Newport-based Monmouthshire Building Society, one of Wales’ leading financial institutions, has donated £10,000 to Wales Air Ambulance to help fund a state of the art trailer.

The society recently achieved £1bn in assets and, to mark this momentous occasion, decided to give back to the wider local community through some unique and exciting funding projects.

Wales Air Ambulance provides emergency air cover for those facing life-threatening illnesses or injuries, and attends an average of 2,000 incidents each year. They rely entirely on donations to fund their three helicopters based in North, Mid and South Wales.

The £10,000 donation from MBS has been spent directly on a trailer which allows them to attend events across the length and breadth of Wales, raising essential funds through their Lifesaving Lottery, monthly giving and through the society’s Affinity Instant Account which has been launched in support of the charity.

Chief executive Andrew Lewis, of MBS, said: “As a regional building society, it’s important that we actively support our local communities. Wales Air Ambulance is a vitally important initiative which, without support from the public, simply couldn’t exist.

“We’re proud to have handed over a cheque for £10,000, since we know just how important the attendance of events is for attracting lasting and sustainable donations which help to strengthen their provision of an essential lifesaving service throughout the whole of Wales.”

Wales Air Ambulance fundraising manager Mark Stevens said: “Our teams attend anything up to 1,000 events throughout Wales in any given year, and the new trailer will help us significantly in our aim to promote the air ambulance service and highlight the ways in which the public can support us to help as many people as possible at such a critical moment in their lives.”

“We’re extremely grateful to Monmouthshire Building Society for the £10,000 donation for our new trailer, which we’ve nicknamed the WAAgon, and look forward to meeting thousands of potential supporters at events throughout the year ahead.”