Cambridge Air Base Gets Major Backing from GS Fresh 2026

Key Points

• East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) has secured backing from G’s Fresh, one of Europe’s leading fresh produce companies, for its Cambridge Air Base Appeal.
• The family‑run business, based in Barway, Ely, has pledged a significant contribution to the charity’s biggest fundraising appeal ever.
• G’s Fresh has supported EAAA for the past 25 years, supplying fresh produce to UK supermarkets while maintaining a long‑term charitable relationship.
• South Cambridgeshire District Council granted planning permission in April 2026 for a new purpose‑built air ambulance facility at New Shardelowes Farm, Fulbourn.
• The approved site covers approximately 10.35 acres and will include helipads, a hangar, garage for critical care cars, crew facilities, a medical store, training area, sleeping accommodation and office space for ground staff.
• EAAA now needs to raise £8.2 million to relocate, build the new Cambridge Air Base and ensure continued lifesaving care across the region.
• The charity is launching a public fundraising campaign offering multiple donation routes, including text, phone, online and direct debit pledges delivered via household appeal envelopes.
• The redevelopment of the former Cambridge Airport site into “Cambridge East” with proposals for over 10,000 homes, a new railway station and major infrastructure means the current air base at Cambridge City Airport will no longer be viable for EAAA in the long term.
• G’s Fresh involvement strengthens EAAA’s ability to reach its fundraising target and underlines regional business support for critical care services.

Cambridge (Cambridge Tribune) July 08, 2026 – It has become the focus of a major partnership between a leading agri‑food business and a critical care charity, as East Anglian Air Ambulance announces that G’s Fresh is backing its Cambridge Air Base Appeal. As reported by a Cambridgenetwork correspondent in the original announcement, EAAA stated that “East Anglian Air Ambulance is pleased to announce that G’s Fresh one of Europe’s leading fresh produce companies is backing its Cambridge Air Base Appeal”.

This development comes at a pivotal moment for the charity. In April 2026, South Cambridgeshire District Council approved planning permission for a new, purpose‑built air ambulance facility at New Shardelowes Farm on Balsham Road, Fulbourn. While the regulatory hurdle has been cleared, EAAA now faces the challenge of funding the build, which it says will cost £8.2 million. The backing of G’s Fresh, described as a “significant contribution” to the appeal, is intended to help bridge that gap and demonstrate that regional businesses are willing to invest in the region’s lifesaving services.

What Does the Cambridge Air Base Detail Include?

According to EAAA’s own planning documentation and public statements, the new Cambridge Air Base is designed as a comprehensive critical care hub rather than simply a helipad site. As explained by the charity in its external FAQs and planning summaries, the approved site extends to approximately 10.35 acres and will include:

• Helipads and a hangar for aircraft storage and maintenance
• A garage area for the charity’s critical care cars
• Crew facilities and office space for ground staff
• A medical store and a dedicated training and educational area
• Overnight accommodation and resting facilities for night‑shift and visiting crew.

This breadth of facilities reflects the evolving role of air ambulance services, which increasingly operate integrated helicopter and ground critical care teams. The new base is intended to support not only emergency missions but also training, education and multi‑agency collaboration across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

How Has Planning Permission Changed the Situation for EAAA?

The granting of planning permission in April 2026 removes a major uncertainty that had previously complicated EAAA’s long‑term strategy. Before the decision, the charity faced the prospect of being forced out of its current location at Cambridge City Airport due to the planned redevelopment of the site.

As reported by BBC News in June 2026, Homes England and The Hill Group have purchased Cambridge Airport and surrounding land from the Marshall Group, with proposals to create “one of the UK’s largest urban extension projects” called Cambridge East. The plans include more than 10,000 homes, a new railway station, major infrastructure and up to three million square feet of commercial space, with the Marshall Group expected to relocate its operations by mid‑2029.

These plans mean that the current airport site cannot remain in long‑term use for aviation purposes, including the air ambulance base. The approval of a new site at New Shardelowes Farm, as confirmed by South Cambridgeshire District Council in April 2026, gives EAAA a secure, dedicated location that is not tied to the future residential and commercial development of the former airport.

Why Is G’s Fresh Involvement Significant for the Region?

G’s Fresh is a family‑run global fresh produce business with a base in Barway, Ely, and has been a supporter of East Anglian Air Ambulance for the past 25 years. Its involvement in the Cambridge Air Base Appeal is significant on several levels.

First, the company’s contribution is described as “significant” in EAAA’s announcement, indicating that it is not a small symbolic donation but a substantial financial injection that will have a tangible impact on the charity’s ability to meet its £8.2 million target. Second, the backing of an established regional employer underscores the importance of critical care services to local businesses and communities. As reported by Cambridgenetwork, G’s Fresh supplies UK supermarkets with a variety of fresh produce and has maintained a long‑term relationship with EAAA, reinforcing the idea of sustained regional partnership rather than one‑off support.

Third, the public nature of the backing is likely to encourage other local businesses and donors. EAAA’s fundraising strategy relies heavily on community contributions, including text donations, phone calls, online payments and direct debit pledges distributed via household appeal envelopes. High‑profile support from a major employer can help validate the appeal and motivate individuals to contribute.

How Can People Support the Cambridge Air Base Appeal?

East Anglian Air Ambulance has outlined several straightforward ways for people across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk to support the Cambridge Air Base Appeal. As detailed in the charity’s public materials and in the Cambridgenetwork report, supporters can:

• Text BASE10 or BASE20 to 70480 to donate £10 or £20 (texts cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate; donors will opt in to hear more from the charity; to donate without receiving further information, text BASENOINFO).
• Call the donation hotline on 03450 669 999, available Monday–Friday, 8.30am–5pm.
• Donate online at eaaa.org.uk/base.
• Return a donation or direct debit pledge using appeal envelopes being delivered to households across the region.

These options are designed to make it easy for people to contribute regardless of their preferred method, whether that is a quick text, a phone call, an online transaction or a traditional pledge form. The charity emphasises that the money raised will be used to relocate, build the new Cambridge Air Base and protect lifesaving care across the region.

Background: Why a New Cambridge Air Base Was Needed

The need for a new Cambridge Air Base arises from a combination of long‑term redevelopment plans for the former Cambridge Airport site and the evolving operational requirements of East Anglian Air Ambulance.

The Marshall Group, which has operated Cambridge City Airport, announced plans to relocate its operations by mid‑2029 as part of a major redevelopment called Cambridge East. Homes England and The Hill Group have purchased the airport and surrounding land to deliver thousands of new homes, a new railway station and significant commercial space, transforming the area into one of the UK’s largest urban extension projects.

This redevelopment means that the current airport site cannot remain available for aviation use in the long term. EAAA, which had been operating from the airport, therefore needed a dedicated, purpose‑built facility that would not be vulnerable to future land‑use changes. The April 2026 planning permission for New Shardelowes Farm provides a secure, long‑term location specifically designed for air ambulance operations, including facilities for both helicopters and critical care cars.

Prediction: How This Development Could Affect the Local Community and Critical Care User

The backing of G’s Fresh and the progression of the Cambridge Air Base Appeal are likely to have several effects on the region’s residents, businesses and emergency care users.

For patients and families across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, the construction of a new purpose‑built air base should help ensure that EAAA can continue to provide rapid, high‑quality critical care in the future. A dedicated facility with training areas, overnight accommodation for crews and integrated ground critical care infrastructure is designed to support sustained operations even as the surrounding landscape changes with the Cambridge East development. If the £8.2 million target is met, the new base should allow EAAA to maintain or even improve response times and clinical capabilities, which is particularly important as the population in the Greater Cambridge area grows with thousands of new homes.

For local businesses and the wider community, the successful fundraising campaign could reinforce a model of corporate‑community partnership in critical care. G’s Fresh’s involvement may encourage other employers to consider similar support, potentially leading to a broader culture of regional investment in emergency services. Conversely, if the funding target is not reached, there could be delays in the build or a need to scale back some facilities, which might affect the long‑term capacity of the service. The extent of these outcomes will depend on how quickly and effectively EAAA can mobilise public donations in addition to the backing from G’s Fresh.

Overall, the development represents a critical juncture: it offers a clear path to a secure, modern air ambulance base, but it also places the responsibility on the community and regional businesses to turn that planning permission into a fully operational facility that can serve the region for generations.