AN accountancy firm’s sweet tooth has helped to boost the coffers of the Great North Air Ambulance Serivce (GNAAS).

Clive Owen LLP has supported the charity with a £500 donation raised through its staff room tuck shop.

Staff at its Darlington office have been enjoying a range of treats to help raise funds for the GNAAS, which provides air ambulance services across the North-East, Cumbria and North Yorkshire.

The tuck shop was started by Elizabeth Layfield and Julie Allan from the Darlington Tax team as a way to benefit the staff whilst raising funds for local charities.

And every six months, the team at Clive Owen LLP choose a different charity which has a presence in the local community and this time they have chosen to donate to GNAAS.

Elizabeth Layfield, tax manager at the Darlington office, said: “As a business with fantastic community connections, we want to engage with local good causes and help to raise money for charities which may need a little bit of extra support.

“The Great North Air Ambulance does amazing work, but by its nature has a high cost base so our Darlington office has done a great job in helping to raise money for them and we certainly have a sweet tooth.”

The GNAAS, which responded to 1,173 call-outs last year, is entirely funded by donations and fundraising activities.

Deb Gibbs, fundraising assistant from the GNAAS, said: “I would like to thank the company for its generous donation, what’s better than knowing eating sweets and chocolate can help a good cause.

“We rely on fundraising to help keep us in the air and looking after the North East community, so any help we receive is greatly appreciated.”

Charity staff have now moved to its new base at Urlay Nook, near Eaglescliffe, with the helicopters and critical care teams due to follow later this year once the hangar is built. The facility will bring together the fundraising, lottery, admin and operational teams under one roof for the first time.