Rod Martin, 59

On 28th October 2005 Rod Martin was working in his own business in Market Harborough as a motor engineer. It was a normal day, welding, when his life changed forever. There was a sudden fire and explosion. Rod was seriously burned and metal smashed through his leg shattering bones and nearly severing his leg clean off.

Rod said: "I was initially treated taken by a land ambulance crew. The burns were extensive and they put a tube down my throat so I could breath and rushed me to Kettering Hospital. There it was clear that things were very bad. I had 51% burns and was in a very bad way. I needed specialist care quickly.

"[TAAS] flew me to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham - famous for being a specialist trauma centre and also having one of the best burns units in the country.  By road it would have taken at least an hour and a half but in the helicopter it took just 12 minutes. I know there wasn't much hope for me but the air ambulance gave me that chance. I don't remember very much about that time at all but they say that your hearing is the last thing to go and I do remember hearing the rotor blades on that journey."

Recovery at Selly Oak was slow. Initially amputation looked likely but thanks to a specialist army surgeon used to dealing with bomb blast injuries his leg was saved after numerous procedures and operations.

"When I was eventually back on the ward recovering at Selly Oak I could see the air ambulance flying in and out. I didn't realise how often it went out and how many people like me it helped. It made me think that when I could, I would do my bit to help raise awareness and some funds."

That started in his village of Ashley near Corby the first Christmas of Rod's recovery when locals raised nearly £2,000 and has continued for the following six years. Rod organised collections locally and also worked as a volunteer raising awareness through doing talks about his experience and acting as a community ambassador for the charity. Rod is back to work part time in the motor trade having retrained as an MOT tester but is still on duty for the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance - collecting cheques from local fundraisers .

He said: "I don't do so much now but there was a time when I was recovering when getting involved with the charity helped me emotionally too as it gave me a focus when physically I couldn't do very much. So I guess that helicopter ride helped me in all sort of ways and really did save and change my life."