In Focus - PrinceWilliam and the RFDS
Since 1955, when The Queen granted the RFDS the use of the prefix “Royal”, the Flying Doctor has enjoyed the support of the British Royal Family. Continuing in that tradition, Prince William visited the RFDS Cairns Base, in March this year, as part of his tour of flood and cyclone-affected areas. In particular he requested to meet with the RFDS staff involved with Cyclone Yasi.
Prince William with RFDS staff at the Cairns Base
The devastating floods of south east Queensland and Northern NSW earlier this year, followed by the worst cyclone on record in Australia, had a large impact on the RFDS with every one of our 8 bases in Queensland affected in some way.
The RFDS transported the most critical of the 350 patients evacuated from Cairns hospitals ahead of Cyclone Yasi and RFDS employees were some of the first responders on the ground in devastated areas. As early as the next day, RFDS psychologists, social workers, doctors and nurses were in communities providing mental health and emergency medical services. In recognition of the work that the RFDS did, Prince William took the time to speak personally to each of the staff at the RFDS Base in Cairns.
We were even more honoured when we were told, shortly before his visit, that the RFDS had been nominated as one of only three non-United Kingdom charities to benefit from a gift fund established for the upcoming Royal wedding.
The fund was established to enable people wanting to extend their best wishes to the couple to do so through a charitable donation in lieu of a wedding gift - www.royalweddingcharityfund.org.
Just look for Australia, Canada and New Zealand under 'Support for Services personnel and their families'.