It's Lance – the new Yorkshire Air Ambulance mascot!
Meet 'Lance the Air AmbuLance', Yorkshire Air Ambulance's new mascot who has been named after a countywide school competition.
The winning entry was chosen from scores of entries to find a name for the new face of the emergency rapid response charity.
It came from nine year-old Leah Cordall, a pupil at Grove Lee Primary School in Hemsworth, West Yorkshire. She wanted to call the helicopter mascot Lance because: “It’s catchy and easy to remember – LANCE the AmbuLance.”
Leah got the chance to meet ‘Lance’ and the YAA crew when she visited Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s base at Leeds/Bradford Airport with her proud Mum Louise and Dad Mick as part of her prize. Louise said: “Leah was just over the moon when she realized she had won the competition.
“It has been great to see the helicopter up close and to meet the paramedics and pilot. We can’t believe that this vital service is totally funded by charitable donations.”
Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s new mascot was named after a countywide primary schools competition that was run by the charity through its website and social media channels. The move follows the retirement last summer of their previous mascot Bernie Bear, who was the face of the independent charity for ten years.
Abby McClymont, YAA Marketing and Communications Manager, said: “We were overwhelmed by the fantastic response to the competition and would like to thank all the children who entered. It was a really tough decision but we all agree ‘Lance’ is just right for our new mascot who will be known as AmbuLANCE. It’s a really cool name that ties in so well with the Ambulance link and Lance will be kept very busy over the coming months at shows, fetes and events throughout the region.”
Yorkshire Air Ambulance is an independent charity providing a rapid response emergency service to five million people across Yorkshire – England’s largest region. It needs to raise £9,900 each day to keep its two helicopters in the air and maintained.
Picture caption: AmbuLANCE with competition winner Leah Cordall and YAA Paramedic Leon Baranowski