A collection of items personally donated and autographed by Formula One world champion Jenson Button is to be auctioned by the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA).
Jenson, who is a patron of the charity, presented the air ambulance with a baseball cap from his championship-winning season, a calendar, and a scale model of his Brawn GP racing car, all personally signed by him.
In addition, he signed DSAA memorabilia when he met some of the air ambulance staff as he received the freedom of his home town, Frome. The items will be auctioned to raise funds for the DSAA, which needs to raise £1.4 million a year to keep its helicopter flying.
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance marketing and communications co-ordinator Tracy Bartram said, “Jenson has been one of our patrons since the charity started 10 years ago. We have followed his racing career progress ever since, and it is brilliant that he has given us these items to auction now that he is world champion.
“Jenson has many fans in the UK and has tremendous support from the people of Somerset in particular, so I am sure there will be a lot of interest when we auction the things he has autographed.
“The cost of keeping our air ambulance flying works out at around £3,800 a day and we have to raise all of that money ourselves because we do not receive any Government or Lottery funding.”
The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is celebrating its 10th birthday this year and has attended more than 7,000 missions since its launch in March, 2000, many of them life-saving.
More information about the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance can be found by visiting www.dorsetandsomersetairambulance.org.uk or by emailing info@dorsetandsomersetairambulance.org.uk or calling 01823 669604.
