Senior fundraising officer joins CAAT

One of Cornwall’s leading charities has appointed a new senior fundraising officer as it gets ready to celebrate its silver jubilee.

Susie Smith has joined Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust (CAAT) from her role as community and trust fundraising office at the Together Trust in Manchester.

The appointment is the first of five that CAAT will be making as a result of ERDF Convergence investment to build a new charity headquarters at Newquay Cornwall Airport.

“I have wanted to work the CAAT ever since seeing a rescue mission in the summer of 2010 when I was on holiday,” said Smith, who is a certified member of the Institute of Fundraising.

“It is a really popular charity and fundraising is absolutely vital to the helicopter taking off. If we didn’t fund it, no one else would.”

She is now working on events that will form part of the charity’s 25th anniversary in 2012.

CAAT chief executive, Paula Martin, added: “We’re really pleased to welcome Susie the team.

“She has a wealth of valuable experience working with both the Together Trust and Common Purpose, where she helped both organisations achieve success.

“2012 is going to be an extremely busy year for us, particularly with our milestone birthday, the move to our new home and the recruitment of new team members, as well as the lifesaving rescues, so it is great to have Susie on board to help as we move forward.”