Monday, 24 April 2023
The University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Engineering has donated a research ambulance and medical supplies to Ambulance Aid to support those living in Ukraine.
19 medical oxygen concentrators, which produce a continuous supply of oxygen and negate the need for regular bottled gas deliveries, were donated by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and loaded into the ambulance, with a further 30 also due to be donated.
We used the ambulance as a testbed for technologies to make transporting very premature babies less stressful and safer. Now that this project is over, it is fantastic that it is going to continue saving lives and I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to this incredibly important cause.
L-R Corinne Elliott (Ambulance Aid) and Prof Donal McNally (University of Nottingham)
Launched in March 2022, Ambulance Aid’s mission is to fund the purchase of former ambulances and deliver them in partnership with Medical Aid Ukraine to where they are needed most. To date, 16 ambulances filled with medical supplies have already been delivered to Ukraine, with volunteers driving them across Europe to get there.
Claudine Pearson, Volunteer Director at Ambulance Aid, said: “Our strength comes from teamwork. So many local people have stepped up to do what they can, where they can. I’d like to express my thanks to those who have continued to support the cause, meaning we are able to deliver on the gifting of this vehicle from the University of Nottingham to help save lives in Ukraine.”
The ambulance and supplies will be driven out to Ukraine early next month after it’s undergone service checks, joining the 16 other ambulances already serving there.
Professor Sam Kingman, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Engineering, said: "After a successful project I’m happy to see our research ambulance being put to another crucial cause and would like to congratulate Donal for coordinating such a fantastic assortment of supplies."
The fact Donal has been able to collect such an impressive variety of equipment is a testament to how many people want to aid those affected by the war in Ukraine.
Story credits
More information is available from Professor Donal McNally, in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham at donal.mcnally@nottingham.ac.uk or; Danielle Hall, Media Relations Manager for the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham, at danielle.hall@nottingham.ac.uk
Images supplied by Ambulance Aid
About the Faculty of Engineering
Made up of six departments – Architecture and Built Environment, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering and Foundation Engineering and Physical Sciences – the university’s Faculty of Engineering is home to more than 5,600 students and 800 staff.
The faculty, which has educated engineers and architects for more than 140 years, was the first in the country to be accredited with an Athena SWAN Gold Award for excellence in advancing gender equality across higher education and research and is home to multiple state-of-the-art facilities, including the recently opened £40m Power Electronics and Machines Centre (PEMC).
With research at its heart, 21 research groups are undertaking pioneering projects for a sustainable future across several themes – including net zero transport, sustainable energies and the built environment, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare technologies – and has delivered a positive impact in more than 20 countries. Within those countries, the faculty’s research has supported 500 companies and three governments – that have changed their strategies as a result of its research – and has also directly created jobs for around 3,000 people across the world.
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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