Angela Brearley

Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s recycling partner, Recycling Solutions, are celebrating raising more than £120,000 for Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) in their first year of working with the Charity, thanks to donations from generous supporters across the region.

Recycling Solutions are a family run textile recycling company based in Heywood, Lancashire. Since 2007, they have been working with charities and local authorities to reduce the amount of textile waste going to landfill.

Businesses, community groups and individuals in Yorkshire have been recycling their unwanted clothing and shoes at over 230 Recycling Solutions textile banks situated across the county, with locations increasing every month.

For every item of clothing or pair of shoes donated, the YAA receives a percentage of the sale of the donated goods. Good quality items are re-sold to second-hand clothing traders in the UK and worldwide.

James Cook, Recycling Solutions Director (North West), said: “My organisation, Recycling Solutions North West has been given the privilege of working on behalf of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance to raise funds via clothing recycling schemes. We are extremely proud to be tasked with this, our aim is to provide an exemplary service to the charity and the local community whilst raising significant funds every month, raising in excess of £120,000 in just 12 months has been a fantastic achievement, thank you to everyone who has placed their clothing and shoes in our clothing banks across Yorkshire. “

Katie Collinson, Corporate and Partnerships Manager for Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “Since we started our recycling scheme over 16 years ago, we are very close to having raised an incredible £3 million pounds. It costs £4.4 million every single year to keep YAA saving lives across the region and our recycling scheme gives us sustainable income that we can rely on. We are very grateful to everyone for their continued support and generosity.”

Anyone wishing to donate unwanted clothing and shoes can do so by visiting their nearest clothing back.  These can be located by inputting your postcode on the bank locator on the YAA website: www.yaa.org.uk/get-involved/recycling/ recycling-bank-locator

To celebrate National Careers week 2021 (1^st – 6^th March 2021), Yorkshire Air Ambulance have spoken to four of their latest recruits about their experiences working for the air ambulance charity.

The new Paramedics form part of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Critical Care Team, comprising 11 Consultants in Emergency Medicine and 20 Paramedics who work as crew on the two YAA helicopters delivering the life-saving service 365 days a year to 5 million people across 4 million acres of Yorkshire. The Paramedics are seconded from the Yorkshire Air Ambulance partner Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, on a two-year basis.

Steven Dawber

Steven Dawber from Brough has been a qualified Paramedic for the last 12 years. He started his medical career in 2002 working on non-emergency patient transport, then progressing to A&E and in 2008 he sat his paramedic exams. His career has been predominantly spent working in Hull where he also became a Clinical Supervisor in 2013 and was seconded to the post of Clinical Development Manager before joining YAA.

Speaking of why he joined Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Steven said: “I had reached a point in my career where I wanted to challenge myself again and go to jobs where I could learn more skills and push myself. Working at YAA offers a different method of transport, different skills and medication and most importantly, you can make a difference to someone’s life. I saw this on my first week of work here, where a journey by land would have taken 40 minutes, but it took just 4 minutes by air.”

Gemma Richmond

Gemma joined Yorkshire Ambulance Service in 2002 as a Technician and worked at Menston Ambulance Station as an AEMT (Advanced Emergency Medical Technician) until she was offered a position at HART, Yorkshire’s Hazardous Area Response Team. It was there she completed her paramedic training and remained on the unit for eight years before joining YAA.

Gemma said: “I really wanted the opportunity to experience life as a HEMS Paramedic. I spent eight years working across Yorkshire providing a HART response so now is a really exciting opportunity to provide a similar response but arriving to the emergency in a completely different way and providing my patients with a wider variety of clinical skills. I really enjoy working alongside the Doctors, providing a critical care response to the patients in the greatest need and I’m looking forward to learning a huge amount from the Doctors’ experience in pre-hospital care over the next two years.”

Georgina Godfrey

Georgina Godfrey is from Sheffield. When Georgina left sixth form, she started her working life as a dental nurse, following in her family’s footsteps. However, a year later she decided to pursue a medical career, an ambition that stemmed from a serious fall Georgina had when she was younger and after being inspired by the medical team that helped her.

Georgina went to Sheffield Hallam University and qualified as a Paramedic when she was only 21 and joined Yorkshire Ambulance Service in 2012, progressing to a Clinical Supervisor in 2017.

Speaking of Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Georgina said: “I’ve worked alongside Yorkshire Air Ambulance many times in my role at Yorkshire Ambulance Service and I’ve always been impressed by their teamwork and their care for their patients.”

Mike Williams

Mike Williams joined Yorkshire Ambulance Service in 2009 after seven years in the Army. Originally based in Harrogate as a Paramedic, Michael moved to Leeds as a Clinical Supervisor prior to accepting his new role at the Charity.

“Being based in rural North Yorkshire, we often encountered Yorkshire Air Ambulance on jobs and working for them has always been something that I wanted to do,” said Michael.

He continued: ”I’m really enjoying getting out there and putting all the training into practice, whilst learning from all the YAA Doctors, Paramedics and Pilots.“

Yorkshire Air Ambulance secured grant funding for a Pro Simbodies Thoracotomy Trainer, which will help their crew practice the complex procedures that they carry out on-scene at many of their incidents.

The grant to purchase the manikin was generously awarded by the Jack Brunton Charitable Trust and the Tesco Bags of Help grant scheme, generated from the sale of reusable bags in store.

The thoracotomy trainer is a repairable and operable manikin that can be sutured back together to practice thoracotomies. A thoracotomy is an emergency surgical procedure and can be performed by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Critical Care Team at the roadside. It provides adequate exposure of the heart and lower chest area to drain blood from around the heart, predominantly required as a result of penetrating chest trauma or blunt trauma where a blockage is suspected.

The thoracotomy trainer is the latest addition to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s suite of manikins. The Simbodies are anatomically correct, life casts to give them the look and feel of a real person. They enable members of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance team to practice complex procedures without the risk to patients, in a safe training environment.

The Simulation suite, where they use the manikins, is a fully immersive training room that can be adapted to replicate various real-life trauma situations.  It features 360 degree projectable walls, a scent dispersal machine and is temperature-controlled. The simulation suite not only tests the paramedics’ clinical skills, but it also tests their sensory system, to replicate what might happen on a call out.

Matthew Syrat, Clinical Operations Manager for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “Our new Thoracotomy trainer will enable the team to practice not only the physical method of the procedure but will also allow us to manage the sensitive human factors that often surround it. This is a relatively rare procedure, and this makes it incredibly important that we all know what our roles will be during the real-life event. We cannot thank the Jack Brunton Charitable Trust, along with Tesco Bags of Help, enough for their generous help to allow us the opportunity to purchase this manikin for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.”

Derek Noble, the Jack Brunton Charitable Trust Chairman commented: “We are delighted to support this latest life-saving project by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. The Jack Brunton Charitable Trust has supported the Charity for many years, in recognition of the vital service it provides to rural communities across North Yorkshire. We hope that this new training equipment will help the Critical Care Team save even more lives across the region.”

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves 5 million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,500 missions every year. The Charity operates two, state-of-the-art Airbus H145 helicopters and needs to

raise £12,000 to keep these two air ambulances maintained and flying over Yorkshire, saving lives every day.

When dealing with the most serious major traumas in Yorkshire, time is of the essence and it is paramount that the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Critical Care Team can reach their patients in the quickest way possible.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance is delighted to announce that they have introduced two custom-built Skoda Kodiaq Rapid Response Vehicles to their fleet of life-saving vehicles which will enable the Charity to extend its operations during adverse weather conditions, when their aircraft are offline for routine servicing and when, in some circumstances, it is quicker to get to the patient by road than by air.

The two new vehicles were custom-built to meet the needs of the air ambulance service and they are fully capable of carrying the same life-saving equipment found in both our helicopters, enabling the Yorkshire Air Ambulance crew to bring the same expert care to the scene of an incident as they do with their aircraft.

One of the vehicles will be based at the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Nostell airbase and the other at their North Yorkshire Topcliffe airbase, allowing the Charity to service the entirety of Yorkshire when patients require the specialist skills of their Critical Care Team.

Peter Sunderland, Yorkshire Air Ambulance Chairman, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome two new rapid response cars to our fleet of life-saving vehicles. These cars will make a huge difference to our operations in adverse weather conditions and in places unreachable by aircraft, enabling us to provide swift medical interventions that could have a major impact on a patient’s chance of survival and subsequent quality of life.

None of this would have been possible without the generosity of the Mark Benevolent Fund, Henry Surtees Foundation, Morrisons Foundation and the Tesco Bags of Help scheme in York, who have kindly sponsored the vehicles.”

Matt Syrat, YAA Clinical Operations Manager, said: “The capabilities of our new rapid response vehicles will allow us to be able to get to patients during periods of aircraft downtime or extreme weather which render flying impossible, ensuring we can deliver prehospital care in the right place and at the right time.”

Darren Coleman-Heald, Charities Manager at the Mark Benevolent Fund, said: “The Mark Benevolent Fund is delighted to have joined forces once again with our partners at the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. This all-important project and the vehicle provided reach deep into the heart of your community and will be a certain lifeline to many. The Mark Benevolent Fund is the official charity of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, the third largest branch of Freemasonry. Our 35,000 members will be pleased to know that their donations are being used wisely, helping those in need and saving lives right across Yorkshire.”

Nick Smith, Executive Director of Operations at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “The long-standing partnership we have with YAA is a great asset for the Yorkshire region and the addition of these two rapid response vehicles at YAA will extend the reach of the Critical Care Team to treat more patients who are in a serious or life-threatening condition.”

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves 5 million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,500 missions every year. The Charity operates two, state-of-the-art Airbus H145 helicopters and needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.

For more information, please contact Yorkshire Air Ambulance PR and Communications Officer, Jessica McDonnell on j.mcdonnell@yaa.org.uk or 01422 237900/ 07384 517193

Life-saving emergency services charity, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) have welcomed two brand-new hi-tech promotional fundraising vehicles to their fleet.

The two Fiat Ducato vehicles have been specially designed and built to allow the YAA fundraising teams to take a state-of-the-art educational supporter experience out on the road and into communities.

Equipped with interactive technology, the vehicles feature a replica cockpit from their H145 helicopters, with screens showing aerial footage of the views the crews experience whilst flying in the air ambulance helicopters.  Also featuring in the vehicles are screens for presentations and interviews with the crew, interactive iPads for an immersive user experience and a seating area where supporters can chat with YAA staff and volunteers.

The outside of the vehicles has been wrapped with distinctive YAA branding meaning the vehicles are instantly recognisable.

The promotional vehicles will also play an active role in the YAA’s brand new schools educational project, which aims to teach children about the service and inspire the next generation of supporters.

Having taken over a year to design and build by Derby-based Neat Vehicles, the purchase of the two Fiats has only been made possible through generous funding and sponsorship by long-standing YAA supporters B.Braun Medical Ltd and the Yorkshire Freemasons.  Each have pledged to support one of the vehicles.

Both organisations are dedicated long-standing supporters of the Charity, with Sheffield based B.Braun Medical working with the Charity for over 17 years with both financial and professional support, and Yorkshire Freemason’s from across the region offering ongoing fundraising and financial support.

Peter Sunderland, Chairman of the YAA commented: “These two new promotional vehicles mark a significant advancement in our educational and fundraising experiences, but have only been made possible due to the generous support from both B.Braun Medical and the Yorkshire Freemasons.  We genuinely cannot express our thanks enough to them to make all this possible.  The new vehicles will be key to our future community fundraising and educational activities.  They will help us pave the way for a new immersive style of interacting with the public and our supporters, which we hope will engage both new and established supporters alike and will showcase our life-saving work across the Yorkshire region.”

Paul Steel, Aesculap Academia Managing Director, B. Braun Medical Ltd. said: “The promotional vehicles look just fantastic. We’re delighted that we’re able to support such a wonderful project which will enable the Yorkshire Air Ambulance to have educational and fundraising benefits across Yorkshire. We have supported the Yorkshire Air Ambulance for many years, encouraging people and businesses to get behind the charity and we know that these vehicles will make a huge difference to the vital work the fundraising team do in the community. It will open up opportunities to attend events that previously might not have been possible.”

Yorkshire Freemasons West Riding Masonic Charities Chairman, Stuart Cadman, explained that they were providing the funds jointly with neighbouring province, Yorkshire North and East and said: “We are really pleased and delighted to be part of the YAA promotional vehicle project at a time when many charitable and community initiatives and fund-raising have been impacted by the effects of COVID-19.  The YAA is at the very heart of our community as it continues to help save lives throughout Yorkshire and Yorkshire Freemasons, through the generosity of our members, are proud to be able to continue our support for this vital emergency service.”

After an initial planned launch this summer, the project has been severely delayed due to the unimaginable impact COVID-19 has had on both the YAA and the nation as a whole.  The charity are hoping that they will be able to start utilising the vehicles in local communities in Spring/Summer next year when the impact of COVID-19 starts to safely subside and are following national government guidance and advice.

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance serves 5 million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,500 missions every year. The Charity operates two, state-of-the-art Airbus H145 helicopters and needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.

BP Chemicals Ltd has raised more than £5,000 for rapid response charity, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA).

BP located at the Saltend Chemicals Park near Hull, is the largest producer of acetic acid and acectic anhydride in Europe, Both Chemicals are key building blocks for a wide range of applications including paints, coatings and washing detergents, as well as the preservation of food.

BP employees in Hull voted for YAA to be their ‘Charity of the Year’, due to its prevalence in the Hull and East Yorkshire region.

Andy Carter-Fea, shift process technician at bp, and a member of the site’s charity committee, said: “YAA was chosen by our team in Hull due to the life-saving work it does across the region. You never know when you will require the YAA’s assistance.

“We’re proud we can contribute to helping YAA provide its services across Yorkshire.”

The £5,470.89 was raised through employee engagement activities (including a coast to coast ride),  Easter egg and Christmas events, and a recycling initiative, where employees were asked to recycle ear plugs (part of their personal protective equipment).

Bob Smailes, East Yorkshire Regional Fundraising Manager for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “We would like to thank the bp employees for their continued support and generosity. Organisations large and small play a critical role in raising vital funds and awareness for our charity and the £5,470.80 will help greatly towards the £12,000 a day required to keep both of our helicopters in the air and saving lives across Yorkshire.”

A pupil at New Mill Junior School has received a ‘Covid-19 Community Award’ from Selby District Council after raising £3,500 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Between the end of April and July, adhering to social distancing rules, UGirl Remi Weatherhead aged nine, has been on a Covid-19 mission visiting local children and families across Huddersfield, Calderdale, Sherburn in Elmet and Cumbria along with her father UMan, raising community morale, improving wellbeing and lifting people’s spirits during the pandemic.

UMan, created by Shaun Weatherhead from Huddersfield, known locally for his work in schools as part of the U Can Shine children’s wellbeing project has helped inspire more than 75,000 children across the North of England.

It was Remi who inspired her father to don his superhero outfit to bring local cheer to the community during the pandemic and she offered to join him as his sidekick UGirl.

During their mission, UGirl and UMan raised over £3,500 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance from their community street visits, exceeding their initial £1,000 target.

Remi received her Covid-19 Community Award in recognition of the work she has done in Sherburn in Elmet where her cousins live.

A Yorkshire Air Ambulance cheque presentation took place at Remi’s school in New Mill with her classmates from her bubble, Head Teacher Evelyne Barrow, Angela Vyas from the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and UMan celebrating Remi’s award and the money raised for the charity.

Councillor Dave Brooks, said: “On behalf of Sherburn in Elmet I would like to express our thanks to Remi and UMan for considering our community during their fundraising tour of Yorkshire. Their efforts raised a smile and spread some positivity during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

More importantly the monies raised for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance will help to support a vital service for the whole of Yorkshire. As a Yorkshire Party Councillor, it fills me with pride that a young person has used such creativity to support a worthwhile cause. Well done to Remi.”

Remi’s head teacher at New Mill Junior School, Evelyne Barrow said: “As a school we are immensely proud of Remi, she has been an amazing role model to her peers and gone above and beyond for her community during this very difficult time. Putting the happiness of others before her own, she has gone out of her way to cheer up those who have been struggling during lockdown and worked hard to raise spirits raising such an amazing sum of money for the air ambulance. What a star!”

Angela Vyas, West Yorkshire Community Fundraiser at the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “We would like to congratulate Remi on her Covid-19 Community Award and thank both Remi and Shaun for their continued support and generosity during lockdown.

It costs £12,000 a day to keep both of Yorkshire’s air ambulances maintained and air and the support we receive is truly appreciated.”

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves 5 million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,500 missions every year. The charity operates two, state-of-the-art Airbus H145 helicopters and needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.

Back in March, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) estimated that there could potentially be a deficit of around £420,000 from cancelled fundraising events during the 2020 summer period.

As COVID-19 and its impact continues to progress into the autumn and winter months, fundraising activity is still significantly decreased, mainly because larger gatherings are still prohibited.  As a result, the life-saving emergency service Charity has seen a much larger hit to their financial income than initially predicted, and as such, now estimate that fundraising deficit for the Charity stands in the region of £1.2M.

Peter Sunderland, Chairman, commented: “Like many Charities and businesses across the UK, the YAA has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.  It really has been the most challenging time for our teams, with strict restrictions still in place across much of the county, and most events being cancelled due to stringent social distancing measures. Whilst we have adapted to the new fundraising climate with virtual events and digital fundraising activities, this has been unable to replace the income that would have been generated from many of our larger events that take place annually.

Thanks to our previous foresight to plan for unexpected events, the YAA is currently able to continue carrying out our day to day operations at both our airbases.  However, the additional £1.2M income that we had budgeted for this year would have been hugely beneficial for building our reserves to ensure the continued stability of the Charity, and plans we have for future advancements and developments.”

Peter continued: “Our fundraising, marketing and administrative teams have been working extremely hard to continue raising the profile of the YAA within local communities, businesses and organisations, and generate much needed funds using new innovative methods and engaging creative ideas such as our 20^th anniversary virtual balloon race and online activities.”

The Charity, which has just celebrated its 20^th anniversary, provides two rapid-response emergency helicopters across the Yorkshire region.  Last year alone they treated nearly 1,150 patients after serious incidents.

Helen Callear, Director of Fundraising added, “Although it has been an incredibly challenging year for the team at the YAA, we have greatly benefitted from the hard work and support we have kindly received in the past, in riding out this crisis.  We have an incredibly loyal donor base, who we could not be more grateful to for their continued support.  We have worked hard to reduce our cost base in fundraising to the minimum, with use of technology like online Zoom meetings and presentations, and have also made it our absolute priority to keep in close contact with as many supporters as possible during the pandemic.  We are so fortunate that many of our supporters have also grown to become friends over the years.  Where various fundraising events have been able to take place, we have been proud to continue to offer support to everyone.”

Helen continued: “We are currently working on delivering more digital and hybrid fundraising events to enable us to adapt to the changing and challenging regional COVID-19 landscape, and keep everyone safe, and feel positive that the people of Yorkshire will continue to appreciate and support the life-saving air ambulance service we are still able to continue to provide.”

Peter concluded: “We have continued to be overwhelmed by the generosity of our supporters as we entered our 20^th operational year this October and I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has taken time to contact us with messages of support.  However COVID aside, the services of the two Yorkshire Air Ambulance helicopters continues to be required every day, and we will do everything we can to ensure the future of this life-saving Charity”

ENDS

Issued by Yorkshire Air Ambulance Communications team.

For further information, please contact Jessica McDonnell, PR and Communications Officer on j.mcdonnell@yaa.org.uk, or 07384 517 193.

Jack Jordan, 26, a Work Rider, originally from Scarborough, but currently living in Sherriff Hutton in North Yorkshire, began cycling during the pandemic to pass the time.

“My boss’ dad lent me his road bike and I decided to pedal to the Lake District, which was a difficult 117 miles. When I returned, I thought that I’m 26, young and fit and that I wanted to do something to raise funds for an important cause”, said Jack.

He continued: “I told a few people that I was aiming to cycle from Lands End to John O Groats in five days and I had quite a few doubters. That lit a fire in me to complete it.”

Jack cycled 173 miles a day supported by his girlfriend Cara Richardson, who travelled alongside Jack and stopped every 40 miles to provide a familiar face and sandwiches. Cara’s brother, Rafi, supplied Jack with a bike for the challenge from his business Ra Bikes.

“It was a mental hurdle, I set off at 5.30am and then when it got to 1pm it would dawn on me that I would still be cycling at 9pm. It was 13 hours on a bike a day”, said Jack.

When asked how he feels about completing the challenge, he continued: “It’s a money can’t buy experience, money can’t make you pedal from the bottom of England to the top of Scotland. I’m glad I was able to raise funds for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Every time I see the helicopter in the sky, it will remind me of what I have achieved.”

Kevin Hutchinson, East Yorkshire Community Fundraiser for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “We would like to congratulate Jack on completing such a challenging cycle ride and thank him for supporting the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and raising an incredible £2,500 for the Charity.

It costs £12,000 a day to keep both of Yorkshire’s air ambulances maintained and in the air and this year, due to the pandemic, the Charity has seen a loss of approximately £420,000 due to cancelled events. All of the support we receive is truly appreciated and will help us continue saving lives across the region.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance serves 5 million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,500 missions every year.

To support the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and to donate to Jack’s Just Giving page, check out: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jack-jordan4

Businesses, community groups and individuals across Yorkshire have united to help the Yorkshire Air Ambulance celebrate their 20^th anniversary and have raised an impressive £3,840 for the rapid response charity.

The virtual balloon race commenced on the 19th October and finished on the Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s 20^th anniversary on October 25^th 2020. Prizes were awarded to first, second and third place balloons and participants were able to watch their balloons race via a virtual balloon race website and share messages with the Charity.

Lydia’s Voyager from the Frobelian School Leeds was the first place prize winner, taking home a £100 B&M voucher, kindly donated by B&M stores. Planet Platforms in Wakefield won the Marley Stir it up Record Player for second place and ICC Group, Wetherby took home third prize which was a generously donated Betty’s Northerallerton gift box. The bonus fourth place prize of a Yorkshire Air Ambulance commemorative 20^th Anniversary teddy bear went to Sue Munden for her 9 year old grandson Harry.

Jenny Jones, Regional Fundraising Manager (South and West) for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part in our 20^th anniversary virtual balloon race. We were overwhelmed by everyone’s support and it was a great way to celebrate the Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s twentieth year.

It costs £12,000 a day to keep both of our air ambulances maintained and in the air and like many charities across the UK, this year we have been deeply impacted by COVID-19.  The money raised from the balloon race will help greatly towards the vital funding of our service and enable us to continue saving lives across the region.”

Thank you to all of our supporters, businesses and community groups who took part in the race, including:

Businesses

Home Instead (Wetherby and Ilkley), CMS Distribution, World of Wyndsors (Chesterfield), Capita Samsung (Leeds), JTF (Leeds), XPO (Bradford),  TOG 24, Eastwoods (Elland),  Junction 32 Retail Park, Recycling Solutions, LSI (Bradford), Planet Platforms (Wakefield),  Bardsey Tree Services, Caravan Guard (Halifax) and ICC Group (Wetherby).

Community Groups

Yorkshire Trikes, Eldwick Village Society, Aire Valley UK, Froebelian School, Gaslight Ukulele Band,  204 Sheffield Guides,  Wetherby Wharfedale Rotary Club, Hebden Royd PROBUS Retired Men’s Club,  Sowood WI, Trefoil Guild (Keighley, Shipley, York, Hull, Selby, Bridlington, Skipton, Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Barnsley, Doncaster and Billingham).

Armadillo Self-storage in Sheffield Parkway has now donated £14,093 worth of storage space to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) is a lifesaving rapid response service, operating 365 days a year and covering the 4 million acres of Yorkshire with a population of 5 million people.

The charity has been using the Sheffield Parkway storage facility since 2014 to store fundraising equipment and merchandise, used by staff and volunteers to raise vital funds to keep both aircraft flying above Yorkshire.

The extensive support of the YAA from Armadillo Self-storage led to the firm receiving a special Corporate Partner Award at the annual Yorkshire Air Ambulance Recognition Awards in 2016.

Charlie Reeder, South Yorkshire Regional Fundraiser for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “We would like to thank Armadillo Storage for their continued support and generosity over the last six years, businesses such as Armadillo are the life-blood of our charity.

It costs £12,000 a day to keep both of Yorkshire’s air ambulances maintained and in the air and having storage donated to us keeps our running costs down and ensures more of our donations go directly into saving lives across the region.”

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) has begun trialling contactless payments donations at Farmer Copleys in Pontefract, thanks to Yorkshire Payments.

The electronic device, the Good Box, accepts contactless donations offline, enabling the Yorkshire Air Ambulance to fundraise in more locations, particularly rural areas where there maybe be little or no mobile signal or WIFI. The high tech touch screen allows donors to increase or decrease their donation amount with ease, accepting payments of up to £30.

The Good box has been kindly donated to Yorkshire Air Ambulance for a 12 month period free of charge by the Brighouse based company, Yorkshire Payments.  The YAA will trial its success within the organisation, with the hope of rolling out more contactless donation boxes in the future and enticing a new generation of donors, for whom contactless donations are more convenient.

Farmer Copleys are long standing supporters of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and have hosted many YAA events over the years. Their farm shop and café is popular with Yorkshire Air Ambulance supporters making it a perfect place to test the new products viability.

Since the beginning of lockdown, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance have lost an estimated £420,000 from cancelled events and fundraising activity and it has become increasingly important to look for new methods of fundraising. The new contactless boxes are an innovative way of bringing fundraising to rural areas, whilst keeping donors and staff COVID safe.

Katie Collinson, Corporate and Partnerships Manager for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “We are incredibly grateful for Yorkshire Payments support in helping us move our contactless giving forward and with the rise in contactless payments due to COVID-19, we hope the device will prove very popular with supporters.”

James Howard, Managing Director of Yorkshire Payments, said: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and to provide our technology to such an iconic landmark and well renowned establishment such as Farmer Copleys.

Yorkshire Payments has identified a need to provide contactless and digital donations in the marketplace as fewer consumers are carrying cash, and the coins they do carry tends to be spare loose change. The charity sector right now has been significantly impacted by the pandemic and is in there is a desperate need to change consumer behaviour and habits to help support great organisations like The Yorkshire Air Ambulance to continue to operate.

We are proud to partner with this wonderful organisation and will do all we can to maximise the fundraising they do through alternative methods, such as contactless card payments, smart watch devices and smart phone payments.”

Yorkshire Air Ambulance serves 5million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,500 missions every year. The charity operates two, state-of-the-art Airbus H145 helicopters and needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.