to a sizeable £25,000 donation.

The volunteer team of doctors was able to purchase a vehicle outright after successfully bidding for the money from a grant of £250,000, given to the British Association for Immediate Care every year by the County Air Ambulance HELP Appeal.

"This is an absolutely amazing donation, which has allowed us to buy outright an emergency response vehicle, based in the south of the county, which we had previously only leased," said Dr Chris Moss, a responder with BEEP Doctors Cumbria, and the trustee responsible for fundraising and grant applications.

Some BEEP Doctors use their personal cars featuring covert emergency lights, which only became apparent once activated.

The latest vehicle, a Volvo XC60 SUV, is fully marked as an emergency response vehicle, branded with the BEEP Doctors' and HELP Appeal logos.

Clarity and visibility on the roads are instrumental for emergency services, especially in dire circumstances where every second counts.

Dr Moss said: "Our three marked vehicles can also be used at the roadside for defensive parking which boosts the safety of clinicians and patients."

Maintaining operations for the BEEP Doctors isn't a minor financial task, with required funds amounting to over £150,000 each year.

The team heavily depends on charitable donations and fund-raising events.

The BEEP Doctors team, consisting of 12 members, works closely with numerous other emergency services, including the police, fire services, and the North West and Great North Air Ambulance Services.

The services they provide encompass surgical procedures, administering drugs and handling all sorts of emergencies, from road traffic collisions to incidents involving farms and water bodies.

The £25,000 donation is a significant financial injection for the team, allowing them an extra boost in providing essential emergency medical services.

Dr Moss said: "Large donations like this are fantastic for us because you would never be able to raise £25,000 swiftly by shaking buckets in supermarkets.

“That said, small regular funding is also very important to us and we very much value all donations from the community, particularly at a time when the cost of living is hurting us all.

“We are very grateful for all donations received, whether that be from a school whose pupils have held a cupcake sale, from legacies or from donations from businesses.

“Next year will be the 30th anniversary of BEEP Doctors Cumbria and we shall be having an extra push on fund-raising activities.”

So far in 2023, the BEEP Doctors (BASICS) Cumbria has attended to 247 incidents and clocked 850 volunteering hours.

"These volunteers are the unsung heroes of emergency care – giving up their free time to support their local ambulance service," praised Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of County Air Ambulance HELP Appeal.