Members of the Wales Air Ambulance crew are swapping their helicopter for bicycles to take part in a massive fundraising bike ride across South Wales. Critical care practitioner Mike Palmer, who joined the lifesaving service four years ago, will be among the riders pedalling across the region to help keep the vital service running.
Cycle 100 Challenge Route
Cyclists will make their way out of Cardiff and head towards Bridgend before pedalling through Port Talbot and Swansea to finish the route in Llanelli. At the finish line, there will be refreshments and fun for all the family, including local stalls and vendors.
Mike Palmer, 38, who has just completed an advanced clinical practice master's degree, is looking forward to pulling on the charity jersey for this year's event. He said: “I have the best job in the world and love to keep active, so being able to take part in Cycle 100 enables me to give back to the charity. When we are on missions, it is difficult for us to be able to stop and talk to members of the public, because we are so focused on the patient we are attending. Supporting events like this gives us the opportunity to meet with supporters and fundraisers and be able to chat with them. They often cannot believe the capabilities of Wales Air Ambulance and that we take the emergency department to the patient.”
Fundraising Impact
He added: “It’s always nice to be able to tell fundraisers how the money they are raising on the day will be spent helping protect the people of Wales, it really motivates everyone. When I did the first ever Cycle 100, we were just about to set off from Leckwith Stadium when Helimeds 67 flew over, on its way back to our Dafen airbase from a mission. It was a bit of a treat for everyone, who was taking part. It wasn’t planned but it did spur us all on, as we were about to head to Llanelli.”
The Wales Air Ambulance is led by consultants and takes hospital-standard treatments directly to people who are seriously ill or injured. If required, the crew can transfer patients directly to the most appropriate hospital for their condition. The service is delivered through a unique partnership between the public sector and the third sector. The Wales Air Ambulance Charity relies entirely on public donations to raise the £13m required every year to keep the helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road.
Crew Training and Dedication
The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service supplies highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the charity's vehicles. This advanced critical care includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and conduct minor operations at the scene of an incident. As a pan-Wales service, its dedicated crews will travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency lifesaving care. Regardless of where they are based, the teams are ready to fly to the aid of anyone in need.
Mike became a dad for the first time in January with the arrival of his daughter Amelia. He is now trying to fit his Cycle 100 training around family life and demanding 12-hour shifts. He said: “I train consistently and cycle each day to get into work. My day starts at 7am and I finish at 7pm. Usually, I do around 30 kilometres from my house to Cardiff Heliport, then a 10k route back home. It’s important to keep fit for the job we do. When we fly, we never know how far we might have to walk to the patient. Our kit bags weigh around 18 kilogrammes each, so weightlifting is important too, to ensure we maintain our physical strength.”
Career Journey
Mike has been working for the NHS for 16 years after starting out his career as a call handler in the control room. He previously worked as a beach lifeguard at Ogmore-by-Sea as a teenager, which gave him his first insight into looking after the public. He said: “In University I studied Marine Biology, and after that I started my NHS career as an Ambulance 999 call handler. I volunteered as a Community First Responder and that is what led me down the pathway to study Paramedic Science at University. It took me two years to do the Higher Education degree, then I was fortunate to start work on Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) in 2020. The learning never stops, we must keep training to maintain our skills, and I’ve just completed a Master’s degree in Advanced Clinical Practice.”
Mike's passion for sport was also recently recognised when he was chosen as the charity's ambassador to receive the King's Baton Relay in June. The baton made its way around Wales ahead of the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. He said: “I do feel that in a previous life I was a professional athlete, I am just so drawn to sport and keeping active, I love it! I have that bug in me to keep on training, so it is a real privilege to collaborate with Team Wales as they prepare for the Commonwealth Games.”
Charity Appeal
Gail Windley, events and partnerships fundraiser for the charity, expressed her gratitude to the crew members taking part in the ride. She noted that the teams do an incredible job every day, attending to more than 3,500 patients each year. She said: “We are so grateful to Mike and fellow crew members who are taking part in this year’s Cycle 100 event in September! They do an incredible job every day across the whole of Wales, attending over 3,500 patients each year. It’s wonderful that our riders will have the opportunity to cycle alongside our team in the knowledge every pound raised will make an incredible difference. Each mission costs around £3,545, and so far, our teams have flown over 57,000 missions across Wales. By taking part in our Cycle 100 event, you will be helping keep both air and road crews on the move one pedal at a time. Diolch yn fawr iawn!”
