Leicestershire charity stores celebrates mammoth milestone for lifesaving charity

Your local air ambulance’s Melton Mowbray superstore is celebrating raising a phenomenal £1 million worth of sales this year – funding nearly 600 lifesaving missions for the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA), as the charity celebrates 15 years of vital service.

‘The Hanger’ superstore opened its doors on 19 November 2021 and is situated in Melton Mowbray, home of the award-winning Melton Mowbray pork pie. Since opening, the superstore has been an integral part of the local community, for its amazing shopping environment, updated new and used retail stock and a wonderful selection of food and drinks available in the café.

This is the charity’s second store to have raised £1 million in just one year, an amazing achievement for the superstore, the hardworking team there, and its loyal shoppers with their dedicated support – this support made more vital missions in Leicestershire and further afield possible.

The local community welcomed the Melton Mowbray superstore only two years ago and has since been supported with generous donations of clothing, furniture, and bric-a-brac.

Store Manager, Kerry Martin said: “I am so happy and proud to be part of the team which has broken the record of £1 million worth of sales, and to be the second store within the charity to have achieved this.”

“We are all incredibly proud to work for such a dedicated and vital service, and we would like to thank everyone involved for helping to keep our crews providing pre-hospital critical care to those who need it most,” she expressed.

“Reaching this milestone wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our dedicated local community and with Christmas fast approaching, we continue to require further donations of new and preloved items, as these provide vital income for the charity and keep our helicopters flying,” she added.

Income from the store is vital in keeping DLRAA’s service operational. Within minutes, DLRAA’s critical care crews can be on the ground delivering pre-hospital emergency care and giving patients the very best chance of survival – this vital service relies entirely on donations to raise the £1,700 needed for each rescue mission, as the charity receives no government or National Lottery funding.

2023 has been a monumental year for the charity, it’s celebrated 50,000 missions, an overall ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating, and 15^th anniversary of providing its lifesaving service across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Rutland. The charity is continuing to encourage people to visit its charity stores 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.