Glasgow's charity-funded helipad hits 3,000 landings, saving lives daily

A charity-funded helipad at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) has seen over 3,000 landings since its opening. The facility, supported by the HELP Appeal, allows critically ill and injured patients to reach the hospital quickly. Across Britain, the charity has funded 55 hospital helipads, all relying on public donations alone. The HELP Appeal provided £700,000 for the original construction of the Glasgow helipad. Later, it added £180,000 to install a new high-friction surface, improving safety for landings. By 2025, the site had become the fourth busiest in Britain and the second busiest in Scotland, with 3,030 landings recorded.

Scotland now hosts 21 helipads funded by the charity, accounting for 7,017 of the 34,500 landings across all HELP Appeal sites in Britain. Unlike many medical services, the charity receives no government or National Lottery funding. Instead, it depends entirely on voluntary donations to maintain and expand its network. The Glasgow helipad plays a key role in emergency care. It enables direct transfers of seriously ill or injured patients to the QEUH campus, cutting critical travel time.

The HELP Appeal’s work has ensured faster emergency care for thousands of patients. With 55 helipads funded nationwide, the charity continues to support life-saving transfers without public funding. Glasgow’s facility alone has handled over 3,000 landings, proving its importance in Scotland’s healthcare system.