Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) is celebrating the continued support of NFU Mutual after the insurer made a second donation of £7,899 towards the Charity’s Big Air Base Build appeal, becoming a Gold Sponsor of the project.
The latest contribution from NFU Mutual’s Northallerton agency follows an identical donation made in June 2025, shortly after planning permission was approved for Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s new Northern Air Support Unit near Skipton on Swale. Together, the two donations total £15,798, helping to fund a purpose-built facility that will support the Charity’s lifesaving operations for decades to come.
The funding has been made possible through NFU Mutual’s Agency Giving Fund, a £2.33 million national initiative that enables local agencies to nominate charities making a significant difference within their communities. After selecting Yorkshire Air Ambulance in 2025, the Northallerton agency successfully nominated the Charity once again this year in recognition of its vital work across the region.
The new Northern Air Support Unit will replace Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s current base at RAF Topcliffe, providing a permanent home that mirrors the Charity’s Nostell Air Support Unit. Designed to support both operational crews and charity teams, the new facility will feature a modern hangar, crew accommodation, clinical planning areas, simulation training facilities, wellbeing spaces and a dedicated helipad, strengthening the Charity’s operational resilience and providing the facilities needed to continue delivering rapid critical care across Yorkshire.
Helen Berriman, Corporate Fundraising Manager at Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “The Big Air Base Build is the largest fundraising appeal in Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s history, and partnerships like this are playing a vital role in helping us bring that vision to life. We’re incredibly grateful to NFU Mutual for choosing to support the appeal for a second year and for becoming one of our Gold Sponsors.
Projects of this scale simply aren’t possible without businesses choosing to invest in our future. We’re incredibly proud to have organisations like NFU Mutual standing alongside us, and we hope their support inspires other businesses to join us in helping build the future of Yorkshire Air Ambulance.”
As a leading insurer for the farming and rural community, NFU Mutual has longstanding links with Yorkshire’s farming community. While Yorkshire Air Ambulance regularly attends incidents involving farmers and agricultural workers in remote locations, its crews also respond to a wide range of emergencies across the county, including major trauma, medical emergencies, road traffic collisions and cardiac arrests.
To celebrate becoming a Gold Sponsor of the Big Air Base Build, Michael Hilyer, agent at NFU Mutual visited Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s Nostell Air Support Unit. He met operational crew, toured the facilities and gained a behind-the-scenes insight into how the Charity delivers specialist critical care across Yorkshire, while learning more about the lasting impact the new Northern Air Support Unit will have on its future operations.
Michael Hilyer said: “Supporting the communities we serve is at the heart of what we do, and Yorkshire Air Ambulance plays a vital role in protecting those communities every day. We’re delighted to support the Big Air Base Build appeal for a second year and to become a Gold Sponsor, helping to create a permanent Northern Air Support Unit that will strengthen the Charity’s lifesaving service and benefit people across Yorkshire for generations to come.”
The Big Air Base Build appeal is raising funds to help complete Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s new Northern Air Support Unit, securing the Charity’s long-term future and providing a purpose-built operational base from which its crews can continue responding to emergencies across Yorkshire.