North East business professionals have swapped suits for racing overalls to raise £1,000 for a lifesaving air ambulance charity.
The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) received the donation after Guisborough-based Gresham and Gale won the top spot at Active Chartered Financial Planners’ annual Charity Grand Prix at Teesside Motorsports, now in its fourth year.
Participants competed in a rain-soaked 90-minute endurance race on the karting circuit, with the top three teams earning donations for their chosen charities.
The win was especially meaningful for Jon Gresham, a partner at Gresham and Gale, whose brother’s life was saved by the air ambulance around 15 years ago following a mountain biking accident in Dalby Forest.
Mr Gresham said: "My brother would not have survived if it weren’t for the immediate response of the Great North Air Ambulance Service.
"He graduated from Cambridge University and completed his doctorate in aeronautics and aerospace science at Bath University, going on to start a family and lead a fulfilled life, none of which would have been possible without them.
"They are an amazing charity.
"The money was never really going to go anywhere else."
GNAAS provides critical care across the North East, North Yorkshire, Cumbria, and the Isle of Man, and relies entirely on public donations, needing to raise £9.6 million each year.
Emma Maude, community fundraiser at GNAAS, said: "We are incredibly grateful to Active Chartered Financial Planners and Gresham and Gale for choosing to support us with their generous donation of £1,000 from this year's Charity Grand Prix.
"And a special thank you to Jon for sharing such a powerful personal story that highlights the vital difference our critical care team makes when every second counts."
"As a charity that relies on public support, every contribution helps us continue providing life-saving care across the North of England and the Isle of Man."
The winning team received £1,000 for their chosen charity, with £500 and £250 going to the second and third-placed teams’ charities.
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Karl Pemberton, managing director at Active Chartered Financial Planners, said: "The Charity Grand Prix has become one of the highlights of our calendar and it is fantastic to see so many of our clients and partners getting involved.
"Knowing that the competition results in donations to worthwhile causes chosen by the winning teams makes the day even more rewarding, and we are delighted to support the Great North Air Ambulance Service with this year’s top prize."
The event brings together firms’ clients and friends in teams of two and three.
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