A FISH and chip chain which has supported the Yorkshire Air Ambulance since 2012 through collection tins and a range of fundraising events has received a special award to recognise its efforts.

Staff and customers at the Wetherby Whaler restaurants and takeaways, including the outlet in Guiseley, have donated £9,000 to the air ambulance to date and the company received a corporate supporters award at the annual Yorkshire Air Ambulance Recognition Awards held at Aspire, Leeds, earlier this month.

They were among many individual volunteers, organisations and corporate supporters from across Yorkshire who were recognised by the rapid response emergency charity at the special evening, hosted by charity patron and ITV weatherman Jon Mitchell.

Other organisations recognised at the awards included the Leeds-based Bramhope Trust, that has donated £34,000 over the past five years, the Yorkshire branch of the Camping and Caravanning Club, which has raised around £30,000 for the YAA over the last 15 years, and Eldwick Village Society that organises a hugely popular Beer and Banger festival that has boosted YAA funds by £8,000 since 2000.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance serves 5million people across Yorkshire and has carried more than 6,300 people in its 15-year history.

The independent charity needs to raise £12,000 each day to keep its two helicopters in the air and flying, which is equivalent to £4.4 million a year.