Kilwaughter Minerals has donated £20,000 to Air Ambulance Northern Ireland.
It’s part of the Larne-based minerals processor’s commitment to community development.
The funds will allow Air Ambulance NI to continue to deliver its vital Helicopter Emergency Medical Service across the region.
Fiona Byrne, Head of Organisational Development, Kilwaughter Minerals said a key business priority has always been to lend support to the local community and social causes.
“Air Ambulance NI responds to hundreds of call outs every year, and we hope that our
donation will go some way towards helping to safeguard the immediate provision of care and assistance to people when and where they need it.
“We are immensely proud to be able to contribute £20,000 to such a worthwhile cause,
which is making a significant positive impact right across Northern Ireland,” she said.
Since its launch in 2017, the Air Ambulance NI service has seen demand increase year on
year, rising by 7% from 2020 to 2021.
In total, 738 call outs were made in 2021, with the majority in relation to road collisions
as well as farming and industrial accidents.
Kerry Anderson, Head of Fundraising, Air Ambulance NI said the charity relies entirely on support from local businesses and the public to keep the service operational.
“Our Helicopter Emergency Medical Service is required on average twice per day across
Northern Ireland, with each call out representing a critically injured patient for whom the
worst has happened.
“All contributions made to Air Ambulance NI will help us to deliver what is undoubtedly an
essential service which gives hope to patients, their families and their local community. We are therefore enormously grateful to Kilwaughter Minerals for this very generous donation.”
Kilwaughter Minerals currently engages in a variety of initiatives and activities with the aim of promoting community development, recently partnering with Larne FC to provide a boost to its Brighter Futures community fund programme.
The company was also awarded the prestigious ‘Stakeholder of the Year’ title at the Social
Enterprise NI Awards in recognition of the company’s contribution in delivering significant
social impact across the Mid and East Antrim Borough and beyond.