224 NFU (National Farmers’ Union) members have helped raise £5,000 to support the life-saving work of air ambulance charities in rural communities by renewing their energy contracts.

NFU Energy made a £5,000 donation on behalf of 224 farmers who participated in its recent “Renew your energy and help save lives” buying group in partnership with Yü Energy, who also facilitated the funds.

The buying group used the collective bargaining power of the NFU, NFU Cymru and NFU Scotland to negotiate exclusive bulk prices on energy, giving members a chance to save on their gas or electricity renewals while also making a difference. For every eligible contract renewed through the scheme, Yü Energy contributed towards a collective donation, which reached a total value of £5,000.

The total raised was shared between two regional services, £2,500 to The Air Ambulance Service (covering Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland) and £2,500 to the Cornwall Air Ambulance.

Joshua Robinson, Assistant Director and Head of Utility Contract Sales at NFU Energy comments: “We are proud to support the life-saving work of air ambulance charities on behalf of the farmers who took part in this buying group. This is a cause that came about from consultation with our farmers and resonates strongly across rural communities. The level of participation shows how powerful collective action can be.

“Thank you to everyone who got involved and to Yü Energy, who understood what we wanted to achieve and helped bring this idea to life. We are excited to build on this success with future campaigns and support air ambulance charities in more regions of the UK.”

Air ambulances make up a critical emergency care lifeline in many rural communities, where emergency response times can be longer and rapid access to care can be the difference between life and death.

For farmers, who often work alone with heavy machinery and livestock in remote locations, immediate access to specialist medical care is essential, making air ambulance services a vital safety net.

Sally Newman, Community Fundraising Executive from The Air Ambulance Service said: “Despite one-in-four people knowing someone who needed the help of an air ambulance, very few people realise that we are charities that receive no NHS funding and rely on public generosity. Helicopters, and rapid response vehicles, take doctors and paramedics to patients in the fastest time possible, and in an accident at a rural location that time saved can make all the difference to a patient’s chance of survival. That’s why we are incredibly grateful for this donation and the support of NFU members.”

Julia Jeffery, Corporate Partnerships Manager, Cornwall Air Ambulance comments: “Thank you to NFU Energy and its customers for making an incredible donation of £2,500. With over 80% of the land in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly dedicated to agriculture, farming is a key part of our community, and so is the need for rapid critical care.

Support like this helps ensure that Cornwall Air Ambulance can respond to around 1,000 missions each year, a number of which are agricultural incidents. Thank you for helping to make a lifesaving difference and ensuring that together, we can be there for someone’s tomorrow.”

Chris Broadbent, Sales Director at Yü Energy concludes: “We’re proud to have partnered with NFU Energy to support the air ambulance charities through this campaign. Together we enabled customers to make a real difference through their energy choices, helping fund faster, life-saving medical responses when they are needed the most.

“This campaign shows how businesses and communities can work together to power a better future, and we thank everyone who played a part in making a meaningful impact.”

This successful partnership highlights NFU Energy’s ongoing commitment to delivering value for its customers while supporting causes that matter to the agricultural community.