In recognition of the importance of Magpas and its team of dedicated volunteers, The Hunts Post is proud to launch Magpas Month – four weeks of fun and fundraising to support the emergency medical charity’s vital work.

MAGPAS has been saving lives at the scenes of accidents and other emergencies for more than 40 years.

And you can help repay the charity’s vital work by signing up to some fundraising activity during May.

As a charity, its continued success is dependent on the goodwill and generosity of the communities it serves, with donations funding the �750,000 a year it costs to provide its life-saving services.

Running throughout May and culminating in Magpas’s Green Day, when everyone is urged to wear something green and make a donation, on May 28, Magpas Month calls on the people of Cambridgeshire to dig deep and raise as much money as possible for the charity.

We’re calling on individuals, schools, businesses and just about anyone to organise a fundraiser for Magpas.

Cake stalls, book sales, bucket collections, car boot sales, dress down days, sponsored walks – see our list of ideas for some inspiration.

Whatever you want to do, we’ll promote it.

Fundraising packs, including collection tins, are available from our newspaper offices and via Magpas, and sponsorship forms will be available via www.huntspost24.co.uk

Magpas was founded in 1971, the brainchild of Dr Neville Silverston MBE, and was registered as a charity the following year.

Antonia Brickell, Magpas spokesman, said: “Our passion is for saving lives. Our heritage is about trying to get the best possible care to seriously injured patients as quickly as possible, even when it was just GPs in their own cars.

“The ethos has always remained the same – it is always about the patient and about getting the best expertise and the best medicine to the scene. That is the key.

“Every little helps when it comes to fundraising. Anything you can do to raise money for Magpas is greatly appreciated and helps ensure our frontline services continue to save lives.”

Since its formation Magpas has grown from a lone doctor who would go to the scene of an accident to a team of highly-trained critical care doctors and paramedics going to every call.

These specialised teams are deployed by road in a dedicated rapid response vehicle to serious incidents and, since 1997, by helicopter – working day and night.

More than 50 medical professionals provide over �3million of front-line emergency medical cover to the East of England, through a combination of volunteer, military and NHS-funded doctors and paramedics.