GWAAC is the air ambulance for Bristol

Bristol is the lively, creative hub of the Southwest and the place we call home for our charity head office in Ashton Gate. Famed for the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Banksy’s street art and the International Balloon Fiesta, there’s always something happening in Bristol. As a result, this busy city sees a lot of action from our Critical Care Cars on the roads (619 missions in 2025).

Bristol also benefits from incredible medical facilities, like Southmead Hospital and Bristol Royal Infirmary, where many of the patients who require our services are taken – on the helicopter by us, via our critical care car, or by our friends out on the roads with the ambulance service.

Home to two GWAAC shops in Westbury-on-Trym and Whiteladies Road, our high street presence in Bristol connects us with our incredible supporters. These shops help embed us as the local air ambulance charity for the Bristol community. - Find out more about our High Street shops on our retail web page.

With an amazing community atmosphere, fun-filled city-wide events and exceptional medical teams, Bristol is a great place to get involved in supporting your local air ambulance charity.

Please do get in touch if you would like to find out more about fundraising in the city or volunteering with us.

2025 Bristol missions in numbers:

668

Call-outs to Bristol

Up from 656 in 2024

49 by helicopter

Compared to 62 in 2024

619 by critical care car

Up from 594 in 2024

396

Medical emergencies

Up from 364 in 2024

272

Trauma incidents

Compared to 292 in 2024

We were called out to Bristol 668 times in 2025. That's up from 656 in 2024 and 538 times in 2023.

Meet Eloise - Supporter Engagement Coordinator for Bristol

Eloise's Q&A

Bristol Hotspot

I can't pick one so here's a perfect day! Start with a visit to Wapping Wharf for some fantastic food, then take a short drive to Snuff Mills for a scenic and relaxing walk. Finish the day with a drink at The Star in Fishponds—perfect!

Favourite fundraiser

I think my favourite type of fundraiser has to be any music event. Recently, a group of students organised one at the Crown in Bristol, and it was fantastic! It wasn’t just an excellent way to encourage students to donate—it also gave everyone a chance to enjoy a great night out.

What Surprised You Most About GWAAC

What surprised me the most about GWAAC is that we don’t receive any government or National Lottery funding. Instead, we rely entirely on the incredible generosity of the communities we serve.

Favourite Thing About Working for GWAAC

What I love most about working for GWAAC is knowing that my efforts help enable our crew to deliver pre-hospital emergency medical care to the community we all share

Favourite food

Pizza, without a doubt—especially the Double Chorizo and Hot Honey Pizza from Pizzarova. It's absolutely delicious!

Top TV recommendation

It has to be Strictly Come Dancing! It's always such an entertaining and feel-good show.

Logan's Story

“Thanks to everyone’s actions that day, Logan is alive and well, with no side effects due to the quick response of the paramedics and the specialist skills that only your air ambulance team could bring. I am so thankful to everyone who helped us that day.”

- Sue Weaver

Find out more

Forrest's Story

“Approximately 83 other people in the UK suffered out-of-hospital cardiac arrests on that day in April!! Seven of us survived to tell the tale.”

Forrest Wheeler - GWAAC Patient

Forrest Wheeler was a fit and healthy Gloucestershire man enjoying a parkrun on Sat 22nd April 2017 when he suffered a cardiac arrest. Five years on, Forrest is here to tell his story of what happened that day and to share the incredible chain of coincidences and unbelievable good luck that led to his survival.

read Forrest's story

Does your community need a public access defibrillator?

Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) is excited to announce that Bristol City Council (BCC) has awarded us funding for 52 new defibrillators. Along with a further £25,000 raised by the Sam Polledri Foundation, GWAAC is looking to place 67 lifesaving public access defibrillators in Bristol. Now we need your help to find the best locations for these defibs!

We have created a simple three-step process for you to follow (outlined below) to check if you have a defibrillator near you and if not, to register your interest in getting one installed. By taking this simple action today, you could save a life in the future.