Four determined relatives are preparing to carry a heavy medical stretcher across 44 miles to raise vital funds for a local helicopter charity.
The Four Blokes on Hikes team
The team, consisting of brothers Matt and Tony, and their cousins Jason and Calvin, are carrying a weighted stretcher 44 miles from RAF Waddington to the Queen's Medical Centre on Saturday, August 15. They are raising money for the Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance in memory of their grandmother, Alice 'Mamma' Hill, who spent her life donating to the emergency helicopter charity.
Route mirrors patient journey
Their chosen route deliberately mirrors the journey made by helicopter patients, who must complete the final leg of their transfer by road due to the Nottingham hospital lacking a helipad. The rescue crew normally lands at Highfields Playing Fields before completing the transfer by ambulance, a journey the four fundraisers will replicate entirely on foot.
Previous fundraising and personal motivation
The team commented: "In 2024 we rode from Nottingham to Skegness and back in memory of Matt's dad, Barry Oak to raise money for the Bostonian Ward, a palliative care department at the Pilgrim Hospital. This year we've swapped the bikes for boots and a stretcher, in memory of our grandmother, Alice - 'Mamma'. She always supported the air ambulance because she knew how much it matters to have expert help arrive fast. Carrying a stretcher the 44 miles from the air ambulance's base at RAF Waddington to Queen's Medical Centre is our way of keeping her support going - and, we hope, helping the crews reach a few more people who need them."
For more information on their route, to view their live tracker, or to donate to the cause, visit https://www.helipadtohospital.com
