Life-saving charity Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) has received an incredible donation of £85,000 from the Yorkshire Freemasons.
The money, which has been provided over the last three years, has funded one of YAA’s state-of-the-art, hi-tech fundraising promotional vehicles.
The vehicles are equipped with interactive technology and feature a replica cockpit, with curved screens showing aerial footage of the views the crews experience while flying in the air ambulance helicopters.
They also have screens for presentations and run videos featuring interviews with the YAA crew.
Back in 2020, the Yorkshire Freemasons agreed to sponsor one of these promotional units over the course of three years. During that period, the North and East Province donated £25,000 and the West Riding donated £60,000.
After two years of delays amid the pandemic, a cheque presentation took place on November 28 last year, giving representatives from the Yorkshire Freemasons chance to view the vehicles in all their glory at the charity’s Air Support Unit at Nostell, near Wakefield.
Duncan R Kilbride, Chairman of West Riding Masonic Charities Ltd representing the Freemasons of the Province of Yorkshire West Riding reports that they are delighted to see the Promotional / Education Vehicle project which was funded by the Charitable donations of Freemasons of Yorkshire, now being widely exhibited throughout the Yorkshire region, providing vital and useful information whilst enhancing the on-board visual technology of actual footage taken from the Helicopters.
He added: “The YAA is at the very heart of our community as it continues to help save lives throughout Yorkshire.
“The Freemasons of both West and Northeast Ridings of the Province of Yorkshire are extremely proud to be associated with the YAA and through the generosity of the Freemasons of Yorkshire will continue to support the YAA in the years ahead.”
The Mobile Educational Units are wrapped in distinctive YAA branding and are used to educate the public about the charity and the work it does to ensure people can access the urgent medical attention they need.
By attending promotional events and taking the vehicles on tour, the charity hopes to inspire the next generation of paramedics, doctors, pilots and volunteers, working with local schools and youth groups in the community.
The vehicles are also important to helping the charity raise the funds necessary to continue its vital work.
Marianne Haworth, Grants & Trust Manager at Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said: “We are so incredibly grateful to the Yorkshire Freemasons for their donation and support – it really means the world to us.
“These promotional vehicles are essential to our fundraising and profile raising so we can’t thank the Yorkshire Freemasons enough for their generous contribution.”
Yorkshire Air Ambulance serves 5 million people across Yorkshire and carries out over 1,500 missions every year. The Charity operates two, state-of-the-art Airbus H145 helicopters and needs to raise £19,000 every day to keep saving lives.
Find out more about the charity’s life-saving work at;
