Tyrone friends raise more than £40,000 for crucial air ambulance

A group of friends from Termonguirc have raised £42,500 for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland.

This followed a 12-month fundraising campaign centred around a 15,000ft skydive challenge.

The idea for the campaign came from two members of the group, Margaret McElroy and Mary Begley, who had previously completed a charity skydive in 1986.

Inspired by the experience over three decades later, Margaret and Mary rallied individuals in the community to take on the challenge once more — this time to support the life-saving work of Air Ambulance Northern Ireland.

Joining them to form ‘Termon High Flyers’ were Mickey and Majella McCartan, Adrian and Annette Martin, Ronan McGarrity, Helena Muldoon, Aoife Kelly, Leanne McKernan, Anthony Marley, Oliver Sherry, Seamus Russell, Annette Kelly and Oliver Kerr.

Over the course of a year, ‘Termon High Flyers’ organised a variety of fundraising events that showcased the strength and generosity of the community.

Among the highlights were street collections at the Tyrone and Ulster GAA club finals in Omagh and Armagh, coffee mornings in  Killyclogher Parochial Hall and St Colmcille’s P.S. Carrickmore and charity raffles.

Seamus Russell added a touch of fun to the campaign by ‘coming out of retirement’ and bravely undergoing a red hair dye and head shave streamed live on social media, which drew significant attention and contributions to the cause.

In addition to these events, Cliodhna Fullen and ‘Little Penny Thoughts’ Annette Kelly ran a Winter Wellness evening, focusing on health and well-being while continuing their fundraising efforts.

The highlight of the campaign was the skydive itself, which saw the group finally take to the skies at 15,000ft on June 26 last year.

Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, each member of Termon High Flyers got their skydive fully sponsored, ensuring that every penny raised went directly to the charity.

Initially setting out with a target of £20,000, the group’s determination and the unwavering support of their community saw them more than double their goal, raising an astounding £42,500.

Damien McAnespie, Fundraising Manager for Air Ambulance NI, said: “The Termon High Flyers are an inspiration in how they have collectively come together and raised a phenomenal amount of money for Air Ambulance, funding the service for over six days and potentially saving the lives of twelve people in the region.

“From the start, the group shared a determined passion and energy to raise awareness and funds in order to help others and they followed it up by undertaking the daunting challenge of jumping out of a plane at 15,000ft for charity.

“The Termon High Flyers are a credit to their community, I can’t thank them enough for what they have done in helping to save lives, brains and limbs.”

The charity Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, provides the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service for the region.

The service brings urgent medical assistance to anywhere in the province within twenty-five minutes, operating seven days a week for 12 hours per day.

The HEMS team attend patients who are seriously ill or injured, bringing emergency pre-hospital care direct to the casualty with the aim of saving lives, brains and limbs.

As a local charity, Air Ambulance NI relies on the generosity of the public to maintain and sustain its essential services, aiming to raise £2.5 million annually. Public donations are crucial to supporting this lifesaving mission.

Air Ambulance NI have many events planned throughout 2025, including skydives, fire-walks, airport runway 5K runs, abseils and dragon boat races, for individuals or corporates to join and help support the charity. To find out more information or to sign-up today, please visit www.airambulanceni.org/upcoming-events/ or call 028 9262 2677.