The Great Western Air Ambulance have been the latest charity to receive a donation from Radstock Co-operative Society from the funds raised from the Carrier Bag Charging Levy.

The levy was introduced in October 2015, and requires retailers to charge 5p for all single-use plastic carrier bags and to donate the sales proceeds to good causes.

The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity serves the whole South West region and has specialist crews with life-saving equipment, enabling them to attend emergencies in difficult-to-reach locations within a twenty-minute flight time.

As a charity, the Great Western Air Ambulance relies on the generosity of donors and fundraising activities to finance the operation. So, when deciding on which organisations should receive a proportion of the levy, it was no surprise that there was much support for the Air Ambulance to receive the £1,000 donation.

A spokesperson for the Society said: “We have been supporters of the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity for many years, and position their collection pots at the till points at many of our stores. We also allow them space in our larger supermarket to raise awareness of the service they provide and to engage with our customers for support. We are appreciative of the vital emergency service that the Great Western Air Ambulance provides to our local communities.’

Ian Canton of the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity wrote: “It really does mean an awful lot to us to have the support of the Radstock Co-operative; both as an organisation, and as a collective of members living and working in our shared region.

“Beyond this grant, I know that a number of your stores host our collection tins, which provide a significant income, as well as raising wonderful awareness of the work that the Great Western Air Ambulance carries out across the South West.”