Derbyshire’s Martyn Culley has raised more than £12,700 by walking every Wainwright summit in the Lake District to raise money for air ambulance charities.
The Wainwrights are a collection of 214 fells described by Alfred Wainwright in his famous guidebooks. Some of the most demanding terrain in the Lake District are described in the books and presented a unique challenge for the 66-year-old retired postmaster from Willington.
The funds will go directly to Air Ambulances UK, the national organisation that champions and supports the lifesaving work of the UK’s 21 air ambulance charities, including the air ambulance charity covering Derbyshire under the name “Your Local Air Ambulance (YLAA)”.
The YLAA crew welcomed Martyn and representatives from Air Ambulances UK to its Nottingham heliport on Friday 9 October to present the sum of £12,786.47 that will go toward funding lifesaving missions across the UK. Martyn was given a tour of one of the two AgustaWestland 109SP helicopters used by YLAA to carry out missions throughout Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and Rutland.
Martyn said: “It was fascinating to see how the funds raised are spent and learn more about how air ambulance crews are deployed. We were fortunate to arrive just as a helicopter came in from a mission.
“Walking the Wainwrights was a huge physical and mental challenge that took weeks, but knowing that the challenge could help support such an important service gives every step a real sense of purpose.”
YLAA Strategic Communications Manager Owen Morris said:
“It was a pleasure to welcome Martyn and guests to out Nottingham base so he could talk to us about his incredible adventure. Air ambulance charities like us receive no Government funding – so it is only through the generosity and kindness of remarkable people like Martyn that we are able to be there when we are needed most.”
