Moore Concrete staff walk all the way from Ballymena to California

Moore Concrete managing director Wilbert Moore presents a cheque for £1448.80 to Kerry Anderson; Head of Fundraising at Air Ambulance
Northern Ireland — Moore Concrete managing director Wilbert Moore presents a cheque for £1448.80 to Kerry Anderson; Head of Fundraising at Air Ambulance Northern Ireland

But, as the management and staff at Moore Concrete recently found out – it’s an effort worth making if the end result is a whopping almost £1,500 charitable donation for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland.

Throughout the month of March Moore Concrete took on the mammoth challenge to walk from Ballymena to California (8258km) to raise money for the Air Ambulance Northern Ireland. Wilbert Moore, Managing Director of Moore Concrete explained: “Our aim was to motivate employees to keep active, stay connected, have fun and of course raise money for a great cause.

“We made it to California having walked an impressive 12,752,757 steps equating to 8500km. “We choose the Air Ambulance because of the life saving work they do. They even rescued a member of our agricultural sales team, Pat Halliday, back in 2012. “We managed to raise a fantastic £1448.80. Moore Concrete would like to thank everyone who participated in the challenge and donated.”

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

The service brings urgent medical assistance to anywhere in the province, operating seven days a week for 12 hours per day. It can get to anywhere in Northern Ireland in approximately twenty-five minutes.

The HEMS team attend patients who are seriously ill or injured, bringing emergency pre-hospital care direct to the casualty which can be the difference between life and death.

Kerry Anderson, Head of Fundraising for Air Ambulance NI said: “we are very grateful to Moore Concrete for their support. As a charity we need to raise £2million each year to maintain and sustain this service so public support and donations are crucial.

“We are encouraging local businesses to get in touch to avail of an online webinar or consider taking part in one of our events including Dragon Boat Racing on Friday 10 September 2021 on the River Lagan, our abseil down the Tower Museum, Londonderry on Sunday 19 September 2021 or doing your own fundraising event for the charity this summer. Whatever you choose to do, your fundraising will help save lives, brains and limbs.”