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HEART OF ENGLAND CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY'S UNIQUE HELPING HEARTS SCHEME DONATES £5,000 TO AIR AMBULANCE APPEAL
 A unique scheme launched by the Heart of England Co-operative Society has donated £5,000 to the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance appeal.
The appeal was one of six chosen to receive a slice of £10,000 funding from the Society’s unique Helping Hearts Award Scheme, which pledges every penny of the retailer’s tobacco profits to charities and worthy causes.
Every one of the Society’s 80,000 members was given the chance to vote for his or her favourite cause.
With the most votes the air ambulance appeal was given £5,000.
The remaining £5,000 was divided equally between the Cystic Fibrosis Trust in Coventry and Warwickshire, Mercia MS Therapy Centre in Coventry, Prostate Cancer Support Association, De Montfort Talking Book Service in Kenilworth and Zoe’s Place in Exhall, Coventry.
Barbara Parish, Fundraising Manager for the air ambulance, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this support from members of the Heart of England Co-operative Society, through the Helping Hearts Award Scheme.
“Every year we need to raise £1.5 million to keep the air ambulance in the air. “We do not receive funding from the government or the lottery. So when we get donations such as this it is a great help and we would like to thank everyone who voted for us in the members’ survey.”
The air ambulance covers 2,100 sq miles across the three counties. It receives on average three or four call-outs a day, costing £1,000 per call-out.
Ali Kurji, Chief Executive of the Society, said: “The Air Ambulance provides a vital service to the people of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland and this is obviously recognised by a large number of our members.
"And on behalf of those members we are delighted to present this money to the air ambulance appeal co-ordinators who work tirelessly to keep this magnificent service up in the air."
The charity survey was conducted by the Heart of England Co-operative Society towards the end of 2009. Every member received a copy of the Society’s 2010 calendar along with a copy of the charity survey asking for votes on the most worthwhile causes to receive a slice of funding.
Since its launch 10 years ago Helping Hearts has pledged more than £500,000 to charities and worthy causes across its trading area.
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