The East Anglian Air Ambulance marked the move to new offices in Ipswich with a welcome party for sponsors and supporters yesterday.

The charity has moved to a new base at 9 Alpha Business Park, Whitehouse Road, Ipswich, which allows them to meet with supporters and host their own events.

Around 50 people turned out to celebrate the opening of the new office.

Two cheques were also presented to the charity’s new director of fundraising Joanna Dew - £2,214 from the Suffolk Centre Caravan Club, and £1,670 from Nidera grain merchants.

Suffolk area fundraising manager for EAAA, Nigel Donkin, said: “It went very well.

“We were in quite a small office at the far end of the estate and weren’t able to meet and greet supporters properly, so we decided we needed to move. We need to have a big presence in Suffolk for the air ambulance.

“We chose to move to the other end of the estate. We have a nice new office which allows us to meet and greet supporters and host events and really launch the fundraising initiative for the next year.

“We had a very discreet office before. This way we are more loud and proud.”

The charity’s largest planned fundraisers in the coming year are Only The Brave 5k or 10k obstacle course, taking place at the Elveden Estate, Thetford, on March 20, and a Ride to Remember, a 75-mile motorcycle ride at Stonham Barns, on June 19.

“The rest of the appeal is to let people know we are still here and still need that third party fundraising,” added Mr Donkin. “It’s a reawakening of our presence in the town.”

The air ambulance attended 163 incidents in September this year, and 1,785 across the region during 2014.

The charity relies entirely on donations, receiving no funding from central Government, and estimates that it needs to raise £10.2m each year to provide the vital service. Each mission attended costs the charity around £3,500.