Plaistow man who nearly lost arm joins air ambulance charity board
From Plaistow Farm Accident to Charity Boardroom
Anyone who drives the lanes around Plaistow will know how quickly a quiet village road can become a scene of emergency. Plaistow sits in the rural north of West Sussex, close to Kirdford and Wisborough Green, where farm machinery is part of everyday life. It was on a working farm here, in November 2022, that Paul Reynolds was trapped in a serious accident involving a tractor and was left with life-threatening injuries to his arm. A team from the Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex, known as KSS, reached him alongside an ambulance crew and the fire service. He was then taken by road to hospital in Brighton, where surgeons worked to save the limb. Reynolds has since made what the charity describes as a remarkable recovery, and he has now been appointed a trustee of the organisation that helped save him. For residents, the story is a reminder of how much depends on the emergency services working together in our area. KSS covers Kent, Surrey and Sussex, which means its crews and helicopters also serve communities across Surrey, including Guildford, Woking, Dorking, Horsley and East Horsley. The same rapid response that reached a Plaistow farm could be called to a village near you, whatever the time of day.
What a Trustee Does and Why It Matters
Being a charity trustee is a voluntary role, but it carries real responsibility. Trustees oversee how a charity is run, make sure its money is spent wisely and set its long-term direction. For KSS, which depends heavily on donations and fundraising to keep its helicopters and critical care teams flying, that governance is essential. Reynolds has said that joining the board gives him a chance to repay a service that means a great deal to him, and he has pointed to the exceptional care he received from the charity and the wider emergency team. Holly Riley, head of policy at the Charity Commission, praised his decision, noting that his experience will help KSS continue saving lives. What makes this appointment stand out is the perspective it brings. Few trustees can speak from the patient’s side of the stretcher, and that insight can shape how services are delivered to families facing their own worst day. For local readers, the lesson is that charities of this kind thrive on people who care enough to get involved, whether as trustees, volunteers, fundraisers or regular donors. Even small contributions help keep emergency aircraft in the air and crews ready to respond across Surrey and Sussex.
Recovery at Home and Ways to Get Involved
A serious injury like Reynolds’s rarely ends at the hospital door. After eleven operations on his arm, recovery meant months of rehabilitation, and many people in similar positions find that their homes need adapting. Bathrooms and kitchens are often the first areas to change, with level-access showers, grab rails and worktops at a comfortable height. Local families considering a bathroom refurbishment or kitchen renovation should look for experienced bathroom fitters who understand accessible design and can work to safe, practical standards. Getting quotes from several reputable local firms, checking they are insured and asking to see previous work are sensible first steps. Farm workers and anyone using machinery should also take the story as a prompt to review safety routines, including guards, training and keeping children away from working equipment. There are also ways to support the charity that helped Reynolds. KSS welcomes donations, fundraising events and volunteers. Trustees Week, running from 9 to 13 November, is a good moment to learn more about what charity boards do and whether you could contribute your own skills. Keep an eye on local announcements from KSS in the coming months, and if you have a story from our community, send it to BBC Sussex or pass it on to your local paper.
Source: Plaistow air ambulance patient becomes charity’s trustee
