A town optician has helped raise £8,000 for Wiltshire Air Ambulance, bringing a year of fund-raising for the charity to a close.
Specsavers, in Regent Street, was one of eight stores across Wiltshire and North East Somerset who teamed up with the charitable trust last year, aiming to raise as much money as possible over 12 months. Relying solely on public funding, the Air Ambulance needs to raise £700,000 a year to cover the running costs of the helicopter.Launching the partnership with a sight test donation day, fundraising activities and collections have taken place in stores as well as a member of staff from the Swindon store climbing Mount Toubkal, in Morocco.
David Grieves, store director at Specsavers in Swindon, said: “We’re delighted to have raised such a huge amount and it’s thanks to the generosity of local people that we’ve been able to do it. “The Air Ambulance provides a vital service and they rely wholly on donations to continue to do this. To have been able to help keep their helicopter flying in the skies above the county is fantastic.”
Caroline Corrigan, head of fundraising at Wiltshire Air Ambulance, said it was really important for the charity to raise awareness of our work across the community.
“And we are able to do this by working with a well-known and trusted company like Specsavers,” she said. “We are not an age or gender related charity and unfortunately might be needed by anyone at any time. “The awareness that Specsavers has given us with its customer base is extremely important, as are the funds that staff have raised all year long. “We sincerely thank all the customers, employees and managers who have given up time and funds to support us. We really are funded by you and flying for you.”
The other stores that took part in the fundraising event were in Chippenham, Devizes, Frome, Melksham Marlborough, Trowbridge and Warminster.
Wiltshire Air Ambulance does not receive any funding from the Government, but relies on donations and support from business and the community. Annually, the charity needs to raise in excess of £700,000 to keep flying and saving lives.
Over the past 18 months the Air Ambulance has been called to 1,430 different incidents across the county. These were life and death situations where the speed of the helicopter and skill of the crew play a major part in the outcome of the patient.
Recently, Wiltshire Air Ambulance became an independent charity. It now has its own charitable board (made up from the Wiltshire community) and new charity number. The new board will help shape the future of this life-saving service.
