A west Wales independent department store has raised an incredible £13,682 for the Wales Air Ambulance following a year of fundraising.
The whole team from Vincent Davies Department Store voted the lifesaving service to be its Charity of the Year for 2025 and arranged a variety of different fundraisers throughout the year.
The team’s fundraising included an Easter bingo, bake sales, a quiz, Christmas wreath making workshop, as well as the store’s charity jam jars in Café Vincent, staff sales, raffles, Christmas jumper days and many more!
A hugely popular fundraiser was the much-loved Charity singing penguin trio in the store, which brought plenty of smiles from people of all ages, as well as donations.
Sarah John, Joint MD at Vincent Davies Department Store, said: “Raising £13,682 for the Wales Air Ambulance Charity is something we are extremely proud of at Vincent Davies Department Store. As a director, it’s wonderful to see our community come together to support a charity that makes such a lifesaving difference.”
Wales Air Ambulance is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient and, if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury.
It is delivered via a unique third-sector and public-sector partnership. The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) supplies highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the Charity’s vehicles.
This advanced critical care includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and conduct minor operations, all at the scene of an incident.
As a pan-Wales service, its dedicated crews, regardless of where they are based, will travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency lifesaving care.
This wasn’t the first time that Vincent Davies Department Store has raised money for the all-Wales charity. In 2016 the Wales Air Ambulance was chosen as its Charity of the Year, and the team raised a wonderful £5,831.
Mike May, West Wales Regional Fundraising Manager for Wales Air Ambulance, said: “We are so grateful to Vincent Davies Department Store for raising an incredible amount for our Charity. Throughout the year they put on a variety of different events to raise funds and what a successful fundraising year it was! The staff should be extremely proud of the effort they made to raise these funds. Thank you to the team and the customers, we really appreciate your support of our lifesaving service.
“The Charity needs to raise £13 million pounds every year and fundraisers, like this one, will help to keep our helicopters in the air and our rapid response vehicles on the road. By raising £13,682 the staff at Vincent Davies Department Store have played an important part in saving lives across the country. Thank you so much for your continued support.”
Vincent Davies Department Store will be announcing their Charity of the Year for 2026 shortly.
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