Shoppers help choppers!

Staff across the Midlands, North West and Yorkshire and the North East have been donating clothing, accessories, toys, books and other household goods for the six air ambulances covering those regions.

Money raised from the sale of the donations will help fund the charities’ life-saving work.  

Staff at National Highways’ Sandiacre depot with the donations collected for The Air Ambulance Service

Across the Midlands, 176 bags of donations were collected for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance and The Air Ambulance Service. The North West Air Ambulance has received 120 bags, while in Yorkshire and the North East 293 bags were collected for the Great North Air Ambulance and Yorkshire Air Ambulance. It’s the second year National Highways and its contractors have collected for air ambulance charities. 

Donations came in from the companies listed below, who all worked together and supported each other to ensure the donations were transported to the main collection points in each region:

• Amey
• Colas
• Jacobs
• Chevron Green Services
• Crown Highways
• Carnells
• Skanska
• Griffiths Farrans JV

National Highways Customer Services Manager for the Midlands James Bird said:

“We see the outstanding work the air ambulances do at close hand. Many of our staff and supply chain members have a real affinity with them, either from being on scene at incidents they are responding to, or through volunteering for their charities.  For many colleagues just knowing they are there is a comfort.  

“As independent charities that rely on the generosity of public donations we’re delighted to be able to raise funds to support their life-saving work in this way.”

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity representatives with National Highways’ staff and suppliers at the Stafford Park depot

Jon Cottrell, senior partnerships executive for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity said: 

“The donations kindly given to our charity shops by National Highways staff are really appreciated. The funds made from sales will mean our doctors and critical care paramedics can continue to provide lifesaving treatment to patients most in need.

“It’s thanks to the ongoing support we receive from the communities we serve which help make our daily lifesaving missions possible.” 

Chris Bailey, Head of Operations for Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance said: 

“With the rising number of missions and the rising costs in our operations, this donation comes in a timely fashion. Not only do Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance benefit from this lovely gesture, but people living in our communities who rely on our Charity Shops to support them during this cost of living crisis, benefit also. Thank you so much to everyone who supports this initiative.”

Some of the donations amassed at National Highways’ offices near Annesley for Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance.

Liz Kelly, Resuse Business Support manager for The Air Ambulance Service, said:

“We are delighted that National Highways are supporting The Air Ambulance Service. It is great to see companies taking sustainability seriously and doing their bit to give back to their community and the environment. This generously donated stock will help us to continue to save more lives.”

National Highways Regional Customer Service Programme Manager for Yorkshire and the North East Ellen Harrison added:

“We were thrilled with the response we got from our staff and colleagues across our supply chain last year, and even more so this year to see other parts of National Highways coming on board for such a worthwhile cause.”