28 runners from across Essex and Hertfordshire have raised nearly £60,000 for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance in major races over the last few weeks. All former patients or family members who’ve been supported by the air ambulance, the runners have collectively covered 510.9 miles.

10 ran the London Marathon, 3 did the Brighton Marathon and 15 ran the London Landmarks Half Marathon. The runners included Jeff Cross (53) from Cheshunt, who ran the London Marathon in memory of his wife Joanne, raising funds so that “other families might be spared the heartbreak we now live with every day”.

On 25th January 2025, Essex and Herts Air Ambulance attended Jeff’s home and did absolutely everything they could to help his wife Joanne. Tragically, she did not survive. Since the incident, the charity has continued to support the family “through our darkest days” as Jeff describes. 

Other runners include brothers Mike (18) and Liam Angland (24) from Wembley in London who raised over £20,000. Mike was out with his friends nearly two years ago when he tripped and fell onto a live train track and went into cardiac arrest. His friend Dara immediately jumped down and dragged Mike off the tracks. Together his friends started CPR, saving Mike’s life.  When the critical care team arrived, Mike’s heart had restarted and he was stable enough for transfer to hospital and made a full recovery.

Rosie Dodd-Jones, Critical Care Paramedic at Essex & Herts Air Ambulance ran the London Landmarks Half Marathon. She said:

I decided to run for two reasons: to give back to the charity I am lucky enough to work for, and to challenge myself.  I had been struggling with my fitness and mental health, and this gave me an opportunity to work on both of those things. The training was hard in the winter months, but it gave me important headspace that’s very much needed in the role that I’m in. The driving force was knowing that no matter how difficult the runs felt, it was tiny in comparison to what our patients and loved ones feel when we enter their lives. Race day was incredible!  The atmosphere going around the route was so supportive and fun, the sights were epic, and seeing the charity team cheering me on really boosted my spirits”.

Charlotte Evans, Senior Fundraising Coordinator at Essex & Herts Air Ambulance said:

“We have been overwhelmed by the efforts of all our supporters – to take on challenges like this after all they’ve been through is so impressive. The money they’ve raised is invaluable to us. As a charity we rely solely on donations to keep our helicopters flying so efforts like this make all the difference.”

For more information on Essex & Herts Air Ambulance please visit ehaat.org