A HOUSING developer has boosted the air ambulance with a donation of nearly £50,000 after a year-long campaign of fundraising.

Redrow Eastern collected an incredible £48,418 for the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance by hosting a charity race night and auction as well as smaller fundraising activities.

The annual racing event, at Chelmsford City Racecourse, raised just under £40,000.

Boss Alex Stark said: “We are very proud of the team here at Redrow Eastern, our partners and subcontractors for raising such a significant amount of money for Essex and Herts Air Ambulance.

“The hard work that goes into organising these events is incredible and it is all worth it when you see the contribution we can make towards vital local services.”

Another £7,053 was raised through a charity cycle ride in September when six employees cycled 175 miles from Big Ben in London to the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

A number of smaller charitable events across 2018 helped top up the total to nearly £50,000.

Sabi Stafford, Essex fundraising manager at Essex and Herts Air Ambulance, said: “We would like to thank everyone from Redrow who has helped reach this fantastic total.

“We have really enjoyed working closely with the company and its staff over the last year.

“The support that everyone has shown for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance has been amazing.

“The race night back in September was a very memorable evening during which £40,000 was raised.

“The six employees who took on the challenge of cycling from London to Paris, raising £7,000 between them, also showed incredible commitment.”