CYCLISTS raised £10,000 for Essex Air Ambulance by taking part in a ride around a restricted island. 

Thanks to the pedal power of over 1,000 Foulness Island cyclists, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust has received a £10,000 donation towards keeping the life-saving helicopters flying and saving lives.

In September 2013, hundreds of cyclists took part in Thorpe Bay Rotary Club’s annual fundraising bike ride, to pedal round Foulness Island, which is normally closed to the general public.

The sponsorship raised from the event amounted to over £10,000 and at the Rotary Club’s weekly breakfast meeting, Gaynor Thompson, President of the Thorpe Bay Rotary Club presented Sabi Blyth, Essex Fundraising Coordinator of the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust with a cheque.

It costs in the region of £440,000 per month to cover all charitable costs and aircraft operations, and with no direct Government or National Lottery funding, relies solely on the generosity and goodwill of the people and businesses of Essex and Hertfordshire.

The £10,000 raised from the bike ride will help keep this vital life- saving Helicopter Emergency Medical Service flying and saving lives in Essex, Hertfordshire & surrounding areas seven days a week.

Gaynor Thompson, President of the Thorpe Bay Rotary Club, said: “I am very proud on behalf of the Rotary Club of Thorpe Bay to be able to present a cheque for such a substantial amount to ensure that the Air Ambulance can carry on its vital work.”

Sabi Blyth, Essex Fundraising Coordinator of Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust, added: “I am so very grateful for all the hard work and commitment of Thorpe Bay Rotary Club and to all of the cyclists who took part. It was a wonderful day and to raise this amount of money is quite brilliant! With the cost per mission at £2,500, the money raised could potentially save four lives, so I’d like to thank everyone for making the bike ride such a success.”