Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall has officially opened Wiltshire Air Ambulance's airbase at Semington, near Melksham. The opening comes seven months after Wiltshire Air Ambulance (WAA) moved to the purpose-built airbase in May 2018, bringing together the helicopter, operational, fundraising and administrative teams on to one site and on land that the charity owns for the first time, securing its future.

The Duchess was presented with a posy of flowers by four-year-old Mia Burry, who was treated by WAA when she was four weeks old and struggling to breathe. She made a full recovery after being treated in hospital for pneumonia and sepsis.

HRH was given a tour of the airbase and met the charity's trustees, staff, paramedics and pilots. She also met some of the charity's celebrity ambassadors, patients who were airlifted, representatives of architects CMS, who designed the airbase, Rigg Construction, the primary contractors of the airbase, and some of the corporate supporters who raised funds for the build. She also presented a trophy to long-standing volunteer Colin Smith. Colin, of Chippenham, has volunteered with the charity for 19 years, co-ordinating the distribution and collection of tins all over the county without claiming a penny in mileage expenses.

The Duchess was also given a demonstration of the state-of-the-art immersive simulation suite, with a scenario including a parachutist injured on the ground by the Westbury White Horse. The charity's paramedics use the room to develop their critical care skills.

Before being shown the charity's Bell 429 helicopter, The Duchess unveiled a commemorative plaque in the hangar to mark the official opening of the airbase, in front of 150 guests.

She said: “I would like to say a huge thank you to everybody who has been involved in this wonderful project. I know the fantastic work the air ambulance does. I have known friends that have literally been saved by it.

“I feel very happy when I see them buzzing over the top of my house, which I think is their route, and I give it a cheery wave every time I see it. I think Wiltshire is particularly lucky to have a very special air ambulance.”

WAA chief executive David Philpott adds: “It was an honour to welcome The Duchess of Cornwall to our new airbase. Her Royal Highness has always taken a keen interest in our charity and we were delighted that she was able to visit and meet the staff, crew and trustees, people whose lives we saved and supporters.”