POIGNANT memories of a much-loved member of a Cleeve Prior stables were at the heart of an emotional fund-raiser to celebrate a decade of support for the Midlands Air Ambulance.
Staff from Evesham-based Claire Dyson Racing and Rehabilitation joined the yard’s former head girl Charlotte Cole’s parents Roger and Diane for a race meet which saw the total raised in the past decade reach an incredible £103,000.
Claire Dyson Racing and Rehabilitation has been a steadfast supporter of the charity for many years in loving memory of Charlotte who was involved in a tragic equestrian accident on the gallops in 2011.
Since then, the yard has come together with Roger, Diane and Charlotte’s sister Stephanie for numerous fund-raisers for the vital lifeline.
Open days at Froglands Stud Farm, evening events and annual sponsorship of a race in Charlotte’s memory at Stratford Racecourse have all formed part of the six-figure fund-raising effort.
Stratford Racecourse was the venue for a memorial race in Charlotte’s name last Thursday where a cheque for £103,000 was presented.
The cash has already funded dozens of vitally important air ambulance and critical care car missions in the region. To bolster the total, the National Trainers Federation kindly donated £500 on the day in memory of Charlotte.
Claire Dyson, on behalf of Claire Dyson Racing and Rehabilitation and the Cole family, said: “While the reason we fund-raise for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity is out of tragic loss, we are extremely proud to have reached this incredible milestone having supported the charity over the last decade.
“We would like to offer our enormous thanks to the many people who have supported our fund-raising activities. Their unwavering support and kindness has been very much appreciated and gives us some comfort in honouring Charlotte’s memory.”
Hanna Sebright, chief executive for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, said: “Sadly, our advanced critical care paramedics and doctors are called out to a horserider in desperate need of enhanced pre-hospital care every week, so support from the equestrian community is critical to maintaining our service in the rural communities we serve.
“The Cole family and Claire Dyson are very dear to us at Midlands Air Ambulance Charity and we are continually grateful for their unfaltering support of our organisation.
“Their milestone £103,000 donation over the last ten years has enabled us to assist more than 60 patients in their critical hour of need at the scene of their incident.”
Visit midlandsairambulance.com or follow the organisation on social media for more.
