Bikers help air ambulance
Tuesday, 23 September, 2008
Two ambulance staff completed an epic 240-mile tour of Essex ambulance stations in one day to raise funds for Essex Air Ambulance.
Rayleigh paramedic Ian Burrell, chairman of the East of England Ambulance Service's motorcycle club, and courier Tony Mock rode the Twenty Towns Tour which took in Essex's highways and byways. Starting their journey at Shoebury ambulance station, the pair visited: Southend, Canvey, Thurrock, Basildon, Billericay, Brentwood, Chelmsford, Braintree, Halstead, Colchester, Clacton and Frinton, before heading back south to Witham, Maldon, Burnham, South Woodham, Wickford and Rayleigh.
They stopped off at each ambulance station along the way, where crews greeted them with much-needed cuppas and moral support.
The pair raised about £200 for Essex Air Ambulance in sponsorship, public collections - helped by a cuddly teddy as Tony's passenger - as well as from collection tins at Asda supermarkets in Rayleigh and South Woodham. Their journey was also helped along thanks to a generous donation of refreshments from Waitrose.
Ian said, ""Everybody was so welcoming, and we're really pleased with the reception we received from fellow staff and the public - we even got donations at petrol stations when we stopped to refuel."
