Our Mayor, Councillor Brian Higginson has officially launched his Mayoral Charity for year ahead, announcing partnership with Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, the region’s dedicated Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS).
In the year ahead, the Mayor will focus on championing the lifesaving work of the charity and raising vital funds to support its rapid response medical service, which attends some of the most critically ill and injured patients across Northern Ireland.
During his visit to Air Ambulance Northern Ireland’s operational base, the Mayor met with members of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service team to learn more about the lifesaving work they carry out every day. He was shown around the facilities, viewed the charity’s distinctive red helicopter up close, and heard directly from clinicians and staff about the critical care they deliver at the scene of emergencies across Northern Ireland.
Mayor Higginson said: “Air Ambulance Northern Ireland carries out lifesaving work every single day, and I am proud to support them as my Mayoral Charity. Their dedication, skill and compassion make an extraordinary difference to families across our region.
“Air Ambulance Northern Ireland is a service that any one of us may need at any time. Their ability to reach people in the most critical moments, often in remote or hard to reach locations, truly saves lives. This partnership is about raising awareness, raising funds and recognising the extraordinary work of the doctors, paramedics and volunteers who make this service possible. I look forward to helping raise both awareness and vital funds for their service throughout the year ahead.”
Air Ambulance Northern Ireland works in partnership with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service to provide the HEMS service, responding to trauma incidents on average twice a day. Each mission costs around £8,200, and the charity must raise £3 million annually to sustain the service.
Kerry Anderson, Head of Fundraising at Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, added: “We are delighted to be chosen as Mayor Higginson’s charity for the year ahead. Every mission we fly is funded by the generosity of people across Northern Ireland, and this partnership with Mayor Higginson will help ensure we can continue to deliver critical care when it is needed most. We look forward to working closely with the Mayor and the wider community in the months ahead.”
The Mayor’s fundraising efforts throughout the year will directly support Air Ambulance Northern Ireland’s lifesaving HEMS missions across Northern Ireland.
For more information on Air Ambulance Northern Ireland or to find out how you can support the Mayor’s Charity, visit: www.lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk/w/mayors-charity and https://airambulanceni.org/