During the end of May bank holiday weekend, Portrush resident Roberta Speers hosted an afternoon craft fayre and tea event to support the charity Air Ambulance NI. Roberta organised the event to raise vital funds for the emergency service, stating, “It is important for all of us in NI to have the Air Ambulance. None of us know when we, our families, friends, or neighbours might need help, and I felt I needed to do something for the charity and help keep this vital service running.”

The event featured a fantastic selection of prizes generously donated by local businesses, including A Diamond and Son, H.E. Wilson, Boots Coleraine, David Coils, Asda, Sainsburys, Tesco’s, M&S, Creative Gardens, Coleraine Garden Centre, Causeway Fabrics, Right Price Carpets, Waterstones, Patton Interiors, Gordon’s Chemists, Campbell’s Pharmacy, Hillcrest S.S. Spar, Lidl, Willis McCloskey, Geraldine Owners, Jeff and Sarah Jane, White House Portrush, and Portrush Home and Hardware.

In the lead-up to the event, Roberta spent weeks preparing homemade crafts and gifts to sell, as well as baking and cooking treats for an afternoon tea. The event took place in her own beautiful garden and home, welcoming family, friends, and neighbours to join in and enter the raffle.

Thanks to the generosity of the local community and the hard work of Roberta, the event raised an impressive £1600 for Air Ambulance NI. It was a heartwarming example of the community coming together to support an essential service.

Air Ambulance NI and Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS), together provide the vital Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) for Northern Ireland, delivering urgent medical assistance to those in need. Their dedicated team of doctors and paramedics work tirelessly, responding to serious incidents and medical emergencies, aiming to save lives, limbs and brains.

Katrina Hughes, Area Fundraising Manager for the charity, said about the event, “It’s heartening to see the outpouring of support from individuals like Roberta, and the local communities, whose contributions are instrumental in maintaining this life-saving service. We need almost £7,000 per day to sustain operations and this is only made possible through the unwavering support of the community, which we are forever grateful for.”

The charity aspires to raise £2.5milllion per year through public support to ensure that the Air Ambulance continues to be there for everyone, so community events just like this one are crucial and truly appreciated.

If you feel inspired to contribute or learn more about how you can support Air Ambulance NI, please reach out to the team at 028 9262 2677 or email info@airambulanceni.org. Your support can truly make a difference in saving lives and ensuring the continued presence of this invaluable service.