Employee, Claire Ormesher, carried out the brave skydive to supplement the store’s already strong fundraising efforts. The team cycled 40 miles on an in-store static bike – the distance from Skipton to Lancaster and took part in the charity’s ‘Save Your Copper for a Chopper’ initiative by donating their loose change.
Claire, a Customer Assistant at the Skipton store, said: “I’m over the moon with the amount we’ve managed to raise as a team for a cause so close to our hearts. Yorkshire Air Ambulance does an amazing job but it costs a staggering £12,000 a day to keep two helicopters in the air, so the charity relies on support from the community. This is why we were so keen to support the service and to ensure they carry on their vital service across our region.
Linda Stead, Yorkshire Air Ambulance North Yorkshire Community Fundraiser said: “We are truly grateful for the support we have received from staff and customers at the M&S Foodhall in Skipton. We are an independent charity which really relies on organisations and individuals such as M&S to enable us to keep doing such important work across the region.
“The money raised by the M&S staff will go towards purchasing our two new state-of-the-art replacement Airbus H145 helicopters, which will be taking to the skies over Yorkshire later this year. The first one, G-YAAC, is already operational and the second, G-YOAA is expected to be operational before Christmas.”
