Derbyshire superstore celebrates mammoth milestone for lifesaving charity

Your local air ambulance’s Alfreton superstore is celebrating raising a phenomenal £1 million worth of sales this year - funding nearly 600 lifesaving missions for the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA), as the charity celebrates 15 years of vital service.

‘The Hanger’ superstore opened its doors on 21 February 2019 and is situated in the Nottingham Road retail park in Alfreton, Derbyshire. Since opening, the superstore has been an integral part of the local community, for its amazing shopping environment, updated new and used retail stock and a wonderful selection of food and drinks available in the café.

This is the charity’s first store to have raised £1 million in just one year, an amazing achievement for the superstore, the hardworking team there, and its loyal shoppers with their dedicated support.

The local community welcomed the store with open arms four years ago and has since been supported with generous donations of clothing, furniture, and bric-a-brac, with an incredible total of 266,000 bags being donated.

Some members of the community have joined the retail team in-store, and others have even given up their spare time to volunteer – to help the lifesaving charity and its frontline service.

“I am so happy and proud to be part of the team which has broken the record of a £1 million sales, and I am looking forward to another year of working with our amazing team here at The Hanger,” expressed Tina Allen, Store Manager.

“With Christmas around the corner, we continue to require support from the local community with further donations of new and preloved items, as these provide vital income for the charity and keep our helicopters flying.

“The phenomenal amount we have managed to raise in the last year, shows exactly what we can do when a community comes together and we hope next year we can do the same, continuing to help change and save more lives,” she added.

Income from the store is vital in keeping DLRAA’s service operational. Within minutes, DLRAA’s critical care crews can be on the ground delivering pre-hospital emergency care and giving patients the very best chance of survival – this vital service relies entirely on donations to raise the £1,700 needed for each rescue mission, as the charity receives no government or National Lottery funding.

Assistant Store Manager, Becky Cumberland added: “I have been here since the store first opened and have not only had the pleasure of seeing the store grow, but the team as well. We are all incredibly proud to work for such a dedicated and much needed cause, helping to keep our crews providing pre-hospital critical care to those who need it most in Derbyshire and further afield – and a huge thank you to the local community and shoppers for all their support.”

2023 has been a monumental year for the charity. It’s celebrated 50,000 missions, an overall ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating, and 15th anniversary of providing its lifesaving service across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Rutland. The charity is continuing to encourage people to visit its charity stores and grab a bargain, donate unwanted clothing to one of many clothing banks, get involved in a challenge event, fundraise, or even sign up to volunteer.

For more information, please visit: www.theairambulanceservice.org.uk or call 0300 3045 999.