Yorkshire Air Ambulance is flying high after backing a winner at last month’s showcase Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse.
The rapid response emergency charity collected over £10,800 from ticket sales, a bucket collection, auction and raffle prizes on the Friday of the four-day meeting.
Katie Collinson, Partnerships Manager at the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA), said:
“We cannot thank Doncaster Racecourse enough for the tremendous support they have given us.
“It’s a fantastic day in the charity marquee and over the last four years of our partnership we have raised around £48,000 which represents a really valuable income stream for the charity.
“The Leger is not only a highlight in South Yorkshire’s social calendar, it’s a firm date in our annual calendar and we are always looking to welcome new faces to the Charity marquee.”
The YAA has carried more than 5,700 people in its 14-year history. The charity has to raise £9,990 every day to keep its two helicopters flying – equivalent to £3.6 million a year.
Without any direct government funding, the only help the charity receives is through the secondment of its paramedics from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust.
Mark Edwards, Racing Sales Coordinator Doncaster Racecourse, said: “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work closely with Yorkshire Air Ambulance; to help raise funds which are vital to the running of this life saving emergency service.
“By associating the Yorkshire Air Ambulance with our prestigious St Leger Festival, we are able to raise awareness for the worthy cause and we are looking forward to supporting them again in 2015”
