The Countess of Wessex has given Thames Valley Air Ambulance a royal seal of approval after being named its patron.

Her Royal Highness has been supporting the charity for a number of years and TVAA says the appointment recognises the contribution the charity makes to saving lives and providing vital emergency medical care to the community.

TVAA is “delighted” with the appointment and says the patronage will help to raise awareness of its vital work in pre-hospital advanced critical care.

The official association with the countess will also help to highlight that Thames Valley Air Ambulance is a charity which relies entirely on public donations.

The countess was airlifted to hospital in 2001 by the air ambulance service after suffering an ectopic pregnancy.

Speaking about the announcement, TVAA chairman Sir Tim Jenner said: ‘We are truly honoured that Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex has accepted our invitation of royal patronage.

“It reflects her long-standing interest in our service and formally recognises how vital our emergency service is to our community.

“With the countess’ support, we will continue to push the boundaries of advanced pre-hospital care to give our patients the best possible chance of survival and recovery.”

The countess recently visited the charity’s new headquarters, meeting critical care paramedic Emma Gray, who said: “It was an honour to meet Her Royal Highness during her last visit to us. It was clear that she has a passionate interest in our service, particularly in our innovative medical equipment.

“The countess was also keen to learn more about how our teams of paramedics and doctors work together to provide hospital-level care to our patients on scene.”