Generous customers and staff at a Mid Wales company have raised more than £18,000 to support lifesaving air ambulance services across Mid Wales and Shropshire.

Representatives from Charlies Stores, an outdoor and garden chain with stores in Newtown and Welshpool, presented a cheque to Wales Air Ambulance on Wednesday, January 9, following a series of festive fundraisers which generated an impressive £18,203.33.

Staff at the company say they introduced a number of fundraising initiatives in the run-up to Christmas, with £2 from the sale of every real Christmas tree donated. Bucket collections took place across the stores, and a fundraising raffle was held for staff.

The company says more than 5,500 Premium Spruce and Nordman Fir trees were sold over the 2018 festive period, a new record for Charlies.

Meanwhile a ‘singing reindeer’ display in the group’s Coed-y-dinas store proved to be a hit with customers, raising more than £6,500. The money raised was split between two charities, with £15,253.33 going to the Wales Air Ambulance and £2,950 to the Midlands Air Ambulance.

Charlies Stores managing director Becky Lloyd said they were proud to have raised money for the service and thanked customers for their generosity.

“It has become an annual tradition to donate £2 from the sale of each real Christmas tree to the Air Ambulance and this year we were very pleased to see more customers than ever choosing to buy from us,” she said.

“We’re proud to be able to donate such a large sum of money to what is a very worthy cause and we would like to take the opportunity to thank our customers and staff for donating so generously.”

Andrew Hall, community fundraising manager for Wales Air Ambulance, added: “We are very grateful to all at Charlies Stores for the ongoing support that they give to Wales Air Ambulance, and to the generosity of the public who donated such an incredible amount.

“Each lifesaving mission costs £1,500, and this donation will potentially save a number of lives. It is incredible and we look forward to working with Charlies Stores throughout the year in other fundraising initiatives.”

WAA was launched on St David’s Day in 2001. From humble beginnings as a one-helicopter service, it has grown into the UK’s largest air ambulance operation that can be anywhere in Wales within 20 minutes. At a cost of £6.5 million per year, it now runs four aircraft with bases in Welshpool, Caernarfon, Llanelli and Cardiff. It is the only air ambulance charity based in, and dedicated to, Wales.

The charity has flown more than 30,000 missions since its launch 18 years ago and organisers say the service is now one of the most advanced in Europe.