A TYNEDALE woman who suffered multiple injuries in a three-car crash has raised more than £7,000 for the rescuers who saved her life.
Heather Pringle was airlifted by the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle after she was involved in a crash in Hexham in September last year.
The 32-year-old, who was in the car along with her sister Iona and mum Karen, had internal bleeding and other injuries including a collapsed lung and cracked ribs.
When Heather was in hospital, Iona and their brother Stewart decided they wanted to fundraise for the air ambulance service, which relies on donations, to thank them for what they did for their sister and all their life-saving work.
And on Saturday, April 2, Heather completed the Allendale Challenge along with a group of eight family members and friends in 11 and a half hours.
The 26-mile (42km) walk, considered by many to be one of the toughest challenge walks, starts and finishes in the town where the Pringle family are from.
"It was really nice to be able to make it all the way to the end together," said Heather.
"We kept each other all going."
She added: "It was snowing in the couple of days leading up to it so we were a little bit worried about what was going to happen. It wasn't looking too good up on the fells, but actually the sun came out on the Saturday.
"We started at around 7am, and it stayed sunny and dry which was absolutely amazing."
Heather said her recovery has been going well.
"I've been trying quite consciously to get fit again and go to yoga a bit, and get out walking," she said.
"The challenge was a good aim for me. My partner helped me with a bit of a training schedule to try and get out on walks and make sure I was getting my fitness back and getting stronger which has been good."
The group has jointly raised £7,400 for the Great North Air Ambulance Service from donations via their JustGiving pages as well as a collection at Wentworth Cafe in Hexham.
"We surpassed what we expected of the fundraising," said Heather. "We're all buzzing about it.
"We have all had so much support from friends at home and abroad, and from the local community and we are so grateful."
To donate to the Great North Air Ambulance Service via Heather's JustGiving page, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Heather-Allendale-Challenge
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