Council staff support charities

10.53.00am GMT Wed 3rd Feb 2010

Help for Heroes (H4H) and the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal(WAAA), have been chosen by Wiltshire Council employees as the authority's official charities for 2010.

Staff were asked to vote for a national and local charity of the year. Money raised by salary donations and fundraising events organised throughout the year will be split equally between the two charities.

The Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal was formed in 1995. The Appeal is funded entirely by the people of Wiltshire who donate in excess of £500,000 per year, which contributes towards the operational costs to keep the helicopter flying.

Melanie Gee, fund raising and development manager for WAAA, said: "We are absolutely delighted that the staff from Wiltshire Council have nominated the WAAA as one of their beneficiaries this year. It is as a result of support such as this that the helicopter is able to continue flying in the skies of Wiltshire, and has done so for the past 20 years. We are extremely grateful to everyone for all of their efforts and would like to say keep up the great work that you do."

The national charity chosen by staff was the H4H appeal. The charity is run by former serviceman Bryn Parry and its patrons and supporters include Princes William and Harry.

The charity raises money to support a range of national rehabilitation projects. The current focus is for grants to create a series of regional recovery houses to be built across the UK and serve as the last stage of rehabilitation before a serviceman, or woman, returns to their unit or moves back into civilian life. The current target for this is to raise £20 million by October.

Sarah Walker, co-ordinator for H4H said: "Please say a huge thank you to all the staff at Wiltshire Council for nominating H4H as their charity of the year together with Wiltshire Air Ambulance - this is fantastic news and so very much appreciated."