London’s Air Ambulance is thrilled to announce a £2 million donation has been pledged from the London Freemasons towards its second emergency medical helicopter. We recently launched the ‘Your London, Your Helicopter’ campaign to raise £4.4 million to acquire and sustain a second helicopter and extend daylight flying hours for five years. The £2 million donation which will come from some 1,350 lodges in London now leaves £2.35 million left to raise (£50,000 has already been raised from the public).
Commenting on the £2 million pledge, London’s Air Ambulance CEO, Graham Hodgkin, said: “We are blown away by the generosity of the London Freemasons. The £2 million brings us significantly closer to realising our goal of having a second emergency medical helicopter up and running as soon as practicably possible. Nationally, the Grand Charity of the United Grand Lodge of England has been donating to the air ambulance community for some years. Thank you to all those across the London lodges who will be working tirelessly to raise this additional £2 million target.
Graham added: “We have now crossed the half way mark for the ‘Your London, Your Helicopter’ campaign, thank you to all those who have helped us get there. We still have a way to go but I am confident, that with over 10 million people who are passionate about London being the greatest city, we can cross the finish line. I urge everyone in London to help us and to make a donation today. Please Text HELICOPTER to 70800 to donate £5 now or visit yourhelicopter.london and make a donation online.”
London Freemasons has launched an appeal to its 40,000 members across 1,350 lodges in London to fundraise towards the £2 million target. The London Freemasons kicked off the partnership with a cheque presentation of £250,000 yesterday and will continue to hold fundraising events and dinners and collect individual lodge donations until the £2 million target is raised.
Tony Shields, London Freemasons Metropolitan Grand Charity Steward, added: “London’s Air Ambulance delivers an incredible service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and we are proud to be raising funds to help this superb charity acquire and sustain a vital second helicopter.”
London’s Air Ambulance is calling on the people and organisations of London to join together in owning the solution to London’s vital need for a second emergency medical helicopter. In our largest ever fundraising drive, the ‘Your London, Your Helicopter’ campaign is hoping to raise the remaining £2,35 of the £4.4 million target, needed to acquire and sustain a second helicopter and extend its daylight flying hours for five years. The charity is urging the 10 million people who live, work and holiday in the capital to donate, whether £5 or £500 at yourhelicopter.london
