Air ambulance's £50,000 appeal

The north Wales air ambulance first started with a trial in 2003

A £50,000 fundraising appeal for north Wales' air ambulance service has been launched.

Haf Thomas, from Llanrug, aims to collect a million five pence pieces during 2005 to help finance the region's helicopter rescue service.

She aims to raise £50,000 - an average of 3,000 five-pence pieces a day - following the appeal's launch at Caernarfon Airport in Dinas Dinlle.

It is the latest in a string of charity appeals organised by Ms Thomas.

The idea was inspired when Ms Thomas, who works in Gwynedd County Council's environment department, went to a concert in Llanberis.

A fellow concert-goer gave her a bag of five-pence pieces, telling her to add it to a charity appeal of her choice.

She said: "I chose the air ambulance service because they do such good work rescuing people from the mountains, the sea and road accidents.

"It's really important that they have money."

She has already started collecting with a bucket at home, and, with the help of friends and family, has raised £230.

Her aim is to collect the rest by providing 100 collection boxes in council offices.

Haf Thomas aims to collect £50,000 for the appeal

She said: "It sounds like quite a lot now, but with the help and support of local people I'm sure we can do it before the end of 2005."

Every year since 1995, Ms Thomas has raised money for Guide Dogs for the Blind, Ysbyty Gwynedd Rainbow, the Alaw ward at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Children in Need and Unicef.

The Caernarfon-base air ambulance costs £2m a year to run.

Paramedic Alwyn Roberts said: "We've been very busy and are constantly in the top five of air ambulances in Britain, so the money is needed to keep us flying."

The appeal will be boosted by the council's Christmas concert featuring the staff choir and tenor John Eifion Jones.