Donation for air ambulance

The Cork-based community air ambulance has received a donation in recognition of the great work it does.

The Jockeys Emergency Fund (JEF) made the donation of €50,000 to the Irish Community Air Ambulance Service while it also committed to make further donations of €50,000 each year for the next four years bringing the total amount committed to €250,000.

Philip McLernon on behalf of the Trustees of the JEF said: “We are delighted to be able to make this donation to the Irish Community Air Ambulance Service and to commit further donations over the next four years. They do amazing work and have provided great assistance to racing in the past few years.”

Dr Adrian McGoldrick, on behalf of the Committee of Management of the JEF said: “I have seen first-hand the work that the Air Ambulance does and the ability of the service to reach an injured rider quickly can sometimes be the difference between life and death.”

It currently relies heavily on fundraising and corporate philanthropy. Each mission costs an average of €3,500 and in 2020, 490 missions were carried out which cost the charity over €1.7m.

Mícheál Sheridan, CEO of Irish Community Air Ambulance said: “We are delighted to receive this donation from the Jockeys Emergency Fund and welcome the five year funding commitment that has been made to us.

“Knowing that €250,000 is being donated over the next five years is so important to us as a young organisation. In 2020 and already this year we have been tasked to many horse racing-related incidents so we are pleased and proud to be a beneficiary of this funding commitment.”

Ireland’s first and only charity funded air ambulance was officially launched on 30 July 2019. Based out of North Cork, Irish Community Air Ambulance works in tandem with the National Ambulance Service and responds to the most serious trauma and medical emergencies when tasked.