Daventry MP visits lifesaving charity

Daventry MP and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris, recently visited The Air Ambulance Service (TAAS) to speak with the lifesaving charity’s reuse team.

Chris took the time out of his busy schedule to visit the charity’s Daventry Warehouse, where he was shown around, met the charity’s dedicated team based in Daventry, and learnt more about the vital service the charity provides across the local community.

The poignant purpose of Chris’ visit was to meet with the charity’s reuse team – Head of Reuse Harry Sirpal and Reuse Business Support Administrator Kellie Hodgett – as the duo wanted to explore the opportunities available to work collaboratively with Chris on local sustainability matters.

“Recycling, when done correctly, is one of the easiest ways to make a positive change to the environment. With our aim to divert waste going into landfills, along with Chris’ profile and contacts within the local community, we wanted to see how he could help further the charity with its reuse plans,” says TAAS Head of Reuse Harry Sirpal.

The lifesaving charity – which operates the local Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA), Derbyshire Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA), and the national Children’s Air Ambulance (TCAA) -is in a bid to help build a more sustainable future, eliminating unwanted items reaching landfills.

The charity offers numerous ways to recycle to support the charity’s sustainability by donating and diverting good quality pre-loved items from landfill via the charity’s donation banks and new indoor clothing banks. Businesses can also benefit from the charity’s IT Asset Reuse collection and free data wiping service for donated IT equipment.

“We were delighted to invite Chris Heaton-Harris to our Daventry Warehouse and are happy to be collaborating with him on raising the awareness of The Air Ambulance Service and the reuse services we provide,” expressed Kellie Hodgett.

“We would appreciate it if Daventry and other Northamptonshire communities, education establishments and businesses to support us and get in contact if they would like to help us by donating unused or surplus IT equipment, donating to our clothing banks, or hosting one of our traditional or new indoor clothing banks,” she added.

Commenting on his visit, Chris Heaton-Harris said:

“On the 10 November 2023, I visited The Air Ambulance Service at the Daventry Trading Hub and met with the team working there. I was given a really interesting presentation about their work with fundraising, clothing banks and also their work with collaborative partnerships & networking groups.”

“I had a fascinating tour around the warehouse and chatted to the staff in the IT department, which offers an IT Data Wiping service, where they take in redundant technology equipment, data wipe it and sell the items on eBay store to raise vital funds for the critical care service. It was a very informative visit, and great to see all the hard work done by the air ambulance team here in Daventry.”