The 53-year-old surveyor suffered multiple fractures including a broken hip, two vertebrae, most of his ribs and neck. He semi-severed his spinal cord, suffered collapsed lungs and a bleed on the brain.

Karen, a cardiac technician at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, was catapulted over 20ft down the road and suffered pelvic fractures and snapped ligaments in her right knee.

Fortunately, an off-duty hospital consultant and a nurse stopped to help at the scene. Yorkshire Air Ambulance paramedics stabilized the couple before Adrian was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary where he spent six weeks – four of which in intensive care.

Adrian was then transferred to the regional spinal injuries unit at Pinderfields where the he spent a further five months undergoing intensive rehabilitation and physiotherapy.

He said: “Most things have healed but my spinal injury means that I don’t have much movement in my left leg and very little control of my right leg below the knee so at the moment I need a wheelchair to get around.

“I can stand up using a frame and what movement I do have is getting stronger, but I have very little feeling in either leg and it’s about finding new ways of doing things that I just used to take for granted.

“I don’t know how much movement I will eventually get back but we’ve just come back from a holiday and I was able to walk across the swimming pool which was amazing.”

The couple’s lives have been totally changed following the accident which happened in March. They have both undergone several operations, are still having physiotherapy and have had to move into a rented bungalow in Kirk Smeaton which is wheelchair accessible.

Karen, 54, is hoping to go back to work in the New Year. Although Adrian is unable to return to the job and motor-biking hobby he loved he is still able to follow his other passion – playing the trombone.

Adrian is a member of the famous Black Dyke Brass Band and has also travelled the country as one quarter of the Black Dyke Trombone Quartet.

“I’m not sure if I will be able to get back to the standard I was but I am getting there and hope to make a couple of concerts with the bands in the near future,” he added.

The Black Dyke Trombone Quartet performed a fundraising concert for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance last week and friends and work colleagues of the couple have also raised over £2,000 so far for the rapid response emergency charity that saved Adrian’s life.

The doting grandfather added: “I don’t think I would have made it without the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. I was at the lowest level of consciousness, both sides of my chest were deflated during the flight, and I got to hospital in the nick of time.

“It would have been at least another 20 minutes by road and I am just so grateful and glad that we have the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.”

Adrian’ and Karen’s dramatic rescue can be seen in this week’s episode of Helicopter ER – the UKTV series that follows the life-saving work of Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

The programme also features a three-year-old bitten by the family dog and a chauffeur-driven journey that ends with a helicopter flight to hospital.

Helicopter ER is made by York-based Air Television, which recently won two Royal Television Society awards for their work on the compelling series.

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves 5million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,250 missions every year. The charity needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.

Lyn Arrowsmith was delivering her llama Pedro to an intermediary at Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe, near Thirsk, prior to him being sold. It is believed the animal knocked Lyn off the trailer ramp while he was being offloaded.

She hit her head on the concrete floor and was unconscious for over five minutes. When Yorkshire Air Ambulance paramedics arrived, Lyn was very agitated and distressed making treatment and getting her to a major trauma centre a real challenge.

The drama features in this week’s episode of the award-winning TV series Helicopter ER, which follows the life-saving work of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Lyn was airlifted in minutes to the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, where she was treated for a major skull fracture and three bleeds on the brain.

“I don’t remember anything about the accident though I wouldn’t blame Pedro. I can only think something must have spooked him and he’s bolted,” said Lyn who runs a rare breeds farm at her home in Raskelf, near Easingwold.

“My Mum was called and she told me later I was screaming and shouting a bit, but the first thing I remember is waking up as I was going into the CT scanner.”

The Mum-of-two, who spent a week in hospital following the accident in April, has made a good recovery but has been left with no sense of smell and a damaged sense of taste.

“I have really lost my enjoyment of food because everything has an after taste of either perfume or burnt plastic,” added Lyn.

“I produce my own meat and knowing the local provenance of our food is really important to me. It also tastes so amazing so not being able to enjoy that does get you down a bit.

“But I have been very lucky and I am very grateful to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. I know living where we do, and doing what I do, just how vital the service is but you just never expect that you will need it.

“We were at an agricultural show after the accident, and my son had been given £5 to spend, which normally would have all gone on sweets, but he said he had given it to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance stall because they had saved my life which brought it all home.”

Lyn’s accident, which happened in April, can be seen in this week’s episode of Helicopter ER which also features a cyclist whose life was saved by the actions of a Community First Responder, and a walk near the stunning Aysgarth Falls which ended in a flight to hospital.

Helicopter ER is made by York-based Air Television, which recently won two Royal Television Society awards for their work on the compelling series.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves five million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,250 missions every year. The charity needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.

You can watch Helicopter ER on Monday night at 9pm on Really or on catch-up on UKTV Play (uktvplay.co.uk)

Leeds business woman, Ruchi Dhir, has pledged to raise £10,000 to be equally divided between local charities. In her efforts to support air ambulance charities, Dhir, previously completed a daring abseil for London’s Air Ambulance dropping over 17 storeys to raise £1455. She now returns to the north to take on ten 10K runs for her local charity, Yorkshire’s Air Ambulance – with a new target to hit!

Her inspiration for charitable giving stems from her brother who works as an orthopaedic surgeon at the Royal London Hospital. “Air ambulances are a fabulous cause that rely on fundraising to help deliver vital, lifesaving treatment. Of course, I want to help.” Dhir explained.

The generous donation will be raised in the first of ten 10K marathon runs to be completed on Sunday 10th December 2017. The Leeds 10K Christmas Run will see thousands of festive fundraisers taking part to raise money for their chosen charities. Dhir has accepted the challenge and will be dusting the snow off her running shoes in preparation for the month ahead.

“I’m just grateful I can do it,” said Dhir. “I’m hugely proud of the doctors and paramedics who work tirelessly around the clock to save lives. One of those lives might one day be mine or someone close to me. That is my motivation. I’m encouraging other people to get involved too.”

There will be lots of seasonal cheer from the crowds. If you want to embrace the spirit of giving and do something wonderful this winter, then why not make a donation? To support this women in her efforts to raise essential funds for Yorkshire’s Air Ambulance, donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ruchi-dhir

John Hardisty, a fencing contractor, was working on a neighbour’s farm in the village of Westerdale when his arm got trapped between his tractor’s post driver and a stone post.

“I was putting in a wooden post at the side of the stone one and reached over the top to make sure it was straight when the post driver came down for some reason and trapped my arm,” said 67-year-old John.

“I think my jacket must have caught the lever but fortunately the guy I was working for was there. He’s also a vet so knew straight away that I’d done some major damage and called the emergency services.”

John was airlifted in just a few minutes to the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, where he underwent a six-hour operation to start repairing a fractured ulna, radius and thumb.

He has since had skin grafts and further surgery on his thumb which has meant he has not been able to work since the accident six months ago.

John added: “I’ve not been able to use my right arm at all which has been very frustrating. I have a small farm as well as being a fencing contractor and I’m used to being so active but I’m very grateful to my neighbours and cousins who have looked after me.

“I’m also really grateful to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. I was losing a lot of blood and they got me to hospital in six minutes. It would have been 30 to 40 minutes by road and in remote communities like this you really see the value of what they do.”

John’s accident can be seen in this week’s episode of Helicopter ER – the UKTV series that follows the life-saving work of Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

The episode also features a trip to meet her boyfriend’s parents which nearly ended in tragedy for one West Yorkshire woman and a dramatic end to a window cleaning job.

Helicopter ER is made by York-based Air Television, which recently won two Royal Television Society awards for their work on the compelling series.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves 5million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,250 missions every year. The charity needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.

You can watch Helicopter ER on Monday night at 9pm on Really or on catch-up on UKTV Play (uktvplay.co.uk)

Photo caption: John Hardisty being treated at the scene of his accident and recovering at home.

Jim Facer was repairing some fencing on his remote farm near Hawes – nearly 50 miles from the nearest major trauma centre – when a nail bounced out and went straight into his left eye.

“I was with my wife and just hammering some rails onto fence posts, as I’ve done hundreds of times, when a nail flew out,” said 56-year-old Jim. “I felt something touch my face but had no idea where the nail had gone until I saw my wife’s face.

“When you get a bit of grit in your eye it’s really irritating but I didn’t feel any impact pain at all. But when I realised what had happened I had a pretty good idea that the sight had gone.”

Jim’s shocked wife Sandra raced back to the farmhouse to contact the emergency services and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance was immediately dispatched to the isolated Dales location.

Jim’s training as a retained fireman in Hawes for nearly 20 years helped him to remain calm during his rescue and treatment. He was also very familiar with the work of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

“After it happened I just kicked into survival mode, tried to relax my breathing and wait to be rescued.” added the father-of-two. “I’ve worked with the air ambulance at incidents before – and actually recognised one of the paramedics.”

Both Jim’s eyes were covered before he was airlifted to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough in less than 20 minutes – a journey that would have taken up to two hours by road.

Surgeons removed the nail but despite two further operations to try and restore sight in Jim’s eye, his retina was too badly damaged.

Six months after the accident, Jim still has five stitches in his eye holding the cornea in place so has to be careful lifting and doing strenuous activities, but he is back working and very grateful to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

“Until the stitches come out in January I still have to be very careful, but I‘m doing what I can and you just have to get on with it – with three grandchildren, giving up is definitely not an option!” added Jim.

“I know how vital the air ambulance service is to remote rural communities like ours. You just never imagine that you will ever need them, but I’m extremely grateful they are here.”

Jim’s dramatic rescue can be seen in this week’s episode of Helicopter ER – the UKTV series that follows the life-saving work of Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

The programme also features a horsewoman fighting for her life with a head injury following a fall and a morning commute that nearly ended in tragedy for a young motorcyclist.

Helicopter ER is made by York-based Air Television, which recently won two Royal Television Society awards for their work on the compelling series.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves 5million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,250 missions every year. The charity needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.

You can watch Helicopter ER on Monday night at 9pm on Really or on catch-up on UKTV Play (uktvplay.co.uk)

Emily Thurgood was riding in a field on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors when her horse slipped. She came off landing on the back of her head, the impact resulting in a blood clot which subsequently caused a stroke.

When the Yorkshire Air Ambulance crew arrived, the 40-year-old experienced rider was deeply unconscious, with her jaw clenched shut making it very difficult to get air into her lungs.

A second air ambulance carrying a doctor was dispatched so that Emily could be anaethetised before being airlifted, however paramedics at the scene decided they needed to get their critically injured patient to hospital as soon as possible.

She was flown the 30 miles to the nearest major trauma centre at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, in minutes – a decision which Emily believes saved her life.

“Although I had a very good riding helmet, I landed on the back of my head which shunted my brain forward.  This is where the speech and memory is and where most of the damage was caused by the stroke,” she said.

“It was a really freak accident but without Yorkshire Air Ambulance I would not be here now. It’s as simple as that and I am so grateful to them.”

Emily was kept in an induced coma for a week and spent nearly 10 weeks in hospital, going through intense neuro rehabilitation and physiotherapy.

“I woke up in hospital and couldn’t move any of my right side because of the stroke,” said Emily from Ebberston, near Pickering.

“I had no idea of where I was, who I was or what had happened, which was scary for me but even scarier for my family.

“I went through a lot of rehabilitation and physiotherapy, learning to do everything again – from walking and talking to cooking.

“I still struggle with finding the right words sometimes and my memory and writing are not great. I still can’t run and, what is really frustrating, I’ve not been able to ride, but I am getting better each month.”

Emily’s determination to get back to full physical and mental fitness is amazing doctors who say she should make a full recovery over time.

The Marketing Effectiveness Manager for HSBC based in Leeds will start a phased return to work in January and is also planning her wedding after getting engaged to partner Richard earlier this year.

Emily is also going to fund raise for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity that saved her life. “As a horse rider living where we do, I know other people who have been airlifted to hospital by them.

“If I had not been flown to Middlesbrough so quickly who knows if I would have survived, or if I would be making such a good recovery.

“I have been told I will get completely back to where I was before the accident but it could take up to five years. Considering what happened, though, I think I have been pretty lucky and I can’t thank Yorkshire Air Ambulance enough.”

Emily’s dramatic rescue can be seen in this week’s episode of Helicopter ER – the UKTV series that follows the life-saving work of Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

The programme also features a freak farming accident which leaves a nail embedded in the eye of a North Yorkshire farmer, and a morning commute that nearly ended in tragedy for a young motorcyclist.

Helicopter ER is made by York-based Air Television, which recently won two Royal Television Society awards for their work on the compelling series.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves 5million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,250 missions every year. The charity needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.

You can watch Helicopter ER on Monday night at 9pm on Really or on catch-up on UKTV Play (uktvplay.co.uk)

Cllr John Blackie, the Independent councilor for Upper Dales, was taken ill at his property management company in Hawes.

“I really felt very unwell indeed and a couple dropping off keys, who happened to be medical professionals, thought I might be having a heart attack,” said 68-year-old John.

John, who has already had heart bypass surgery and survived two bouts of cancer, was faced with a 60-mile journey by land ambulance to the nearest major trauma centre at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

Despite blustery weather conditions, Yorkshire Air Ambulance was dispatched to the remote Dales village and airlifted John to hospital in just 15 minutes.

“It was a very windy day but the pilot was prepared to risk it to get to me. We took off and although it was a bumpy ride we were at the hospital in just 15 minutes,” said John from Hardraw.

“The alternative would have been a journey by land of 60 miles on largely country roads. It is just one of so many examples of how important the service provided by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance is to the Upper Dales.”

As chair of the County Council’s Scrutiny of Health Committee for nine years from 2003, John was involved in the early development of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

He added: “It was almost ironic that having been such a strong advocate of the air ambulance that I should find myself in need of its service and I am just so very grateful that it is here.

“I represent an area which is the country’s most sparsely populated county council division covering 325 square miles and it is in the deeply rural communities within it where there is such an unbreakable bond with the Air Ambulance service, as it is an asset that we can never afford to lose.”

John, who has been a county councillor for 20 years, had not had a heart attack, but was found to be suffering from a twisted gut and later underwent successful corrective surgery.

His story can be seen in this week’s episode of Helicopter ER – the UKTV series that follows the life-saving work of Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

The programme also features a plumber who badly cut his arm with a Stanley knife and the dramatic rescue of a woman from a car that had careered off an icy road and plunged down a wooded ravine.

Helicopter ER is made by York-based Air Television, which recently won two Royal Television Society awards for their work on the compelling series.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves 5million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,250 missions every year. The charity needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.

You can watch Helicopter ER on Monday night at 9pm on Really or on catch-up on UKTV Play (uktvplay.co.uk)

Eleven months ago, baby Mia almost died after a contracting a chest infection. The premature infant choked on her bottle, stopped breathing and then turned blue.

Her distraught Mum called the emergency services who helped family members give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation at their Catterick Garrison home before Yorkshire Air Ambulance paramedics arrived.

Mia and her Mum were airlifted within minutes to paediatric specialists at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough where the tiny tot stopped breathing again and was placed on a ventilator.

“It was so frightening. One minute she was being fed and the next she was completely blue and not breathing,” said 18-year-old Naomi.

“The people on the phone were telling us what to do and my partner Dean, who came running in, managed to get Mia breathing again.

“The air ambulance paramedics were brilliant. I was really scared and had never been in a helicopter but they really made me feel safe and got us to hospital so quickly.

“I can’t thank them enough for all they did that day.”

Mia was in intensive care for several days but was able to return home to her relieved parents after a week. She has now fully recovered and has just celebrated her first birthday at the couple’s Richmond home.

The dramatic fight to save her life features in this week’s episode of Helicopter ER – the UKTV series that follows the life-saving work of Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

The programme also features a motorcyclist who suffered multiple injuries after a horror crash and a shrub cutting job that nearly ended in disaster for a North Yorkshire handyman.

Helicopter ER is made by York-based Air Television, which recently won two Royal Television Society awards for their work on the compelling series.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves 5million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,250 missions every year. The charity needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.

You can watch Helicopter ER on Monday night at 9pm on Really or on catch-up on UKTV Play (uktvplay.co.uk)

Sarah Drayton was walking her two dogs by the Aire and Calder Canal near her home in Pollington, near Goole, on a freezing morning last winter when her German wire haired pointer puppy Daisy fell into the icy water.

“As we passed another dog walker Daisy had slipped out of her harness and went into the water. I over-reached trying to get her out and then I fell in too,” said mother-of-two Sarah.

Her fellow dog walker Wendy Butt, 75, tried to help Sarah out of the water but without success. “It was about 15ft deep and the sides are sheet metal and I just couldn’t get out and Wendy didn’t have the strength to pull me out either.

“We managed to fish Daisy out and I managed to get my toes onto a ledge but the water was still just under my neck.”

After phoning for help, Wendy stayed with Sarah at the remote location, keeping her spirits up and holding a scarf which was supporting Sarah in the water under her armpits. Both held on for over 45 minutes until emergency services arrived.

“When you are in that situation you just deal with it but when I saw the emergency services coming I did burst into tears,” said Wendy, also from Pollington.

Humberside Fire Brigade got Sarah out of the water and Yorkshire Air Ambulance paramedics helped stabilize Sarah, 41, and start the long process of warming her up, before she was taken to Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

Sarah is planning to run a half marathon for the rapid response emergency service next year and added: “This has highlighted the dangers of canals and I now don’t walk near the edge at all.

“But it has also showed just how important the air ambulance service is particularly in remote areas and I’m just very grateful to them, and to Wendy for all she did on the day.”

Wendy also has very good reason to thank Yorkshire Air Ambulance after a crew was dispatched to her six months later after she broke her ankle on a dog walk.

“It makes you realise how lucky we are to have such services available to us,” she added. “They were brilliant on both occasions.”

Individual members of staff sign up to a scheme called Pennies from Heaven, where every month their salary is rounded down to the nearest pound with the pennies donated to charity. The most someone can ever give is 99p every time they’re paid, but the overall amount soon adds up.

A total of £2,416.85 has been raised by staff over the past three years or so. Companies and organisations can choose who they donate to.  

Phillip Marshall, Director of Workforce and Organisational Development at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I’m proud that so many colleagues have signed up to Pennies from Heaven to make a small sacrifice which, when added together, makes a big difference.

“Thank you to all my colleagues who are signed up to Pennies from Heaven. The Yorkshire Air Ambulance Charity relies on the generosity of individuals and organisations to help save lives across Yorkshire and I’m so pleased we are able to support them in this way.

“Visiting Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s base was a great way for us to jointly acknowledge the contributions from members of staff at the Trust towards the operation of Yorkshire Air Ambulance. They’ve certainly doubled our enthusiasm to further promote our Pennies from Heaven Scheme so we can increase our contributions to Yorkshire Air Ambulance.”

Helen Callear, YAA’s Regional Fundraising Manager, added: “It was lovely to welcome Phillip and Hillary down to Nostell so they could see first-hand how the money their colleagues donate through the Pennies from Heaven scheme is used to help keep our service operational. We are extremely grateful for their support and I’d like to thank everyone who donates their ‘pennies’ to help raise these vital funds.”

Hillary Levitt, The Trust’s Trade Union colleagues representative and Unison Branch Secretary, said: “I was delighted to be asked to attend a visit to Yorkshire Air Ambulance base along with Phillip on behalf of trade union colleagues.  It was a wonderful opportunity to meet with the staff and understand the different roles they perform. Everyone was very welcoming, so enthusiastic and willing to spend their valuable time showing us round.

“I was extremely fortunate to be able to sit in the Air Ambulance and have my photograph taken. I was totally amazed by the interior of the Air Ambulance and the compartmentalisation/storage of all the equipment. All in all, an amazing experience and I will certainly be participating in the Pennies from Heaven scheme at work.”  

The potentially life-saving initiative has been funded through a donation of more than £16,000 from the Henry Surtees Foundation.

The Foundation was founded by motor sport legend John Surtees CBE, following the tragic death of his son Henry, killed aged just 18 whilst competing in a Formula 2 race at Brands Hatch in 2009.

Leonora Surtees-Martell, daughter of the late John Surtees said, “The Henry Surtees Foundation is delighted to support the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Charity with a grant of £16,000. The service that they provide is vital and something which is continuously developing. The swift medical intervention provided by the Air Ambulance crews, gives patients a far greater chance of survival and subsequent quality of life.”

The donation has paid for specially designed, thermostatically controlled boxes for the safe transport and storage of the blood, as well as the equipment needed to warm the blood prior to transfusion.

Dr Jez Pinnell, Medical Adviser at Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “People with traumatic injuries are at greater risk from bleeding to death so having blood available on the air ambulance will benefit those patients prior to arriving at hospital.

“It will buy us extra time and allow us to replace the blood they’re losing. I believe it will be a great step forward in enhancing care for patients when they most need it and would like to thank our partners in making this possible.”

Blood is being supplied by the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and will be delivered from Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield by the Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes charity service.

Mandy O’Shea, Chief Biomedical Scientist – Blood Transfusion at the Trust, said: “We are delighted to be involved in this project. As a department, we have been responsible for developing and delivering training to all those involved in the process, including the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bike volunteers.

“Having blood on board the Yorkshire Air Ambulance will make a significant difference to those critically ill patients requiring a blood transfusion at the scene.”

Paranjit Bharaj, Regional and Blood on Board Project Manager for Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes added:

“Providing the daily, ‘Blood On Board’ delivery service from the Pinderfield Hospital to the Air Support Unit at Nostell is a service we have easily adapted to.  After all, we operate a fleet of cars and motorcycles to provide an, ‘Out of Hours’ urgent transportation service which is free to the NHS to support Hospitals and Hospices across Yorkshire.

“It seemed a logical progression that Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes were most suited to supporting the wonderful work of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance in this way.”

Blood will initially be carried on the Yorkshire Air Ambulance flying from the charity’s air support unit at Nostell, near Wakefield, which has a doctor on board. Further paramedic training is planned to enable the service to be extended to helicopter based at RAF Topcliffe near Thirsk later this year.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves 5million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,250 missions every year. The charity operates two, state-of-the-art Airbus H145 helicopters and needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.

The blood on board initiative is the latest service enhancing development at Yorkshire Air Ambulance which also started night flying operations this month.

Total for charity campaign now tops £1.7 million

– Another £232,007 raised for the ‘Keep It Up campaign’
– Total for the charity campaign now tops £1.7 million
– Money is evenly split between the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Town’s Academy

Generous Huddersfield Town supporters raised another £232,007 for the pioneering ‘Keep It Up’ campaign during the 2016/17 season.

That takes the ‘Keep It Up’ campaign’s fundraising total to over £1.7 million since its inception in 2009, with the money being split evenly between the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and the Huddersfield Town Academy.

Most of last season’s funds were generated by the latest instalment of ‘Pedal for Pounds’; the P4P8 ride known as the ‘Wagner Way’ as Huddersfield Town fans and Yorkshire Air Ambulance supporters cycled from David’s old club Dortmund to Huddersfield. Those cyclists – combined with the teams that undertook the challenge from ‘Hull to Home’ – earned £189,369 for the fundraising campaign. Huddersfield Town and the YAA would also like to thank Made by Cooper who sponsored the P4P8 event.

Club Ambassador Andy Booth’s ‘Hillsborough to Home’ walk, which was sponsored by Club Partner Absolute Warehouse Service, raised an impressive £18,894 too.

The remainder of the funds were generated by the initiatives of individual supporters, who made one-off donations or created bespoke events, and through the ‘Bag It Up’ recycling scheme.

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s Director of Fundraising Garry Wilkinson and Partnerships Manager Katie Collinson visited PPG Canalside to celebrate the latest addition to the fundraising total. They are pictured with Town players Tommy Smith and Aaron Mooy, as well as Andy Booth and Robyn Kennerdale; both key figures in the fundraising campaign.

Boothy commented:

“I’m so proud of the generosity of the people of Huddersfield – and particularly Huddersfield Town fans – when it comes to the ‘Keep It Up’ campaign and this latest addition to the total is truly staggering.

“Events like P4P8 are always fantastic fun, but equally it’s important to keep in mind why we undertake these challenges and the money raised from these events genuinely helps the Yorkshire Air Ambulance save lives across our region.

“I would like to thank everyone who has taken part in a ‘Keep It Up’ event or has donated whatever they could to the cause, both personally and on behalf of the Club.”

Garry Wilkinson of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance added:

“We never failed to be amazed by the generosity of the Huddersfield Town fans and their supporters.

“We are genuinely grateful to everyone that has participated or supported events for the ‘Keep It Up’ campaign.

“Our partnership with Huddersfield Town continues to go from strength to strength and it really is a privilege for us to work alongside such a fantastic team.”

For those hoping to get involved in the next KIU campaign event, keep checking htafc.com this week for more details!