Sellafield workers give £10,000 to the Great North Air Ambulance Service

A group of workers has donated £10,000 to the Great North Air Ambulance Service – just days after a reminder of how vital the service is. The Sellafield Contractors Group Charity Committee, (SCGCC) has handed over the cheque to air ambulance crew members. The committee, on behalf of Sellafield contract workers, had been planning the donation since the beginning of the year, long before the recent incident on Apr 20, when a man in his 60s suffered a heart attack at work at the West Cumbrian facility. The event reinforced the importance of supporting the charity, which operates the Pride of Cumbria aircraft from its base at Langwathby, near Penrith. The man was treated at the scene before being airlifted to the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, where he was stable on arrival after the fifteen minute flight. Gary Savage, on behalf of SCGCC, said the incident demonstrated the importance of supporting GNAAS. He said: “This was a real life situation, an example of the work GNAAS does in this community.

A group of workers has donated £10,000 to the Great North Air Ambulance Service – just days after a reminder of how vital the service is.

The Sellafield Contractors Group Charity Committee, (SCGCC) has handed over the cheque to air ambulance crew members.

The committee, on behalf of Sellafield contract workers, had been planning the donation since the beginning of the year, long before the recent incident on Apr 20, when a man in his 60s suffered a heart attack at work at the West Cumbrian facility.

The event reinforced the importance of supporting the charity, which operates the Pride of Cumbria aircraft from its base at Langwathby, near Penrith.

The man was treated at the scene before being airlifted to the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, where he was stable on arrival after the fifteen minute flight.

Gary Savage, on behalf of SCGCC, said the incident demonstrated the importance of supporting GNAAS.

He said: “This was a real life situation, an example of the work GNAAS does in this community. We chose the air ambulance because of this kind of work and just in recognition of the support that they offer.”

The committee has donated more than £700,000 to local causes in its thirty two year history with the money raised going to local charities, schools, hospitals and youth and other organisations.

Sellafield contractors support the committee’s fundraising events by attending charity balls, normally held in May and November, and, along with the local supply chain, make generous donations of raffle prizes.

The committee consists of six members: Sue Crone, chairperson, of Sellafield Ltd; Gary Savage, deputy chair, of OneFM; Anne-Marie Jenkinson, secretary, of AmecFW; Vicky Graves, treasurer, of Balfourbeatty; Bev Lofthouse, of Hertel; Alan Bowes, of Shepley.

Grahame Pickering, chief executive of GNAAS, said: “We are absolutely reliant on this kind of generosity. The money will go to supporting our aircraft and crew in helping the unfortunate people who need help the most.

“On behalf of those people, and everyone at the charity, I would like to offer my sincere gratitude to the committee for supporting this local cause.”

by Araminta Hartley

May the 6th, 2015