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A woman from Prenton who was airlifted to hospital after suffering a life-altering heart attack has spent 14 years raising thousands of pounds for the charity that saved her life.
As reported by Birkenhead News, Wendy Dewhurst collapsed while walking her dog Molly on New Brighton beach on New Year's Eve 2011. She was treated by emergency services at the scene before she was airlifted to Broadgreen Hospital by North West Air Ambulance Charity (NWAA). She later learned she had gone into cardiogenic shock, a serious condition with a low survival rate.
Wendy wanted to give back to the ambulance team who helped her. She teamed up with her best friend Carol Morton, and since then, the two have raised more than £4,300 for NWAA through many fundraising activities.
Their journey started with a two-day event at a local Asda, raising £3,000 through donations and match funding. They've entered the big leagues and taken on abseil challenges as well as traditional organised raffles and awareness events. In more unconventional fundraising, they've recently started making homemade jams and marmalade.
The duo sells their preserves at monthly coffee mornings hosted by Wirral Animal Welfare Association. The jars cost £3.50 each, but you can purchase two for £6. Since October 2025, they have raised more than £700 through sales.
Wendy said in a statement: "I'm only here because of the people who helped me that day. The emergency services were incredible, and the North West Air Ambulance Charity got me to hospital when I needed urgent treatment. I wanted to do something to give back."
She added: "People are constantly coming back for more. We pick the fruit ourselves, get Seville oranges donated, buy the jars and make the labels ourselves, so all the profits go directly to NWAA."
Wendy reflected on why she continues to fundraise, saying that after her ordeal, she was told she was "extremely lucky to survive". She added that the NWAA is only able to do what they do because of donations from the public, so she wants to ensure their help is still available.
Both women are now volunteers for the charity and want their story to inspire others to get involved during Air Ambulance Week, from 8th to 14th of September.
Carol said: "Wendy's story shows just how important the charity is. We hope nobody ever needs them, but we're proof of what a difference they can make. Fourteen years on, we're still fundraising because we know first-hand how important this service is."
Since the beginning of the year, NWAA has attended more than 800 cardiac arrests and has been called to over 270 incidents across Merseyside. The charity serves more than eight million people across the North West, operating three helicopters and four critical care cars, and must raise more than £18 million each year to continue its work.
