THE COLOUR red suits Jenny Ashman from Inkberrow. And it’s just as well really because she wears quite a bit of it.

But the retired teacher would wear it whether it suited her or not – it represents an aspect of her life she cherishes with unbridled passion.

Jenny is the area co-ordinator for the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity and over the past 24 years she has been responsible for bringing in more than £2 million for the Stourbridge-based charity.

Affectionately known as ‘Jenny from the Chopper’, she became involved after her mother died and she was clearing out some of her possessions. “I had a couple of antique hall chairs and I sold them for £40,” she said.

She donated the cash to what was originally known as Air 5 – later to become the County Air Ambulance - which started by having the use of just one helicopter on loan part-time at a temporary base at Halfpenny Green Airport.

A few weeks after that, she received a phone call from someone at the County Air Ambulance asking if she would be interested in picking up collection tins from a few pubs and then returning them once emptied.

From those small beginnings Jenny has been at the heart of the charity’s Worcestershire fund-raising efforts and spreading the word about the work of the organisation. She now covers Pershore, Evesham, Redditch and Bromsgrove and regularly visits schools, community groups and special events like shows and fetes giving presentations about the air ambulance and its work.

And on her first public speaking outing at a working men’s club in Bromsgrove, she was christened ‘Jenny from the Chopper’.

“I went to a working men’s club in Bromsgrove and I was setting up the screen for the projector and someone introduced me as ‘Jenny from the Chopper’. People thought it was funny, but they were laughing with such warmth, I kept the nickname and have used it ever since.”

These days Jenny can attend functions to give presentations or represent the Midlands Air Ambulance as much as three or four times a week. And she always likes to look the part by wearing red.

She even has a specially made red and white flying suit with her name embroidered on the front the Midlands Air Ambulance on the back.

“I was at a motor racing track and there was a truck there with all different brightly coloured clothing. I went up to them and said about the wonderful colours. Some weeks later a box arrived for me and inside was my flying suit.

“They had found out who I was and made it especially for me. I wear it a lot in the winter as it is warm. It is flame and wind proof.”

Jenny has met thousands of people over the past 24 years through Midlands Air Ambulance and she is quick to point out that while she has been credited with raising more than £2 million, it is other people who have done this – she has just facilitated it and collected it.

“I have not raised the money. Other people have given me the money. I cannot cook, I cannot arrange flowers but I can talk a lot,” she explains. It currently costs £7 million a year to run the helicopters and provide this life-saving service.

And it has been making all these contacts and talking to people individually and giving talks to groups that has generated this vast amount of money.

“I love being with people. Although it is called volunteering, I am having fun. Every day is a pleasure. It is the way I have lived for so many years and it is such an important part of my life.”

Unsurprisingly Jenny’s house is adorned with accolades recognising her volunteering work for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity including a letter from former Prime Minister David Cameron; the Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence 2013 Volunteer of the Year; the Institute of Fundraising National Awards 2014 Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year; The Worcestershire Celebrating Volunteering Fundraiser of the Year 2016 and most recently the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity Volunteer of the Year Award 2016.

She received the latest award at the charity’s 25 year celebration party, charity ball and awards night at Edgbaston Stadium. She was presented with the honour by the larger-than-life TV presenter and chef Rustie Lee.

Alison Hill, volunteer manager for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, said: “Jenny has been a dedicated fundraiser for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity for over 24 years and has raised in excess of £2 million, funding 800 lifesaving missions.

“This is the most any volunteer has raised in the history of the charity and we’re so honoured to have her as a volunteer.

“Jenny is well known across Worcestershire and always wears red to match our helicopters, which lead to her nickname, ‘Jenny from the Chopper’.”

• The Midlands Air Ambulances have flown more than 46,000 (a third more than any other air ambulance operator in the UK) since the charity started in May 1991.

• It has three helicopters strategically located at three airbases - RAF Cosford in Shropshire, Tatenhill Airbase, near Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, and M5 Strensham Services, Worcestershire.

• Due to the three aircraft being situated at key locations throughout the Midlands, 90 per cent of the region can be reached within just eight minutes flying time.

• Midlands Air Ambulance serves the largest air ambulance region in the UK. This includes the communities of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire and represents a population in excess of 6 million people.

• The aircrews undertake on average six lifesaving missions each day, 365 days a year.

• Every year Midlands Air Ambulance aircrew attend over 1,000 road traffic accidents on some of the most congested motorway networks in the country.

• On receiving an emergency call, one of the medical aircrew will take notes on the nature of the incident and the co-ordinates for the location. The pilot, two paramedics, or paramedic and flight doctor can be airborne in just two minutes. Each helicopter can take one patient lying down.