Alderman Thomas Gordon, the new Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, has selected Air Ambulance NI and Rural Support as the official Mayoral Charities for his term.

He said the two organisations deliver essential services to the borough and throughout Northern Ireland. A series of fundraising events and initiatives is planned to support them over the coming year.

Air Ambulance NI works in partnership with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service to provide a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service. The helicopter, carrying a pilot, doctor and paramedic, operates 365 days a year for up to 12 hours daily. On average, two people require its assistance each day.

Rural Support offers free and private advice, mentoring and wellbeing support to farmers and farm families. The charity's helpline assists with farm business management, financial problems, bereavement, mental health challenges, succession planning and stress management.

The Mayor noted that seeing the air ambulance can provoke mixed emotions but its appearance means someone is receiving critical pre-hospital care. He added that Rural Support helps combat isolation and improves mental wellbeing in farming communities, which are widespread in the borough.

Breige Mulholland, Head of Finance and Operations at Air Ambulance NI, said the partnership would directly benefit people in critical need. Samantha Booysen, Director of Operations at Rural Support, described the two charities as a fitting pair, with Air Ambulance often first at the scene of an emergency and Rural Support there for the farming families affected in the longer term.

Donations to the Mayor's Charities can be made through the council's website.