A LIFESAVING service has found an innovative way of supporting its fundraising team in the community– teaming up with a Covid testing company to offer screening services for all willing employees.

More than 400 Covid-19 testing kits are being donated by Circular 1 Health every four weeks to the Great North Air Ambulance Service bases at Progress House, near Eaglescliffe in County Durham, and Langwathby in north Cumbria.

Weekly testing and screening performed by the firm’s scientists is available to all GNAAS staff as the offices are shared with the aircrew and clinical staff.

Jim Entwistle, head of marketing and communications at GNAAS, said that fundraising had been hampered by the pandemic: “Despite the strain on resources, we still responded to 1200 incidents last year and expect this year to be busier as we come out of lockdown and visitors and local people take advantage of our beautiful countryside.

“We never take the support of business and the public for granted and thanks to the generosity of Circular 1 Health, we have the option of regular testing as part of a series of measures to help our team to actively resume their fundraising activities.”

Stuart Maclennan, founder of Circular 1 Health which is based in Carlisle, said he was delighted to support the charity.

“It’s a privilege for me and the team to know that we’re playing a small part in helping the air ambulance to ultimately save lives by offering a service that supports its people, its pilots and its clinical teams,” he said.

The Great North Air Ambulance is run solely on donations.