Warwickshire rider takes on a 24-hour hack to support vital service for rural communities

Toni Ainscough from Alcester has undertaken a 24-hour solo hack in aid of the lifesaving Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) after they assisted her when she fell from her horse during The Fernie Hunt.

The Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance critical care crew assisted Toni on the day of her incident, so once fully recovered, she wanted to give back to the lifesaving charity. She began by selling sunflowers and horse muck, raising a total of £217.00.

Wanting to complete an even bigger challenge to raise more funds, Toni then organised a 24-hour solo hack on her horse Sparky in July of this year and even kitted her horse out in a fully branded uniform for the event.

Starting in the village of Aston Cantlow, she made her way around the area, including stopping off at the local care home to visit the residents and collecting further donations in Alcester. When night fell, she safely completed this part of the challenge off-road, with permission from the landowners, and then finished back in Aston Cantlow.

“I met some lovely people along the way, listened to humbling stories, laughed a lot and made some fantastic memories. I am totally overwhelmed by everyone’s support and from the bottom of my heart, thank you, “expressed Toni.

“The Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance is a lifeline to all communities, particularly horsey and rural communities. Therefore, I wanted to give back to this vital and lifesaving charity that assisted me so greatly in my hour of need,” she added.

Toni raised a staggering £2,609.00 from her challenge which will go towards funding more vital daily missions for WNAA.

WNAA Community Fundraising Executive George May said:

“It’s amazing to see members of our community taking on new and exciting challenges to continue to support our charity. Toni managing to stay awake for 24-hours for this challenge is an achievement in itself and shows her hard work and determination to support us”.

Support from local communities and businesses is paramount as the charity receives no government funding and relies entirely on public donations to raise the £1,700 needed for each mission.

“We would like to thank Toni for the incredible amount she has raised, meaning we can continue to provide our vital service, keeping our helicopter and Critical Care Car operating 24/7, 365 days per year,” George added.

The charity is celebrating its 20^th anniversary of lifesaving service across Warwickshire and Northamptonshire in 2023. To help mark the momentous milestone the charity is asking for supporters to send in any photos, footage, clippings, or share their stories to help showcase how well the service has developed over the years into the leading provider of pre-hospital critical care it is today. To get involved please visit: www.theairambulanceservice.org.uk or call 0300 3045 999