A CARE co-ordinator who looks after people living at home has been presented with a special award for her part in raising £100,000 for Midlands Air Ambulance.

Twenty-six-years-old Hannah Palmer of Hereford, who works for Malvern-based home care provider Right At Home (Cheltenham & Malvern), won the Extreme Fundraiser of the Year award after she raised £5000 for the charity ,which operates three air ambulances in six counties. The money will fund an additional 42 life-saving missions.

Miss Palmer's father Calvin Palmer was severely injured in his 1000cc sidecar during a motorcycle race in Bewdley in May 2013, and the Air Ambulance picked him up and took him to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, saving his life in the process. Mr Palmer suffered a bleed to the brain, a broken pelvis, chipped neck vertebrae, a broken collar bone and seven broken ribs.

His daughter said the family was told by the consulting surgeon that if it hadn't been for the speed and professionalism of the air ambulance crew, her father would not be alive today, so she was determined to raise the £5000 it cost for his treatment. To show her appreciation, Miss Palmer carried out a four lap demonstration at a Midshires Club meeting, as a passenger on a 1000cc sidecar, ridden by the current and four times British Champion Mark Cossar. She also had a specially designed tattoo emblazoned on her back to honour the work done by the charity.

Unfortunately, she was unable to collect her award in person at the charity’s Recognition Awards and Charity Ball earlier on in the summer, so Susie Goodwin, regional fundraising manager for Gloucestershire & Herefordshire went to the Right At Home offices in Avenue Road, Malvern instead.

Miss Palmer has been working for Right at Home managing director Richard Turner since June this year and supports the management team in scheduling home care visits. She is responsible for assessing and reviewing client needs and making sure the company’s systems comply with exacting Care Quality Commission standards.

Mr Turner said: "Hannah is a hard-working, competent member of my team, and very popular with Right At Home clients. Her dedication is apparent to everyone so I am not surprised that she achieved so much in such a short space of time. We are all extremely proud of her achievements, and delighted that her efforts have been recognised with an award.”