A New Radnor resident is preparing for a trip down the ‘fastest zip-line in the world’ in North Wales, in aid of the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

Hermione Evans is fundraising for the charity after her husband was saved by paramedics. She has also rallied together the support of her Kington Golf Club members to raise funds through stalls and a raffle. She will be zip-lining on May 8th, where she will be combating her fears.

Hermione said: “I’m told it can go up to 100 MPH, so I will be closing my eyes. I’ve never done anything like it. I nearly lost my life on Snowdon Mountain when I was a teenager, and I had a fear of heights after that. It will be a challenge to go down the zip wire. As it’s for the air ambulance, it’s the nearest I can get to flying.”

She chose the Midlands Air Ambulance because the golf course is in Herefordshire, with players coming from England, some of whom have had personal experiences with the Midlands Air Ambulance charity. “It’s for a really good cause because they save so many lives, especially in these rural parts. There are members here in the golf club who support the cause and have had their lives saved by the air ambulance. My husband had his life saved by the air ambulance twelve years ago. The air ambulance has been up here at least three times in the past few years. It’s so remote here so the air ambulance sometimes is the only thing available.”

It was recently announced that the Welshpool Air Ambulance base will close in 2026 and will be replaced with a new base in North Wales. Hermione believes the decision is ‘a disaster’. “It seems like a daft decision. For those of us in Mid Wales it seems like a disaster. If it’s got to come from further afield how quickly is it going to get here? Those few minutes are crucial.”

Kate Bristow, Herefordshire fundraising executive for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, attended the fundraising event held at the Kington Golf Course. She said: “We’re so grateful for the community support, as we don’t receive government funding. It costs £2,950 every time one of our helicopters responds to a critically ill or injured patient and on average we are tasked to 12 missions a day across the region. The principle focus of the entire Air Ambulance community across the UK, including our close colleagues at Wales Air Ambulance, is to deliver outstanding patient care. We work in close collaboration and provide mutual aid on the rare occasions it is required.”

A spokesperson for the Welsh Air Ambulance said: “It’s wonderful to hear about Hermione’s fundraising for our friends at the Midlands Air Ambulance. Air ambulances offer such a vital service and generosity like this has a lifesaving impact.

“People can have a very close connection with a particular air ambulance service. We know this all too well, receiving support from different parts of the UK from people who have benefited from our service here in Wales.

“Last week, a service improvement was announced in Wales that will allow more people to benefit from our lifesaving care – including in Powys. However, with any change, there is understandable anxiety, particularly against the backdrop of wider concerns about provisions in rural communities.

“Some people have asked about increased response times because of base moves, which is an understandable question. We are a pan-Wales service with scarce and highly specialist resources. Regardless of where they are based, our crews will travel anywhere in Wales to deliver their lifesaving care – so response times differ slightly.

“It's also important to know that we’re not designed to be the first on the scene of an emergency. Our Welsh Ambulance Service colleagues are usually on scene before us, offering the initial emergency treatments. Our involvement is secondary when we arrive and deliver the advanced hospital standard treatments.

“So, while the speed of response is important when considering life and limb-threatening illness or injury, Wales Air Ambulance doesn’t provide the primary response to these incidents, that role remains with the Welsh Ambulance Service.

“With our crew changing its location, some people in the county have asked whether they will now be relying on support from Midlands Air Ambulance. The answer to that is no.

“Wales Air Ambulance will continue to serve Powys as we always have – but with an enhanced service that could attend more lifesaving missions in the county.

“As is the case now, our friends at the Midlands Air Ambulance would only attend an incident in Wales at our request and likewise, we would support them if they requested and we have a team available.”

Hermione is raising funds through bank transfer, with payment being made into the Kington Charity Account.