Moreton-in-Marsh gallery raises £5k for air ambulance

Grimes House Gallery has raised £5,000 for the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity.

Owner Stephen Farnsworth and the team at the gallery began raising money for the charity 10 years ago.

The art gallery has been fundraising for the charity for the last 10 years (Image: GWAAC)

Taking donations, selling old frames and with the support of their customers and community, the gallery has been raising more money each year, and this month they reached the milestone.

Mr Farnsworth said: “We had already been raising funds for the County Air Ambulance for many years when my daughter had to have a flight in one.

“She was taken to The Great Western in Swindon after her femur was smashed by a kick from a horse in the middle of the countryside, it therefore became very personal and it is especially needed in places like Moreton-in-Marsh where we are.

“Once we knew that Great Western Air Ambulance Charity was the air ambulance for Gloucestershire, we wanted to support and raise as much as possible.

“There are long journey times to trauma centres and life-saving critical care can be delivered pre-hospital, the service provided by Great Western Air Ambulance Charity is absolutely vital.

“Great Western Air Ambulance Charity needs us to help make sure they can provide their life-saving service for our community.”

In 2023, the charity’s critical care team responded to 573 incidents in Gloucestershire.

The charity receives no day-to-day funding from the government and relies on community support to keep it operational.

Emma Fawcett, supporter engagement coordinator at the charity, said: “We are so incredibly pleased to have the Grimes House Gallery as part of the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity family and congratulate Stephen, customers and community on reaching £5,000.

“At an average cost of £2,000 per mission this really does make a life-saving difference.

“Their fundraising journey demonstrates the power of collective action and how every contribution, no matter how small, can lead to a substantial impact over time.”

More information about the charity and its work in Gloucestershire can be found on its website.