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Dukinfield charity is helping communities across Tameside

Lifeline Ambulance is the community interest company helping to keep residents safe and get them to and from essential hospital appointments.  

The founder of the service, John Gilmour, has over thirty years' experience in nursing and bought the ambulance with his own finances.  

He decided to buy the retired 999 ambulance to relieve some of the pressure put on the emergency services.  

In the ambulance he provides first aid cover for major events in Tameside, gifts food packages to isolating residents and helps people with mobility issues reach their hospital appointments.  

John’s joined on his mission by a team of nine people, all giving their time for free.  

Volunteer, Penelope, added: “I asked a gentleman in a wheelchair who uses our services how we benefited him. He said ‘if I had to get an NHS ambulance, I’d have to wait in a time slot of 4 hours, before and after my appointment. With you, I can relax, take my time and don’t have to struggle’. 

“He’s dependent on us and rings John every time he’s got an appointment. It means he’s not sat in a waiting room at a risk of bugs.”  

John also runs New Start Education and is a certified first aid trainer. He teaches others to use life-saving defibrillators and perform CPR.  

From the organisation’s office in Dukinfield John’s created a Santa’s grotto. Tickets to meet Santa are available here and the money helps to keep the ambulance running.  

John explained: “The ambulance has an oil leak on the front at the moment and it’s getting rundown. I want this to be a success, but people need to know we’re there and help us to keep running.  

“I’m trying to raise funds for a wheelchair access minibus. We only ever take one person to the hospital at the time, so it’s doesn’t need to be very big.”  

If anyone has a second-hand minibus they could provide, John is always open to donations. You can also gift money here.  

Furthermore, John has been donating wheelchairs and is asking for anyone with unused mobility equipment to pass it along to his service. Find out more about Lifeline Ambulance at http://lifelineambulance.online

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