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A Burren man has raised £1,620 for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland after growing his facial hair as part of a fundraising challenge, marking his first time supporting the charity despite completing the personal challenge for several years.
Stefan White's fundraising initiative highlighted both his personal commitment and his appreciation for the vital emergency service. Funds raised will directly support the charity's ability to deliver rapid, critical care to those most seriously injured or ill across Northern Ireland.
Speaking about his motivation, Stefan White said seeing the Air Ambulance NI team attending incidents involving local residents really brought home how important the service is. "This challenge felt like a great way to raise awareness and give something back, and I'm hugely grateful to everyone who supported and donated," he said.
On average the medical team are called upon twice every day, whether that's to a serious road traffic collision, farm or workplace accident, sport and leisure incident or a serious medical emergency.
Bébhionn Hardy, Community Fundraising Coordinator at Air Ambulance NI, expressed her appreciation for Stefan's efforts. "We are incredibly grateful to Stefan for his dedication and generosity. Raising £1,600 through his challenge is a fantastic achievement and a powerful example of how individual supporters can make a real difference. Thanks to people like Stefan, we can continue delivering critical care to patients when every second counts," she said.
The charity Air Ambulance NI, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, provides the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service for Northern Ireland. The service brings urgent medical assistance to anywhere in the province, operating seven days a week for 12 hours per day. The HEMS team attend patients who are seriously ill or injured, bringing emergency pre-hospital care direct to the casualty with the aim of saving lives, brains and limbs. The aircraft can reach anywhere in the province within 25 minutes.
As a local charity, Air Ambulance NI aspires to raise £3 million each year to maintain and sustain the service, so public donations are crucial. One of the simplest ways to support is by becoming a member of Club AANI and donating via a monthly or annual subscription. Further information is available at www.airambulanceni.org or by emailing info@airambulanceni.org or calling 028 9262 2677.
