Boost Drinks to raise vital funds for Helicopter Emergency Medical Service

LIFE-SAVING charity Air Ambulance Northern Ireland (AANI), which in partnership with Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) provides the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) for Northern Ireland, is to receive some essential support during 2019 from leading soft drinks company Boost.

Boost has selected AANI as its chosen charity for this year and through a variety of fundraising events and initiatives is committed to raising funds and awareness for the service.

Since the first deployment in July 2017, AANI has been tasked 752 times to serious or life-threatening situations throughout the province but, to sustain this invaluable service, the charity needs to raise  £2 million per year.

Kerry Anderson, Head of Fundraising at AANI, said: “We are so pleased that Boost Drinks has chosen AANI as its charity partner and it was great to welcome them to our base today to launch the partnership.

“Not only will this help to raise funds but offers a real opportunity to generate awareness and raise the profile of AANI, which is so important to us as such a young charity.

“We are really looking forward to working with Boost this year on some really exciting events and initiatives.” she added.

AANI brings urgent medical assistance to anywhere in the province, operating seven days a week for 12 hours per day. It can get to anywhere in Northern Ireland in approximately twenty-five minutes. This Doctor / Paramedic service benefits those whose lives are at serious risk following significant injury or trauma. Effectively the service brings emergency hospital care direct to the casualty.

Boost Energy Consumer Marketing Manager Francine Matthews said: “We couldn’t be prouder to link up with AANI as it is an unbelievably worthwhile charity. It was great to meet the HEMS team today and learn more about the phenomenal work they do.

“We will be supporting AANI in any way we can which will mean helping out at fundraising events, donating cans and bottles of Boost and raising money to help keep the helicopter flying with skilled HEMS doctors and HEMS paramedics aboard.

“Serious and life-threatening situations happen regularly and we are very aware that AANI is a charity that relies heavily on the kindness of others, so we want to help.” she added.

Boost Drinks was established in 2001, launching in Northern Ireland in 2003 and now owns the province’s top three selling soft drinks* within the local independent convenience channel.