A tractor run organised by the Burnfoot Community Hub in Co. Derry has raised over £32,000 for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland.
The event was held in memory of 14-year-old Isaac Roxborough from Burnfoot who tragically lost his life as a result of a quad bike accident on June 26 this year.
Air Ambulance Northern Ireland work in partnership with Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) to provide the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) across the region.
The HEMS team were tasked and worked alongside their NIAS colleagues to provide Isaac with emergency critical care both at the scene and during his transfer to the Royal Victoria Hospital, where he sadly passed away.
The community in the small village of Burnfoot, which just outside Dungiven, rallied together to support the Roxborough family following the tragedy.
A committee from the local community hub began organising a tractor run and family fun evening in memory of Isaac, a fitting tribute for a young boy with a passion for tractors and farming.
Almost 200 tractors gathered in the village on August 30 to pay tribute to Isaac and show their support for the entire Roxborough family, along with raising vital funds for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland.
One of the organisers from the community hub, Carolyn Scott, said: “We’re absolutely delighted with the success of the first Isaac Roxborough Memorial Tractor run and the £32,605 raised for the amazing Air Ambulance NI.
“These events wouldn’t be possible without the unwavering generosity of our local community and the incredible efforts of everyone who took part, and we would like to thank everyone involved.”
The Roxborough family are extremely grateful to Air Ambulance Northern Ireland for the care they provided to Isaac and it has brought much comfort to the family knowing that the money raised will go towards lifesaving care for others.
The air ambulance service operates seven days a week for 12 hours per day and the aircraft can reach anywhere in Northern Ireland in approximately 25 minutes.
On average, the doctor and paramedic team are tasked twice a day, responding to serious incidents such as road traffic collisions, workplace accidents, and medical emergencies, and it takes almost £7,000 per day to maintain the service.
Katrina Hughes, area fundraising manager for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland said that they were “overwhelmed by the generosity, dedication and most of all the community spirit of Burnfoot”.
“In such tragic circumstances, everybody here has come together to lean on each other and provide support to the Roxborough family, all while at the same time planning the fantastic tractor run which has had phenomenal success, and really is a beautiful tribute to Isaac, celebrating his love for farming and tractors and we’re honoured to have been part of it,” she said.
