Gunnedah Show Society recently donated $1000 from its “celebrity ride” held at this year’s AgQuip Rodeo.

The event featured local livestock agents, who in more feminine attire, did their best to hold on riding beginner-level steers.

James Griffen, sporting a blonde wig and skirt, looked the part in best-dressed stakes. Competition-wise, Adam Pollock and Cameron Jones were among the few riders to make time.

WRHS Gunnedah Support Group volunteers Heather Stephens and Pam Bradford were on hand to accept the cheque funded by the celebrity riders’ entry fee and prizemoney, as well as bucket donations.

“We’re thrilled the show society got behind us,” Ms Bradford said. “Having the local riders really helped bring the people in too.”

Ms Stephens said just knowing the service was available to Gunnedah folk for their time in need, was invaluable support.

“It keeps everyone feeling that little bit more secure,” she said.  “Everyone knows help will be there if they need it.”

Show society spokesman George Truman said the rescue service was a life-saving asset to the community.

“It’s important to have the helicopter here,” he said. 

The New England and North West helicopter service based in Tamworth completed 18 missions last month. Ten were for motor vehicle crashes and eight inter-hospital transfers.

Among them was a 28-year-old man suffering a medial condition who was transferred from Coonabarabran Hospital to Tamworth. A few days later, a 39-year-old man was also transferred from Coonabarabran.

Also in October, the helicopter flew to Gunnedah to assist a 33-year-old pregnant Premer woman with a medical condition. The woman was transported by road ambulance to Gunnedah where the patient’s condition deteriorated. The helicopter met the ambulance at Gunnedah Hospital to transport the woman to Tamworth Base Hospital for further treatment.

The service will soon have a new place to call home in northern NSW with construction underway on the $5.5 million Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service aeromedical base at Lake Macquarie.

State government will chip in $2.3 million and the remaining $3.3 million covered by the helicopter service. The base will be a key emergency service facility for northern NSW with aircraft hangar facilities, day maintenance and training facilities and accommodation for pilots, crews, doctors and ambulance staff.