Rotors & Wings Lunch raises £80,000 for Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance 17 Oct
Welcoming almost 600 guests for a delicious 3 course meal, with a double Spitfire fly past to the sound of the RAF Waddington Pipes & Drums Band, and then at the end of the day, having attended 4 potentially life-saving missions the crew of the Air Ambulance Helicopter.
The organisers of the event, the newly formed Lincolnshire Air Ambulance County Appeal Committee (LAACA) explained what inspired them to take on such a monumental task!
Lincolnshire based Air Ambulance Trustee, Penny Would said “The Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance is one of the UK’s leading Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) charities, which has been raising funds across both counties for the last 24 years. To support fundraising efforts, over 20 years ago a Nottinghamshire based committee formed; Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance Countryside Appeal (NAACA). NAACA have raised a staggering £500,000 through the organisation of fundraising events in Nottinghamshire. Inspired by their success, in spring 2018, we decided to form a Lincolnshire based committee”.
Trustees Penny Would and Andrew Pearce recruited friends to form the Lincolnshire Air Ambulance County Appeal (LAACA), with a goal to raise up to £40,000 a year to help support the costs incurred of funding the Ambucopter. The formation of committee comes at a crucial time as the Charity moves to extend its service from 12 hours a day to a 24/7 commitment. This bold move will increase annual costs from £2.5m to £4m a year, all raised through the generosity of public donations and events.
Sunday 7th October brought a beautiful, sunny, autumn afternoon at the Epic Centre, which allowed the perfect canvas for a double Spitfire flypast, complimented by the RAF Waddington Pipes and Drums Band. A welcome given by Chief Executive of the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance, Karen Jobling and a delicious 3 course meal then followed.
An online and live auction gave opportunity for guests to bid on auction lots, many of which really were once in a lifetime adventures and experiences. From art to aviation, racing to catering, there was something for everyone.
The auction and raffle combined raised over £50,000 on the day and with further proceeds the final fundraising total was a staggering £80,000. The committee would like to thank everyone who supported the day and raise the vital funds to support the Charity.
If you would like to make a donation to the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance please donate on line at Ambucopter.org.uk or by calling the Charity on 01522 548469.
