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WILTSHIRE Air Ambulance’s newest recruit – a female pilot bear mascot – has been in demand attending fundraising events across the county.

The new captain has been learning from her paramedic bear crewmate Wilber, the charity’s other mascot.

The duo teamed up for the pilot mascot’s first public appearances over the weekend, at the switching on of Melksham’s Christmas lights on Saturday (2 December) and at the Swindon Santa Run on Sunday (3 December) and received a great reaction from the public.

There will be other public appearances for the new mascot, but in the meantime, Wiltshire Air Ambulance is asking the public to suggest a name for her.

As with Wilber, the pilot mascot is sponsored by Soft Options Water Softeners Ltd, a family run business based in Burbage, near Marlborough. Soft Options supply and install a water softening and drinking water filtration/purification products for both domestic and commercial use.

Rebecca de la Bedoyere, the Senior Fundraising Manager at Wiltshire Air Ambulance, said: “We’re thrilled to have our new mascot join the team. Our other mascot, Wilber, has been in incredible demand ever since he first joined us in September 2016 – so much so that we were having to turn requests down.

“As Wilber is a paramedic it was the obvious choice to make our new mascot a pilot, as both roles are critical to the operation of an air ambulance service. We didn’t set out to make Wilber a male bear but he has adapted that persona, so it made sense to have a female mascot this time, especially as our own pilot, Nicky, was the first female air ambulance pilot in the UK!

“We approached Soft Options Water Softeners Ltd to see if they would also like to sponsor our second mascot. The partnership has been so successful that they immediately said yes, which is fantastic and really shows their commitment to our lifesaving work. 

“We’re looking forward to suggestions for our new mascot’s name. Wiltshire Air Ambulance exists for and because of the people of Wiltshire and we want our pilot mascot to be a real part of the community. Giving our supporters the opportunity to name her is a great way of getting everyone involved.”

Wilber is 1 today. If you would like to help him celebrate and have some birthday cake come to Marlborough High Street today and visit the Soft Options Water Softeners stand.

Just got home to a problem with our water softener. Not sure what to do so called Simon from Soft Options Water Softener. ‘I’m in town I can be there in ten minutes’ he said. And he was and fixed it in under five minutes. That’s why we will always use this company – no nonsense, they just sort it out. Happy customer