A RENOWNED artist is raising money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) service after embarking on a Christmas card appeal.

Harrogate-based artist Anita Bowerman has produced three card designs – The Essence of Christmas, Yorkshire Farm and Dales, and Helicopter and the White Horse.

She said: “As a Harrogate artist and painter, I wanted to use my skills to help this well-loved charity.

“Anyone of us could need the services of the YAA and it costs £12,000 every day to keep its two helicopters in the sky.”

The Essence of Christmas design includes many things associated with the festive period.

Yorkshire Farm and Dales features farmyard and nativity animals who are looking up at the Yorkshire Air Ambulance flying over their Dales farmhouse.

The Helicopter and the White Horse shows the iconic yellow helicopter hovering over children playing in the snow in a Kilburn wood by the famous White Horse.

Abby McClymont, director of marketing and communications at YAA, said: “Anita’s cards have been so popular this year and we’re seeing more cards than ever being sold to support the YAA.

“Her wonderfully picturesque and creative designs seem to have captured the hearts of our supporters – we’re so glad everyone loves them, and are grateful to Anita for coming up with such beautiful scenes incorporating our helicopters.”

The designs cost £3.50 for a pack of ten, and are available from The Dove Tree Art Studio in Harrogate, www.anitabowerman.co.uk or through the YAA website www.yaa.org.uk