NFU Mutual, Omagh has made a donation of £7,899 to Air Ambulance NI after their agency staff chose the charity as their beneficiary from the NFU Agency Giving Fund Scheme.
Their donation will be used to make essential internal modifications for medical equipment inside Air Ambulance NI’s brand new AW109SP aircraft which is due to enter the service later this summer. The purchase of the helicopter, rather than leasing, is a huge milestone for the charity and is only possible thanks to the generous support of the public over the last nine years, which Air Ambulance NI are deeply humbled by and grateful for.
The support from NFU Mutual, Omagh is part of the overall £4 million charitable pledge by NFU Mutual, which also includes the distribution of £2.33m of funds to local charities across the UK through this initiative.
Community Ambassador Graham Dodds accepts the donation on behalf of Air Ambulance NI from the NFU Mutual Omagh staff.
Ruth Pollock, NFU Mutual, Omagh, said, “We were delighted to nominate Air Ambulance Northern Ireland (AANI) as our chosen charity this year. Living in a rural area, we recognise just how vital this service is and the lifeline it provides to our community. We know of many families who have benefited from the incredible work of AANI, not only over the past 12 months but throughout its nine years of service.
Damien McAnespie, Fundraising Manager at Air Ambulance NI, said, “We are very grateful for the staff of NFU Mutual, Omagh choosing Air Ambulance NI to benefit from their wonderful Agency Giving Fund scheme. The recent purchase of a new aircraft by the charity gives long-term stability and increased operational capability for the service in the future. We are in the final steps now of modifying the aircraft internally to become a ‘flying hospital’ and NFU Mutual, Omagh’s donation will greatly help with those essential modifications.”
Air Ambulance NI, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, provides the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service for Northern Ireland. Operating seven days a week for 12 hours each day, the service brings urgent medical care to people who are seriously ill or injured across the province. The HEMS team delivers emergency pre-hospital care directly to the scene, with the aim of saving lives, brains and limbs. The aircraft can reach anywhere in Northern Ireland in approximately twenty-five minutes.
On average, the medical team is called out twice every day to incidents including serious road traffic collisions, farm or workplace accidents, sport and leisure incidents, and serious medical emergencies. Since its inception in July 2017, the medical team has been tasked 5,731 times.
As a local charity, Air Ambulance NI must raise £3 million each year to maintain and sustain the service, making public donations vital. Members of the public can also have their name displayed on the charity’s new helicopter later this year for a donation of £200. Find out more at www.airambulanceni.org , email info@airambulanceni.org , or call 028 9262 2677.
