Project Wingman: Caring for those who care for us

Project Wingman is a charity offering frontline staff a place to decompress, destress and unwind

The Project Wingman story started in 2020 in the midst of the Covid pandemic, when volunteers from the aviation industry recognised that they could do something unique using their airline experience to provide support for NHS staff, by offering frontline staff a place to decompress , destress and unwind on breaks and in between shifts with the care, support and empathy of highly trained airline crew.

From this simple realisation grew airline style lounges in NHS facilities, utilizing public spaces that could not be used. These lounges welcomed some 600,000 staff during the pandemic and Project Wingman established a proud tradition of volunteers from the aviation industry donning their uniforms and providing wellbeing support to NHS staff across the UK. 

Watch this video made as a thank-you to Project Wingman by NHS Staff!

With the impact of the pandemic, and the on-going need for wellbeing support, Project Wingman has now created lounges on specially converted buses, to enable us to continue to care for those who care for us, now that the public spaces have returned to normal use. The buses tour the UK, partnering with NHS well-being teams and charities to promote both the importance of staff wellbeing, and to facilitate access to it. Our buses have already welcomed over 40,000 staff on board and continue to do so. As a charity, we are constantly seeking out new sources of support to help us to continue with this service. We have though been delighted the continuous positive feedback by those who visit us, and the recognition of trusts and boards of the value that our visits bring. 

If you would like to find out more about Project Wingman visit here or contacts us on [email protected]. Our bus visits are run in partnership with the trusts and boards, and typically facilitated through the wellbeing or HR teams. 

We look forward to hearing from you.