YORKSHIRE Shepherdess Amanda Owen has helped raise more than £1,650 with a starring role on one of Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) Christmas cards.

Amanda was captured by Harrogate-based artist Anita Bowerman for the Christmas card, which depicts her tending to her flock of sheep on the snowy Yorkshire Dales while one of the charity's helicopters hovers above.

She said: “It was a real honour to feature in one of Anita’s beautiful cards for the YAA. She captured the scene so well. I was blown away with the popularity of the card, but so pleased that they have sold so well, to help raise as much money as possible for this fantastic charity.”

Anita has been an artist for more than 20 years and paints around the picturesque Yorkshire countryside and in her Victorian art studio.

This Christmas alone, the charity sold in excess of 18,000 packs of cards which have gone as far as France and Canada, with Amanda’s shepherdess card proving by far, the most popular choice this year.

Lin Stead, Regional Fundraiser for the YAA added: “Our Christmas cards have grown in popularity over the last few years since Anita starting designing them for us, however people have gone crazy for them this year, especially for Amanda’s Yorkshire Shepherdess card.

"We couldn’t sell them fast enough. I’d like to thank both Anita and Amanda for their support and for such a fantastic amount of money raised. That money will go a long way to helping us to keep both of our helicopters in the air and helping to save lives.”

  • Anyone wishing to get organised in advance of Christmas 2019 can purchase Anita’s cards from the YAA website www.yaa.org.uk/shop