Independent timber and builders' merchant Ridgeons has raised £6,000 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) this year through a variety of fundraising efforts. As a result of the unprecedented support received from employees and customers across its 25 branches throughout East Anglia, Ridgeons is now extending its support for the charity during 2014.
Nine separate events were organised, including one celebration at the Norwich branch which raised £600 and another at the Royston branch which raised £252. Four budding bakers gave Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood a run for their money when they rolled up their sleeves and got baking for the Herringswell bake-off, raising in excess of £90.
Eleven Ridgeons’ teams took to the pitch to showcase their footballing prowess at the Ridgeons football tournament in Newmarket raising £350.50 on the day through playing fees. Ridgeon Walkers, a team of eight employees, laced up their walking boots and took to the hills to complete the 24 mile Three Peaks Challenge in a very speedy 10 hours 45 minutes, raising £2,877.50.
Employees at the Norwich branch entered into the spirit of Halloween by donning ghoulish garbs. In addition, Ridgeons’ branches are being encouraged to recycle their empty printer cartridges through an initiative with Recycle 4 Charity.
Over the festive period customers to Ridgeons' Diss branch will be invited to place their business cards on the store's Christmas tree, instead of a bauble, for a £1 donation to the EAAA and the chance to win a helicopter tour. In lieu of traditional Christmas cards Ridgeons has decided to go digital and will instead be making a donation to the EAAA.
PR director Gordon Ridgeon said: "The total that Ridgeons as a group has so far collected for the EAAA is fantastic and we are genuinely astounded at the level of support our employees and customers have so very kindly given in helping us to achieve this. We are looking forward to continuing our association with EAAA during 2014."
Fundraising manager Barbara McGee said: "Working with Ridgeons has been a delight. Their support has not only included fantastic efforts by all staff in their many and various activities, but they are also displaying 'Proud to support EAAA' posters on their vehicles, and featuring us on their website. This level of support is so very generous and we deeply appreciate the way Ridgeons have embraced EAAA so completely!"
Operating a 365 day a year helicopter emergency medical service, the EAAA has two helicopters based in Cambridge and Norwich. Flying three to four missions every single day, the charity responds to a number of different emergency situations providing a much valued service to an area of the country that, in parts, is still considered rather rural. Each mission flown costs about £2,270 so maintaining the annual fundraising target of £7.6 million, is crucial in continuing to help save lives.
