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Midlands Air ambulance scoops £20k prize to educate next generation

Life-saving air ambulance crews have scooped a £20,000 jackpot to help educate bright sparks across the region.

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Maxine Estevez presents £20,000 to M6toll’s Drive for Charity Partner Midlands Air Ambulance Charity team (from left) critical care paramedic Fay Pollock, fundraising and marketing director Emma Grey and critical care paramedic Dan Fletcher.

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity has been named M6 Toll’s Drive for Charity Partner 2019-20 following a public vote.

The charity managed to get the most support from people online, with cash set to be used to fund its Sky Champs Education Programme.

Emma Gray, fundraising and marketing director for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, said: “The M6 Toll has been a committed and supportive partner to the charity for 15 years, and we are truly grateful to them, and to everyone who voted for us, for the opportunity to further develop our Sky Champs Education Programme.

“Sky Champs has proven to be a vital tool in supporting young children’s education, bringing lessons to life with real examples from Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

(From left) Maxine Estevez and Jo Brett from M6toll present £8,000 to Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s Shelley Pattison. The charity was runner-up in M6toll’s Drive for Charity online vote.

“As it is national curriculum-based, lesson planning is simple, and classwork is both fun and engaging. Thanks to the support from M6 Toll, we will be expanding the programme to enable us to reach more schools within the six counties we cover.”

The Sky Champs Education Programme offers activities for early years and Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils through a series of free, downloadable resources.

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust secured an £8,000 prize after being named as runners-up of the online contest. The trust will use the cash to run a number of community engagement sessions, encouraging children and their families to spend more time outdoors.

The funding initiative is part of the motorway’s £45,000 scheme to support a wide range of community projects, charities and voluntary organisations across the Midlands.

M6toll chief executive Andy Cliffe said: “Since the M6toll opened 15 years ago, we have donated more than £1million to regional good causes.

“We are delighted that the public got behind Midlands Air Ambulance Charity to vote them as our Drive for Charity Partner and we look forward to working alongside them over the next 12 months.

“We look forward to supporting many more local groups to make a positive difference along the route of the M6toll.”