RAISING money for the Wales Air Ambulance was a labour of love for Haverfordwest’s Sheriff, Councillor Ellen Repton.

A week in to Cllr Repton’s year as Town Mayor, her daughter, Melanie, was airlifted to hospital by the charity after suffering a spinal injury.

“My daughter had an accident at home,” Cllr Repton explained. “The Wales Air Ambulance transported her to Cardiff. We needed this vital service. At the end of the day, you never know when you or someone you love may need to be airlifted, and they do a fantastic job.”

So when the Sheriff organised a fundraising breakfast, she knew exactly which charity she would like to support.

“I’ve never done a breakfast before, and this one was really hard work!” said Cllr Repton. “But we raised £780, which was amazing. I really wasn’t expecting to do that well. I was aiming for a couple of hundred. The help and support I had from local companies, the public and members of the Association of Sheriffs was fantastic. Every item of food and drink served that morning had been donated.”

Wales Air Ambulance Community Coordinator Tony Key OBE said it was easy to forget the service is not funded by the Government.

“We run purely on donations, and we’ve been trying to forge fundraising links in the Haverfordwest area,” he said. “We are very, very grateful for the Sheriff’s contribution, and I’d like to thank everyone who helped. The only thing I’m disappointed about is missing out on the breakfast!”

The Wales Air Ambulance now has a doctor on board at all times, as well as a paramedic. In the past, patients were assessed on the ground by fully qualified paramedics, before being boarded and taken to the hospital that best suited their needs.

“Now the doctor on board can direct the helicopter straight to the relevant hospital, that has the relevant specialist available,” Tony explained. “The ability to do that is vital for this part of the world. We’re a little bit out on a limb in Pembrokeshire.”

Wales Air Ambulance relies entirely on donations to raise the £6 million needed each year to fund its vital service. For more information, visit walesairambulance.com, follow them on Twitter @air_ambulance or at facebook.com/walesairambulance.