Key Points

• Will Young, 34, from Cambridge, suffered a cardiac emergency while rowing on the River Cam in 2024 and received lifesaving treatment from the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
• He is now backing the Cambridge Air Base Appeal, which has raised £2.6 million so far.
• The East Anglian Air Ambulance says it urgently needs to relocate and build a new base in Cambridgeshire because Cambridge Airport will close by 2030.
• The charity says the Cambridge base is vital to maintaining its 24/7 emergency critical care service across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.
• The planned new base is at New Shardelowes Farm near Fulbourn.
• ITV reported that the charity warned nearly 1,000 lives could be put at risk each year if £8.2 million is not raised.
• The charity said it hopes the new building programme could start in 2027 if the money is secured in time.

How is a Cambridge rower backing the £8.2m appeal?

Cambridge (Cambridge Tribune) July 27, 2026 – Will Young, 34, from Cambridge, who nearly died during a morning row on the River Cam in 2024, is backing the East Anglian Air Ambulance’s £8.2 million Cambridge Air Base Appeal, as the charity races to secure a new home for its service.

As reported by Huntspost, Young suffered a cardiac emergency while rowing and received lifesaving treatment from the East Anglian Air Ambulance, which he now credits with helping save his life. The article says he is urging the public to support the appeal, which has already raised £2.6 million. The charity says it needs to relocate because Cambridge Airport, where its current base operates, is due to close by 2030.

The development centres on the charity’s plan to build a purpose-built facility at New Shardelowes Farm near Fulbourn, a site that South Cambridgeshire District Council approved in April 2026. The new base is intended to include helipads, a hangar, crew facilities, a medical store, offices, and accommodation for staff, according to the charity’s planning material. East Anglian Air Ambulance says the Fulbourn location was selected because it best matched its aviation, clinical and rapid-response requirements.

What did the charity say?

Richard Hindson, director of operations and infrastructure at East Anglian Air Ambulance, said the planning approval marked “the start of our journey to a new home”. He added that the charity must now raise substantial funds to build the new base, describing it as its largest project to date. The charity also said the move would safeguard continuity of its lifesaving service and improve crew welfare, training facilities and public engagement.

The charity operates from two bases, in Cambridge and Norwich, and says both helicopters can reach anywhere in the region within 25 minutes. It also says it relies entirely on donations to provide emergency critical care by air and road across East Anglia. In its own fundraising appeal, the charity warned that Cambridge Airport’s closure means urgent action is needed to avoid major disruption.

ITV reported that the charity has warned nearly 1,000 lives could be at risk each year if the £8.2 million target is not met. The same report said the charity hopes most of the money can be raised by the end of 2026, with building potentially starting in 2027. That timeline reflects the pressure created by the planned airport closure and the need to keep the Cambridge service in place.

Why does the new base matter?

The Cambridge base is a central part of East Anglian Air Ambulance’s regional coverage, and the charity has said that without it, its operations would be cut in half. Cambridge Edition reported that without a Cambridgeshire site, the service would be left with only its Norfolk base, increasing response times for people facing life-threatening emergencies. The charity has argued that a base in the centre of the region is essential for fast tasking to patients.cambsedition.

The new site at Fulbourn is on about 10.35 acres, according to the planning permission documents quoted by the charity. The project includes not only helicopter infrastructure but also crew welfare and training spaces, which the charity says are needed for a modern air ambulance operation. That broader design suggests the move is not just about replacing lost ground at Cambridge Airport, but also about building a more permanent operational home.

How much has been raised?

The Huntspost report said the appeal had already reached £2.6 million. The charity has described the appeal as urgent because the money is needed to pay for construction of the new base rather than day-to-day operations. It has also said the campaign is necessary to protect the future of its critical care service across the region.eaaa.

The funding push follows the April 2026 planning approval, which removed one major hurdle but left the cost of construction unresolved. The charity has framed the project as a generational investment in regional emergency care. That message has now been reinforced by public supporters, including Young, who experienced the service first-hand.

Background of the development

East Anglian Air Ambulance first submitted plans in late 2025 to move its Cambridge base from Cambridge City Airport to New Shardelowes Farm on Balsham Road, Fulbourn. The search for a replacement site began because Cambridge Airport is set to close, creating what the charity called a significant operational challenge. South Cambridgeshire District Council approved the application in April 2026.

Since then, the charity has focused on fundraising for the build itself. Its appeal is aimed at keeping the Cambridge arm of the service operating and preserving coverage for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. The latest public backing from a beneficiary of the service has given the campaign a human face and renewed attention.eaaa.

What could happen next?

For people living in Cambridgeshire and the wider East Anglia region, the appeal’s success would help keep a fast-response air ambulance base close to the centre of the area. That could matter most in severe trauma, cardiac and other time-critical emergencies, where minutes can affect outcomes. A successful fundraising drive would also allow the charity to move ahead with construction on the Fulbourn site.

If the appeal falls short, the charity has warned that its Cambridge operation could be severely reduced, which would lengthen response times and weaken regional coverage. For local residents, that would mean greater pressure on emergency care across the region. The next major milestone is whether the charity can keep momentum and secure the remaining funds needed for the new base.