Derbyshire charity store celebrates funding over 400 lifesaving missions

Your local air ambulance charity boutique store based in Derby is celebrating seven years of funding vital missions for the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA), as the charity celebrates 15 years of vital service.

The charity store opened its doors on 23 September 2016 and is situated in the heart of Derby city centre. Over the past seven years the store has generated an incredible £733,245.25 worth of sales for the charity – amazingly funding more than 400 lifesaving missions throughout Derbyshire and further afield.

The store has also received 14,400 bags of generously donated goods, which have provided vital income for the charity, but they continue to require the support of the local community for further donations of new and preloved items.

Funding from the charity’s store provides an invaluable source of income for this vital service, relying entirely on donations to raise the £1,700 needed for each rescue mission – as the charity receives no government or National Lottery funding. It keeps the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance crews on the frontline, delivering pre-hospital critical care to those who need it most.

Store Manager Paul Banton said: “We would like to thank everyone in the local community for their support of the past seven years and without this we wouldn’t be able to continue to provide pre-hospital emergency care to those who need it the most.”

“We still rely on the local community’s support with donations of pre-loved items such as bric-a-brac, clothing and toys to keep our vital missions possible and keep our crews delivering advanced critical care 24/7, 365 days per year,” he added.

The charity is celebrating 50,000 missions and its 15^th anniversary of providing its lifesaving service across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland in 2023 and is encouraging people to visit a charity store and grab a bargain, donate unwanted clothing to one of many clothing banks, get involved in a challenge event, fundraise, or even sign up to volunteer.

For more information, please visit: www.theairambulanceservice.org.uk or call 0300 3045 999.