Up to 1,000 people expected to be helped by LIVES volunteers in Lincolnshire this Christmas period

Whilst most people will be looking forward to taking time off work with families this Christmas, there will be hundreds of volunteers still giving up their time to save lives in their community.

LIVES, the Lincolnshire charity whose volunteers respond to medical emergencies, predicts that it will be called to almost 1,000 people over the two-week festive period.

The charity helped 800 people last year, including more than 50 people on Christmas Day.

Throughout 2016 LIVES has responded to a record-breaking number of medical emergencies this year and expects that the Christmas period will follow suit.

Nikki Silver, chief executive officer, said: “Day or night, regardless of weather or location, our responders are completely dedicated to being there for the people of Lincolnshire in time of most need.

“It’s times like Christmas that highlights just how incredible our volunteers are in giving up their spare time to help those in immediate need. To think that there are these unsung heroes ready and waiting to help those in most need, still amazes me and we’re immensely grateful to each and every one of our 700 volunteer responders.”

LIVES will help more than 20,000 people in Lincolnshire during 2016.

The medical emergencies the charity will respond to over the festive period will range from falls, to breathing and heart problems, cardiac arrests and traumatic events such as road traffic collisions.

LIVES responders are trained to deal with a wide range of emergencies and its volunteer medic team respond to more complex cases, effectively bringing the skills and techniques found in an A&E department or Intensive Care Unit to the roadside.

To help just 1,000 people over the festive period, the charity will need to raise just over £54,000 from public donations. Each year the charity has to raise more than £1 million to keep its responders on the road with the right training and medical supplies.