Shoppers help Barnard Castle high street store raise hundreds of pounds for Great North Air Ambulance

Shoppers in Barnard Castle have helped a leading high street store donate more than £500 to the Great North Air Ambulance Service.
Instead of discounting products for Black Friday weekend last year, FatFace, in Market Place, along with the other 220 branches nationwide, donated money to charity. Ten per cent of its net profits from that weekend was given away.
Store manager Sarah Ashby said: “We all decided between us that the Great North Air Ambulance Service does such an important job in the area. A couple of us have relatives who enjoy mountain biking and walking.
“In the hope that they wouldn’t need the service but one day they might, we decided to support them.”
Some £533.93 was raised in the Barnard Castle store. A cheque was presented to air ambulance volunteer Ruth, who lives in Cotherstone.
Having been involved with the air ambulance for two years, Ruth, who asked not to have her surname published, said: “The Great North Air Ambulance Service is very grateful to FatFace for giving this cheque to them.
“We would like to sincerely thank them. Our service is very much needed in the dale.”
Ms Ashby added: “We would not have been able to donate without the customers helping out and having such a good reaction to this. They have all been so supportive and welcoming to FatFace in the town.”