Shared estates information
Less reliance on manual updates and individual knowledge.
The customer experience
East Anglian Air Ambulance | Creating a single point of truth for estates and facilities management
Interview with Rebecca Burroughs, Visitor and Estates Coordinator, East Anglian Air Ambulance
East Anglian Air Ambulance is a life-saving charity delivering pre-hospital emergency treatment and care across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, and Bedfordshire. With bases located in Norwich and Cambridge, the organisation operates two aircraft and four critical care cars, responding to around eight taskings every day.
As a charity, East Anglian Air Ambulance must raise in the region of £20 million each year to deliver and develop their lifesaving service, making efficiency, compliance, and responsible use of supporters’ money essential.
Behind the scenes, the Estates team plays a critical role in keeping operations safe and reliable.
“On a good day, the building and the people are safe. If we’ve done our job properly, no one really notices us.”
The challenge
As East Anglian Air Ambulance expanded into a 24/7 emergency service, the systems supporting estates and facilities management also needed to scale. Information was spread across various systems, relying heavily on manual updates and individual knowledge.
“There was no single source of truth. Everything depended on someone remembering to update something somewhere.”
This lack of visibility introduced operational risk. Missed servicing or maintenance could have serious consequences, particularly for an organisation that cannot afford downtime.
“If systems fail, it’s not just inconvenient. In a worst-case scenario, it could stop us operating.”
A proactive approach to change
With a move to a new base in Cambridge planned, East Anglian Air Ambulance identified a clear opportunity to futureproof its approach.
“We had two to three years to prepare. It wasn’t a panic decision; it was a pre-emptive strike.”
Any solution had to be sustainable, easy to use, and secure. Ease of adoption was critical, as not all team members were confident with new technology. Security was non-negotiable due to the multiple regulatory bodies the charity is accountable to.
“We have layers of oversight. Any system we use has to fit within very strict security requirements.”
Why Collabit
Collabit was selected as a cost-effective and scalable solution that met these requirements. While the platform offers broad capability, the focus was on using what mattered most to the Estates team.
“We knew we only needed a small part of what Collabit can do.”
Establishing shared language and clear processes early on helped ensure the system supported existing workflows.
“Once we were all talking about things in the same way, it just clicked.”
Onboarding and early value
Collaboration during onboarding played a key role in adoption and confidence-building across the team.
“The patience from the Collabit team made a huge difference.”
Mistakes were treated as part of the process rather than blockers, helping users feel supported rather than overwhelmed.
“Not everyone was confident going in, and that understanding really mattered.”
Early value came from improved visibility across planning and maintenance schedules.
“We can see what’s coming up, what’s been done, and what needs booking in.”
Day-to-day impact
Today, Collabit is embedded in the Estates team’s daily workflow and provides a reliable view of planned maintenance, compliance records, and certifications.
“It’s one of the first things we open in the morning.”
While the impact is not always captured in simple metrics, the confidence it brings is clear.
“We might not be able to say it’s saved a specific number of hours yet, but we know where we stand.”
Even volunteers outside the core team have successfully adopted the system.
“It’s been a huge time saver for us.”
Supporting the wider organisation
The greatest value of Collabit lies in how it enables the Estates team to support the rest of the charity by maintaining safe and compliant environments.
“Collabit helps us support the organisation by keeping everyone safe in their workplace.”
Looking ahead, East Anglian Air Ambulance plans to continue embedding the system as the organisation grows.
“As a charity, we have a responsibility to ensure our resources are used efficiently and effectively.”
With thanks
Collabit would like to thank East Anglian Air Ambulance for the vital work they do every day to keep people safe. We are proud to work alongside such a dedicated charity and grateful for the commitment and care shown by their teams across the region.
