THE newly refurbished Wales Air Ambulance Abergavenny charity shop has re-opened its doors to the public following a recent refurbishment.

This follows the refurbishment of other Wales Air Ambulance shops, including Wrexham and Tenby.

The much-loved shop closed its doors a few months ago to receive a new shop frontage and a fresh new interior. The shop, which is situated on Frogmore Street, has had a full refit inside, with an improved shop layout with additional fixtures and fittings. The lighting has also been upgraded to LED and new flooring and branding has been added.

After a long journey to obtain planning approval and grant funding, Kimax Estates Ltd completed the works in February and handed the keys back to Wales Air Ambulance.

Wales Air ambulance would like to thank Mr. Hawkins of Kimax Estates Ltd, Anthony A Davies Ltd and Abergavenny Electrics for their efforts in bringing the project in on time and the conscientious way they approached the job.

As well as the new branding in store - the outside of the shop displays a hand painted Wales Air Ambulance shop sign, A Stipulation of the grant was that the new shop frontage needed to be hand painted in specific colours to be in keeping with the conservation area. This is the first Wales Air Ambulance store to have a hand painted sign.

Every year, Wales Air Ambulance needs to raise £11.2 million to keep the helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road.

The Wales Air Ambulance is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient and if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury.

It is delivered via a unique Third Sector and Public Sector partnership. The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) supplies highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the Charity’s vehicles.

This advanced critical care includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and conduct minor operations, all at the scene of an incident.

As a pan-Wales service, its dedicated crews, regardless of where they are based, will travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency lifesaving care.

Rob Coles, Wales Air Ambulance’s Head of Retail is delighted with the refurbishment, he said, “The people of Abergavenny have always shown their passionate support for our Charity, and I hope that they enjoy their new look shop - we’re really pleased with the outcome. The refurbishment of our shop is going to make a huge difference to our volunteers, staff and shoppers too.

“Everything we do is focused on ensuring that we remain driven by the people of Wales and their needs. We have a duty to make the best use of the donations gifted to us while employing those funds to deliver the most effective emergency service for our nation.

“Our Abergavenny charity shop is hugely popular and supported by the local community. It plays a key role in raising much-needed funds to maintain our lifesaving service throughout Wales. We feel very much part of the community and we hope this shows our commitment to the area.”