Air ambulance volunteers claim 'donated money is wasted on high salaries'

Air ambulance volunteers are planning to leave the charity, claiming that publicly-donated money is being "wasted" on high salaries.

Fund-raisers at Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance spoke out after learning that more than £1.2million raised last year was spent on wages and marketing.

In protest, volunteers at the charity's headquarters, in Derby, say they will go when their contracts expire.

They have also complained to regulatory body, the Charity Commission.

But managers say they have introduced a "more commercial mindset" which turned a £400,000 deficit into a fund-raising drive which brought in £5million in the past year.

One volunteer, who did not want to be named, said: "The volunteers are furious that so much money is being taken out of people's donations and is used to fund their ridiculously high wages."

The service relies on public donations for 95% of its running costs, with the rest coming from sales of merchandise.

According to the charity's 2008 annual report, chief executive Andy Williamson was paid between £110,000 and £120,000 a year.

He also took a £10,000 loan from the charity as a "relocation expense" which the charity said "was standard practice for head-hunted executives".

A former member of staff, who did not wish to be named, said: "The fact that Andy Williamson took out a £10,000 loan from a charity is, I believe, ridiculous, considering the huge amount of money he is being paid."

The charity said two fund-raisers lost their jobs in February, as new roles for marketing, and PR were created, because it wanted to find different ways of collecting money.

Mr Williamson said: "Those attacking the charity are bereft of facts and it is sad that, in some cases, a negative slant has been put on the hard work and progress that has been made over the past few years and future strategy.

"Some would prefer that we simply coasted along and remain a small charity. I don't, as I think we have lots more to offer."

There are nine full-time and four part-time members of staff at the centre in Derby, plus 140 volunteers.

Campaigners claim that six volunteers are planning to walk out and that many more will follow.

According to last year's annual figures £578,820 was spent on wages and £789,300 on PR and marketing. Last year, 74% of the public donations, £3,893,880, went towards operational costs.

A Charity Commission spokesperson said concerns had been raised about the financial and general governance of the air ambulance, adding: "We are currently considering these to determine which may fall within our remit. We will be contacting the charity for further information."

The average cost of each mission is about £4,000. Crews carried out more than 1,600 rescues between April 2008, when the charity started, and December 2009.