Angela Brearley

A Wakefield woman, who has now become a long-standing volunteer for the YAA, will have raised in excess of £50,000 for Yorkshire Air Ambulance following her partner’s tragic motorbike accident in 2010.

Tracy Gregory, from Ossett in Wakefield, along with support from her family and friends, has raised the money in memory of her partner Mick Cottam through a variety of fundraising events including several sponsored walks, a regular tombola and two big charity events.  Sadly, Tracy lost Mick in 2010 after he was involved in an accident on his motorbike.  Mick was an avid supporter of Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Tracy made it his legacy to continue supporting the charity following the incident.

“It all started when Mick’s work colleagues asked me if it was OK if they completed a ‘Three Peaks walk in memory of Mick to raise money for YAA, to which I said yes.  On the back of this, I decided to arrange the first charity night, in April 2012. This resulted in both events raising an amazing £9,800 for the Charity”, said Tracy.

In the last 10 years of supporting the YAA, Tracy has dedicated many hours to raise as many funds as she can. She has been part of the local Drighlington village committee and helped organise their annual gala/Drigmas – Xmas event and also a bucket collection each year on the village Santa Sleigh, which has now raised in excess of £20,000 and she also helps to organise regular tractor runs, which have now raised in excess of £50,000 for the Charity.

In April 2014, Tracy held her second charity night along with a 15 mile sponsored walk to which 16 people joined her.  This resulted in a total of £18,300 being raised.

As well as her own fundraising, Tracy became a registered volunteer for Yorkshire Air Ambulance in September 2012 and has now attended more than 500 events representing the charity.

She explained: “I wanted to do more for YAA and asked what I could do to help. It was mentioned that I should become a volunteer and I said I didn’t think I could do that due to work commitments of 50 to 60 hours per week all over the country.  Their response was “just do it in your spare time and make it work for you”.  I really do not have any spare time anymore as I fill my time doing as much as I can to raise awareness and funds for YAA, which I love.”

In November 2021, Tracy held her third charity night in aid of Yorkshire Air Ambulance which brought her fundraising total for the last two years alone to £27,500.  On the night, they had an auction, a raffle with 70 plus prizes and a sponsored shave for someone who hadn’t removed his beard and moustache since 1974.

Kerry Dwyer, Yorkshire Air Ambulance Fundraising Director (West and South), said:” We would like to thank Tracy and her family for all their hard work fundraising for us and bringing awareness about the work we do.  Tracy is a wonderful fundraiser and has also become a fantastic volunteer for the YAA over the year – we are extremely grateful for her time and dedication.  We’d also like to congratulate Tracy for reaching her £50,000 fundraising milestone, which is a phenomenal achievement.

It costs £12,000 every single day to keep both of Yorkshire’s air ambulances maintained and in the air and the money raised will help greatly towards the vital funding of our service.”

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) is calling on supporters to join their annual ‘Hike4Helis’ challenge this April to help raise vital funds for the life-saving Charity.

YAA serves five million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,300 missions every year. The Charity operates two, state-of-the-art Airbus H-145 helicopters and needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep their helicopter maintained and in the air.

Throughout April, YAA is challenging supporters to cycle, walk or run the distance in air miles to Cannon Hall Farm near Barnsley (10 miles) as part of ‘Team Pilot Percy’, The Cow and Calf Rocks at Ilkley (25 miles) as part of ‘Team Dr Priti’ or Whitby Abbey (65 miles) as part of ‘Team Paramedic Polly’. Participants could even go for all three and complete 100 miles and don’t have to physically travel to these locations.  People are encouraged to simply walk, run, cycle or use any method of their choice to complete the distance at a location convenient to them.

Those who complete the challenge will be sent an official YAA Hike4Helis certificate to acknowledge their achievement and are encouraged to share their progress and updates via social media channels.

Lin Stead, Fundraising Manager (East and North) for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance said: “The YAA relies entirely on the generosity of individuals and businesses and our Hike4Helis challenge is a great way for people of all ages to start their YAA fundraising journey and help a great cause. Any form of exercise is not only great for your physical health, but it can be a huge boost for your mental health too.  We want this challenge to be inclusive for everyone so people of all ages and abilities can join in and adapt the challenge to suit their capabilities.

It can be as simple as swapping a car journey for a walk each day, or for those looking for a bigger challenge, they can hike or run the distance over a weekend. You don’t have to stop at the suggested miles either, you can do as much or as little as you like, it’s the taking part that counts.  Our Mascots Polly Paramedic, Percy Pilot and Dr Priti will be participating too, so keep an eye out on our social channels and website for motivation and inspiration. We’re all really looking forward to Hike4helis 2022 and would like to thank everyone who will be joining us.”

For more information on how to take part and donate, please visit: https://www.yorkshireairambulance.org.uk/get-involved/events/yaa-events/hike4helis/

James Potter Eggs have reached a remarkable £100,000 fundraising milestone for Yorkshire Air Ambulance after selling over 120 million eggs in support of our Charity since they first began partnering with us in 2012.

The family-run, free-range egg company founded in 1970 and based in the Vale of York, is based just a stone’s throw away from Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s northern airbase at RAF Topcliffe.  They have been donating 1 penny per dozen eggs sold in supermarkets and retail outlets since June 2012. Over the years, they have sold a phenomenal 120,000,000 eggs to reach their grand £100,000 fundraising total for the Yorkshire emergency services charity.

The sale of these eggs gives sustainable income to Yorkshire Air Ambulance, generating hundreds of pounds for the Charity each month. To show their valued support, we proudly showcase the company’s logo on both of our aircraft.

The last year has been a challenging year for Yorkshire Air Ambulance and many charities across the UK as the effects of the global pandemic took hold, and community income dropped. However, James Potters Eggs saw a boom in sales during the lockdown period, resulting in more money being donated to Yorkshire Air Ambulance during our time of need.

Adrian Potter, James Potter Eggs Managing Director, said: “We would like to thank all of the customers who have helped us achieve this fantastic figure, and are proud to sponsor such a worthy charity. Based near Topcliffe, we see the Air Ambulances on an almost daily basis, and it’s comforting to know that this amazing service is available to those in need. We look forward, with the help of our customers to continue this supporting this great charity.”

Katie Collinson, Corporate and Partnerships Manager for Yorkshire Air Ambulance: “The support we receive from local businesses is the lifeblood of our charity and ongoing partnerships like our relationship with James Potter Eggs give us sustainable and regular income that we can rely on. We would like to take this opportunity to thank James Potter Eggs for their continuous support and generosity, not only for their financial donations but also by carrying our logo on their egg boxes which helps promote our work too.”

Helen Callear, Yorkshire Air Ambulance Director of Fundraising (North & East), said: “The support James Potter Eggs have provided has helped greatly towards the vital funding of our service and will help us continue saving lives across the region, particularly in North Yorkshire where journey times to hospital could be longer by land ambulance and our service is vital to the rural communities we serve.”

James Potter’s YAA eggs are available at most major supermarkets including Asda, Tesco, and the Co-operative across Yorkshire.

Click HERE To read more YAA news.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance has appointed a new Regional Fundraising Manager for South and West Yorkshire. Vickie Bowden has stepped up from Regional Fundraiser for the West Region to manage the entirety of West and South Yorkshire.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves five million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,300 missions ever year. The Charity operates two, state-of-the-art Airbus H145 helicopters and needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.

Vickie Bowden joined Yorkshire Air Ambulance in March 2016 after completing a degree in Events Management and working for three months as a Student Finance Talk Presenter, helping students make an informed decision about going to university. Her role into fundraising was accidental, but since joining the Charity she has never looked back.

“I was originally looking to work in corporate events, but when I left university I applied for lots of different jobs and ended up getting a position here. It was also supposed to be temporary, but I couldn’t imagine doing anything else now. I love my job”, said Vickie.

Speaking of what she loves about fundraising, Vickie said: “I really enjoy the talks and informing people about the Charity and attending community groups where you sit down with tea and cake and talk about all the work we do. Nobody has a bad word to say about YAA and everything is always positive.

I also enjoy hearing all the patient stories when I’m out and about, people coming up to you and saying how much of a difference you have made to their lives or a loved one’s life. It gives job satisfaction knowing that I have played some part in helping them.”

While the role of a fundraiser can be very fun and rewarding, at times it can also be challenging. “It can be hard work when you’re stood in a storm with a gazebo and all in the merchandise on the table, but it’s all part of the fun”, said Vickie.

Speaking of what she aims to bring to her new role, Vickie explained: “I’m looking forward to being out and about, meeting new community groups, corporates and fundraisers and raising awareness of Charity in the South area as it is a new patch for me to cover. In the West area, I aim to maintain and build on our already established relationships and meet new people in the process.”

Vickie is recruiting for a new Community Fundraiser to join the West Yorkshire regional team. When asked what makes a good fundraiser, Vickie said: “Someone who is organised, approachable and friendly and has a bubbly personality. Not afraid to get stuck in. One day you can be stood in a field and the next day doing a corporate presentation.

For information on Yorkshire Air Ambulance job opportunities and to apply for the West Yorkshire Community Fundraiser position, please visit: https://www.yorkshireairambulance.org.uk/contact-us-careers/work-for-the-yaa/

Yorkshire Air Ambulance has appointed a new Regional Fundraising Manager for North and East Yorkshire. Linda Stead has stepped up from Regional Fundraiser for the North Yorkshire Region to manage the entirety of North Yorkshire covering from the Yorkshire Dales, to the East Coast and the Humber.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves 5 million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,300 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.

Lin has worked at Yorkshire Air Ambulance since 2016, but she started her career very differently as a postwoman for the Royal Mail, before progressing to HR roles within the firm for more than 25 years, then going into the pub trade for a while. After a short break, she saw a volunteer vacancy for the charity that Lin turned her hand to charity work.

Commenting on the start of her role at the YAA, Lin said “I had just stepped down from two very busy jobs and I was looking for ideas to fill my time. I like doing things outside and I like being active, so when I saw a vacancy for volunteers in North Yorkshire I thought I would apply. I spent a few months volunteering in my spare time and then a position arose for a Community Fundraiser role with the Charity which I was successful in securing.  The rest is history and I’ve now been working with the YAA for 6 years”

“Yorkshire Air Ambulance is very much a close, family values charity. Everyone knows everybody and appreciates everyone’s individual roles both from the operational roles, administration to the fundraising side and the volunteers. It is very active, you’re out and meeting new people all the time, they are so generous and grateful that we are here. It’s a wonderful feeling going to work on a morning”, she continued.

Over the last six years, Lin has progressed from Community Fundraiser to Regional Fundraiser, and now Regional Fundraising Manager, attending numerous high profile events across the region and building close connections with many supporters in the area. She is now looking forward to networking with and getting to know new and existing supporters across East Yorkshire.

Speaking of some of her best moments working as a Regional Fundraiser, she said: “We attend so many incredible events, but one that I enjoy every year is Buckden Gala as it is a real community village show. Every year you go, you see the same people and it generally rains, but everyone has fun and appreciates you being there. I also enjoy working at events when patients come up to you and say ‘you saved my life’. It really brings it home why we do what we do.”

Lin is also now recruiting for two new Community Fundraisers to join the North area regional team to help cover the Yorkshire Dales and surrounding areas.

When asked what makes a good fundraiser, Lin said: “Someone who enjoys a new challenge each day as no day is ever the same in this role!  Someone who is very organised, a good listener and enjoys being outside because we spend a lot of time outside in various weather conditions. A good fundraiser is also someone who enjoys engaging with the community. You never know what conversations are going to lead to, a talk or a fundraising opportunity, every single day is different.”

For information on Yorkshire Air Ambulance job opportunities and to apply for the North Yorkshire Community Fundraiser position, please visit: https://www.yorkshireairambulance.org.uk/contact-us-careers/work-for-the-yaa/

Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s pop up charity shop at the St John’s shopping centre in Leeds has now raised the charity more than £20,000 since its opening in March 2020.

The retail unit was kindly offered by the St John’s Shopping Centre team to help raise the profile and vital funds for the lifesaving rapid response charity, which responded to 534 incidents across West Yorkshire in 2020, 62 of which were from the Leeds area.

Donations to the charity shop have been generously gifted by the public, members of staff and volunteers, including clothing, Bric a Brac and hand-knitted baby and children’s clothing. Also available to purchase is much of Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s official merchandise.

The charity store was also delighted to welcome the Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Asghar Khan to one of their events before Christmas to learn all about the important work of Yorkshire Air Ambulance across the region.

Angela Vyas, West Yorkshire Community Fundraiser for Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to the Leeds St Johns management team for this fantastic opportunity to highlight the vital work of our charity in their shopping centre, to our wonderful volunteers who have given their time to run the shop and we would also like to thank all of our customers over the last year for their continued support and generosity.

The funds raised from the pop-up shop will go towards our core costs to keep both of Yorkshire’s air ambulances flying across the region.”

Susan Mendoza, St John’s Centre Manager, said: “We are so pleased that we have been a part of this wonderful achievement. It has been a privilege to work in partnership with Yorkshire Air Ambulance throughout the pandemic and we are grateful to all of our customers, tenants and employees for providing support to this incredible charity.”

To find out more about Yorkshire Air Ambulance pop up charity shop and for opening times, please keep an eye on Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s social media channels – Yorkshire Air Ambulance on Facebook and @yorkshireairamb on Twitter or call the charity office on 01422 237900.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves 5 million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,300 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

Did you know that you can recycle unwanted clothing and shoes to help raise vital funds for Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA)? Over the last two years, recycling has raised over £308,000 for the life-saving charity.

The Charity have more than 230 textile bins across Yorkshire and with the help of their recycling partner, Recycling Solutions, Yorkshire Air Ambulance are now launching their home collection service, starting in Wakefield this Thursday (27^th January 2022).

Recycling Solutions are a family run textile recycling company and since 2007, they have been working with charities and local authorities to reduce the amount of textile waste going to landfill.

For every item of clothing or pair of shoes donated, the YAA receives a percentage of the sale of the donated goods. Good quality items are re-sold to second-hand clothing traders in the UK and worldwide.

If you would like to request a collection, please bag up your unwanted clothing or textiles and complete the online form on the Yorkshire Air Ambulance website telling them how many bags you have, yaa.org.uk/request-a-recycling-collection/ or call the charity office telephone number on 01422 237900. Their recycling partners, Recycling Solutions, will then be in touch to book your collection between 8 am and 5 pm on your allocated day.

Collections will be contactless, with drivers not going into the home and the charity is asking people to leave the bags on the doorstep when the driver arrives.

Katie Collinson, Corporate and Partnerships Manager for Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “Since our partnership with Recycling Solutions began in January 2020, generous donations from the people of Yorkshire have helped us raise more than £308,000 and we’re really excited to be launching our home collections.  Our home collection scheme is convenient for everyone meaning we arrange to come to you making it easier than ever before for people to recycle and raise vital funds for YAA

It costs £12,000 per day to keep our Charity saving lives across the region and our recycling scheme gives us sustainable income that we can rely on, as well as helping the planet in the process. We are very grateful to everyone for their support.”

To find out more about recycling for YAA and to locate your nearest YAA recycling bank, visit yaa.org.uk/recycling/

To find out about future collections in other areas across Yorkshire, follow the Charities Facebook page Facebook.com/YorkshireAirAmbulance.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves 5 million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,300 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 Eldwick Village Society has reached an incredible £50,000 fundraising milestone for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Eldwick Village Society is a community-based hub based near Bingley West Yorkshire, which offers news to residents of the small village of Eldwick, as well as organising a host of events in the area.

The community group have supported Yorkshire Air Ambulance since 2010 through a variety of events including an annual Beer and Banger Festival, where award-winning sausages are cooked over charcoal and thirty locally sourced hand drawn beers are on sale.

Chairman of Eldwick Village Society, Tony Clegg, said: “We work closely with YAA for this annual event and it has proved a very successful partnership with the helicopter regularly landing at the event on a Saturday afternoon. We would like to thank everyone who has supported our Beer and Banger Festival and look forward to working with YAA in 2022.”

Kerry Dwyer, Yorkshire Air Ambulance Director of Fundraising (South and West), said: “The Eldwick Beer and Banger Festival is a firm favourite in our YAA calendar and we would like to thank the organisers and those who have attended the event over the years for their generosity and support.

It costs £12,000 a day to keep both of Yorkshire’s air ambulances maintained and in the air and the phenomenal £50,000 raised has helped greatly towards the vital of funding of our service and keeping our helicopters airborne. We look forward to working with Eldwick Village Society again this year.”

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) crew are urging people to stay warm this winter with a mug of hot chocolate to beat hypothermia and raise vital funds for their charity, with their annual YAA Hot Chocolate Fundraising Day, which takes place on Friday 28^th January.

YAA is an independent Charity that needs to raise £12,000 every single day to keep both of Yorkshire’s air ambulances in the air and maintained.  The charity responds to more than 1,500 incidents every single year with the winter period being one of their busiest times.

For the last few years, the YAA has been marking National Hot Chocolate Day with a series of fundraising campaigns and events, helping to bring people together whilst raising awareness of the life-saving Charity and other topical issues.

January is one of the UK’s coldest months with an average temperature of only 7 degrees. The cold, wintery weather brings many seasonal dangers and can be a cause of many excess deaths every single year.

Hypothermia is when the body’s temperature drops below 35 degrees, paving way for potential cardiovascular and respiratory issues, amongst other conditions. Older people and the more vulnerable are considered most at risk, but hypothermia can affect anyone if the body gets too cold.

James Allen, HEMS Paramedic at Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “The effect the cold weather can have on the human body is often highly underestimated and hypothermia can be very dangerous. At this time of year, we attend many incidents where people are unequipped for the colder climate, particularly those hiking, biking or taking part in long walks. Additionally, patients that have been involved in road accidents tend to get cold very quickly at this time of year.  In cases of mild hypothermia a warm, sugary drink can in itself be a treatment. Especially in those patients that, as a result of a prolonged period of exposure, have depleted their glucose reserves and are at risk of developing more severe hypothermia.

In more serious cases our crew are able to bring heated blankets, an insulated sleeping bag and a storm shelter to protect the patient from the elements whilst we treat their injuries. For critically injured patients Yorkshire Air Ambulance carries blood that is warmed up to body temperature just prior to administration. Most crucially, YAA provides rapid transport from the scene of the incident to the hospital, where patients can be completely rewarmed. Prevention is, however, better than the cure and this campaign is a great way of highlighting the dangers of the cold weather and encouraging people to stay safe this winter.”

One of the best and most enjoyable ways to stay warm and hydrated is with a hot cup of cocoa. Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s Hot Chocolate fundraising day will take place on 28^th January 2022 and the charity will be encouraging supporters to sign up and join them for a cup of hot chocolate, whilst learning about the vital work the charity does 365 days a year across Yorkshire.

The YAA has issued an awareness video about hypothermia and the risks of cold weather, and there will also be a virtual event where you can learn more about the dangers with ITV Calendar’s Meteorologist and YAA Patron, Jon Mitchell interviewing the crew. There will also be a chance to learn more about the charity through talks with Helicopter ER Producer Matt Richards, speaking about how they film the award-winning television show.

To register for the event or to take part in Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s hot chocolate day, please visit:https://www.yorkshireairambulance.org.uk/get-involved/events/yaa-events/yaa-hot-chocolate-day-2022/

Yorkshire Air Ambulance crew, staff and volunteers have come together to produce a very special rendition of the Christmas classic ‘Jingle Bells’ to spread some festive smiles and cheer, and thank everyone for their valued support over the last year.

The light-hearted video features a collaboration from Charity staff, crew and volunteers who work at the lifesaving charity wearing festive attire singing along to Jingle Bells, which was filmed all across the region.  The track is also accompanied by an acoustic performance by local musicians Mark Stringer and Scott Phoenix from Pontefract.

YAA is an independent Charity that needs to raise £12,000 every single day to keep both of Yorkshire’s air ambulances in the air and maintained and operates 365 days per year from their airbases at Nostell near Wakefield and Topcliffe near Thirsk.

Abby Barmby, Director of Marketing and Communications for Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “The last twelve months have been tough for everyone.  We have pretty much seen our summer events calendar wiped out and missed out on so many of our regular and annual fundraising events.  Thankfully, our fundraising teams have been able to get back out on the road fundraising in their local communities over the last few months, and some events are starting to take place again.   Even during these tough times, we have continued to be overwhelmed by the support we have received from the people of Yorkshire and beyond and we wanted to thank everyone in our own festive way! The idea of this video was just to bring a smile to everyone’s faces and to try and end the year positively!”

Abby continued “Everyone involved has been so enthusiastic, and we have really enjoyed pulling it all together.  We hope it makes everyone smile as much as we have and helps to raise awareness of the vital work we undertake!  Whilst most of us will get to enjoy our Christmas day with friends and family, our crew will be operational as we are a 365 day operation, alongside our other colleagues in organisations such as the NHS, the emergency services and care services.”

To watch the video, please CLICK HERE