Newton Aycliffe-based manufacturer Husqvarna has flown the extra mile for its chosen charity, The Great North Air Ambulance Service, and this week presented the charity with a cheque for £3,964.42, the total value of the group’s support.
Husqvarna’s HR director Anne Marie Gardener and manufacturing director Caraline Robinson were joined at the Newton Aycliffe headquarters by Hannah Powell from The Great North Air Ambulance Service for the cheque presentation.
Since the beginning of the year, Husqvarna and its staff have dedicated their time to help raise much needed funds for the charity.
Last month the team raised £1,246.27 from a company wide bake sale and sale of products from the company’s Gardena range.
Employees from across the group contributed both home baked, and shop bought sweet and savoury items which were sold around the offices and the factory.
The company also held an Easter raffle in March raising over £900 and donated a whole host of Husqvarna products worth over £2,000. These included gloves, hearing protectors, a pressure washer, technical t/shirts and caps.
On Husqvarna’s support, The Great North Air Ambulance Service public liaison officer Hannah Powell said: “We are absolutely reliant on this kind of support from the communities we serve.
“We would like to thank everyone involved at Husqvarna. The business has quickly become a strong supporter of the charity and we look forward to it continuing into the future. Our crew will always welcome any leftover cakes from the fundraising!”
The Great North Air Ambulance Service was chosen by Husqvarna staff at the end of last year to be the company’s chosen charity.
Staff were asked to put forward their choice and out of six charities the majority chose The Great North Air Ambulance Service.
HR boss Gardener said: “As a company, we’re extremely passionate about helping charities within our local community and we feel as an organisation that it’s important we give our staff the opportunity to support the charities which are close to their heart.
“The Great North Air Ambulance Service provide a fantastic service and rely heavily on public funding to survive, so we are keen to support in anyway we can, whether that’s through time, cash or product donations. The team do a fantastic job and without them many lives would be lost.”
Husqvarna has many more fundraising events in the pipeline including a Zumbathon, Football tournament and Christmas raffle.