Former England cricketer Andrew Flintoff has thrown his support behind a campaign to increase the number of helipads at NHS hospitals, following his own experience of being airlifted to hospital after a serious car crash. The 47-year-old, known as Freddie, sustained severe injuries in December 2022 while filming for BBC's Top Gear at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey. He was airlifted to St George's Hospital in Tooting, a major trauma centre, where the helipad was funded by the Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads (Help) Appeal.
Flintoff said: 'When I was airlifted, that helipad wasn't just a safe spot to land on the hospital roof, it was a vital step in giving me a second chance as I had immediate access to the specialist care which helped saved my life. As every cricket pitch has a wicket, every hospital that needs one should have a helipad.' The Help Appeal has funded 32 NHS hospital helipads across the country, facilitating over 30,000 landings, and has also funded 23 major upgrades at other sites.
Robert Bertram, chief executive of the Help Appeal, expressed gratitude for Flintoff's support, noting that his life was saved thanks in part to a Help Appeal-funded helipad. 'His story highlights exactly why the charity's work is so vital – seconds count in a medical emergency and that helipad made all the difference,' Bertram said. Sir Keith Porter, emeritus professor of clinical traumatology at the University of Birmingham, emphasised the charity's crucial role in getting patients to the right hospital quickly, particularly for those with life-threatening bleeding.
Flintoff recently visited the NHS staff who cared for him at St George's Hospital, praising them as 'superheroes' and describing the aftermath of the crash as 'the lowest I've ever been'. In a documentary about the accident, Flintoff recalled being pulled face-down on the runway for about 50 metres under the car and thought he had died. His recovery has been documented in the Disney+ film 'Flintoff'.
