New charity effort will get off to a flyer

Counting on public support to raise £6 million is a fairly ambitious ask.

But then, just a few short years ago, establishing a brand new charity determined to put an airborne ambulance in the skies above Scotland would have sounded fairly far-fetched.

There is no doubt that the team behind Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) has come a long way in a very short space of time.

The public have really bought in to the concept and, while there is no room for complacency, there will be a high degree of confidence that the newly-announced fundraising target will ultimately be met.

SCAA has quickly established itself as an indispensable resource, and extending the fleet is a natural progression for the charity.

Scotland may be one of the most beautiful places on earth but its wild, rugged and at times almost inaccessible landscape make such a service not so much a luxury as a necessity.

Pauline Howie, chief executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service, is in no doubt about the value of the new venture asserting that lives will ultimately be saved.

That should be enough to provide plenty of motivation, not just for the big name backers but also for the thousands of ordinary Scots who may just one day find themselves benefiting from the vital services SCAA offer.