As North West Air Ambulance Charity (NWAA) marks Air Ambulance Week, a group of Cheshire fundraisers are celebrating raising more than £4,100 for the charity after completing a self-organised road trip across France in a fleet of ageing cars.
The fundraising achievement comes as NWAA celebrates Air Ambulance Week. Running from 7–13 September, this year’s campaign carries a simple message: “Every Mission Starts With You”, recognising the supporters whose generosity helps keep lifesaving crews operational across the region.
The fundraising team took on the Grand Tour French Banger Rally 2026, raising an impressive £4,103.43 for NWAA while travelling hundreds of miles through France in vehicles more used to local roads than long-distance adventures.
The four teams set off from Crewe and travelled via Dover before crossing into France and following a route through Le Mans, the Bordeaux wine region and Reims, eventually making their way home.
The crews taking part included:
- Dave and Jason, driving a 1985 Ford Capri
- Trev and Simon, driving a 2001 Toyota Celica
- Andy, driving a 1997 Audi A6
- Ryan and Geordie, driving a 2002 Citroën Saxo
Dubbed their own “not-so Grand Tour”, the challenge tested both drivers and vehicles as they navigated hundreds of miles of French roads, all while raising vital funds for NWAA.
Participant Geordie, from the John Richardson team, said: “The North West Air Ambulance Charity are the unsung heroes of a specialist lifesaving team that save people’s lives in sometimes the most unreachable places and can transfer patients into specialist hospitals in ultra-quick time.
“It was my first fundraising event for a charity, and although some days were a challenge, it was still great fun knowing you are doing it for a great reason. Reaching the Reims race track and all our destinations along the way without any problems was definitely a highlight. It’s a great feeling and achievement knowing that you have helped your chosen charity and are giving something back instead of receiving.”
Following their return, the team announced they had exceeded their fundraising target, thanks to the generosity of supporters, friends, family members and local businesses.
In a social media post celebrating the achievement, organisers thanked everyone who had contributed, as well as the drivers and partner businesses who helped make the challenge possible.
Danny Daynes, Senior Fundraiser at NWAA, said: “Air Ambulance Week is all about recognising the people who make our missions possible, and this incredible fundraising challenge is a perfect example of that. Whether it’s taking on a rally across France, hosting a bake sale or making a donation, every pound raised helps us continue bringing hospital-level care directly to patients across the North West.
“We’re incredibly grateful to everyone involved in the Grand Tour French Banger Rally. Their dedication, enthusiasm and sense of adventure has resulted in a fantastic fundraising total that will help us continue saving lives across Cheshire and beyond.”
North West Air Ambulance Charity operates across Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside, providing enhanced pre-hospital care to patients with life-threatening injuries and illnesses. Since January, NWAA has attended more than 340 incidents across Cheshire, bringing advanced critical care to patients when every second counts.
The charity receives no government funding for its day-to-day operations and relies entirely on public donations to continue its lifesaving work.