Customers of the recently opened Van Monster site at Wakefield will be supporting the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Charity if they buy a commercial vehicle in April.
Throughout April £100 from every vehicle bought will be donated to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Charity by Van Monster. Customers will be able to follow fundraising progress on a charity thermometer on the Van Monster website.
In addition, Van Monster, which is a subsidiary of Northgate Vehicle Hire, Britain’s largest vehicle rental company, which operates a fleet of 68,500 vehicles from 90 outlets across the UK, has provided a vehicle to the charity, which is perhaps best known for coming to the aid of BBC TV’s ‘Top Gear’ presenter Richard Hammond when he had his horrific high speed crash in September 2006.
Van Monster is one of the UK’s biggest suppliers of used commercial vehicles and recently opened its doors in Outwood, Wakefield, bringing ten new jobs to the area.
It is the largest site within the Van Monster network of eight retail sites spread throughout the UK and at anyone time has over 200 vehicles to view and buy.
Every year the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Charity must raise £2.5 million in donations - £6,900 a day - to keep flying. Last year, the organisation’s helicopters flew a total of 850 missions from their bases at Leeds Bradford International Airport and Sheffield City Airport.
John Woodall, Group Sales and Development Manager, said: “Many people visiting Van Monster will be familiar with the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Charity. The Air Ambulance team provides a fantastic life-saving service ensuring seriously injured people are never more than an average 10 minutes away from hospital.
“Ironically, it is a service that everyone hopes they will never need. But, equally if we do need it, we would be eternally grateful for its speed and efficiency. We hope to be able to donate a significant amount of money to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Charity at the end of our month of fundraising.”
Nicky de Whytell, West Yorkshire Development Officer for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Charity, said: “The Yorkshire Air Ambulance Charity is a vital rapid response emergency service, and as a charity, we rely on the generosity of the people of Yorkshire as the life blood of our work. The charity receives no government funding apart from the secondment of our paramedics from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, so all money raised directly affects the patients that the air ambulance carries.
“Without fundraising such as this by Van Monster, we cannot help those who need us the most. Receiving treatment so quickly can dramatically affect someone’s recovery and possibly save someone’s life”.
Van Monster’s range of used commercial vehicles extends from car-derived vans to panel vans such as Sprinters, Transits and Vitos, chassis cabs and tippers, with the majority of vehicles ranging from 10,000 to 80,000 miles. This gives customers a comprehensive choice from all the leading manufacturers including Ford, Mercedes Benz and Vauxhall at a wide range of prices to suit every budget.
Van Monster believe that people travel from all over the North West and Yorkshire to see its huge range of vans, knowing that they will be able to find their perfect vehicle.
Mr Woodall said: “We can give our customers the best vans, at the best price and in the best condition and by buying at Van Monster in April they will be contributing to a very worthy service.
“Businesses and individuals from Huddersfield, Leeds, Sheffield, Rotherham, Bradford and all the surrounding towns buy from Van Monster so whatever business you are in whether you are a plumber, electrician, baker or candlestick maker, it makes sense to view and buy what we have to offer and thereby contribute to the special work undertaken by Yorkshire Air Ambulance.”
