Gateshead Hatzola is a 100% volunteer community first response and ambulance service which has served the Bensham and Saltwell areas of Gateshead since 1990.

Our highly trained volunteers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and respond to nearly 1000 calls per year. When seconds count, the fact that our responders are local and can respond in under two minutes can make the difference between life and death.

Our responders have been trained by senior clinicians and we are under the clinical direction of a doctor experienced in unscheduled care. We work closely with North East Ambulance Service and with local hospitals and GPs to provide a service which complements rather than replaces NHS provision.

Running an ambulance is expensive. It's not just the cost of the fuel - we need to pay for maintenance, insurance, medical supplies, equipment and training. Gateshead Hatzola doesn't receive any funding from the NHS or any other statutory body. We are a registered charity and depend entirely on your generosity to be able to continue to provide our life-saving services.