This marks the beginning of a meaningful collaboration focused on supporting life-saving care across the region.

Managing more than 40 branches within the areas served by GNAAS, Ramsdens is a recognised and trusted retail and financial services brand, operating in the four core business segments of foreign currency exchange, jewellery retail, pawnbroking loans and precious metals buying and selling.

Explaining their decision to support GNAAS, Kirsteen Cudworth, Head of Marketing at Ramsdens, said: “Our partnership with the Great North Air Ambulance Service reflects our commitment to helping make a meaningful difference in the communities we serve. By supporting GNAAS, we’re investing in a cause that aligns with our commitment to helping people across our region and contributing to organisations that deliver real, measurable impact.”

As part of the partnership, Ramsdens will roll out a number of competitions offering participants the chance to win a luxury watch, with proceeds supporting GNAAS.

The company has already demonstrated its commitment to the charity through previous fundraising initiatives. Ramsdens donated jewellery auction prizes for use at GNAAS’ annual ball, while branches in Bishop Auckland and Kendal encouraged customers to donate leftover foreign coins through an in-store loose coin scheme. Those coins were converted into sterling and donated directly to the charity, with the latest recall raising an impressive £1,553.63.

Most recently, Ramsdens have assisted in helping to purchase the charity’s new fleet of helicopters, through their International Money Transfer Service, resulting in substantial savings for GNAAS.

To be recognised as a corporate partner of GNAAS, businesses must raise at least £5,000.

Ramsdens has far exceeded that threshold, and after donating a generous £25,000, plus paying for two teams to attend the charity’s golf day, they became a gold partner of GNAAS.

In recognition of their outstanding support, Ramsdens’ logo will now be displayed on one of the charity’s helicopters for a year.

Speaking further about the charity’s work, Kirsteen added: “GNAAS plays an essential role in delivering critical care across some of the most remote and challenging areas of the region, often reaching people when every second counts. Their ability to bring advanced, hospital-level treatment directly to the scene of an emergency makes a profound difference to outcomes for patients and families. As a service funded entirely by donations, GNAAS relies on the backing of organisations and communities to keep its aircraft flying and its specialist teams operational. Their impact, professionalism, and commitment to saving lives make them an organisation we are proud to support.”

Vicky Fisher, senior corporate relationship manager at GNAAS, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Ramsdens as one of our Corporate Partners and it has been an absolute pleasure working with their team to get the partnership underway. Their proactive mindset and clear commitment to a partnership built on shared values and goals is truly appreciated. I’m excited to see how this collaboration develops.”