Let’s hear it for December’s Fundraising Heroes

Even amid the hustle and bustle of Christmas, supporters from across the region continued to come together to help raise vital funds for our air ambulance charity 💚 

Take a look as we shine the spotlight on our incredible December Fundraising Heroes 

Postcode party 

Mandy and Stuart attended the AFD Postcode Party & Charity Event 2025 over on the Isle of Man. We were delighted to receive a donation of £1,000.00 after being nominated by their General Manager, Duncan McLeod.    

It was a great evening which gave us the opportunity to celebrate and share the work of our charity and other incredible charities too. A huge thank you to everyone involved for their generosity and support. 

A ball to remember 

We’re incredibly grateful to Robert Martin and the Isle of Man Society of Chartered Accountants, who raised £1,254.87 for us at their annual ball, held at Woodbourne House in Douglas. 

A wonderful evening for a brilliant cause – thank you for choosing to support our life-saving service. 

Bicentennial celebrations 

December brought an impromptu cheque presentation with Jim, the Landlord of the Locomotion Pub in Eaglescliffe, following their annual ‘Locomotion Trail Run’ for charity.  

This year was extra special, marking the bicentennial of George Stephenson’s first passenger train journey (the world’s first!) between Darlington and Stockton, which passed our HQ.    

Community involvement was at the heart of the day. The commemorative medal design came from a local school competition, won by George Lingard-Reay, while Frankie Baum, a Duke of Edinburgh volunteer, played a key role as part of the race timing team. Medals were presented by artist Lucy Pittaway alongside local MP Matt Vickers. 

It was a truly special event celebrating history, community, and generosity, raising £2606 for our charity.  

Tractor magic 

Walton Young Farmers Club lit up December with their Christmas Tractor Run, featuring around 70 beautifully decorated vehicles. It was an incredible evening full of festive cheer and community pride. Deborah even got our charity van into the spirit! 

Trucks, tractors, and festive cheer 

We were also proud to be part of the North Tyne Christmas Truck Run, with a cheque presentation in Kielder before joining the convoy back to Hexham.  

Volunteers also hosted a stall at Hexham Mart, where crowds gathered to welcome the trucks as they arrived. 

It was fantastic to see so much support along the route! 

Spinathon success 

At Cockermouth Sports Centre, supporters took on a charity Spinathon, with 50% of the funds raised donated to our charity and the other half supporting Mountain Rescue. 

We bet there were some aching legs – all for two worthy causes! Thank you to everyone who took part. 

Little fundraisers, big hearts 

Over the summer, a group of children and their childminders paid to have exclusive use our conference room, completed with the added benefit of a presentation and a hangar tour with the crew took to look at Shelly and our response vehicles. They all had a wonderful afternoon and, inspired by their visit, they pledged to do some fundraising in the future for us.  

Since then, they’ve taken on various walks in different locations and raised funds for our charity. This month, they proudly presented the funds they raised, with our volunteer John White attending the cheque presentation. A wonderful reminder that you’re never too young to make a difference! 

Light up the sky 

Ryecroft Glenton, who currently have us as their Chosen Charity, welcomed us to see their Light Up the Sky Campaign Tree. 

The team held a raffle, Christmas jumper day, and shared festive food, with a special visit from Miles the Bear adding to the celebrations.  

Thank you to the whole Ryecroft Glenton team for your continued support and Christmas spirit. 

£10,000 for Operation SOS 

The ladies of Alston Cottage League of Friends braved the cold winds in Langwathby to present an incredible £10,000 cheque in support of our Operation SOS campaign. 

Their heartfelt words recognised the vital service we provide to Alston Moor and its community. We are deeply grateful for their generosity and encouragement as we work towards securing a new helicopter. 

Double the impact 

Paracise with Donna raised an amazing £4,550 through a series of coffee mornings, afternoon teas and their fantastic raffle.  

Thanks to the Z Zurich Foundation, this generous donation was matched, doubling its impact.  

We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved. 

Brockbushes, books and brownies 

We loved attending the Brockbushes Christmas food and drink market this month. We have been their Chosen Charity of the Year, and they are nearing an incredible £5000 raised for us.  

It was especially lovely to spend time with Clara Nicholl, whose daughter, Elsie, we attended. She continues to do so much for our charity through donations from her book and her (amazing!) brownies.  

Metal detecting heroes 

We held a cheque presentation with County Durham Metal Detectorists, who recently donated £5,000 to help us hit our Big Give target. 

Their dedication over the years is remarkable – they have now raised an astonishing £34,000 in just four years. An incredible group doing extraordinary things. 

A village that knows our impact 

We were honoured to attend the South Charlton village Christmas lights switch-on, after responding to an incident involving a village resident earlier this year. 

With a raffle, tombola, festive treats, and kind donations along with a visit from Santa, it was a wonderful evening.  

Speaking with residents who have experienced our service first-hand, including someone who had been attended to by our team in 2024, was a powerful reminder of why community support matters so much. 

Braving the weather 

At the Solway Christmas Tractor and Truck Run in Silloth, over 20 tractors and trucks took part despite torrential rain and fierce winds. Supporters lined the route regardless of the weather, and £400 raised was split between us and the North West Ambulance Charity. 

True dedication in truly awful weather – thank you all. 

Coffee, crafts, and kindness 

The Crafty Crew Club attended our HQ for a cheque presentation this month, following their coffee morning and fundraiser for our charity. 

It was a lovely event filled with creativity and generosity – thank you for choosing to support us. 

Motorbikes and mighty hearts 

Northumberland Motor Cycle Clubs raised £1,730 for us at their BBQ fundraiser earlier this year, so our volunteer Neville went to see them for a cheque presentation. 

We’d like to say a huge thank you to all groups involved, including: 

• Revenants MCC 

• Infidels MCC 

• Kyndred Spirits MCC 

• Bloodaxe MCC 

• Hallowed Saints MCC 

Your combined support and generosity make a real difference to lives across the region! 

Domino cards for a cause 

Our Volunteer Neville attended a festive cheque presentation at a Christmas party, with residents from a 14-storey block of flats, organised by Lawrence Rodden. 

Through selling domino cards throughout the year, the group raised a fantastic £1,000 for our charity – an amazing effort and a brilliant example of community spirit. 

Thank you 

As both December and 2025 come to a close, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has fundraised for us this month and throughout the year. 

Every raffle ticket sold, tractor decorated, cake baked, mile walked, and challenge completed helps keep our helicopters flying and our crews ready when they’re needed most. 

Your compassion, generosity, and community spirit power our life-saving service. We truly couldn’t do it without you all.