easyJet pilot and crew volunteers are supporting the NHS as part of a project founded by airline crew across the industry, to provide wellbeing support to frontline clinical staff battling the coronavirus pandemic currently impacting the UK.

The initiative - ‘Project Wingman’ – has been set up by clinical psychologists and aircrew, including easyJet Captain Emma Henderson, and is recruiting pilot and cabin crew volunteers from across the UK to provide peer support in hospitals, for the ongoing wellbeing of NHS frontline staff.

Captain Henderson has been co-ordinating a rapidly growing database of more than 1300 pilots and cabin crew who have volunteered, including 400 colleagues from easyJet. Project Wingman volunteers will not be working directly with patients, but will support NHS staff in a number of practical ways so they can continue to do their job effectively. They will be deploying the warm welcome that crew are famous for whilst providing staff with refreshments, as well as using their skills in problem solving and peer support techniques learned from their training. Above all, they will be offering a listening ear, comfort and kindness when staff need it most. The project was launched last week at the Whittington Hospital in North London where it has been extremely well received by doctors, nurses, Allied Health Professionals and support staff. Now, airline crew are actively providing support at North Middlesex, Basildon and Kings College Hospital London, and the project is set to launch at many more up and down the country in the coming weeks.   Professor Rob Bor, Consultant Clinical psychologist said: “We want to look after the wellbeing of all of all frontline NHS staff and we immediately thought of airline staff and reached out to them to support us. Many airline crews have been grounded by the global effects of Covid-19 and we recognised that this represents a rich resource of highly-skilled professionals, used to problem-solving and team working who can use these skills to offer practical and well-being support to NHS staff at this difficult time.”   easyJet Captain Emma Henderson, commented: “I’m really proud to see the overwhelming response from pilot and crew communities across the airline industry, who have volunteered to support frontline NHS staff at this critical time. We have all used the NHS at some point in our lives and this is an important chance to give back.”   Captain David Morgan, Director of Flight Operations for easyJet commented: “The NHS is at the forefront of dealing with this health emergency but the training and skills that our pilots and crew have could help make a real difference to the wellbeing of healthcare professionals, while they support those most in need. I’m incredibly proud of our pilots and crew who have helped to set up and are volunteering for this project.”   Siobhan Harrington, CEO of the Whittington Health NHS Trust thanked the industry for its support:  “The impact of having uniformed fellow professionals actively support our front line staff will be enormous.  We cannot thank the pilots and cabin crew enough. Professionals coming together to support our staff will help more than you can imagine. This will be a massive boost to our resources, capability and morale. We are deeply grateful.”   ENDS For further information, please contact the easyJet Press Office on 01582 525252, log onto www.easyjet.com or follow @easyJet_Press

Captain Henderson has been co-ordinating a rapidly growing database of more than 1300 pilots and cabin crew who have volunteered, including 400 colleagues from easyJet.

Project Wingman volunteers will not be working directly with patients, but will support NHS staff in a number of practical ways so they can continue to do their job effectively. They will be deploying the warm welcome that crew are famous for whilst providing staff with refreshments, as well as using their skills in problem solving and peer support techniques learned from their training. Above all, they will be offering a listening ear, comfort and kindness when staff need it most.

The project was launched last week at the Whittington Hospital in North London where it has been extremely well received by doctors, nurses, Allied Health Professionals and support staff. Now, airline crew are actively providing support at North Middlesex, Basildon and Kings College Hospital London, and the project is set to launch at many more up and down the country in the coming weeks.

Professor Rob Bor, Consultant Clinical psychologist said:

“We want to look after the wellbeing of all of all frontline NHS staff and we immediately thought of airline staff and reached out to them to support us. Many airline crews have been grounded by the global effects of Covid-19 and we recognised that this represents a rich resource of highly-skilled professionals, used to problem-solving and team working who can use these skills to offer practical and well-being support to NHS staff at this difficult time.”

easyJet Captain Emma Henderson, commented:

“I’m really proud to see the overwhelming response from pilot and crew communities across the airline industry, who have volunteered to support frontline NHS staff at this critical time. We have all used the NHS at some point in our lives and this is an important chance to give back.”

 

Captain David Morgan, Director of Flight Operations for easyJet commented:

“The NHS is at the forefront of dealing with this health emergency but the training and skills that our pilots and crew have could help make a real difference to the wellbeing of healthcare professionals, while they support those most in need. I’m incredibly proud of our pilots and crew who have helped to set up and are volunteering for this project.”

 

Siobhan Harrington, CEO of the Whittington Health NHS Trust thanked the industry for its support: 

“The impact of having uniformed fellow professionals actively support our front line staff will be enormous.  We cannot thank the pilots and cabin crew enough. Professionals coming together to support our staff will help more than you can imagine. This will be a massive boost to our resources, capability and morale. We are deeply grateful.”

ENDS

For further information, please contact the easyJet Press Office on 01582 525252, log onto www.easyjet.com or follow @easyJet_Press