Darlington-based industrial cleaning specialist Ruck Engineering has strengthened its support for the Great North Air Ambulance Service by becoming an official corporate partner, building on an existing relationship that has already delivered practical benefits on the ground.
The partnership follows Ruck Engineering’s support for the charity in 2025, when it donated a pedestrian floor sweeper now used at the charity’s headquarters at Urlay Nook, near Darlington, to maintain the aircraft hangar housing one of its operational helicopters.
Speaking about the decision to formalise the relationship, managing director Simon Ruck said a visit to the base had reinforced just how vital the service is across the region.
“After supporting the charity last year and visiting the base, it really brought home just how important the service is to people across our region,” he said. “Becoming a corporate partner felt like the natural next step for us.”
As part of the new partnership, Ruck Engineering has also arranged the donation of a hot mobile pressure washer from its sister company, MAC International. The MAC Avant machine will be used to maintain the charity’s fleet of response vehicles, supporting its ability to operate quickly and efficiently.
For Ruck, the partnership also carries personal significance, reflecting a longstanding family connection to the organisation.
“There’s also a personal connection for our family,” he added. “My father, who founded the business and served as Mayor of Darlington, chose the Air Ambulance as his mayoral charity. It’s special to now support the organisation as a company in our own right.”
The agreement will see Ruck Engineering provide ongoing support through fundraising, awareness activity and further practical assistance, helping the charity continue delivering emergency pre-hospital care across the North East, North Yorkshire and Cumbria.
Responding to around 2,000 incidents each year, the Great North Air Ambulance Service deploys critical care teams directly to patients at the roadside, in remote locations and in complex medical emergencies, often delivering hospital-level treatment before a patient reaches A&E.
Joe Garcia MBE, chief executive of the charity, said partnerships with businesses remain essential to maintaining that capability.
“We are incredibly grateful to Ruck Engineering for deepening its support and becoming a corporate partner,” he said. “Its donation last year made a practical difference to our operational base, and this new partnership will help us continue delivering critical care across the region.” He added that the charity’s reliance on external support makes long-term partnerships particularly valuable.
“We rely entirely on businesses and communities to keep our helicopters and response vehicles operational. Partnerships like this genuinely help us save lives.”
The Great North Air Ambulance Service receives no government funding for its day-to-day operations and must raise millions of pounds each year to remain operational, underlining the importance of sustained corporate backing from regional businesses.
Established in 1978, Ruck Engineering supplies commercial and industrial cleaning machinery, maintenance services and consumables to organisations across the UK, with its Darlington headquarters continuing to serve as the base for its nationwide operations.
