Thursday 6th July saw RWBro Colin Hume, the Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler of the Order of the Secret Monitor in Northumberland, carry out his last official duty before the Province is merged with the Province of Durham to form a new North East Province.
Accompanied by his Deputy, WBro Reece Valentine and his Provincial Recorder, WBro Paddy Watters, he attended the Great North Air Ambulance headquarters at Progress House, Eaglescliffe, Stockton on Tees to present a cheque for £2000.00, comprising of £1000.00 from the Province, match funded by the OSM Benevolent Fund in London.
The entourage were given a tour of the building by Ben Hunt, the Community Fundraiser, and a guided tour of the helicopter and all its equipment, by John Kirton, a helicopter paramedic, who provided a very descriptive account of the type of operations they carry out whilst attending accidents all over the North of England, South Scotland and now the Isle of Man.
At present they are using the Air Cumbria helicopter as they now have to cross the Irish Sea to cover the Isle of Man. The ambulance has to be able to float and theirs is away for 12 months awaiting the flotation equipment being fitted to enable it to do so.
The GNAA is almost entirely funded by charity, we were thanked for the very king donation and invited back at any time. We were only too pleased to be able to help in a small way.
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