Air Ambulance NI to benefit from Portadown author Rodney Houston's new book

A Portadown author’s new book about one man’s transformation from violence will be helping the Air Ambulance Northern Ireland (AANI) to continue its life-saving work.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Rodney Houston has generously decided to donate all the proceeds from sales of his new book, ‘Combatant’, to the charity.

He said he wanted to support AANI as it depends upon charitable donations to keep flying to the scene of emergencies.

"They provide incredibly good work, who knows they may save your life or the life of a loved one someday,” he said.

Rodney Houston visiting the Air Ambulance Northern Ireland base in Lisburn to promote his new book, 'Combatant'.Rodney Houston visiting the Air Ambulance Northern Ireland base in Lisburn to promote his new book, 'Combatant'.
Rodney Houston visiting the Air Ambulance Northern Ireland base in Lisburn to promote his new book, 'Combatant'.

AANI, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, provides the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) for Northern Ireland. The service brings urgent and direct pre-hospital care to those seriously ill or injured, operating seven days a week for 12 hours per day. It can get to anywhere in Northern Ireland in approximately 25 minutes with the aim of saving lives, brains and limbs and attend some of the most traumatic medical incidents.

The service operates 365 days of the year, attending on average to two patients a day. Each day costs in the region of £5,500 to keep the medical team in the air – the crew includes a pilot, doctor and paramedic - attending to those who critically need it most.

As a charity, the service relies entirely on support from the public, including gift in wills, and local businesses. It’s not only the medical crew who save lives, but the people who support the service.

Rodney explains the narrative of his new book is “a man’s personal transformation from violence to finding other ways of solving differences”.

"My unusual tale starts in Belfast in 1972 at the height of the Troubles and moves to Israel during the time of Jesus. From strife-torn Belfast to hate-filled Israel this is an esoteric tale which defies the usual boundaries of time, distance and space,” he said.

Read More
10 books from Northern Ireland writers to read this holiday season

Rodney has been greatly supported in this project by Shanway Press who have also been very generous. ‘Combatant’ can be purchased from Shanway Press at www.shanway.com for £15. Every donation will go directly to Air Ambulance NI.