Thousands raised by Northamptonshire woman for air ambulance at annual charity ball at Wicksteed Park

A Northamptonshire woman has successfully raised £2,238 to support the lifesaving missions of the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA).

Amy Hilsdon of Harrowden Farms, near Wellingborough, raised the cash by holding a charity ball at Wicksteed Park.

Alongside other organisers and friends Fiona Holley, Chantall Ridd-Jones and Rebecca King, Amy held the Pipewell Beagles 9 to 90 Ball earlier this year and the final amount raised has now been confirmed.

Amy said: “We would like to thank everyone who helped to organise and to everyone who attended our annual charity ball at Wicksteed Park.

"Together we managed to raise vital funds to support a deserving charity and keep their lifesaving missions possible.

“Northamptonshire is largely rural and farmers are often working alone in remote locations. The Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance are invaluable if an incident was to occur in a rural location that the land ambulance crew couldn’t access – without this service many people wouldn’t receive the pre-hospital critical care that they so desperately need.”

Within minutes, WNAA’s critical care crews can be on the ground delivering pre-hospital critical care and giving patients the very best chance of survival.

Each rescue mission is funded entirely by donations and costs £2,300, as the charity does not receive any government or National Lottery funding.

The charity local branch of the air ambulance recently celebrated its 20th anniversary after the Princess Diana Air Ambulance was renamed to Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance in 2004. In 2023, it reached 50,000 missions completed.

Community fundraising executive for Northamptonshire Karen Hughes said: “We would like to say a big thank you to Amy and everyone else involved in raising an amazing £2,238 to support our charity.

“The charity relies on generous donations to keep attending its lifesaving missions, and we rely on the support from the local community and businesses to raise the £2,300 we need for each rescue mission.”