General

Join in with the Grand Depart celebrations and support the Yorkshire Air Ambulance by wearing Yellow on Thursday 3rd July & donate £1!

Working in partnership with the Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Evening Post and other Johnston Press publications across the region, we’re looking for businesses, groups, organisations and schools to get involved with our #yellowyorkshire campaign!

Wear something Yellow or organise a Yellow fundraising event in your workplace or organisation and share your pictures with us via Facebook, Twitter & Instagram and #yellowyorkshire.

We will be sharing these pictures with the Yorkshire Evening Post who will be adding as many of the pictures as possible to their website.

It’s not too late to get involved! If you would like to join us please email o.lees@yaa.org.uk with details of your event or just send in your pictures from the day. We also have balloons & posters available to help decorate your workplace and turn Yorkshire Yellow!

We would be grateful if you could donate funds raised online here:

https://www.justgiving.com/yellowyorkshire/

and leave a message with details of how it was raised and the name of your organisation.

Alternative ways to donate:

Cheques made payable to ‘Yorkshire Air Ambulance’ can be sent to ‘Cayley House, 10 South Lane, Elland, West Yorkshire, HX5 0HQ’ (Please make a note on the back of the cheque that this is in conjunction with the Yellow Yorkshire campaign with full details of your organisation – Name & Address so we can send a thank you letter!)

Telephone: You can also ring the charity office and make a payment over the telephone via visa debit/credit card. T: 01422 237900.

Napoleons Casino & Restaurant in Leeds has presented the Yorkshire Air Ambulance with a cheque for £4,100 follow a spree of fundraising & a charity Cyclathon which took place on the same day the Tour de France went through Leeds.

Exercise bikes were kindly supplied by Xercise4Less on Kirkstall Road, Leeds & Napoleons' staff & customers all signed up to take slots on the bikes. The day was topped off by a fundraising dinner in Napoleons’ restaurant which helped push the grand total to over £4,000!
General Manager at Napoleons, Sandy Kopec, commented:

“We’d set out to get in the spirit of the Tour de France whilst raising some money in the process so we are thrilled to have raised such a fantastic amount for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. A big thank you goes to all our staff & customers who fundraised & donated so generously.

“As our charity of the year we are all well-educated on the vital services the Yorkshire Air Ambulance provides to our region and coincidentally, this was highlighted on the weekend of the Tour de France when they attended 31 incidents over the three days, compared to a usual three or four incidents on a regular weekend.”

Nicky Massen, Regional Fundraising Manager for the YAA, commented: “We are so grateful to all the Napoleons' staff & customers who helped raise such a fantastic amount and for supporting us once again. We don’t receive any funding and rely entirely on donations – so we can’t thank Napoleons enough.

“This is the second large contribution Napoleons Leeds have made, bringing their grand total to well over £7,000. The vital funds will go towards maintaining and flying the two Yorkshire Air Ambulance helicopters 365 days a year, helping save lives across Yorkshire.”

We are obviously very disappointed to have learned this news, however we are taking comfort in the fact that 130 fantastic episodes have aired over the last 7 years, giving our amazing supporters an insight to the work we do each and every day, as well as opening up the world of the Air Ambulance industry to viewers.

The BBC team who have flown with us over the years have been a fantastic bunch, becoming very much part of our team and we will miss them dearly. We wish them the best of luck in their future endeavours.

However, we’re sure that you haven’t seen the last of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance on your television screen’s just yet. Helicopter Heroes programmes are repeated on various channels most days including Dave and Really, and periodically on BBC 1 and 2 so keep a look out!

Plus there might be other things in the pipeline so watch this space…… 

Staff at a Sheffield-based healthcare firm have beaten their own charitable Tour de France target – by miles!

B. Braun Medical Ltd’s Corporate Challenge for 2014 saw employees take on ‘Le Tour de B. Braun’ – a 950-mile ‘virtual’ bike ride to raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) held to coincide with the prestigious ‘Le Grand Depart’ event.

During the three-week period of the international Tour de France, staff pledged to cycle a chosen distance on a static bicycle to make up part of the route across B. Braun UK locations, taking in Sterilog and Avitum UK sites including Pudsey, Gloucester and Cardiff.

But after staff got into the cycling spirit, they ended up taking the challenge up a gear by clocking up more than 1400 miles.

The Braun team also raised £4000 for YAA after work experience student Aleem Zaman cycled for an hour and raised sponsorship of £560 from his family, friends, school and neighbours – the most an individual raised throughout the ‘tour’. The 14-year-old was presented with a trophy in recognition of his outstanding feat.

Group Chief Executive of B. Braun Medical Ltd, Hans Hux, said: “Employees of all fitness levels were able to get involved in this event and I am so impressed with the team – they smashed their target several days before the end of the challenge.

“Aleem was the last rider to take to the saddle and it is very fitting indeed he brought the challenge to such an exciting close by raising so much money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance – a much-valued rescue and emergency regional resource of which B. Braun is a long-term supporter.”

Abby McClymont, YAA Marketing and Communications Manager, added: “We are delighted the ‘Tour de B Braun’ has been such a success and would like to sincerely thank all the B Braun staff that took part in the challenge.

“A special thank you and well done should also be given to Aleem for his sterling efforts with his fundraising. B. Braun Medical Ltd are our longest standing corporate supporter and they continue to overwhelm us with their fundraising efforts.”

Based in Chapeltown, Sheffield, B. Braun Medical Ltd is a member of the B. Braun Group, one of the world’s leading healthcare companies.

The healthcare firm is currently celebrating its 175th anniversary with a fundraising appeal for YAA. The 175 Campaign encourages people across the region to donate a minimum of £1.75 each between July and December to support the work of the YAA.

A music concert held by officers from South Yorkshire Police has raised £1000 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity.

The concert, held at Hall Cross Academy in Doncaster in May, featured the South Yorkshire Police Male Voice Choir and Band.

At a presentation dinner in Doncaster on Wednesday 16 July, Chief Constable David Crompton presented David Townend, a volunteer representative from the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, a cheque for the money raised.

Chief Constable David Crompton of South Yorkshire Police / Malcolm Briggs, secretary of the choir, said: “We were delighted to take part in this concert and raise money for such a worthy cause.

“Police officers regularly work alongside the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, which provides vital support and assistance to emergency services across the region.”

Mark Perry, South Yorkshire Fundraiser for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance added: “We would like to extend our thanks to South Yorkshire Police for their generosity in donating the monies from their concert to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. As an independent Charity, we need to raise £9,990 each day and without the help of individuals and groups such as these guys we wouldn’t be able to do what we do.”

Mourning the departure of the Grand Depart? Well, the super summer of cycling in Yorkshire continues with the YESSS Tickhill Grand Prix.

The closed road cycle race is only its second year, but has attracted professional riders and teams from all over the country.

Boasting eight races through the historic streets of Tickhill, near Doncaster, free admission, close to the action spectating, big screens, stalls and lots more it promises to be great day for all the family.

And supporting the event, on August 24, will also boost the funds of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA), Tickhill Grand Prix’s official charity partner for the next three years.

Mark Perry, Yorkshire Air Ambulance South Yorkshire Regional Fundraiser, said: “We were delighted when the Tickhill Grand Prix approached us to become a partner. Cycling is a huge, fast growing sport and with the fantastic success of the Tour de France in Yorkshire, I’m sure this will be a hugely popular event.”

Alongside a profit sharing agreement, the Grand Prix will be raising money for the YAA on the day. It is hoped the air ambulance will be there, and visitors can also actively support the rapid response charity by taking part in a special Rollapaluza 500m static bike challenge.

The Grand Prix will host eight races from 1pm till 7.45pm including Professional Elite – both Men and Women – Penny Farthing, amateur and youth races.

And one of those riders on the start line at Tickhill will be newly appointed YAA events and volunteer coordinator Jenny Eastham from Menston, Leeds.

“I didn’t know I would be working for the Air Ambulance when I entered the race,” said Jenny, who was previously a resort manager in Meribel, France, for a tour company.

“I got into cycling when I was working in France, but this will be only my third race, so it’s a bit daunting. But it will be just great to take part, especially as the organisers are supporting us so generously.

“I’m sure with the amazing success of the Grand Depart and the Tour de France in Yorkshire, lots of people will want to come to such a beautiful, historic village and support the Grand Prix.”

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) has carried more than 5,600 people in its 13-year history. It needs to raise £9,990 each day to keep its two helicopters in the air and maintained – equivalent to £3.6 million each year.

Without any direct government funding, the only help the charity receives is through the secondment of its paramedics from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Huddersfield Town’s and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s ground-breaking Keep it Up partnership will run for another three years.

The pioneering ‘Keep It Up’ campaign, was launched back in 2009 to help establish sustainable income for the Charity as well as supporting Huddersfield Town’s Youth Academy, which actively promotes the development of future football stars from the local community. Over the last five years, Huddersfield Town have driven the campaign through a series of high profile events including Walk for Pounds, Run for Pounds and the now famous Pedal for Pounds cycle challenge.

In late June this year, Town and YAA announced that the campaign has passed the £1m mark, with a YAA helicopter landing at PPG Canalside to celebrate the milestone.

The monies have been raised through a series of successful events, including the annual ‘Pedal for Pounds’ bike rides which took hundreds of riders, hundreds of miles across the UK. The most recent ride saw nearly 300 cyclists embark on the ‘Chapman Trail’ cycling the 250 miles back to Huddersfield’s John Smith Stadium from Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium in London.

Over the five ‘Pedal for Pounds’ rides, 635 different cyclists have taken part, covering a total of 1,250 miles and raising in excess of £700,000 to the ‘Keep It Up’ campaign.

Numerous other events have also been arranged by the Club and YAA or by fundraisers, which have added to the total. The YAA logo also appeared on the front of the team’s shirts during the 2009/10 season, with the players wearing a unique YAA red and yellow shirt during the home win vs Southend in 2010.

Paul Gowland, YAA Director of Fundraising said:

“We are absolutely delighted that HTAFC is looking to continue our partnership for at least another three years.

“When we launched the ‘Keep It Up’ campaign five years ago none of us quite knew just how successful it was going to be – so to be extending that to at least eight years is phenomenal. HTAFC staff and fans have very much become part of the YAA family over the years and we are looking forward to seeing what the next three years bring.

“We’d also like to thank HTAFC and their fans for their continued support of our Charity, as well as helping us raise the vital funds and awareness that we need to continue our daily operations.”

Huddersfield Town’s Supporter Partnerships Manager, Robyn Deegan added:

“I am delighted that on the back of the £1m landmark we have agreed to extend the Keep it Up campaign for a minimum of three years.

“Our partnership with the Yorkshire Air Ambulance is the thing that I am asked most about by our fans; they are as proud as we are by what has been achieved.

“Hopefully we can take the campaign on to greater heights over the next three years and continue to be a huge financial benefit to our Academy as well as saving lives through the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.”

The pilot who flew BBC presenter Richard Hammond to hospital after his horror high-speed crash has retired after a decade as a Pilot for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Capt Steve Cobb has flown hundreds of missions for the rapid response emergency charity, many as its Chief Pilot in his ten years – but none as high profile as the 2006 rescue of the Top Gear host who was fighting for his life after sustaining serious head injuries in a 280mph jet car crash at Elvington Airfield.

The father-of-two went on to make a full recovery, in large part because of the speed he was transferred to Leeds General Infirmary.

Steve, 59, said: “The Richard Hammond incident was certainly the one that generated the most interest, although it was actually one of the easiest jobs I’ve done.

“But landing on that airfield ended up being one the biggest events that happened for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance – leading to enough money being raised to put a deposit down to fund our second helicopter G-CEMS.”

His flying career got off the ground by chance in 1986 when Steve – who was enjoying a successful career in contract IT – spotted a roadside advert for a helicopter trial lesson.

“I really enjoyed the lesson and after getting my private license I spent the next five years as a self improver, building up enough flying time to be able to fly commercially – working three months in IT and then a month flying.”

Steve got his commercial license in 1992 and, after three years of working on the ground during the winter and in the air during the summer, became a full-time charter pilot in 1995, based nearby to Leeds Bradford Airport.

“It was really busy, a time when there was a lot of money around and we were flying businessmen and wealthy people to major sporting events, weddings and functions,” added Steve, who worked for Northern Helicopters and then Helijet.

“We also did a lot of aerial filming for TV – including the opening credits for Emmerdale – and would rapidly transport components for car companies using just in time production.

“I really enjoyed the work, you never knew what was coming in from one day to the other.”

His move into emergency service flying again came by chance, after the Yorkshire Air Ambulance helicopter landed at Steve’s heliport on a mission.

“I got chatting to the pilot and about a week later saw an advert for an emergency service pilot for the North of England. It was for the police in Newcastle but was then told they also needed a contract pilot in Yorkshire.

“I started doing ten days a month for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Because I’d always flown out of Leeds I knew the area really well and because I’d done a lot of aerial photography work I was very used to flying the aircraft at the right speed and height.

“It becomes almost second nature, you can hear and feel the aircraft, so you can then concentrate on finding the right landing spot, making sure the crew can get to the job quickly and safely.”

Steve was appointed Chief Pilot in 2005 and has since flown to hundreds of incidents across the county – landing everywhere from busy motorways to remote hilltops, seaside cliffs to industrial estates.

“We are part of a close team and we each respect each other’s roles within that team – when the jobs come in, so you have to be very professional and not push the limits.

“You can pick someone up who seems fine and the next day hear that they have passed away, and then someone else who’s future doesn’t look promising and without a chance, comes through.

“I remember one of the first jobs I went to was a girl who had been in a phone box when a car came off the road and smashed into it. The scene was chaotic, and they were carrying her on the door which was all that was left of the phone box. She had just a broken nose. It was incredible.

“I thought it would be hard seeing people badly injured, but it is amazing to work with such fantastic paramedics and people on the ground are always very pleased to see us. This job is literally the best single thing you can do with a helicopter.

“It’s been amazing meeting those people who want to come back and say ‘thank you’ for what we’ve done for them – people are so grateful for what the air ambulance does and it has been very special to work for a charity that is so appreciated and valued.”

Steve who recently moved to Scarborough, is now enjoying his retirement with wife Christine walking and cycling on the Yorkshire coast. Steve also hopes to have the time to restore Lambretta scooters and a VW camper van.

He added: “The over-riding thing that sticks with you from the job is how quickly your life can change. One minute you’re doing something completely normal and the next, because of something out of the ordinary it can be over. It certainly makes you appreciate life.”

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) has seen its busiest weekend in their fourteen year history as the Tour de France passed through Yorkshire.

On the Saturday and Sunday alone, the Charity attended twenty-one incidents across the region, excluding a further ten jobs on the Friday (4th). On a normal weekend, the YAA may attend around three to four incidents.

However the YAA were well prepared for the expected increase in operational activity and had drafted in the use of a third helicopter to help provide extra coverage over the weekend.

Speaking about their busy weekend, the Charity’s Marketing and Communications Manager Abby McClymont commented: “We knew that we were in for a busy few days with the excitement of the Tour de France coming to the region, however this past weekend has been one of the busiest for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Our two helicopters, along with the third extra helicopter and their crews have attended twenty-one incidents on Saturday and Sunday alone – on Saturday we attended nine incidents and Sunday, twelve incidents.

We also experienced an extremely busy day on Friday too, being called out to ten incidents. We have had many busy weekends in the past, but nothing as busy as this last one has been.

We were pleased to be able to work alongside the other emergency services and help out where required.”

Although a lot of the incidents were not related to the Tour de France activities, the majority attended over the weekend were linked to the event in some way.

Abby continued “We have been called to a few members of the public who have been out cycling on the route, or en route to watch the race over the weekend and have unfortunately found themselves in need of air ambulance assistance.

Other incidents have also included spectators who have developed health problems whilst waiting for the race to go past.

However generally we have attended the same kinds of jobs we would usually be alerted to, but just in a greater volume due to the vastly increased number of people in the region over the weekend.”

Between the three Yorkshire helicopters operational at the weekend, one each were based from their current airbases on the Nostell Estate near Wakefield and at RAF Topcliffe near Thirsk, whilst the third helicopter was operational from stand-by points at pre-identified and surveyed locations close-by to the route – these were at Wathgill Camp near Richmond and at Beeston Hall Farm, just near Ripponden.

Abby concluded “As well as being busy operationally, we were also busy with lots of Tour de France related fundraising events being held in aid of us. The atmosphere along the route was fantastic and Yorkshire has a lot to be proud of. We would like to sincerely thank everyone who has supported us, especially over this weekend.”

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance is an independent Charity providing a rapid response emergency service to the people of Yorkshire. Their two yellow helicopters provide air ambulance cover 7 days per week, 365 days per year.

It costs £9990 each day to keep the Charity running, and with no direct government funding, relies on individuals, groups and organisations to help raise the vital funds required. The only help they receive is through the secondment of their paramedics from Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Thousands of people across the county have donned the colour yellow and helped raise thousands for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

The Yorkshire Post's Wear It Yellow Day fundraiser yesterday saw over 50 organisations in Yorkshire pledge to spend a day embracing the Tour de France's famous Yellow jersey in aid of the lifesaving charity.

Around 500 pupils at Thornhill Community Academy, from Bafta-winning TV show Educating Yorkshire, and 40 cyclists at Leeds Bradford Airport, who also enjoyed a 'Tour de Runway' cycle race, were among those to take part ahead of tomorrow's Grand Depart.

Tour-tinged celebrations of the world's greatest cycle race even went global, with Hewlett Construction turning both its Leeds head office and its office in Oman yellow for the day.

Nicola Furbisher, The Yorkshire Post's managing editor, said; "We've been overwhelmed by the support for Wear It Yellow Day – it just goes to show how passionate and excited the county is to host the Tour."

With all those wearing yellow donating £1 to the charity, staff from firms such as JLL, Barclays and PxC were among those to help us build a five-figure total.

And as the clock ticks down until Le Tour rolls into action, one Harrogate farm is planning to capture the race by an unlikely source – a flock of sheep.

Five sheep at Harewell Hall farm have been recruited by Sony as sheepcams to show off its AS100VR ActionCam.

Sheffield-based healthcare company B. Braun Medical Ltd has announced a major fundraising appeal across South Yorkshire to raise vital funds over the next six months for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

The ‘175 Campaign’ encourages people across the region to donate a minimum of £1.75 each to help organisers reach their target in time for Christmas.

The campaign was launched at B. Braun Medical Ltd’s headquarters in Chapeltown by Chief Executive Hans Hux and Yorkshire Air Ambulance Chairman, Peter Sunderland.

Peter Sunderland, Chairman of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance said: “B Braun Medical Ltd is one of our longest standing sponsors and we have been delighted to have had their support for 14 years now. We are very excited about The 175 Campaign and are looking forward to further engaging with and working together with the businesses and local communities in South Yorkshire. We would also like to extend our thanks to B Braun for facilitating such a fantastic fundraising campaign for us.”

Hans Hux said: “The 175 Campaign is an inspirational fundraising effort to help save more lives across our region. This year marks our company’s 175th anniversary, so we wanted to celebrate by giving something back to the community.

“The Yorkshire Air Ambulance is a vital resource for the area, serving a population of approximately five million people. However, it relies entirely on public donations to keep it running – at a cost of £9,999 per day.

“If everybody across the region, businesses and individuals alike, dig into their pockets and gave just £1.75 each, we can make a real difference towards this invaluable, lifesaving service.”

B. Braun Medical Ltd has been a key supporter for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance since 2000, providing both monetary donations and in-kind services for the charity.

For more information about the campaign visit www.justgiving.com/The175Campaign, follow @The175Campaign on Twitter or like www.facebook.com/the175campaign