BEEP Doctors are appealing for help to get a fourth emergency response vehicle.

The Cumbrian volunteer physicians are asking the public to assist in raising £60,000 for a new vehicle to aid their life-saving work.

Their group, Beep Doctors (BASICS Cumbria), is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and hopes people, groups, and businesses will support through donations and fundraising events.

The charity's founder and chairperson Dr Theo Weston MBE said: "We already have three such cars deployed across Cumbria that have increased our response capability, particularly in the west and south.

"However, to enhance our reach across the north of the county, we are seeking to acquire a fourth."

BEEP Doctors, all of whom volunteer their time, provide advanced pre-hospital emergency medical care.

They work with the police, fire services, North West Ambulance Service, Great North Air Ambulance Service, and North West Air Ambulance.

Their ability to administer specific procedures such as chest drain insertions, pre-hospital anaesthetics, and administration of pain-relief drugs like ketamine/fentanyl and fracture manipulation are all skills unique to the team, placing them as a vital asset during emergencies.

They attend a range of incidents, including road traffic collisions, farming, cycling, horse, and water-related incidents.

Visibility is a crucial feature of the new response vehicle, which will be complete with 'blues and twos' and the BEEP Doctors’ logo.

The increased visibility allows for safer and speedier transits and better roadside safety for clinicians and patients.

£12,000 has already been raised for the vehicle price, with £6,000 contributed by 13-year-old Tom Taylor who towed his kayak around the streets of Penrith for a 24-hour, 30-mile walk.

The charity has also offered to print the name of anyone who donates more than £3,000 on the new vehicle.

Commencing in 1994, The BEEP Fund, as it was then known, started with only three doctors working in a 15-mile radius around Penrith.

Fast forward 30 years, the group now boasts 13 doctors covering all of Cumbria.

Despite being relatively unknown in some parts of the county, the BEEP Doctors have attended 62 incidents and carried out a total of 176 volunteer hours so far in 2024.

They hope their 30th anniversary and various roadshow events this year will elevate their profile.

Operating the BEEP Doctors service costs around £250,000 a year and depends solely on public donations, receiving no government or NHS funding.

Dr Weston said: "I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has supported and contributed to our charity’s journey over the past three decades.

"As we celebrate our 30th year of operations, I want to recognise that their generosity and ongoing support have been essential to our lifesaving work."

To learn more about fundraising or distributing their 30th-anniversary posters, interested parties can contact the BEEP Doctors via email at info@beepdoctors.co.uk or by phone at 01768 809535.