The lifesaving Air Ambulance Service is calling on the Swadlincote community to back an urgent appeal to safely reopen its charity shop in the town and 56 others across the region.

The network of shops and boutiques provide much-needed income for the charity to provide its clinical services - but have had to shut due to the coronavirus lockdown.

To enable them to reopen as soon as the Government gives the green light, the Air Ambulance Service needs to ensure the safety of customers and staff and is facing a bill of nearly £22,000 to put the necessary measures into place.

The charity is now appealing to businesses and individual supporters to help raise around £13,000 for hygiene screens around till points, more than £7,000 for hand sanitiser stations and some £1,000 for social distancing signage to transform the charity shops.

Swadlincote's Air Ambulance shop is located in the High Street.

"Our dedicated crews are continuing their potentially lifesaving work through this difficult time and this vital support to the NHS relies solely on donations as the charity receives no Government funding for its missions," explained Air Ambulance Service Deputy CEO Emma Peake

"We want to reopen our shops as soon as we are able but our priority is to ensure the safety of our customers and staff.

"The charity desperately needs the income these stores provide and we desperately need the public's help, more than ever before, to enable us to continue to support the NHS."

The bill to reopen the charity shops is in addition to the multi-million-pound losses faced by the charity due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite the financial impact, the charity continues to provide vital frontline, critical care services and is attending missions 24/7 throughout this difficult period.

"The pandemic has had a significant impact on so many including our own lifesaving charity.

"Due to the closure of our shops, the suspension of our reuse kerbside collections and the postponement of our door-to-door lottery, the charity is facing a projected net loss of at least £2.18m for the months April to June," added Emma.

These losses are further impacted by the cancellation of fundraising events and supporter-lead initiatives during the lockdown period.

The Air Ambulance Service covers Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland, as well as operating the national Children's Air Ambulance.