Great North Air Ambulance Service

The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) has been provided with a freshly laid road thanks to its corporate sponsor, GMI Construction Group plc.

Last year the GNAAS incorporated its trading company arm into its Progress House headquarters in Urlay Nook. The trading company, which covers the entire North East and Cumbria, now operates from the charity’s HQ allowing for more space and increased turnaround times for donations of clothing to be processed and redistributed to partners.

The new access road is 400 metres squared and leads directly to the trading company’s sorting area, avoiding the area that is used for road traffic collision training meaning both areas can be simultaneously used without causing disruption.

The tarmac was laid in a collaborative effort by GMI Construction’s partners, the Applebridge family, who contributed towards the cost of the project.

Julie Jameson, Facilities Manager at GNAAS said “Without businesses like GMI Construction, it would mean that the much-needed funds we work so hard to raise through our charity fundraising team are spent on infrastructure rather than supporting our essential 24/7 services. GMI’s kind generosity means that we’ve saved a substantial amount of money, enough to fund seven life-saving missions.

“The laying of the new road at Progress House has officially brought together the trading company with the rest our charity teams, who moved in four years ago, followed by the operations team moving in one year later. We’re looking forward to continuing the hard work undertaken by our trading company from Urlay Nook.”

Mark Allan, GMI Contracts Manager said “Through our affiliation with the Great North Air Ambulance Service, we have the fantastic opportunity to support a life-saving local charity, that makes a really massive difference in our community. This charity has helped save so many lives, and we’re proud to be able to support them using our own expertise.

“Providing new dedicated access for the fundraising team will be of real benefit and enable more efficient operations for both the air ambulance service and those that play a key role in generating funds”.

ENDS

NEWS RELEASE: ISSUED ON BEHALF OF GREAT NORTH AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE

CONTACT: Caroline Walker on 01325 363436

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Notes to editors:

Great North Air Ambulance Service provides air ambulance services across the North-East, Cumbria and North Yorkshire. It is entirely funded by charity. Working with the NHS and fellow emergency services, GNAAS has become an important part of the region’s major incident response.

Key stats and figures Apr 2021 – Mar 2022

Total number of call-outs – 1732

Average per week – 33

Average per day - 5

Average cost per call-out - £4,478