No boxed gifts please – Hertfordshire bride and groom to ask for donations to charity
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Air Ambulance Week
The Essex & Herts Air Ambulance’s Year of Celebrations, marking 20 years of saving lives, has been given a boost thanks to a generous Hertfordshire couple.
Simon Bird and fiancée Emma Barham will tie the knot on June 16, 2018, and have asked friends and family to donate to Essex & Herts Air Ambulance and The Alzheimer’s Society in place of gifts.
Simon, 28, who has run two half marathons to raise funds for the Air Ambulance, explains: “Both my parents already volunteer for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance and I have supported them for many years. As a civil engineer, I have seen some horrific accidents on the roads and seen the Air Ambulance at some of the more critical incidents. Emma is a nurse and has seen patients who have been flown in, so we both have a good understanding of the work they do.
The beauty of the Air Ambulance is that patients can be taken to the right hospital, rather than the nearest one, and to us, it was about supporting something we felt was worthwhile.
As part of the Year of Celebrations, supporters who are holding a special celebration are invited to ask their guests to make a donation to the Charity instead of receiving personal gifts. Since the launch of the initiative in June 2017, the Year of Celebrations has raised a staggering £19,700 for the Charity.
Simon and Emma, of Royston, met in 2013 and got engaged in May 2017, when Simon built up the courage to pop the question while on a walk across the heath one Friday night.
A year later and they are both putting the finishing touches together for their big day.
Simon says: “The venue, food and wedding dress are sorted and now we just have the finer details left to organise, like getting my speech drafted and start practising!
“We are both happy with our decision to ask guests to donate to our chosen charities. We’ve saved up for our honeymoon and wedding, so we wanted the money to go to those who need it. Fundraising is not always about a challenge, it’s about raising money and thinking about ways to do this differently.
You don’t have to push yourself, the funds are the important thing. Giving time is just as important as giving money, both are necessary to keep charitable organisations going,” adds Simon
Natasha Robertson, Hertfordshire Fundraising Manager at Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, said: “We are so grateful to Simon and Emma for asking guests to donate to our Charity at their wedding. Our Year of Celebrations marking our 20th anniversary has been a huge success, with so much support from people across Essex and Hertfordshire.
Even a donation of £8 can make a difference and can buy a blood pressure cuff to monitor the status of a patient. Without our supporters, we really would not be able to save lives.”
There is still time to get involved in our Year of Celebrations. For more information call our fundraising office on 0345 2417 690.
The Essex & Herts Air Ambulance’s Year of Celebrations, marking 20 years of saving lives, has been given a boost thanks to a generous Hertfordshire couple.
Simon Bird and fiancée Emma Barham will tie the knot on June 16, 2018, and have asked friends and family to donate to Essex & Herts Air Ambulance and The Alzheimer’s Society in place of gifts.
Simon, 28, who has run two half marathons to raise funds for the Air Ambulance, explains: “Both my parents already volunteer for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance and I have supported them for many years. As a civil engineer, I have seen some horrific accidents on the roads and seen the Air Ambulance at some of the more critical incidents. Emma is a nurse and has seen patients who have been flown in, so we both have a good understanding of the work they do.
The beauty of the Air Ambulance is that patients can be taken to the right hospital, rather than the nearest one, and to us, it was about supporting something we felt was worthwhile.
As part of the Year of Celebrations, supporters who are holding a special celebration are invited to ask their guests to make a donation to the Charity instead of receiving personal gifts. Since the launch of the initiative in June 2017, the Year of Celebrations has raised a staggering £19,700 for the Charity.
Simon and Emma, of Royston, met in 2013 and got engaged in May 2017, when Simon built up the courage to pop the question while on a walk across the heath one Friday night.
A year later and they are both putting the finishing touches together for their big day.
Simon says: “The venue, food and wedding dress are sorted and now we just have the finer details left to organise, like getting my speech drafted and start practising!
“We are both happy with our decision to ask guests to donate to our chosen charities. We’ve saved up for our honeymoon and wedding, so we wanted the money to go to those who need it. Fundraising is not always about a challenge, it’s about raising money and thinking about ways to do this differently.
You don’t have to push yourself, the funds are the important thing. Giving time is just as important as giving money, both are necessary to keep charitable organisations going,” adds Simon
Natasha Robertson, Hertfordshire Fundraising Manager at Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, said: “We are so grateful to Simon and Emma for asking guests to donate to our Charity at their wedding. Our Year of Celebrations marking our 20th anniversary has been a huge success, with so much support from people across Essex and Hertfordshire.
Even a donation of £8 can make a difference and can buy a blood pressure cuff to monitor the status of a patient. Without our supporters, we really would not be able to save lives.”
There is still time to get involved in our Year of Celebrations. For more information call our fundraising office on 0345 2417 690.
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