An air of gratitude (From Basingstoke Gazette)

An air of gratitude

1:00pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012 in News By Helen Morton

HAMPSHIRE & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOW) has been named as the chosen charity of Festival Place for 2012.

Staff from the Basingstoke shopping centre voted to support the charity after one of their number was helped by the life-saving service.

Duty assistant Luke Foley, who works at Festival Place, had a motorcycle accident in March 2011 and was airlifted to the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Oxford, by the HIOW Air Ambulance.

Luke, 24, from Basingstoke, broke his leg in three places in the collision with a vehicle.

He said: “The Air Ambulance team who looked after me were fantastic, and I cannot thank them enough.

“Each year, we get the chance to suggest a charity to support. I felt strongly about wanting to give something back to the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance so I was thrilled when it was confirmed we would be supporting them throughout 2012.”

Festival Place has pledged to raise £8,000 for the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance by running various events throughout the year, such as cake sales and sponsored challenges taken up by the shopping centre’s employees.

Steven Connolly, centre director of Festival Place, said: “The staff always get stuck into raising money for our chosen charity and it’s great that we can all assist Luke in thanking the Air Ambulance.”