Herald - Issue 423

Page 70 • The HERALD • 12th May 2022 v WE’VE BEEN YOUR LOCAL SINCE 1994 v A process involving the removal of dents and small accident damage without the need for spraying • Convenient mobile service to your home or place of work • Repairs completed at a fraction of bodyshop costs • Repair costs may be less than your insurance excess • Dents completely removed or dramatically improved* • Over 30 years experience in the repair of bodywork (*If the paint is scratched or broken a ‘tidy up’ repair may be possible) Call Graham on 07789 888005 Dents out today, no need to spray! DENT DYNAMICS PAINTLESS DE T REMOVAL 0800 028 7878 • 07866 041192 AUTOPAT A Family Business Established since 1982 PROMPT & EFFICIENT v Servicing v Mechanical Repairs v MOT’s - Petrol & Diesel v Air Conditioning Service Unit 3, Hardley Ind. Est., Hythe 023 8084 0163 DONATION KEEPS AIR AMBULANCE FLYING HIGH A decade-long partnership is helping to keep Hampshire and the Isle of Wight’s life-saving air ambulance service ying high. The ongoing connection between ExxonMobil Fawley and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) has seen the New Forest complex donate more than £50,000 to the vital emergency rst aid provider. Pre-Covid the funding helped to promote the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects in every area of the air ambulance. rough outreach youth work and the LifeLines project, which o ers a glimpse into the daily life of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance Critical Care Team’s work, it aims to inspire, motivate and raise aspirations of future generations. Its crews of doctors, paramedics, pilots, dispatch assistants and engineers are a perfect example of STEM being used in the real world and projects were designed to highlight some of the challenges its teams face on a daily basis. roughout the pandemic, when the outreach work was forced to stop, donations have helped to support the welfare of the crew members through a wellbeing programme, and the development of their skills through education and quali cation attainment. And this has continued this year, with the latest donation of £3,500 recently handed over. Ray Southam, Fundraising Manager for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance said: “We really value the long-standing link we have with ExxonMobil Fawley. Our crew wellbeing programme has proved vital, particularly over the past couple of years. The types of incidents that we are called out to means that our crew experience numerous severe trauma incidents on a daily basis. Over time this takes its toll on individuals. The programme provides confidential advice and support when they need it, as well as many interventions that avoid them reaching the point of burnout. Additionally, the education and ongoing development of our crew means that we can ensure our crews are trained in the highest levels of critical care and therefore ensure our service remains resilient, operational, and fit for purpose. Effectively, with their ongoing training and the combined skill set of our teams, we could carry out open heart surgery at the side of the road if it was necessary to save a life.” Nick Bone, ExxonMobil Fawley Chemicals Site Manager, added: “We are delighted to be able to continue to help the air ambulance which provides an amazing service to our area and has helped to save many lives since it started.” Hampshire and Isle of Wight air ambulance Public Wants Action On Pavement Parking British Parking Association (BPA) research found the public backs tackling pavement parking as priority In the BPA’s latest round of independent consumer research, conducted by ICM Unlimited, which tells us about current public opinion on a wide range of parking issues, respondents ranked pavement parking as the number one priority that needed to be tackled, overtaking congestion caused by the school run, which dropped into second place. Safety ranked third, suggesting many motorists have either experienced, or fear criminal activity such as vandalism, anti- social behaviour, or carjacking. Motorists consistently cite the top 3 most important factors when deciding where to park as price, proximity to destination and safety. As most vehicle related crime occurs on the street, motorists are advised to look for a Park Mark awarded car park, which has measures in place that actively reduce crime and the fear of crime in car parks. e BPA has regularly called for a clear and consistent UK-wide common approach to pavement parking which enables local authorities to manage and enforce parking on the pavement, with the presumption being that pavement parking is not allowed. Every day, parents, children, the elderly, disabled and visually impaired are putting themselves at risk because of pavement parking. Polling commissioned by Living Streets indicated that 87% of parents have had to walk into the road because of pavement parking and that 80% would be more likely to walk their child to school if there wasn’t pavement parking. Kelvin Reynolds, BPA Director of Corporate and Public A airs said: “Vehicles parking on the pavement causing an obstruction and damaging footway surfaces is an urgent problem for pedestrians, especially for those with young children, older people and those with visual or mobility impairments, and an issue that has attracted public attention for over forty years. Now is the time for action. Government must act on its promises to give pedestrians better protection from unwanted pavement parking, a danger for everyone. England must join with other nations of the UK in making our pavements safer and fit for purpose. Pavements are for people!”