THE Northern Region of Eventing Ireland recently handed over a cheque for £1,500 to Air Ambulance Northern Ireland and it was good to learn this week that the service, which was officially launched on Wednesday, is now fully operational.

Calls for such a service started 12 years ago but were intensified in 2015 following the death at the Skerries 100 motorbike races of Dr John Hinds, one of the travelling medics on the road racing circuit. The service will not only be of immense value to the sporting community but also to those involved in farming and/or living in remote communities.