A COMPANY has been told to change the wording of its leaflets to make sure people know they are not donating to an air ambulance charity.

Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance (TVACAA) said it was concerned donors were confusing the charity with a not-for-profit firm called Air Ambulance Service.

Leaflets carrying images of red helicopters similar to the charity’s logo have been sent to thousands of homes across Oxfordshire and the UK.

Oxfordshire Trading Standards launched a probe into the firm and has now told bosses to change the wording of the leaflet.

Both organisations ask for donations of clothes and textiles, which are sold on to raise money.

TVACAA relies on charity pledges to provide its emergency airlift service in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire.

Patrick Conafray, head of fundraising at TVACAA, urged people to check to whom they were donating.

He said: “This must be costing us thousands of pounds. The TVACAA never collects from individuals or from residential homes.

“All TVACAA marketing literature carries our name and the charity registration number 1084910.

“If it doesn’t then you are not donating to the TVACAA. Please be careful who you donate to.”

The Air Ambulance Service does not have an air ambulance, but collects unwanted clothes, textiles and goods and leaves clothes collection bags outside homes.

Police have advised residents in Bicester to report the leaflets and bags to them or to trading standards if they are delivered to their homes.

But last night, Anthony Durkin, director of Air Ambulance Service, said: “Air Ambulance Service is a not for profit organisation.

“We are working towards providing the general public in the UK with a national patient transfer service for those who are caught in difficult medical circumstances, a patient being hospitalised in another city or country after having an unfortunate accident, serious medical condition or illness.

“This service is not usually covered by the NHS, local air ambulance charities or insurance in this country, but it is covered by very expensive private ambulance companies who can charge as much as £10,000 for transferring a patient from the north of the country to the south or £20,000 from Spain to the UK.

“We intend to bridge this gap for the benefit of the general public.

“We do not receive any funding from the Government and rely on small payments from clothing collection companies to be able to cover or reduce the cost of these ambulance services.”

Sarah Langley, interim deputy head of Trading Standards said it had instructed Mr Durkin to make a new leaflet.

Ms Langley said it should now be clear to people they were not donating to a charity.