Stoke Air Ambulance charity to close

A charity that gave the impression it was operating a functional air ambulance service when it had no aircraft has announced it is closing.

In February, the Fundraising Regulator found the situation amounted to Stoke Air Ambulance having breached the Fundraising Code of Practice, with the Charity Commission announcing it had opened a statutory inquiry over concerns relating to the charity's activities and administration. 

As well as having no access to a helicopter, Stoke Air Ambulance did not have an operational base or clinicians, and did not have Care Quality Commission approval either, the Fundraising Regulator said then.

The charity has since said on its website it is "with great regret that the trustees of Stoke Air Ambulance CIO announce that they have taken the decision to close the charity and commence an orderly winding-up process”.