Jennings Motor Group has reiterated its pledge to support the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) after a successful year of fund-raising delivered £135,000 for the charity in 2016.

A cheque presentation to the GNAAS took place at the group’s supersite on Cargo Fleet Lane in Middlesbrough as group owner and managing director, Nas Khan, celebrated his inclusion in the Queen’s New Year Honours List.

Khan will receive an OBE for his contribution to the economy and his charity work.

Commenting on Jennings success in supporting the GNAAS during 2016, Khan said: “We are absolutely delighted with the amount raised from last year’s fundraising efforts and we’re looking forward to working with the dedicated team at the Great North Air Ambulance for a second consecutive year.

“We are inundated with a high volume of charity requests on a daily basis, but unfortunately it is impossible to help everyone, which is why we decided to nominate a specific charity on an annual basis.”

Staff were asked to take part in an on-line vote to choose the group’s chosen charity for 2017 and the overall majority opted to support the GNAAS once again.

Grahame Pickering MBE, chief executive of GNAAS/Mandy Drake, head of fundraising at GNAAS, said: “We are overwhelmed that the staff at Jennings have chosen to take us on for the second year.

“The firm is already one of our biggest ever corporate supporters, so having them behind us for another twelve months is a tremendous boost.”

Fundraising throughout 2016 was given an extra boost as a result of the motor dealer group donating a brand new Kia Rio car for the charity’s sixth consecutive raffle – raising £120,000.

Other fundraising throughout the year involved staff taking part in various physical outdoor activities, as well as a variety of fundraising events, such as bake-offs, raffles, coffee mornings and pie and peas.

The Great North Air Ambulance Service provides air ambulance services across the North of England, including the North East, North Yorkshire and Cumbria. 

The charity operates three helicopters, 365 days a year across its bases at Durham Tees Valley and Langwathby, near Penrith, Cumbria.

In addition to supporting GNAAS, Jennings Motor Group is also continuing to raise funds for The Emaan Foundation, a registered charity set up by Nas Khan, following the devastating floods in Pakistan in 2010.

The first Appeal raised more than £120,000, which built a new village consisting of 60 homes with livestock and a deep tube well providing clean water. 

A second Appeal, with funds currently at £20,000, is underway to help construct a health centre for the people in the new village, which has been named ‘The Emaan Village’.