THE Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) has been nominated as the charity of the year by a leading hotel.

Rockliffe Hall will be supporting the charity over the next 12 months.

GNAAS brings pioneering pre-hospital care to the scene, rescuing hundreds of severely injured or ill patients every year.

In the last financial year alone, GNAAS responded to 1062 call-outs at a cost of £5.2 million.

Eamonn Elliott, chief executive at the hall, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with GNAAS as the resort’s chosen charity for the next 12 months. None of us know what is around the corner or when we might need the help of an air ambulance so this is a very worthy cause for us all to support. With Rockliffe’s tenth anniversary in 2019, we thought it fitting that we should set the ambitious fundraising target of £10,000 and we’ll be doing all we can to hit it.”

To mark Rockliffe Hall’s tenth anniversary year, the resort in Hurworth, near Darlington, aims to raise £10,000 for GNAAS through a range of events including special dinners, afternoon teas and a golf day.

Members of the team will also take part in a range fundraising initiatives such as the Great North Run and the Coast to Coast bike ride.

Grahame Pickering, Chief Executive at GNAAS, said: “We could not survive without this kind of support from local businesses, so we were ecstatic when we heard the news that Rockliffe Hall would be taking us on as its nominated charity. The fundraising target is a bold one, but if successful will have a positive impact on people’s lives here in the region.”