CARING shoppers in Littleport are helping to provide a round-the-clock ‘flying doctor’ service in the area.

Support from Anglia Co-operative’s members has enabled the retail co-operative’s ‘community chest’ to make a £16,000 donation to the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

The money will help fund night missions for the service, ensuring the presence of doctors and paramedics at 999 incidents.

The East Anglian Air Ambulance was one of three charities earmarked for support in 2012 by the Anglia Co-operative Community Fund (ACCF). Donations of £16,000 are also being made to cancer charity Macmillan and Sue Ryder, who provide care and support to people with life-changing illnesses.

Anglia Co-operative’s members selected the three main charities to support and Chris Donaldson, area fundraising manager for the East Anglian Air Ambulance, said: “It’s fantastic to get such substantial support from such a prominent retail concern. We are delighted and honoured that Anglia Co-operative and its Members chose to support us in this way.”

Chris received a cheque for £16,000 in a special presentation at Anglia Co-operative’s foodstore in Wisbech Road, Littleport.

He explained: “The money will be a contribution to our current night-flying campaign. Very shortly this campaign will result in us being the first air ambulance service in the UK to fly emergency operations at night.

“We are extremely reliant on the support of the general public to raise the £6million that it takes annually to run the charity.

“We fly between three and four missions a day throughout East Anglia, delivering critical care doctors and paramedics to victims of accidents and medical emergencies.”