Top 50 Indie Ascona Group has helped raise £67,814 in just over six months for the Wales Air Ambulance charity.
The company has teamed up with the UK fintech charity Pennies, which enables micro-donation opportunities at the checkout. Customers are given the chance to donate to charity when paying by card or digital wallet, with Ascona match funding the donations up to £100,000.
Ascona Group chief executive, Darren Briggs, says: “Wales Air Ambulance is such a phenomenal service and our customers recognise that. They have been so generous at our tills, whenever they make a purchase, they are given the option of donating 30p to the charity, which Ascona will match-fund. As you can see from the amount raised so far, they think a lot of the service.”
The Wales Air Ambulance is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient and, if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury. It relies on public donations to raise the £11.2m required every year to keep the helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road.
Briggs continues: “It means a lot on a personal level to be able to help support a charity that helps save so many lives each year.
“One of my longest serving employees needed the help of the Wales Air Ambulance and is thankfully still with us.”
“As a helicopter pilot, I also understand the flying element to the service too, it’s unbelievable what they do under such pressure. There are so many things that must be considered even before take-off.
“There’s the logistics, navigating the terrain – some patients can be in hard to access areas, and most importantly providing critical care at the scene.”
Valero helped with the roll out of the Pennies initiative. Area sales manager, Alison Cousins, says: “Valero is proud of our charitable partnership with the Wales Air Ambulance, and is pleased to have been able to support the rollout of Pennies charitable giving across Ascona sites.
“Wales Air Ambulance carry out inspirational, lifesaving work for those who need it most, and we are delighted to help celebrate the public and Ascona’s generous donation efforts across the communities we are so fortunate to be a part of.”
Geoffrey Harding, head of fuel strategy at Ascona Group, adds: “We also have donation boxes at the checkout, for anyone paying with cash, who might wish to donate.
“It is totally the customer’s choice, the staff are fully trained to answer any questions the customer has and it’s just a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ option on the card reader, if they wish to add a donation on to their transaction, they can with the added bonus that Ascona will match fund the donations.”Top 50 Indie Ascona Group has helped raise £67,814 in just over six months for the Wales Air Ambulance charity.
