A LEADING south west telecoms and IT company, Excalibur, is proud to have raised more than £10,000 for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Airbase Appeal.

As a member of the WAA 100 Club, Excalibur Communications in Swindon is one of the first local companies to have achieved its £10,000 pledge.

Chosen and supported by Excalibur staff as their annual charity for 2017, the company has gone to some amazing lengths, quite literally, to reach its target.

These included: walking to work, where four colleagues walked for three days from Croesyceiliog in Wales to Swindon, covering 75 miles, dragon boat racing at Coate Water park in Swindon, a 2.5km swimathon, outdoor sleepover, bake-off and custard pie flinging, a pyjama day at HQ and, most recently, a 30-strong team took part in the Swindon Santa Run.

Excalibur CEO, Peter Boucher, commenting on the money raised, said: “The Wiltshire Air Ambulance Service is an essential local emergency service and saves lives. Our staff felt very strongly that we should be involved with the 100 Club campaign. Colleagues made extraordinary efforts, challenging and fun in equal measure, to meet our £10,000 target. This success continues Excalibur’s tradition of staff engagement and enthusiasm in raising money for local charities.”

The WAA Airbase Appeal aims to raise £1.25 million in order to finish and equip its custom-built, new home in Semington, near Melksham. Each member of the 100 Club pledges to raise £10,000 for the Airbase Appeal.

David Philpott, WAA chief executive, said: “Wiltshire Air Ambulance thanks Excalibur and its staff for raising such a significant amount of money for our new airbase. As a founder member of the 100 Club, Excalibur have played a key role through their fundraising to enable us, with our custom-built airbase which is due to be operational by next summer, to save many more lives in the future. The 100 Club has proven to be a great initiative for us in getting local businesses together and involved with our Airbase Appeal.”