South Tyneside Freemasons help fund new vehicle for life-saving charity

John Arthur Provincial Grand Master (Left) with John Watts Head of the Freemasons Charity

A life-saving charity has taken delivery of a new rapid response vehicle after thousands of pounds was raised with the help of Freemasons in South Tyneside.

The Volvo C90 has been donated to the Great North Air Ambulance following the collective fundraising efforts of members in the province of Durham.

The handover of the vehicle was the latest in a long line of donations to the charity in the last decade.

The Critical Care Team with (L to R Centre) Hannah Powell, Public Liaison Officer, Mandy Drake, Deputy Director of Public Liaison, John Watts Chairman of Durham Benevolence and Grahame Pickering the CEO of (GNAAS).

As well as the rapid response vehicle, the flight crew were also presented with a £1,000 cheque to enable them to buy new flight suits.

Grahame Pickering MBE, chief executive of GNAAS, said: “We are hugely grateful to the Durham Freemasons for this significant contribution which will allow the region to benefit from all-night care.

“We are charitably funded, so we rely on this kind of generosity, and this is the latest in a long sequence of donations from Freemasons.

“Their support is saving lives, and we are incredibly grateful.

“Having this resource available for a longer period will enable them to work together as a multi-disciplinary team to benefit more patients.”

Provincial Grand Master John Arthur said: “The Freemasons of Durham are delighted to have been able to finance the new response vehicle for the GNAAS and support the further development of the life changing and lifesaving service that they provide in our area.”