A little bit of everything: our fundraising heroes have been busy through September!
There’s no such thing as a typical fundraiser, in fact our supporters have been finding all sorts of ways to raise vital funds for our crews over the last month.
So, grab a cuppa and settle in. Here’s a little look at what some of our fundraising heroes have been up to recently…
Generosity from George
We welcomed George Framelton to our Langwathby airbase recently for a cheque presentation. He donated a fantastic £4,000 to our charity, and with an additional £1,000 in Gift Aid, it brought the total to an amazing £5,000.
Unfortunately, the helicopter was out when George visited, so we couldn’t give him the usual airbase photo opportunity.
But where there’s a will, there’s a way…
The RRV and charity van stepped in instead, giving us the chance to enjoy a coffee, a chat and a slightly different kind of photo!
A warm welcome
Over on the Isle of Man, Mandy was happy to meet with Cecilia Ngotho, president of the Rotary Club of Rushen & Western Mann for a cheque presentation.
Following a recent presentation about our charity to the club by Mandy, the Rotary Club kindly donated £1,000 to support our life-saving work.
We’re incredibly grateful to everyone at the club for their generosity and for taking the time to learn more about the work of our crews.
Breaking records
Mandy also attended a presentation at Ramsey Crookall. Back in July, they organised a world record attempt – and, excitingly, the record was broken!
So, this month, Joanna Crookall invited all charities that were supported by the event to their offices for a special a photo opportunity with the record-breaking certificate.
It was a brilliant chance to celebrate an achievement that brought together a whole host of charities, with the Great North Air Ambulance Service among those benefiting from the event.
Ducks, duck, donation
The Stockton Round Table held their hugely successful Duck Race at the Tees Barrage back in August.
And their fundraising has now made its way to us, with the team donating a fantastic £3,500!
So, the group paid a visit to our airbase in September, giving us the chance to say a proper thank you and show them a little more about the service they’ve helped support.
A year of fundraising
Mieke and volunteer Carol had the pleasure of being hosted by Crosscrake WI at Sedgwick Village Hall.
The group had kindly chosen us as their Charity of the Year and, after a whole year of dedicated fundraising, they presented us with an incredible £1,550.
During the evening, we had the opportunity to talk about the difference their fundraising could make. For example, the money raised could fund an entire night’s rapid response service, helping our critical care team responding by car when needed. And there would even be money left to buy essential medical supplies such as plasters, bandages and other vital equipment!
It was a lovely evening celebrating the efforts of local volunteers and community groups, all working to make a positive difference in their own way.
Behind the scenes at base
We were delighted to host a group of representatives from Travel Chapter/Holiday Cottages at our Langwathby airbase.
Having chosen Air Ambulances UK (AAUK) as their Charity of the Year, colleagues from their Cumbrian branches visited to learn more about the work we do and what goes on behind the scenes here.
It was a fantastic opportunity to share more about our charity, and our visitors left with a greater understanding of the difference their support can make in helping us keep flying and saving lives.
A thank you worth waiting for
Brothers James and John came to our Langwathby airbase, with one very important reason for the visit.
James wanted to reunite with Terry, the paramedic who has been on duty on both occasions when we were called to provide critical care to him within the space of a week.
When the brothers arrived, the crew were out on a mission in the Pride of Cumbria. But the brothers decided to wait, so they could say a personal thank you to Terry.
James was visibly moved when Terry recognised and remembered him.
The brothers also brought along the contents of a collection bucket, filled with every penny they had managed to save over the past few months, along with a rather lovely box of chocolates for the crew to enjoy.
Their kindness was so touching and a wonderful reminder of the lasting impact our crews can have on patients and their families.
A winning combination
We made a trip to Hareshaw Linn Caravan Park for a cheque presentation, where the team handed over an amazing £2,404.12!
The money was raised through raffles, bingo sessions, and a get-together day at the caravan park, with the park itself kindly match funding the money raised.
A fantastic example of what can happen when a community gets behind a cause – we’re so very grateful to everyone who played a part.
Wood for good
You never quite know where a community talk might lead…
After giving a talk to the Teesside Woodturners Association, the evening turned into a spontaneous cheque presentation.
The group raised more than £900 for our charity. Not only that, but they also donated a van full of beautifully intricate pieces of woodwork for us to sell, including a rather spectacular large walnut bowl made from a tree stump.
That particular piece is set to be auctioned at our Las Vegas Charity Ball, with a reserve of £100!
Going once, going twice…
September also saw our final auction evening of the year with North East Vinduro Club.
There were plenty of generous donations, delicious food and an atmosphere that could only be described as electric.
There were so many people there that one of the organisers had to rustle up an extra table!
The club has shown time and time again just how much they care about supporting our service and there were even some special lots created for the auction, including some handy “Ouchie Pouches”.
Over £3,300 was made at the event, which is a truly fantastic amount, and we’re incredibly grateful for their continued support!
Minion mayhem
Volunteer Bob headed to The Royal Station Hotel in Newcastle for the Police National Volleyball event party.
There was a Minion theme, plenty of fun and, most importantly, more than £1,200 raised for our charity!
Ford the love of fundraising
Steve Ogle and The Lakes Tour crew rolled up in four beautifully polished classic Fords, and they brought a surprise with them: a cheque for £2,000!
Every year in June, Steve brings together an eclectic bunch of proud pre-80s rear-wheel-drive Ford owners for a weekend touring the Lakes from Grasmere.
For many years now they’ve chosen to support the Great North Air Ambulance Service along the way.
Our Langwathby crew joined in, the sun came out, the classic cars got plenty of attention and there was a very real sense of gratitude all round.
Coast to Coast
The CraftyCock Bikers stopped by for an airbase visit towards the end of the month.
The group of six friends took on an off-road Coast to Coast challenge in the summer, cycling from Whitehaven to Seaton Carew in support of our charity.
They covered all of their own accommodation, food, drink and van hire costs, with support from a fantastic collection of local businesses. And, together, they raised an amazing £4,000!
While they were with us, we also had a chat about what challenges they could get involved in next. So, we may have planted the seed for a certain unpredictable challenge… Miles4Missions, anyone?
From country music to critical care
And finally, we had a lovely cheque presentation with Sandra Wilson, who held a Country Singer night in Ireby.
The event raised an incredible £701.40 for our charity!
There was a special connection behind the fundraiser too – around 15 to 20 years ago, we were called to an incident involving Sandra’s son.
To see her supporting the charity all these years later is incredibly touching.
It’s moments like this that remind us that the work our crews do can stay with people and families long after.
And that’s just a snapshot…
Coffee mornings, world records, duck races, auctions, classic cars, country music, caravan park fundraisers, community talks and Coast to Coast adventures…
We said there’s no such thing as a typical fundraiser!
Every one of these events, donations and challenges helps our crews continue providing critical care to patients across the North of England and Isle of Man.
So, to every fundraising hero who has done something to support our charity recently: thank you.
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