The Yorkshire Area Point to Point Club has raised over £36,000 during 2022 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
A cheque was presented at Wetherby Races and takes the total funds raised by the Club for the rapid response air emergency charity to around £180,000.
Christine Drury, Chair of the Sheriff Hutton Point to Point committee, has very personal reasons to be grateful to Yorkshire Air Ambulance after being airlifted three years ago following a serious riding accident.
She said: “Yorkshire Air Ambulance is an organisation very close to my heart. I was airlifted by them in 2019 after being kicked by a horse. I suffered a compound fracture to my leg and because the location was really difficult for other emergency services to reach, Yorkshire Air Ambulance was incredible in getting me the urgent help I needed.
“Rural communities like ours are reliant on services like this and when you see the helicopter flying down and you know there is help coming, it’s truly amazing.
“I’d like to thank the Point to Point Club committee, and all our supporters and sponsors, for again making the fundraising possible.”
Serving a population of approximately five million people across Yorkshire’s three million acres, YAA operates two air ambulances from airbases at The Nostell Priory Estate near Wakefield and RAF Topcliffe near Thirsk, plus two Rapid Response Vehicles.
The service needs to raise £19,000 every day to keep its two helicopters flying.
Lin Stead, Yorkshire Air Ambulance Regional Fundraising Manager for North and East, said: “We are so grateful to Christine and everyone at the Yorkshire Point to Point Club who have raised such a fantastic amount for us once again this year.”
The next Point to Point event will be on January 15, 2023, and is usually one of the best supported in Yorkshire. Sheriff Hutton’s natural amphitheatre creates a great atmosphere enjoyed by racing supporters and families alike with top horses and jockeys from throughout the county.
Entry is £10 (cash only) per person with under 16s free with the first race starting at 11.45 am. There is a bar and refreshments available including a hog roast.
Photo: Left to right: Paul Drury, Sheriff Hutton Point to Point; Charlotte Russell, Chairman Yorkshire Area Point to Point; Kevin Hutchinson, Community Fundraiser Yorkshire Air Ambulance; Christine Drury, Sheriff Hutton Point to Point and Lin Stead, Regional Fundraising Manager YAA.