Cardiff family to raise vital funds to support lifesaving children’s charity

A local family from Cardiff have pledged to raise £600 to support the lifesaving missions of the Children’s Air Ambulance (TCAA) by cycling 200 miles.

Harrison and Natasha Adey, along with family and friends, will be taking part in a mammoth 200-mile cycle around Cardiff during August to raise vital funds to support the dedicated children’s charity.

The national Children’s Air Ambulance provides the only intensive care helicopters in the country dedicated to transferring critically ill babies and children, at a high and safe speed, from local hospitals to specialist paediatric and neonatal treatment centres.

Harrison and Natasha’s son Zachary was born with a rare heart condition, so The Children’s Air Ambulance was made available for Zachary and his family in case he needed to be flown for lifesaving surgery from Cardiff Hospital to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children just after he was born.

Luckily Cardiff Hospital were able to manage Zachary’s condition and he didn’t need immediate surgery or the assistance of the Children’s Air Ambulance, something his parents were extremely relieved about.

“We were extremely relieved to find out that Cardiff Hospital could manage our son’s condition when he was born. Knowing that the Children’s Air Ambulance was on standby for our family on that day was amazing and we are so grateful that a charity like this exists,” said Zachary’s Dad, Harrison.

“We didn’t know a service like this existed and were very surprised to hear that they receive no government funding. The charity relies on the support from the local community to keep their lifesaving helicopter transfers possible,” he added.

Also commenting, Zachary’s Mum Natasha said: “We’re looking forward to achieving the 200-mile goal and to help raise vital funds for such a deserving charity.”

The Children’s Air Ambulance has celebrated 10 years of vital service this year and relies on fundraising by wonderful supporters such as Harrison and Natasha to raise the £3,500 needed for each transfer mission.

“We are so grateful to Harrison, Natasha and their family and friends for taking on the mammoth 200-mile challenge,” expressed Fiona Franklin, Community Fundraising Executive for the Children’s Air Ambulance.

“They understand first-hand the importance of the charity and we would like to thank them for raising vital funds so that more critically ill babies and children can be transferred to a specialist hospital for treatment,” she added.

People can support Harrison and Natasha by donating to their JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/team/Cardiffcycle-childrens-air-ambulance

To learn more, or to support the charity, please visit: www.childrensairambulance.org.uk or call 0300 3045 999.