I am running the Great Manchester Run half marathon on 22nd May and raising money in aid of the North West Air Ambulance, a worthy cause and one I was unfortunate enough to use the services of in 2017.

I am a professional Arborist from Preston. In June 2017 whilst carrying out routine tree maintenance work in Rawtenstall, Lancashire I had an accident involving a top handled chainsaw. I was climbing a sycamore tree cutting branches away from a property, during which a combination of complacency, poor work positioning and over thinking caused the branch I was cutting to ‘kick back’ the chainsaw into my chest.

An ambulance was called which arrived and treated me with morphine, luckily I wasn’t loosing too much blood as the chain had hit my sternum. The paramedics subsequently called the Air Ambulance. They arrived within 15 minutes. I was checked over by paramedics onboard and the hospital was notified of my estimated time of arrival. I was flown 40 miles to Blackpool Victoria hospital. From the time of accident I was in the helicopter within the hour and at the hospital less than half an hour after that.

Im hoping to raise £3500 which is roughly the cost of my flight.

The North West Air Ambulance Charity provides rapid pre-hospital care needed to make a life-changing difference. They operate three helicopters, flying 365 days a year with doctors and paramedics on board providing emergency medical treatment when time is crucial.

They do this with no funding from government or NHS and rely totally upon people like you and me to make a difference.

Thanks for reading

Dan