A 79-year-old woman has made more than 8,000 greetings cards to raise funds for a life-saving service.

Trish Curtis from Dorchester has raised £4,017.56 for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance by selling greeting cards for 50p each at Potter’s café in the county town.

She said: “I think that the air ambulance is very important to all of us – we never know when we might need it.

“I have made just over 8,000 cards, all non-profit.”.

She explained that she wanted to hand over the cheque now because she felt that £4,000 was a very good amount - but she has no plans on stopping making her cards.

Trish is a regular at Potter’s café on Durngate Street and began making and selling the greeting cards around five years ago. She inspired by the card making kits she saw on sale.

She joked: “My bedroom is full of all this card making stuff.”

However, she did have to take a break from selling the cards during Covid lockdowns when the café was forced to close to the public.

Dorset Echo: Trish Curtis presented members of the Air Ambulance team with a cheque of more than £4000Trish Curtis presented members of the Air Ambulance team with a cheque of more than £4000 (Image: Hollie Carr)

Becky Heath, the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Supporter Engagement Officer for Dorset described Trish’s efforts as ‘absolutely phenomenal.’

She added: “Each mission costs around £3,500 - So this is more than a mission – enough to go and save somebody's life.

“Without the donations of the public we wouldn’t be able to do it.”

Becky was one of the members of the air ambulance’s charity staff present at the cheque giving at Potters Café.

Dorset Echo: The cards are on sale in Potters Café in Dorchester for 50p eachThe cards are on sale in Potters Café in Dorchester for 50p each (Image: Hollie Carr)

Volunteer Susan Dredge has known Trish for around four-years as her and her husband visit the café every Friday.

She was also present at the celebration and described the charity as ‘just smashing,’ adding, ‘we love it, and the public are so supportive.’

Since 2000, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance have been providing life-saving, pre-hospital critical care, to patients in need and last year, they saw to 2,424 incidents.

The Air Ambulance primarily relies on public donations and fundraising.

To find out more about the charity visit: https://www.dsairambulance.org.uk/.