Wiltshire residents are being encouraged to cast their votes for a film that could benefit the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC).

The film, featuring former patient Simon Clark, is nominated in the Smiley Charity Film Awards.

The GWAAC hopes that a successful vote will raise awareness of their lifesaving work in the region.

The film will also highlight the charity's reliance on donations, as it receives no government funding.

Voting for the film is free, and the GWAAC believes that increased awareness could lead to more donations.

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This would help the charity continue its work in the area.

The charity currently needs to raise more than £4 million each year to remain operational.

However, the GWAAC has said that 2024 is on track to be a record year for call-outs, with operational costs rising.

Therefore, the charity is urging the public to support them in any way they can.

Voting closes on January 29, 2025.

To cast your vote for the film, visit smileycharityfilmawards.com/films/because-of-them.

The film tells the story of Simon Clark, who was seriously injured in a road traffic collision in 2019 in Cirencester.

He was initially told he would never walk again.

However, after being saved by the GWAAC, he has made a miraculous recovery and trekked to Everest Base Camp in September this year.

Mr Clark said: "I’m under no illusion… without the help of that team from Great Western Air Ambulance Charity, I would not be here today.

"They gave me a second chance and I owe it to them to make the most of it."

The film was produced by Zest Productions and highlights Mr Clark's journey to recovery.

GWAAC's specialist paramedic in critical care, Pete Reeve, described Mr Clark as "one of the most broken people I’ve ever seen that has survived."

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The Charity Film Awards celebrate the success of fundraising films, aim to increase the exposure of charity films, and encourage donations for good causes.

The GWAAC provides critical care and air ambulance services to 2.1 million people across Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, and parts of Wiltshire.

In the first half of 2024, the GWAAC was called to help 1,159 people in urgent need, rushing to treat them by helicopter or critical care car.

Each mission costs around £2,200 to attend.

The charity receives no day-to-day funding from the government or national lottery.