Who are we?
Wings2fly is a new and exciting non-profit organisation aiming to become a leading charity in end of life care for children. A unique ambulance service designed and staffed by Paramedics, doctors and nurses from our NHS services. Volunteering in their spare time, to take care of transport and final wishes of children suffering with a life limiting illness and nearing the end of their lives.
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We are currently in the process of applying for charity status.
Set up by local Paramedic Gary Adams, Wings2fly will be dedicated to brightening the lives of children and adults suffering from a serious or terminal illness.
We have been working for the past year to design a service that will support sick children and their families because we know the difference happiness and laughter can make during times when it feels like there’s not much to look forward to.
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We do this through our wish granting programmes. These programmes are based on positive psychology and offer distraction at a time when patients and their families are at their most vulnerable. Every year our aim will be to help patients look beyond their illnesses and show them the possibilities of life. We transform the lives of children battling life-threatening medical conditions through the healing power of a wish.
"Wishes give seriously ill kids hope for the future, strength to face the challenges of their illness, and joy from their incredible wish experience" Gary Adams
Wishes
The impact of a wish to a child
We carefully design every single wish to build anticipation and resilience to help a child in the fight for their health.
The impact of a wish to an adult
Adults can also have wishes granted, this may be in the form of transport to a special occasion eg: family gathering, wedding, travel to a place of their choice in the UK, maybe to see a distant relative, trip to see the beach or maybe even a journey back home to spend time with the family.
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We also offer specialist care transport to children requiring help getting to a hospital for life saving treatment.
Who is eligible
Who is Eligible?
A child with a critical illness who has reached the age of 2 and is younger than 18 at the time of referral is potentially eligible for a wish.
After a child is referred, Wings2fly will work with the treating physician to determine the child's eligibility for a wish, i.e suffering from a progressive, degenerative or malignant condition currently placing the child's life in jeopardy.
Our vision is to grant one wish to every eligible child diagnosed with a critical illness. Whilst we would like to grant wishes to all who apply, it must be understood that not every application will be successful. There is no limit to how many times an application can be made. However successfully granted wishes will be limited to one per patient across the UK.
Who Can Refer a Child?
Eligible Referral Sources
Out of respect for the privacy of the children and families we serve, children who may be eligible to receive a wish can be referred by one of four sources:
Medical professionals (typically a doctor, nurse, social worker or child-life specialist)
Parents/legal guardians of the potential wish kid
Potential wish kids
Family members with detailed knowledge of the child's current medical condition
We will only contact you after a wish referral has been submitted by an approved source. Wings2fly does not cold call or telemarket.
From Idea to Reality: The Evolution of Wings2fly
August 21, 2017
Introducing Wings2fly, part of the Winifred Jean Burge Foundation. This unique Ambulance Service is designed to make the last Wishes Of Terminally ill People become a reality.
Wings2fly was founded in July 2017, after Paramedic Gary Adams, founder of The Winifred Jean Burge Foundation.
The Foundation is currently in the early stages of applying for charity status.
The vision and hope of all connected with the WJBF is to be able to make a difference. And we believe Wings2fly will do exactly that. We want to fulfil the final wishes of palliative patients and create lasting memories for those family and friends who are with their loved ones every step of the way, every day..
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We are in the process of establishing a wonderful charity and we are looking for your help. From as little as £1, you could help get Wings2fly off the ground. Interested? Please read on..
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Wings2fly is a unique ambulance service designed to make the last wishes of terminally ill patients become a reality. We will offer bespoke vehicles, staffed by a clinician and a driver to deliver a comfortable, friendly and relaxing experience.
The vision and hope of all connected with the WJBF is to be able to make a difference. And we believe Wings2fly will do exactly that. We want to fulfil the final wishes of palliative patients and create lasting memories for those family and friends who are with their loved ones every step of the way, every day. Attending a family gathering, a wedding, a visit to the beach or maybe just a ride home to spend some quality 'normal' time together. Wings2fly will provide the transport and the staff to get you where you want to be, safely and comfortably.
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Children and adults alike will benefit from this service.
We continue in our effort to raise funds for this incredible cause, which will make such a difference to many people's lives and the Foundation is currently in the early stages of applying for charity status.
Thinking of taking part in a fundraising event and looking for a great local cause to support, why not get in touch with us at Wings2fly.
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Wings2fly rely on donations to get this wonderful cause off the ground. There are various ways you can donate and various amounts from £1, we thank you most sincerely for all donations received.
Our gogetfunding account currently the simplest, quickest and most convenient way of giving to Wings2fly. Secure and safe, you can donate a set amount, set up regular donations or an individual one-off payment. Just follow the 'Donate Now' link highlighted in Orange on the page...
Thank you.
![20031694_1513136698707976_4046036809593351222_n[1].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/569432_1b059440fe9a42efaf7ab4a86adf6e80~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_117,h_66,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/20031694_1513136698707976_4046036809593351222_n%5B1%5D.jpg)
Spooky goings on as local French restaurant helps to raise funds and awareness for Wings2fly
with Fundraiser
July 17, 2017
Come and Join us for a spooktacular Halloween treat!
Tickets on sale now £30 per Person and can be reserved by calling 01202889555 or by popping in to see us.
Tickets include a Deluxe buffet style banquet and a glass of Bucks fizz on arrival.
An evening full of Fizz, Fun and Laughter with Music and a Charity Prize drawer to raise money and awareness for Wings2fly, Part of the Winifred Jean Burge Foundation.
Dress to Impress for your chance of winning a bottle of Prosecco!
We are delighted to be supporting Wings2Fly, part of the winifred Jean Burge Foundation..
Interview with Wings2fly Founder
August 9, 2019
Gary is a local paramedic who wants to help terminally-ill patients fulfil their final wishes as well as providing a 24 hour children’s ambulance service which will provide free travel to local children in need of life saving treatment or surgery.
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Wings2fly will be dedicated to brightening the lives of children and adults suffering from a serious or terminal illness. We have been working for the past 2 years to design a specialist ambulance service which will enable terminally ill children and their families to leave the confines of their home, hospice or hospital.
Caring staff will provide transport for local and long-distance paediatric surgery and treatment, as well as transporting patients to destinations to fulfil their final wishes and create lasting memories. Safe in the knowledge that their clinical needs will be monitored and observed by medical professionals.
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Gary came up with the idea after his late nan Jean passed away. He was at work, transferring a terminally-ill patient to a hospice, and when there was a delay, he asked the patient where she would like to go.
The patient wanted to see the beach a final time and Gary and his crew mate even arranged for the stretcher-bound lady to feel the sand fall between her fingers one last time.
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A few months later Gary founded Wings2fly and is hoping from a wish perspective, to bring terminally ill people to events such as weddings, family gatherings, sporting occasions, beaches and so on...
"We can't make them better but we can give them so much joy."
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Gary, who has worked on frontline emergency ambulances for the over 16 years as an EMT/Paramedic, with the help of his colleagues in the ambulance service and local hospitals, aims to provide a service for local residents that will ensure the care and dignity in the most difficult times.
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"Every day we will help terminally ill people.
It's so nice to see them happy. For us it's something easy to do but for them it's something so special.
But for me, the most beautiful thing I think I have done was for that woman who was in a hospital for months and after being given a terminal diagnosis, she was taken into a hospice.
All she wanted was to see the beach for one last time. We took her there and she was just laying there, looking around. I will never forget the smile it put on her face.
Three days later, she passed away. It was such a beautiful wish, so simple for us yet so meaningful for her."
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"This was what really gave me the inspiration to design Wings2fly.
We had the pleasure of meeting some fantastic people from different charities when I attended the Dorset plane pull last year at Hurn and the feedback regarding our venture was tremendous."
Supporting us through regular giving
June 9, 2018
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Make a regular gift.
Make an ongoing difference to
the lives of patients and their families.
By making a regular gift of £3 a month you will make a big difference to seriously ill children every day
Regular donations are extremely important to an organisation like ours and help make a really big difference to seriously ill children every day.
By choosing to give a regular monthly donation, you will be helping us to plan ahead and make long-term improvements for our patients and their families. A regular gift allows us to plan for the future because we know, day in day out, that we will have a steady income stream that we can rely upon.
Your regular donation will help us pay for 'state of the art' customised ambulances, the development of a new Wings2fly depot and HQ known as 'the nest', as well as life-saving medical equipment.
However little you can spare, know that you will be making a MASSIVE difference. Your commitment to helping us will allow us to give hope to children and their families on an on-going basis.
