Northamptonshire supporter funds three air ambulance missions

A dedicated Northamptonshire supporter has raised over £5,000 for the lifesaving Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA).

Jill Nicklin has been making homemade greeting cards and selling them at The Drovers Café in Northampton, and at the Sheltered Accommodation where her daughter works, in a bid to raise money for the local air ambulance, and since 2007 she has raised £5,328.70 – enough for three potentially lifesaving missions.

With an aim to raise 10k, Jill supports the charity – which relies entirely on generous public donations – because she often saw the yellow and grey helicopter flying overhead on her travels.

“For some years I have travelled the motorway network visiting my parents and in-laws and seen the results of motorway accidents where the air ambulance crew have attended. We also live very close to the M1 and regularly see the helicopter overhead,” said Jill.

“It is such a worthwhile charity and I just wanted to do some fundraising to help in my own way,” she added.

Jill’s youngest son surprised her with a visit to WNAA’s base in Coventry for her birthday a few years back which spurred her on to raise even more for the charity.

“I got to see the air ambulance with the lifesaving equipment it carries, and I also managed to have a look round the Children’s Air Ambulance helicopter, which was quite new at the time, which really increased my determination to help,” Jill said.

Community Fundraising Executive for WNAA, Laura Sage, said:

“On behalf of the charity, I would like to say a huge thank you to Jill for her dedication and support over the last 14 years.

“Within minutes, our crews can be on the ground delivering lifesaving care at road traffic collisions, sports events, and industrial accidents or for medical emergencies such as cardiac arrest, stroke, or accidents in the home. Jill’s fundraising has already funded three missions for those in their hour of need – and we couldn’t be more grateful.”