Mother honors late son by raising £100K for Wakefield-based charity Yorkshire Air Ambulance

Volunteer, Jan Swallow, recently surpassed her ambitious target during a charity gala in Ravensknowle Children's Gala, where her efforts brought her total donation to an impressive £100,069 for Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA).

The charity, which is entirely independent, is currently based across two airbases, Nostell Air Support Unit near Wakefield in West Yorkshire and RAF Topcliffe near Thirsk.

Jan holds a deeply personal connection to the charity, after her son Graham was involved in a serious motorbike accident in May of 2007.

While traveling on Snake Pass (A57), a road well-known for its sharp bends connecting Sheffield and Manchester, Graham hit a road sign, causing him to fall from his bike and down a steep roadside ravine, with his motorbike suspended from a tree above him.

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s critical care team, provided crucial on-scene support, including extracting Graham from the ditch, which took almost an hour to complete.

Once freed, the team swiftly transported Graham to Sheffield Northern General Hospital, where he sadly passed away.

In the wake of her son's death, Jan found solace in fundraising for the organisation that gave her son the best chance of survival.

In 2009, Jan took on her first fundraising challenge, raising over £1,700 by completing a charity skydive.

After a year of raising funds through the campaign, Jan decided to conduct her own independent fundraising, focusing all her efforts on supporting Yorkshire Air Ambulance – including launching a crafting business where 100% of their proceeds go to YAA.

In addition to her fundraising efforts, Jan and her husband Peter are also dedicated YAA volunteers and can often be found assisting the charity’s fundraising teams at key events throughout the year.

Reflecting on her journey, Jan said, “When I began fundraising, it was more of a ‘let’s see how much we can achieve’ mindset. Now, it has become an integral part of my life.

"This work is both my passion and my therapy, providing a way for me to cope and find purpose. I have transformed my grief into a positive force for this incredible charity.

"I always think about how someone else’s fundraising allowed the air ambulance to attend to my son, and now I consider my efforts as paying it forward for others who need YAA’s help.”

Jan's efforts have not gone unnoticed either.

She has received multiple awards for her contributions, including the YAA recognition award (2012/13) and the Honley Village Community ‘Chairman's Award’ for Fundraising (2021).

Chairman of Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Mike Harrop, expressed deep gratitude to Jan for her remarkable fundraising efforts.

He said: “Jan's dedication is truly remarkable, and we are immensely grateful for her outstanding efforts. Surpassing the £100k milestone is an incredible achievement, highlighting her unwavering commitment to our charity.

"Her story serves as a powerful testament to the profound impact one individual can have. As we approach our 25th anniversary, we encourage others to draw inspiration from Jan and contemplate how they too can contribute to our mission, be it through volunteering, providing support, or raising awareness."