Beer raises money for Midlands Air Ambulance

Red Rescue, a special beer from South Shropshire’s Wood Brewery was created to raise money for the life-saving charity.

The brewery chose to support the Air Ambulance, which has a base at Cosford, as it marked its 25th anniversary.

Wood Brewery has contributed money for every pint of Red Rescue sold since launching the ruby-coloured IPA-style 4.2 per cent ale in the spring.

Wood’s managing director, Edward Wood, said: “We’re delighted with sales to date and the beer has been very well received – it won a bronze at the 2017 Ludlow Food Festival."

Wood, based at Wistanstow, near Craven Arms is a long-time supporter of Midlands Air Ambulance and has so far donated a total of about £2,000 towards its current overall target of £5,000 for the charity. In the past, the brewery has raised in excess of £14,000 for MAA.

The initial affiliation started amid high drama in 2009. The brewery had already started a fundraising campaign for Air Ambulance when the service was called upon to whisk Edward’s son Jonathan, then 15, from Shrewsbury for life-saving emergency brain surgery following a freak cricketing accident.

Jonathan went straight to the operating theatre for life saving treatment and has made a full recovery.

Edward said: “It’s not until you find yourself facing those situations that you truly realise Midlands Air Ambulance plays a life-or-death part in all our lives – and it relies entirely on voluntary donations.

“We’re delighted to be donating to the service again. We’ve always been supporters of the charity and coincidentally we had already committed to raising funds for it the year Jonathan needed help.”