Air Ambulance NI 'eternally grateful' to Ballymoney's Osborne family for their fantastic fundraising
A Ballymoney family whose son’s live was saved thanks to the Air Ambulance has raised an INCREDIBLE £300,000 for the charity.
The Simon Osborne Air Ambulance Appeal was established in 2019 by the Osborne family of Ballymoney, motivated by the life-saving intervention of Air Ambulance NI in the aftermath of a serious motorcycle accident involving their son, Simon.
The community-driven initiative arose from a desire to express gratitude and ensure the sustainability of the critical service that played a pivotal role in saving Simon's life.
Tony Osborne, Simon's father, expressed his eternal gratitude to the Air Ambulance NI team, saying: "Without their intervention at the scene, my son would not be with us today. It's a humbling reminder that any one of us may need their services, and they rely heavily on public donations to operate, almost £7,000 is needed every day.”
Since its inception, The Simon Osborne Air Ambulance Appeal has been unyielding in its efforts to raise funds and awareness for the charity. Through various events and partnerships with local annual events such as The Armoy Road Races, Shane’s Castle Steam Rally, and Ballymoney Spring Fair, the appeal has surpassed £300,000 in donations across the six years.
Their latest successful event, an Abba Tribute Night at Kelly’s Complex Portrush, exemplified their creativity in engaging the community.
The appeal's commitment extends beyond fundraising to advocacy, with members actively participating in talks and presentations to promote the charity's cause.
Katrina Hughes, Area Fundraising Manager for Air Ambulance NI said: “The Osborne family came together, during a really difficult time, and put their everything into supporting Air Ambulance NI and we are eternally grateful.
"It never fails to amaze us what the Osborne team achieve year on year, raising over £300,000 since 2019 and funding over six weeks of the service. It is a joy to work with everyone from The Simon Osborne Appeal, to witness firsthand their dedication and tenacity in supporting the lifesaving HEMS service.
"We were delighted to welcome a number of the team down to the Air Ambulance Base recently to celebrate their unbelievable contribution – from all of us here at Air Ambulance NI, thank you so much for being a part of the team and helping to save lives.”