County Derry woman raises funds for Air Ambulance in memory of her late husband

Bellaghy woman Anne-Marie Davey organised a unique fundraiser for local charity Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, in memory of her late husband Seamus Davey.

As music enthusiasts and keen concert goers, Anne-Marie linked in with popular music venues she attended with Seamus, and organised ticket raffles to raise funds for the vital service of the Air Ambulance NI.

Seamus was widely known and loved, as Chairman of the Out and About Community Transport Board of Directors, and manager of Shop Mobility in Magherafelt and will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

Katrina Hughes, Area Fundraising Manager for Air Ambulance NI, said: “We are so grateful for the support from Anne-Marie and kind donation of £400. As a charity we rely on donations from the public to keep the service sustainable and it currently requires £6,850 each day in fundraising. All contributions help to deliver emergency pre-hospital care to people with a sudden life-threatening injury or illness, helping to save lives and improve patient outcomes.” 

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 patients who are critically ill or injured, bringing emergency pre-hospital care direct to the casualty with the aim of saving lives, brains and limbs.  Air Ambulance operates seven days a week for 12 hours per day. The aircraft can reach anywhere in Northern Ireland in approximately twenty-five minutes. On average, the doctor and paramedic team are tasked twice a day whether that is as a result of a serious road traffic collision, farm or workplace accident, sport and leisure incident or a serious medical emergency, to name a few. 

(Above): Anne-Marie and Seamus Davey pictured on their wedding day.

The charity aspires to raise £2.5m per year through continued public support, to ensure that the service continues to be there for everyone.  There are many ways to support Air Ambulance NI which will truly be making a difference to someone’s life. One of the most impactful ways you can support is by joining Club AANI. 

 Members of Club AANI help to keep the service operational 365 days a year, by making a small donation each month. Regular donations create sustainability for this crucial lifesaving service and allow the charity to predict regular income levels to keep the helicopter flying while looking towards the future. In return, members receive a limited-edition gold pin badge, monthly updates on the work of Air Ambulance NI and an invitation to an annual members get-together. 

For more information on supporting Air Ambulance NI please go to airambulanceni.org