Blackburn primary school students raise money for air ambulance charity

Year 4 students at a Blackburn primary school held a charity event to raise money for the North West Air Ambulance Charity (NWAA).

The children at St Francis CE Primary School wore blue and yellow non-uniform for a £1 donation towards the charity.

Their parents/carers were also invited along for a ‘Brew with the Crew’ afternoon, sharing cakes and biscuits.

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Brittany Neale, the Lancashire regional fundraiser for NWAA, came into the school to teach the children about the importance of the charity and its services.

Catherine Foster, year 4 teacher and deputy head of the school, said: “It was a fantastic day. The children loved learning about the air ambulances and they got to try on the pilot’s helmet and jacket.

“They even met the NWAA’s mascot, Paramedic Pup. More importantly, the children learned about the need to support our local charities and the great work they do with our donations.”

Parents were equally impressed, saying it was a “very educational” afternoon that showed the “fantastic” job the air ambulance team do.

James Kewley, headteacher, said: “At St Francis, we strive to provide numerous opportunities for our children to develop their character and personal development. One such avenue is through supporting charities.

“While we aim to raise funds, our primary goal is to instil in our children a passion for supporting others, even those they may never meet.

“It was truly inspiring to witness this in action, with many parents/carers enthusiastically participating in this event.”

NWAA is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, being called to more than 45,000 incidents since its launch in 1999.

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Ms Neale said: “Just as the many critically ill and injured patients would not have survived without the service the charity provides, the North West Air Ambulance Charity would not be here without the support of its community of fundraisers and partners.

“The charity is not part of the NHS and does not receive any government funding. They rely completely on public and corporate donations to carry on saving lives.”

Altogether, the year 4 class raised more than £60 for NWAA.