AWARDS
SPONSORED BY THE EDUCATION TRAINING COLLECTIVE( ETC)
COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS
Winner – Ashleigh Chapman, head of income and engagement at GNAAS, receives the trophy from Grant Glendinning, chief executive of the Etc.
WINNER
GREAT NORTH AIR AMBULANCE
Its green, white and yellow helicopters are a familiar sight in Teesside’ s skies. And now the Great North Air Ambulance Service( GNAAS) is flying even higher after winning the Community Champions title.
The service – based in Urlay Nook, near Eaglescliffe – covers an area of 8,000 square miles, from the tip of North Yorkshire to the Scottish Borders and across to Cumbria.
And just as the Hardwick Hall awards ceremony was beginning, the GNAAS proved its worth yet again, with the service’ s critical care team based in Cumbria despatched to the Isle of Man to quickly transport a patient to hospital after a sport and leisure incident.
After picking up the award, GNAAS head of income and engagement, Ashleigh Chapman, paid tribute to the service’ s“ incredible team”, which attended nearly 2,000 incidents in 2024-25.
She said:“ We have a team of dedicated people working tirelessly every day to make sure we can be there for those in the community who need us on their darkest day.
“ Nobody wakes up thinking they will need the air ambulance, but the reality is it could be anybody – a young child, a grandparent, a brother or sister. So, to know we’ ve got the recognition here tonight for what we do is incredible.”
It costs £ 9.6m a year – nearly £ 26,000 a day – to operate the service, which is 100 % reliant on charitable funds.
But not only are costs rising, replacement aircraft will be needed soon – and to that effect, an“ Operation SOS – Secure Our Service” campaign to raise £ 2.5m is underway.
Ashleigh explained:“ We are at a critical time for the charity. We currently have two helicopters, but they’ re coming to the end of their lives, really, and they no longer produce those helicopters, so we’ re having to look for alternatives.
“ We’ ve launched a critical campaign to fund a third helicopter or three new ones, so by October, hopefully we’ ll be getting a new fleet of three – not brand new, but new to us.”
And thanking people across the Tees Valley for their support, she added:“ People understand the difference we make and that it’ s only us who can deliver this service in the region.”
FINALIST CYGNET LAW
Specialising in family law, property law and wills and probate, Cygnet Law – with offices in Redcar and Middlesbrough, plus drop-ins in Whitby and Loftus – has been an integral part of the community for 25 years.
Committed to supporting local causes while addressing the legal needs of individuals and organisations, Cygnet has become a trusted partner and advocate for the community.
Whether delivering pro bono services, raising funds for, and working with, local good causes or providing advice and support for young, emerging talent, Cygnet Law is dedicated to making a positive impact and championing the Tees Valley. Community support isn’ t separate from its daily business – it’ s what the firm is all about.
FINALIST
THREE BROTHERS BREWING
A small family microbrewery making a big impact, Stockton-based Three Brothers Brewing has, through its inclusive beers, charity brews and community festivals, raised funds for good causes, supported local events and collaborated with pubs, brewers and customers alike.
By combining innovation and a peoplefocused approach, it uses years of brewing expertise to support the community, with its community beer festivals having so far raised more than £ 22,000 for local groups and charities.
It has also created brews for the likes of the Huntington’ s Disease Association and Cleveland Mountain Rescue and has even set up a North-East Brewers Support Group to build collaboration and openness in a challenging industry.
SPONSOR’ S REFLECTIONS:
Grant Glendinning, chief executive and group principal of the Education Training Collective:“ We are proud to once again back the Tees Business Awards, celebrating the remarkable achievements of businesses, leaders, longstanding and emerging talent, right here in the Tees Valley.
“ As sponsors of the Community Champions Award, we shine a light on those who make it a priority to go above and beyond for the communities and local good causes around them.
“ This is a chance to recognise those who look further than their own business needs, and as part of their fundamental values, find new and unique ways to give back by supporting others.”
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