Charity’s thanks to medical firm

AWARD WINNER Ferno managing director Jon Ellis with Gary Saunders, sales and marketing director of SICL which sponsored the award.

Boss Jon Ellis has led the way with his charity work raising over £20,000 in four years by cycling a total distance of 1,200 miles with Huddersfield football club’s ‘Pedal for Pounds’ events.

The company adopted YAA as its chosen charity for their 40th anniversary after previously donating medical equipment for the charity’s helicopters.

Employees have responded by nearly matching Jon’s total of £20,000 through their own money making ideas such as recycling clothes and footwear, holding home-made cake sales and having monthly casual dress days.

Jon, 46, said: “When you’re cycling through the wind and rain I just think of all the stories I’ve heard about people who have been rescued by the air ambulance and that really drives me on.

“The Yorkshire Air Ambulance is saving lives every day and is such a brilliant charity that I encouraged everyone to try and match whatever I could raise.”

The charity exists solely on donations and requires almost £10,000 a day, or £3.6 million a year, in order to provide emergency helicopter response all over Yorkshire.

The awards were held at Aspire in Leeds and were hosted by television presenter and charity patron Gaynor Barnes.