Jonathan Djanogly and the MP for North West Cambridgeshire Shailesh Vara, braved the cold earlier to give their support to the life saving service Magpas provides night and day. Jonathan Djanogly MP said, "We are lucky to have Magpas in Huntingdonshire. They are a tremendous support to the work of the NHS and we must never forget the dedication of the volunteers involved who have helped to save so many lives. Magpas is there for people who are in desperate need and in return we should be there for them." Shailesh Vara MP added, “Magpas is an excellent medical charity run by exceptional people whose volunteering saves lives. “The organisation has responded to countless accidents and emergencies since its creation in 1971, but being solely funded by donations it needs help to keep on providing its services. Without urgent support Magpas runs the risk of closure. “I am backing the campaign to save Magpas and urge all who value this service to make a donation to keep these lifesaving medics in the skies above Cambridgeshire.” Donations can be made to the charity by visiting the http://www.justgiving.com/1-in-a-million or by sending a donation to MAGPAS Helimedix, 105 Needingworth Road, St. Ives, PE27 5WF. BACKGROUND

• Between January - November 2010 Magpas attended over 800 incidents across the East of England
• Magpas has over 50 professional medics involved in the delivery of our service, including 13 leading consultants
• It is the longest running charity of its kind in the UK which provides specialist doctor-paramedic teams to give on the spot A&E care at the scenes of serious incidents across the East of England
• As a charity, Magpas is solely reliant on donations
• Please visit www.magpas.org.uk for more information
• Magpas has attended over 50,000 patients since 1971
• Magpas has been working in partnership with Cambridgeshire Constabulary for 13 years
• Magpas is the only Civil Aviation Authority approved night-time HEMS operation with Doctors anywhere in the UK
• Magpas is the only Care Quality Commission registered independent provider of pre-hospital critical care in the UK

Photo: Visitng Magpas with Shailesh Vara MP