‘Help Holly’ Christmas campaign shortlisted for national award

Help Holly, the special animation created by Cornwall Air Ambulance to help save lives at Christmas, is up for a national award.

The campaign has been shortlisted in the Marketing Campaign of the Year category at the prestigious Third Sector Awards, which celebrate the achievements of people and organisations operating in the third sector.

The animation shared the moving true story of a young girl called Holly who was involved in a serious road traffic collision before Christmas a few years ago.

Thanks to the quick response of the Cornwall Air Ambulance critical care crew, Holly was able to receive lifesaving treatment, enabling her to get home to her family just before Christmas.

The powerful animation showcased the response of the crew, Holly’s journey from roadside collision to hospital, and included some stunning Cornish coastal scenes as well as an encounter with Father Christmas.

Alongside the stunning animation, which was produced by a local Cornish company, Cornwall Air Ambulance worked with BAFTA winning composer and supporter of the charity, Ben Bartlett. He produced an amazing soundtrack called ‘Blades in the Sky’ which was recorded with choirs from across Cornwall – and even included the main voice of a young, airlifted patient who was rescued some years ago in a sea incident near Newquay.

The response to the campaign was phenomenal, reaching millions of people and raising over £200,000 to fund the charity’s missions over the 2022 festive period. That was the most money ever raised from a single Cornwall Air Ambulance campaign.

Jon Michael, Communications and Marketing Manager at Cornwall Air Ambulance, said: “Being able to see our lifesaving work brought to life through the power of animation was just incredible. We’re so pleased that Help Holly resonated with so many people, we were inundated with kind messages from supporters, from patients who had experienced similar situations, and it even gained local, regional and national TV coverage. To be shortlisted for this award is a real achievement for the team and for the charity as a whole. A massive thank you to everyone who donated and supported the campaign.”

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on Friday 22^nd September.