HR2day reaches £65,000 fundraising milestone for Great North Air Ambulance Service

Nicky Jolley, Founder and Managing Director of HR2day has now raised £65,000 for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) through three charity balls, after this year’s event added more than £22,000 to the total.

More than 230 guests came together at Hardwick Hall, Sedgefield, on Saturday 16 May 2026 for the third ball organised by Nicky, Managing Director of HR2day. The latest success builds on the previous two events and marks a significant cumulative fundraising achievement for the charity.

For Nicky, the achievement is about more than a single evening of fundraising. A passionate supporter of local charities, she is committed to giving back to the community and using her position in the business community to make a positive difference. Raising £65,000 across three events demonstrates what can be achieved when local people, organisations and businesses unite behind a vital cause.

Speaking about the success of this year’s event and the cumulative fundraising milestone, Nicky said: “I’m incredibly proud that, with the support of everyone involved, this year’s ball raised more than £22,000 and brought the total raised across our three balls for GNAAS to £65,000. The Great North Air Ambulance Service means so much to communities across our region, and I’ve always believed it’s important to use our networks, our energy and our businesses to do some good. Each ball has brought people together around a cause that really matters, and this milestone belongs to everyone who has supported us along the way.”

GNAAS is a charity-funded service that delivers specialist, life-saving care to severely ill and injured people across the North East of England, North Yorkshire, Cumbria, the Scottish Borders and the Isle of Man, 365 days per year. Its highly skilled doctors, paramedics and pilots bring advanced critical care directly to patients at the scene of an incident via air and road.

The charity is reliant on donations, fundraising events and corporate support to continue providing their life-saving service. It costs around £9.6 million a year to operate the service, with daily operating costs of more than £25,000. Funds raised through events such as the HR2day Charity Ball help GNAAS maintain its aircraft and response vehicles, fund specialist medical equipment, and ensure its critical care teams can continue responding to emergencies throughout the region.

Community fundraising events play a crucial role in sustaining the charity’s work. As well as generating vital income, they help raise awareness of the service, strengthen community ties and remind people just how essential the air ambulance is for families and communities across the North. Every pound raised helps GNAAS remain ready to respond when it is needed most.

Ben Sisson, corporate relationship manager at GNAAS, said: “Support from businesses and the wider community is absolutely vital to the work we do. We are incredibly grateful to HR2day for raising a staggering £65,000 through three charity balls and enabling our critical care team to continue responding to those in need across the region. We would like to thank everyone who supported the events and helped make this incredible contribution possible.”

Nicky added: “These events would not happen without the generosity of everyone who has attended, donated, sponsored, bought raffle tickets and supported us over the years. I’m also hugely grateful to my family and our small team of volunteers for helping me bring each ball together. To have raised £65,000 for GNAAS is something we can all be incredibly proud of.”