Hucknall bus routes operator picks Air Ambulance as its charity of the year

The airborne life-saving charity is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024 and came top by some distance in a staff vote for the charity Trentbarton - which operates the Threes, Connect and 34 services in Hucknall - would like to fundraise for.

The shortlist of 10 charities for staff to choose from was compiled from suggestions by customers who could nominate their favourite good causes via social media.

LNAA responded to 1,771 missions in 2023, its busiest year on record.

The charity’s crews of pilots, doctors and paramedics fly critically ill and injured patients to hospitals and provide a range of life-saving treatments including blood transfusions, anaesthetics and life-saving drugs.

In Nottinghamshire the charity, which receives no funding from the NHS or the Government, also operates a critical care car to bring doctors and paramedics to the scene of incidents.

Scarlet McCourt, Trentbarton’s marketing and communications manager, said: “It's great to be raising these vital funds for Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance once again, having originally worked together in 2015 as charity partners.”

“We're so happy to see them receiving so many votes this time round from both our customers and team and we can't wait to get going.”

Money will be raised for the charity through staff events and Trentbarton’s Namesake programme where people can donate to have a bus named after a loved one.

Upcoming events include a silent auction and a raffle.

Joe Harper, LNAA's corporate partnerships manager, said: “Thank you so much to all the customers of Trentbarton for nominating us as their charity of the year.

“In 2023, our crews responded to 542 missions in Nottinghamshire and this partnership will help support our vital work, ensuring that our crews will be by the side of even more patients, providing life-saving treatments to some of the most critically ill and injured people in Nottinghamshire and beyond.”

Trentbarton recently presented £6,000 to Alzheimer’s Research UK at the conclusion of its time as the staff charity of the year.